Every week at SiftPop.com, we challenge our writers to choose what they think is the best movie under a certain topic related to a recent release. So this week, with the release of Creed III, directed by Michael B. Jordan in his directorial debut, we’re counting down our favorite feature debuts from actors-turned-directors! Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
It’s rare for a young director to come in and completely blow people away with their directorial debut, but with Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade he arrived, shining as bright as a seasoned professional. Eighth Grade tells the story of young eighth grader Kayla (Elsie Fisher) who struggles with the everyday happenings of a middle schooler making the transition to high school, while also dealing with anxiety about her place in the social status of her peers, talking to boys, and finding her place and voice in a world she doesn’t feel completely in tune with. Bringing his own experiences with anxiety into this film, Burnham directs newcomer Fisher to perfection, and she give the performance of a lifetime! No matter what age you are, you understand and even relate all too well to Kayla’s desire to have cool friends and her dream of talking to the person you’ve had a crush on for so long. It’s a clear indicator of what was to come for Burnham, because this led to him directing, producing, editing, AND starring in his fourth stand up special, Inside, back in 2021, which received immense critical acclaim and several awards. Eighth Grade is feat of a directorial debut, and Burnham is a director I will continue to follow for years to come! (Jeff Alan)
Dances with Wolves will always have an unfair asterisk next to its name. It’s known as the movie that robbed Goodfellas of the Best Picture Academy Award in 1991. Dances with Wolves is so much more than that though. Lieutenant John Dunbar (Kevin Costner, who also directed) gets the dream of a lifetime: to be assigned a post in the remote western frontier of the United States after he leads the Union army to victory during a battle in the Civil War. Dances with Wolves, above everything, is about channeling differences into understanding and finding ways to peacefully coexist with your fellow man. Costner is amazing in the role and deserves props for doing an incredible job directing. From a technical standpoint, Dances with Wolves is beautiful shot. It captures the western frontier in a majestic way. Props also to the Native American cast, who do outstanding work. Representation matters, and Costner made sure that the Lakota language was not dubbed or converted to English. Massive respect for that, considering it also cost him major funding from studios. (Mike Hilty)
Who would have thought, back in 2007, that one of the best modern crime thrillers with a brilliant moral conundrum would come from Ben Affleck? Not me, that is for sure. But looking back, it seems so obvious. The first rule of filmmaking is, “do what you know.” So Affleck went home to Boston, assembled amazing people (leading with his brother Casey, Morgan Freeman, and Ed Harris, among others) and made a film based on the book of the same name. And the result is… well, I called it one of the best modern crime thrillers, so you do the math. Every time Gone Baby Gone is discussed, it seems not many people mention Amy Ryan, who earned her first (and so far only) Oscar nomination for this film, and when you watch it, you will understand why. Especially if you only know her from The Wire,as I did when I first watched this film. She is the cream of the crop in a movie where you would have to get a microscope to spot a bad performance. Most importantly, Gone Baby Gone is a great conversation piece, as its ending presents us with a moral dilemma, and it leaves it up to you whether you think it is “fair.” One might say Gone Baby Gone gives us the ultimate “nature versus nurture” case, but it never concludes it. Instead, the movie wants our input. Just for this alone, it is worth watching. (Luke Burian)
Dennis Hopper’s directorial debut, Easy Rider, features himself and Peter Fonda speeding across the country on motorbikes heading for New Orleans. There isn’t any story here, and they showcase the things they get up to and the sights they see. It’s a bit like a fictional documentary, giving a window into what biking across America was like in the late ‘60s. It has everything you want from a fun road trip: amazing scenery, drugs, campfires, girls, diner food, and high-speed biking. About halfway through, Jack Nicholson joins the pair traveling the country; he is not in the story for very long, but he steals the show with his performance. Hopper and Fonda also give compelling performances, and their chemistry is beautiful. It looks like the whole thing was filmed on location, too, which shows with the visuals, and it was probably ahead of its time in being made that way. Speaking of being ahead of its time, the drug scenes probably seem very clichéd now, but were likely seen as a bit risqué at the time. (John Tillyard)
