A Few Of My Favreaurite Things: Ranking The Films Of Jon Favreau
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As we approach the release of The Mandalorian and Grogu next week, we at CultureSlate wanted to take a look at the filmography of one of Hollywood’s most endearing filmmakers, Jon Favreau.
Born in 1966, Favreau began his career as an actor, primarily known for his supporting roles in films such as Rudy and his one-off appearances in acclaimed television shows such as Seinfeld, Friends, and The Larry Sanders Show.
Since then, Favreau has had a prolific career as a director and writer, directing both acclaimed indie darlings and some of the most influential blockbuster films and TV shows of the 21st Century. While his career has had many ups and downs, I thought it’d be fun to rank the 9 movies he’s directed thus far. The only criteria is that only movies Favreau directed are eligible for this list. So if you’re wondering why Swingers isn’t here, that’s because Doug Liman directed that film, even though Favreau wrote it.
So without further ado! Let’s get it on!
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9. Cowboys And Aliens (2011)
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Dead last, we have what is easily Jon Favreau’s most boring film. After being hired during the production of Iron Man 2, Favreau was meant to make Cowboys & Aliens his passion project, fusing his two favorite film genres. Sadly, the film is a mostly boring slog that lacks the heart, soul, or purpose that Iron Man had. Gone are interesting and relatable characters, a perfect balance of action and character, and an undeniable sense of confidence. Instead, we’re treated to paper-thin characters, lackluster action sequences, flat visuals, and a sluggish pace.
Despite Harrison Ford and Adam Beach’s performances, the admittedly impressive visual effects, and a decent score by Harry Gregson-Williams, Cowboys & Aliens is the ultimate sign of what happens when you don’t allow Jon Favreau to cook. It’s also a good example of why you don’t hire 5 writers at different times to overcomplicate a simple story. At least Favreau had better luck with his next sci-fi western hybrid.
8. The Lion King (2019)
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Unlike Cowboys & Aliens, The Lion King wasn’t butchered by the studio. However, that doesn’t make it good. The Lion King is the perfect example of just because you CAN make a movie doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Hot off the success of The Jungle Book, Favreau felt he could go further with digital technology to create animals and full landscapes. Sadly, the energy, heart, and improvements of The Jungle Book are replaced by a worse-looking version of the 1994 masterpiece.
Hans Zimmer’s score may sound better, the visual effects may be impressive, and clearly, Favreau was driven throughout the process. But there is nothing in this remake that makes it worth watching over the original. Which is the case for most Disney remakes, in my opinion. Had Favreau not taken on this endeavour, his reputation as a director may be better than it is. But it sadly doesn’t help to have your name on a film that is essentially a billion-dollar monument to creative bankruptcy.
7. Iron Man 2 (2010)
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Just last week, Iron Man 2 turned 16. And in the following 16 years, Marvel has rarely missed as loudly as they did with this film. Iron Man 2 remains a blight on the MCU’s film output, primarily due to how easily avoidable its problems are. It didn’t take late-stage director changes or a global pandemic to hinder this film; Rather, all it took was a lack of time, as well as studio greed. While the first Iron Man also went in front of cameras before a script was finished, Jon Favreau was not given the same room to breathe. Iron Man was a scrappy film that was made like an indie, only with a lot of special effects.
Iron Man 2 is a meandering slog that has no sense of purpose or urgency, aside from setting up The Avengers. Robert Downey Jr., Sam Rockwell, and Scarlett Johansson all do their best to provide a sense of energy to an overall boring film. But no amount of quips, visual effects, or action (very limited action) can overcome a messy script, a boring main antagonist, forced cinematic universe set-ups, and overall pointlessness. All problems that will dog other superhero sequels-turned-crossover set-ups, such as The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. While rumors of Favreau’s return to the director’s chair at Marvel circulate every few years, it becomes increasingly unlikely that it will happen. However, I do long for the day when Favreau can make a second good MCU film.
6. Made (2001)
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In 2001, Jon Favreau boldly asked the question, “What if Swingers and The Sopranos were the same project?” He didn’t really do that, but it’d be funny if he did. Made is so far removed from the other 8 (soon to be 9) films Jon Favreau has directed that it felt like Whipash. The fact that this lowkey, darkly funny, and meanspirited film came from the imagination of the man who will later bring Iron Man to the big screen.
Even more mindblowing is the fact that the film’s DP is Christopher Doyle, a frequent collaborator of legendary filmmaker Wong Kar-wai. As mentioned above, it’s basically Swingers in the way of The Sopranos and that’s what makes it so appealing. If you need someone to play a shmuck who is down on his luck, you call Jon Favreau.
5. Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
Jonah Bobo and Josh Hutcherson on the poster for Zathura: A Space Adventure
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You know what’s better than Jumanji? Jumanji IN SPACE! Zathura finds Jon Favreau in his Spielbergian bag, with childlike wonder, children in peril, and broken homes abound! The palpable chemistry between Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo helps turn a simple family space adventure into something much more engaging and heartfelt.
