10 Movies That Changed Your Mind About Directors You Hated

7. Midnight In Paris - Woody Allen

There's no disputing the fact that Woody Allen is a beloved director, but there's something almost archaic about his appreciation, and something a little insular about the way critics and fans fawn at his movies. Most of the cinephiles who like his work tend to be the kind of people that call themselves cinephiles, and like to deconstruct rather than enjoy films in a superficial way, which is absolutely fine and one of the many ways to enjoy films. But for everyone who goes to the multiplex to watch popcorn movies and be utterly thrilled, Allen's aversion to spectacle (despite his collecting of talents for his cast) is a major sticking point. He might be an old head, and a true great, but Allen's movies don't make a big purse, and they don't sell to blockbuster audiences, and for some reason he is a particularly divisive director (perhaps because of his personal life allegations) meaning he comes across as a sort of Marmite figure, and those who aren't utterly committed to every film he makes are beyond apathetic, and occasionally hate the idea of his work. But then Midnight In Paris came out, and Allen stamped down on the fact that he couldn't make a modern film that matters, and which audiences aside from his core could enjoy and share. It was infinitely charming, entertaining and disarming, and it was possible to remember - even for those who find the concept repugnant - that it wasn't JUST a Woody Allen film. Did It Last? So far, so good: since scoring a more mainstream hit with Midnight than he had for years - even with the critically adored releases that his fans ate up, he's made great movies in To Rome With Love and Blue Jasmine, and while they haven't actually been mainstream successes, you can't but feel that the director has earned more new fans in the past few years than he has for decades.