If you love movies - and if you've loved going to the movies for the past 50 years - chances are you've seen at least a few Ridley Scott films. Or maybe even all of them.
Sir Ridley Scott's 30th directorial feature, "The Dog Stars," hits theaters on Aug. 28. It's a post-apocalyptic action drama starring Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Allison Janney and "Frankenstein" Oscar nominee Jacob Elordi.
The end of August can sometimes be the dumping ground for weak movies but Scott and 20th Century Studios are hoping audiences who have already experienced "The Odyssey" and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" two or three times will take-in "The Dog Stars."
Ridley Scott's first film was 1977's "The Duelists," but he followed that up with an iconic one-two sci-fi punch of 1979's "Alien" and 1982's "Blade Runner."
Scott is pretty outspoken. He's had a lot to say about both franchises over the years. In fact, he told Empire in 2023 that he should've directed 2017 "Blade Runner" sequel "Blade Runner 2049" instead of 2017 "Alien" franchise installment "Alien: Covenant."
Personally, I'm glad Denis Villeneuve directed "Blade Runner 2049" instead of Scott.
There's such an artistic elegance to that movie. It's immersive. And the gradual pace feels right. Ridley Scott movies are gritty and loud, often with a fiery tone. "Blade Runner 2049" would've felt completely different, and not necessarily for the better.
But here's a sequel Scott got right: "Gladiator II.” I'm probably in the minority on this one, but he really succeeded here, putting a lot of care into the follow-up to his 2000 Best Picture Oscar winner.
The legacy elements work. The action sequences and set pieces are impressive. And yeah, you can tell Denzel Washington is having a great time. The original "Gladiator" is fine as well, though not Best Picture of the Year material. Scott lost the 2000 Best Director Academy Award to Steven Soderbergh for "Traffic,” but he'll finally receive an Oscar, an honorary one for his career achievements, just a couple weeks before his 89th birthday in November.
It's a significant body of work. In addition to the groundbreaking "Alien" and "Blade Runner," and the beast that is "Gladiator," you have "Thelma & Louise," "G.I. Jane" and "Black Hawk Down."
"American Gangster" was a big hit in 2007, and "The Martian" took the box office by storm in 2015. When "The Martian" won the Golden Globe for Best Picture: Comedy or Musical, Scott famously went up on stage and said, "Comedy?"
One of the most impressive movies in Scott's catalogue is "All the Money in the World" - the 2017 dramatic thriller with Michelle Williams, Mark Wahlberg, and Christopher Plummer in the role of tycoon J. Paul Getty.
He was originally played by Kevin Spacey. However, when Spacey's sexual misconduct allegations began making headlines just a couple months before the film's release, Scott made a bold and ambitious decision: to re-shoot all of Spacey's scenes with Plummer as Getty and still get the film out by Christmas Day.
Scott pulled it off, earning a Best Director Golden Globe nomination, and Plummer was up for Best Supporting Actor at the Globes and the Oscars. "All the Money in the World" is a confident movie, with Plummer's performance serving as a dynamic anchor.
In 2018, when Scott accepted the British Film Academy's highest honor, the Fellowship Award, he recalled his dad telling him at a young age, "You can only do the best you can, but whatever you decide to do, make sure you love it." Here's another quote that's had an impact on Scott's career, "Are You Not Entertained?" Well, I believe moviegoers have definitely been entertained.
Upstate New York Native Jackson Murphy has been reviewing films on Radio, TV, and online for more than 20 years. The Emmy winner, content producer, and author is a member of SAG-AFTRA and the Critics' Choice Association.
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