Have you ever read the premise of a film and thought to yourself, “Huh, that sounds a bit dull,” only to be completely blown away after watching? For me, this was the case with One Night in Miami…, which despite mundane scenery and little action is one of the most engaging films I’ve seen in years. Set in 1964 after a marquee boxing match, we sit in on Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), and Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) as they hang out in a motel and discuss their experiences — some shared, others not — as prominent Black men in the Civil Rights Era. The film’s success is in large part due to these four central performances, each brilliant and nuanced without any weak link, but it also hinges on a phenomenal script by Kemp Powers and outstanding direction by Regina King, both of whom are writing or directing a feature film for the first time. By the end, I was completely engrossed in these men’s stories and would have been happy to just sit and watch them continue their discussions and arguments for hours more. If you skipped this one back when it came out, I strongly recommend giving it a watch — I doubt you’ll regret it. (Jake Hjort)
Few movies capture the highs and lows of life quite as well as A Star is Born. Not only was this Bradley Cooper’s best performance to date, it was also an impressive directorial debut. Country singer Jackson Maine (Cooper), is battling a drug and alcohol addiction. After being blown away by a performance from waitress and aspiring singer, Ally (Lady Gaga), one evening, Jackson invites her for drinks. As the two get to know one another, Ally sings Jackson a song she’s been working on. He immediately recognizes her talent, and their beautiful yet tumultuous relationship begins. Jackson invites Ally to his next show, and she takes him up on the offer after some convincing. He surprises her by adding her song “Shallow” to the setlist, and inviting her onstage to perform. At that moment, as the film’s title says, a star is born. But, not all that glitters is gold. Together, the couple faces the problems of fame and Jackson’s ongoing addiction. Lady Gaga gives a stellar performance as Ally. Her New York roots brought out the character’s feisty yet lovable spirit. And Gaga proves she’s not just a pop singer in this movie. She shows off her range with country and jazz performances too. It’s hard not to fall in love with A Star is Born‘s characters, soundtrack, and storyline. Just make sure to have a box of tissues handy. (Diana Gebbia)
Perhaps best known to cinephiles as the movie that robbed Raging Bull of the Best Picture Oscar in 1980, few who watch Robert Redford’s directorial debut, Ordinary People, can deny just how emotionally affecting it is. The film begins shortly after the accidental death of Conrad’s (Timothy Hutton) older brother, which creates a tense home life for Conrad and his parents (Mary Tyler Moore and Donald Sutherland). Family drama aside, the true heart of the movie comes from Ordinary People’s ahead-of-its-time depiction of Conrad’s relationship with his therapist (Judd Hirsch). The film is sensitive, nuanced, and emotional in every respect, but Hutton’s performance is the true standout. To this day, he remains the youngest winner for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and it is absolutely warranted. If you enjoy coming-of-age dramas like Good Will Hunting or Dead Poets Society, Ordinary People is the grandfather of them all. Emotionally exhausting in the best way, I cannot recommend Ordinary People highly enough. (Foster Harlfinger)
When mockumentaries are brought into a conversation, the initial film that gets tossed into the fold is This is Spinal Tap. It is impressively shot and directed to feel like a true documentary, and is paired with hilarious performances all throughout. The writers leave no stone unturned when writing these characters some of the most memorable and quotable dialogue of any film. You can’t help but cackle throughout as it follows this misfit ridden heavy metal band on their comeback tour. Another component that makes the film work so well is that the music parodies the given genres of music so well, on top of the fact that the music is actually great and fun to listen to. Director Rob Reiner does an excellent job of executing this script, and it seems like the overall production was having a lot of fun making this film. If you’re looking for an instant comedy classic, look no further than the film that always goes to 11, This is Spinal Tap. (Joe Vargas)
What kind of expectations should you have for a film that is the lone directorial effort from a character actor in the early years of cinema? You should set them real high for The Night of the Hunter, the classic thriller that Charles Laughton brought to life. There are quite a few elements that make this noir of the best of the genre. The visuals are just outstanding. The stark black and white is striking and haunting. The real gem, though, is the incredible and haunting performance delivered by film noir legend Robert Mitchum. Harry Powell is one of the most evil and iconic villains in all of film. This preacher-looking monster has LOVE and HATE tattooed on his knuckles and is ready to kill anyone who will get between him and money. This is a thrilling ride with two children on the run from Powell — it’s a cinematic experience that you will not soon forget. (Shane Conto)
