Despite the fact that Ben Stiller is primarily known as an actor, usually the straight man who is constantly overwhelmed by his ridiculous surroundings, he's actually been directing for quite some time. His first feature length film came in 1994, when he directed and starred in Reality Bites with Gen X icons Ethan Hawke and Winona Ryder. It was a movie that a lot of people immediately felt a kinship to, that they could see themselves in these cynical and disillusioned young adults -- in short, it was a film that had a soul. He's been sporadically directing since then, and his films tend to fall into a certain niche of dark comedies that aren't always fully appreciated after being released, but usually develop a cult following. His hits include The Cable Guy, Tropic Thunder, and Zoolander, films that subscribe to the basic tenets of comedic filmmaking but somehow have this weird, unique perspective that make them simultaneously less accessible and more rewarding for audiences who are willing to ruminate on them for a little while.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
