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Director Showdown III: Christopher Nolan vs Ridley Scott

8,490 Views | 126 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Lathspell
Brian Earl Spilner
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I'm excited for this one. I think Nolan and Scott match up pretty well. And considering how DSII went, I am hoping for a much more balanced tournament this time around.

Based on the Round 1 matchups, I'm sure it will be.

Previous results:
DSI - Cameron defeats Fincher
DSII - Spielberg destroys Tarantino

Round 1:
1. The Dark Knight vs 8. Prometheus
2. Inception vs 7. American Gangster
3. Dunkirk vs 6. Black Hawk Down
4. Interstellar vs 5. Thelma & Louise
5. Memento vs 4. The Martian
6. The Prestige vs 3. Blade Runner
7. Batman Begins vs 2. Alien
8. The Dark Knight Rises vs 1. Gladiator

Vote now!
YouBet
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Interesting matchups here. Abstained on Memento vs The Martian as I have not seen the latter. (Ironically though that is what I'm reading right now.)

And in a shock to myself, I took The Prestige over Blade Runner. I recently rewatched Blade Runner and actually didn't enjoy it as much as I remembered. Still a groundbreaking visual fest that I much respect though. Have The Prestige in my queue for wife to watch since she's never seen it.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Three matchups are 50/50 or separated by 1 vote.
Fat Bib Fortuna
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I voted 4 Nolan 3 Scott (and one I hadn't seen either one).

Every time I see it in a list I realize how much I love The Prestige.
Bruce Almighty
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I voted for Scott 5 times. Easily the closest of the director matchups so far.
Belton Ag
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I know I'm in the extreme minority but I think Inception is probably the most overrated movie of the last 10 years or so. Had it not been up against another surprisingly disappointing film in American Gangster, I'd have voted it right out.

Flame away, I deserve it.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

Three matchups are 50/50 or separated by 1 vote.


38 votes in and still all three are 51/49.

(And another is fairly contested at 58/42.)

This round is gonna be a photo finish.
Brian Earl Spilner
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I wouldn't rank it as Nolan's second best film myself, but I do love it. And its IMDb ranking is really high (I want to say top 10), which means most people love it. So definitely in the minority on that one.

Personally I think I'd put Interstellar and possibly Dunkirk ahead of it.
Belton Ag
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It just didn't click for me I guess; it's easily my least favorite Nolan film. Although I can see why most think it's among his best.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Since we're voicing unpopular opinions, I think Prometheus gets unfairly ragged on. I love it and would put it in Scott's top 5, personally.
Belton Ag
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

Since we're voicing unpopular opinions, I think Prometheus gets unfairly ragged on. I love it and would put it in Scott's top 5, personally.
I'm in agreement with you on this. It's a gorgeous movie with an ominous, thought provoking theme. I loved every minute of it.
rhutton125
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Damn - I guess I like Ridley Scott a lot better than I realized.
Bunk Moreland
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I went Nolan 7-1. Prestige v Blade Runner was so close but Prestige is one of my favorite movies of all time so it held on.
Lathspell
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I went Nolan, 6-2
HummingbirdSaltalamacchia
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Scott won 5-3 for me. And I would argue one of his best wasn't included: Kingdom if Heaven (at least the directors cut). Such an epic film. Too many people wanted it to be Gladiator 2.0, and it's a completely different and more nuanced, film. I might even like it more than Gladiator.....ok, not "might", I do.
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America's destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek nor did we provoke an assault on our freedom and our way of life. We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people's strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive.
Bruce Almighty
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My personal ranking, I'd switch Insomnia for Interstellar and White Squall and Black Rain for American Gangster and Thelma and Louise.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Quote:

I might even like it more than Gladiator.....ok, not "might", I do.




Granted, I've never seen the director's cut, but this is insanity.
fig96
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4-4 for me, though I just about flipped a coin on Memento vs Martian.