On the topic of actors making a foray into directing, perhaps the most successful example of this in recent memory is Jordan Peele. After starring as a cast member of MadTV and creating the sketch comedy show Key and Peele with Keegan Michael-Key, Peele burst onto the scene of cinema, writing and directing the 2017 film Get Out, whichmanages to be wildly thrilling, creepy, and entertaining, while also presenting a poignant message about race in America; this film is such a brilliant metaphor for the way white people so casually appropriate and objectify Black culture. It stars Daniel Kaluuya in a star-making performance as Chris Washington. Chris joins his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) on a weekend trip to her family’s home in upstate New York. There, they meet Rose’s parents, Dean (Bradley Whitford) and Missy (Catherine Keener), along with her younger brother, Jeremy (Caleb Landry Jones); oddly, the family makes many awkward attempts to assure their guest that they’re not racist. Chris notices more unusual things as the weekend goes on, like the strange behaviors of the family’s’ staff, as well as the way other guests of the family treat him, and he tries to find a way out. With an amazing supporting cast featuring Lakeith Stanfield, Lil Rel Howery, and Stephen Root, masterful cinematography from Toby Oliver, and an incredibly creepy score from Michael Abels, Get Out is one of the best and most important films to be made in the modern era. (Jacob Kinman)
Promising Young Woman
One of the movies that the coronavirus pandemic stifled was Promising Young Woman. Released in December of 2020, it had little chance of making a big splash. But since I first saw it, it has stuck with me. Following Cassandra (Carey Mulligan) on her quest to seek vengeance against the men who assaulted her best friend, and to generally deter men from acting on their darkest sexual desires, this dark revenge story is gripping and personal. Mulligan’s demeanor is twisted yet righteous all at once, making her a force to be reckoned with as she goes on her avenging journey. While the stacked supporting cast features Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, and Alfred Molina, they are there to play off Mulligan. And each of them do it well. There was no chance Promising Young Woman was going to win Academy Awards. Its subject matter is far too close to home and too pointed for it to be truly considered for the awards it deserves. But Cassandra’s story has stuck with me in spite of this, and it serves as a cautionary reminder of the evil that men are capable of. (Sam Nichols)
Passing
Passing is one of those films that was ignored for most of the 2021 award season, and I never understood why. Based on the 1929 novel of the same name, Passing tells the story of two Black women whose skin is light enough for them to pass as white in 1920s New York. It stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga as Irene and Clare, respectively, two childhood friends whose worlds are similar but different all in the same. Irene is married to a Black doctor (André Holland) who doesn’t know what his wife does with her spare time. Clare is married to a white man (Alexander Skarsgård) who openly despises and degrades Black people, oblivious to his wife’s racial background. In her astounding directorial debut, Passing reflects on Rebecca Hall’s family, as her mother passed in her younger years. This is a poignant feature about how far you will go to fit in a world that tells you, you don’t belong, or which shuns you for being another race. A monochrome and 4:3 aspect ratio fit the storyline, and so does the beautifully leveled acting by Thompson and Negga — Negga was recognized for her role as Clare. Still, Thompson, as the disillusioned Irene, should’ve been on the awards radar, and it hurts my heart that she wasn’t nominated like Negga. They are head-to-head with their performances. Even though it didn’t get all the awards it deserved, Passing is still one of the best films of 2021. (Chantal Ashford)
Booksmart
Before the controversial release period around Don’t Worry Darling last year, you’d be hard pressed to find a followup movie people were more excited for than Olivia Wilde’s followup to Booksmart. High school comedies are a hallmark of American filmmaking, and every generation seems to have one or two that stand out and really speak to the experiences of their generation’s high school years. Booksmart is one of those films, and even after the critical and commercial letdown of her most recent film, it’s clear to see that Wilde knew what she was doing with her debut. Starring Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein, the movie centers around two girls who did what was expected of them throughout high school; they were “good students,” and now that their senior year is about to come to an end, they decide to catch up on all the socializing and rebelling and romantics they’ve missed in their formative years. The movie got itself a lot of comparisons to Superbad, but from a female perspective when it came out, but its execution is a lot more delicate and thoughtful to my mind, and I think Booksmart is going to age a lot better as a result of that. (Chris Bakker)
The Virgin Suicides
As with many film buffs, I have a long list of shame, and on that list has always been Sofia Coppola’s movies; I thought I hadn’t seen one of her movies until this week, when I realized I had seen her directorial debut. The Virgin Suicides tells the story of the Lisbon sisters and the effect their lives had on the four young boys who knew them. Even though I only watched it once before this week, I encourage you to see this at least once. Coppola shines here as writer and director — from her cinematography to her storytelling, the film is just that good. As a word of caution, though, it does deal with some extremely heavy subject matter; if mental health and suicidal thoughts are something you struggle with or have struggled with, I do suggest skipping this one. The cast also brings something to the table, with Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, Kathleen Turner, and others making the impact of this story that much more memorable. (Austen Terry)
That Thing You Do!
