9 Great Directors Who Could Really Use A Career Boost

4) Spike Lee

It seems that wherever Spike Lee goes, there is controversy. As of late, the controversy does not surround the content of his racially-charged dramas and comedies, but regular comments blown out of proportion by the general public. He recently courted some well-earned criticism for tweeting a home address he claimed belonged to George Zimmerman, but it actually wasn’t Zimmerman’s place, and so the home owners had to abandon their place due to death threats.

With an inflammatory modern reputation, younger audiences may not remember that Lee was one of the most exciting voices to explode out of New York in the 1980s and 1990s. Do the Right Thing holds up marvelously well 25 years later and Malcolm X is one of the richest biopics ever made. However, ever since 25th Hour in 2002, arguably his best film, Lee has faded into delivering mediocre studio products (Inside Man, Miracle at St. Anna’s) and failed if fascinating indie titles, like the divisive Red Hook Summer. (Like Crowe and Gondry, Lee’s recent documentaries are a cut above his features. See his Hurricane Katrina film When the Levees Broke for proof.)

When he announced he was funding his latest film over Kickstarter – Da Sweet Blood of Jesus – some criticized a filmmaker of his clout and success for trying to raise money from the public. Lee’s response: “With the current climate in The Hollywood Studio System it’s not an encouraging look for Independent Filmmakers. I’m not hating, just stating the facts.” It is sad that a once-great director now has to publicly fund his films. Hopefully, one of these titles reignites his reputation, so that some studio executives start seeing Lee as the brilliant artist he is.