Agreed that Prometheus got a tough seed.
Bruce Almighty
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Looking through his filmography, Ridley Scott may be the most unpredictable director of all time. For every great movie, he has 2-3 real stinkers.
HummingbirdSaltalamacchia
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

Quote:

I might even like it more than Gladiator.....ok, not "might", I do.




Granted, I've never seen the director's cut, but this is insanity.

I know, I'm certainly in the minority. The directors cut of KoH is just that damn good to me. Don't get it twisted, Gladiator is greatness though.
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America's destiny is not of our own choosing. We did not seek nor did we provoke an assault on our freedom and our way of life. We did not expect nor did we invite a confrontation with evil. Yet the true measure of a people's strength is how they rise to master that moment when it does arrive.
Madmarttigan
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Prometheus is easily the worst movie of the 8. Not a tough seed imo
Brian Earl Spilner
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Agreed. For every Gladiator he's got a KoH. For every Prometheus he's got an Alien: Covenant.

That's really his biggest weakness, although it's not easy to see from these tournaments. That's probably the one of the big factors that's hard to take into consideration. Cause to be fair to Quentin Tarantino, he has very few stinkers. And Spielberg has a lot. Taking just their top 8 is a big handicap for guys like QT and Nolan.
Francis Macomber
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Interesting seeding with Dark Knight at number 8. I think that would be a lot of people's number one, me included. And Gladiator would've been my number two.
Lathspell
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HummingbirdSaltalamacchia said:

Scott won 5-3 for me. And I would argue one of his best wasn't included: Kingdom if Heaven (at least the directors cut). Such an epic film. Too many people wanted it to be Gladiator 2.0, and it's a completely different and more nuanced, film. I might even like it more than Gladiator.....ok, not "might", I do.
I completely agree about Kingdom of Heaven. Such an underrated movie and one I enjoy turning on on a rainy day.
Bruce Almighty
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bangobango said:

Interesting seeding with Dark Knight at number 8. I think that would be a lot of people's number one, me included. And Gladiator would've been my number two.


The Dark Knight is #1.
Brian Earl Spilner
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fig96
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HummingbirdSaltalamacchia said:

Brian Earl Spilner said:

Quote:

I might even like it more than Gladiator.....ok, not "might", I do.




Granted, I've never seen the director's cut, but this is insanity.

I know, I'm certainly in the minority. The directors cut of KoH is just that damn good to me. Don't get it twisted, Gladiator is greatness though.
I'm not willing to call it better than Gladiator, but the directors cut of KoH is an entirely different film and massive improvement over the original.

And on that topic, the directors cut of Gladiator is also an improvement. It clears up some character motivations and adds in details that make the senate subplot make much more sense in terms of the overall story.
Francis Macomber
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Wow, I was really not paying attention I read Dark Knight Rises as Dark Knight and voted for that over Gladiator. Dumb.

Just voted two times for Gladiator and nothing else, which hopefully cancels out my previous vote and adds a vote for Gladiator.
double aught
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I'm a huge Nolan fan. His work is just right up my alley. His only L was to Martian, one of my favorite movies.
Brian Earl Spilner
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That move was essentially like tossing a sword over to Maximus to help him after he's already stabbed Commodus through the neck.

It's the thought that counts.
Francis Macomber
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YouBet
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Will have to check out directors cut of Kingdom of Heaven. I don't remember theatrical version so will truly be new experience for me.
Chipotlemonger
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I liked KoH
Brian Earl Spilner
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Bump for the morning crowd.

Almost 100 votes in and still some incredibly tight races. I'll let this one go till midday.
wangus12
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HummingbirdSaltalamacchia said:

Scott won 5-3 for me. And I would argue one of his best wasn't included: Kingdom if Heaven (at least the directors cut). Such an epic film. Too many people wanted it to be Gladiator 2.0, and it's a completely different and more nuanced, film. I might even like it more than Gladiator.....ok, not "might", I do.
Kingdom of Heaven is one of my favorites. A fantastic film
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