And considering this was Favrerau’s first full jump into visual effects-heavy cinema, it looks spectacular. The near-seamless combination of practical and visual effects in Zathura clearly inspired Favreau’s creative philosophy on Iron Man and The Mandalorian. Combine all these elements with a fantastic score by John Debney, Zathura is a film that deserves more love and attention than it’s been given.
4. Elf (2003)
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It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, and Home Alone; these are all the definitive candidates for the title of the greatest Christmas movie ever made. But this list is incomplete without Buddy the Elf! Both a breakout role of comedy legend Will Ferrell (who is due to host the 51st season finale of Saturday Night Live this weekend) and a breakout film for Jon Favreau as a director, Elf has cemented itself as a bona fide Christmas classic for the last 22 years.
Endlessly earnest, often funny, insanely quotable, and very well-made, Elf is just a small taste of the kinds of projects Jon Favreau will make in the future. While your mileage with Buddy will vary, smiling will likely become your favorite thing ever by the time the movie is over. Also, who says no to Zooey Deschanel singing? We can all use more of that in our lives.
3. The Jungle Book (2016)
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I personally can’t be bothered to have any real reaction to Disney remakes. Can’t be bothered to muster a reaction beyond thinking they're boring. Exceptions include the ones I think are actually really good movies (Cinderella, Pete’s Dragon) or movies I think are dumbfoundingly bad (Pinocchio, Snow White). And then there’s The Jungle Book, which is probably the only live-action remake to completely surpass the original. Jon Favreau’s knack for heartfelt storytelling and visual effects is on full display here, becoming the closest thing he has to films like Avatar and Star Wars in terms of ambitious visual effects usage.
Alongside screenwriter Justin Marks, Favreau crafts a tale that is not only a thrilling adventure but a touching tale of found family and friendship. Never has the friendship between Mogwli and Baloo ever felt so real. Never has Shere Khan been more terrifying. And never has Scarlett Johansson ever sounded scarier than she does in this movie. The vocal performances of Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, and Idris Elba, Bill Pope’s cinematography, the musical score by John Debney, and Favreau’s direction all help The Jungle Book be amongst the very few remakes to actually embody that feeling that can only be described as “Disney magic.”
2. Chef (2014)
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Following the mixed critical reception to Iron Man 2 and the box office failure of Cowboys & Aliens, Favreau returned to the world of indie movies with Chef in 2014. Little did he know that he was going to make one of his masterpieces. Chef, at its core, is a touching tale about the importance and downsides of artistic integrity. Is maintaining your vision and goals worth alienating your family and the people you work with? Is criticism ever worth it, or is your vision above such things? Can you be a great artist when you falter in other areas of your life, such as parenthood?
These are just one of the many questions Chef asks while also maintaing it’s “comfort food movie” aura. Chef may not have the same flashy direction as Iron Man and The Jungle Book, but Favreau’s keen visual eye and love of cooking are all over this movie. Not since Ratatouille has movie food ever looked so good. Among all the montages with a perfectly curated soundtrack is a touching story about a father and son, both played beautifully by Favreau and Emjay Anthony. While it’s unlikely that Favreau will ever return to this realm, it’s nice to know he still had it in him when it mattered most.
1. Iron Man (2008)
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“Heroes aren’t born, they’re made.” That was the tagline that permeated the marketing for Iron Man. It’s hard to imagine the modern blockbuster landscape without Iron Man, which is wild considering that’s not how it was made. Iron Man was essentially Marvel scrapping the bottom of the barrel, trying to create their own hit movie while their bigger IPs were either flying high (Spider-Man, X-Men) or being abused by the studios (Fantastic Four, Daredevil). Nobody, not even the biggest fans of the character, could ever predict that Iron Man could not only revive superhero movies in a time where even Spidey and the mutants faltered critically, but would be considered alongside The Dark Knightto be one of the most important movies of 2008.
The perfect combination of Jon Favreau’s creative drive, Kevin Feige’s ideas, the dedication of Robert Downey Jr., and all the talented artists behind the scenes all help this movie rise above the superhero landscape and help redefine it. What makes Iron Man not only an enduring modern classic but also Jon Favreau’s magnum opus? Is it Robert Downey Jr.’s magnetic performance? Is it the groundbreaking visual effects? Is it the pulse-pounding score by Ramin Djawadi? Is it Jon Favreau’s expert blend of action, humor, and character development? Who is to say? Despite the nearly 40 films we’ve gotten since Iron Man, it remains a gold standard for both the MCU and superhero movies, period. Its induction into the National Film Registry in 2022 for being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant just goes to show that Tony Stark’s first adventure will never go out of style. That’s how Donner did it, that’s how Raimi did it, and it’s all worked out pretty well so far.
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