When I was in middle school, I was in the school choir and our teacher loved the movie That Thing You Do! It had only just come out, and he wanted our big performance that year to be the titular song. We learned to sing it, he conscripted kids from the band to play the music live on stage with us, and it is to this day one of the most memorable school experiences of my life. Then, at the end of the year, he got permission to let us all watch the movie in class, and I was not at all surprised that I walked away loving every moment. Written and directed by, and starring, Tom Hanks, this was his directorial and screenwriting debut, which is so impressive. That Thing You Do! is about a “one-hit wonder” band, and I have to think that Hanks, America’s dad, would have such a clever dad joke of the band calling themselves “The One-ders,’’ rather than “The Wonders.” This movie is incredibly light, breezy, and funny, with a cast of characters that have excellent chemistry. Tom Everett Scott is so unconfidently confident, Steve Zahn is hilarious, Ethan Embry is an adorable doofus, and Hanks is just perfect as their studio exec manager. This movie is just charm encapsulated, and it really boils down to two things: the labor of love that Hanks put into its creation, and the absolute bop of a main song. (Nick Ferro)
Whip It
Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, Whip It, is notable for a couple of different reasons. Starring Elliot Page, it follows a young misfit who finds an escape from her small town by joining up with a roller derby team in the big city. Sports movies may be a dime a dozen, but ones that focus on female sports are much rarer. Aside from being unique in its focus on a women’s team, the choice of roller derby adds an interesting dynamic in a number of ways. First, it’s a sport even sports fans (like me) are likely to be unfamiliar with. So, the requisite sport tutorial in the film is actually useful in this case. It’s also a sport that lends itself to being an exciting watch cinematically. Second, the use of the rough and rowdy sport allows for an interesting exploration of gender roles, and is an intriguing device through which to allow our protagonist to go on her coming-of-age journey. Barrymore hasn’t directed a followup feature to this point, but if she does, one can only hope she selects a project as fascinating as this one turned out to be. (Jake Bourgeois)
Made
Before 2019’s The Lion King, Chef, Iron Man, and Elf, Jon Favreau dipped his toes into the directorial waters when he made…. well, Made. Written, produced and featuring Jonny Favs, teaming up for a second time with his Swingers co-star Vince Vaughn as friends Bobby and Ricky respectively, it follows a couple of amateur boxers attempting to complete their first mafia job after becoming embroiled in a conflict with low-level mob boss, Max (Peter Falk). The chemistry between Favreau and Vaughn is what makes this a fun watch filled with cringeworthy moments that will have you yelling at Ricky to just keep his mouth shut, and wondering how Bobby can maintain both his composure and their friendship. In a year that was stacked with bigger budget releases, it was easy to let Favreau’s $5 million debut endeavor slip by, but if you’re looking for a watch filled with quick quirky banter, a little bit of danger, and plenty of laughs, the choice is Made. (Patrice Downing)
Garden State
Zach Braff has over the years directed some of my favorite episodes of Scrubs,and his movie Wish I Was Here is one I enjoyed almost instantly; but this week, I’m looking back on his directorial debut, Garden State. The film, which is mostly based on Braff’s own life and his start in Hollywood, features Andrew Largeman (Braff), who travels home for the first time in nine years to attend his mother’s funeral. Andrew reconnects with old friend Mark (Peter Sarsgaard), and meets Sam (Natalie Portman), both of whom help Andrew on his path of self discovery. Braff proves here why he is a really good director, and I wish he had more movies under his belt, because the ones I have seen, I have liked. From the story, to the chemistry, to the cinematography, Garden State is just brilliant. The story is one that will hold your interest the entire time. I am ashamed I waited until now to watch this movie for the first time. Being a fan of Braff, I easily picked up on things he has done in his other works that started here. For example, he painstakingly handpicked songs that fit the movie, and they make it that much more memorable. If this is one you haven’t seen, now is a good time to check it out, as Braff has a new film coming out this month. (Austen Terry)
Also See: This is the End, Reality Bites, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Wildlife, mid90s, A Bronx Tale, Antwone Fisher, One-Eyed Jacks, Heaven Can Wait, Don Jon