Our Staff Picks column takes you back to a time when video stores reigned supreme and the "Staff Picks" section was the place to find out what films were worthy of one's time. Of course, our version of Staff Picks has a decidedly skintillating angle, as we suss out which films from a particular subgenre are the best to find great nudity. This week let's cover an interesting phenomenon in film: celebrities directing movies.
These films were all directed by celebrities who were best known for acting. All of these stars already had huge careers when they decided to try their hand at directing a film. Here are some good films directed by celebrities with even better nudity.
The War of the Roses, directed by Danny Devito
Danny Devito is a director?! Yes, and his directing resume is fascinating. He directed the children's classic Matilda and he also directed this 1989 romance that follows a man's difficult marriage. The film stars Kathleen Turner as she goes from a sweet bride to a cold wife while their marriage sours. The film is surprisingly funny and Kathleen is always charming - even if she is trying to play a heartless bitch.
A River Runs Through It, directed by Robert Redford
Heartthrob Robert Redford took a chance at directing in the 1990s. This Oscar-winning drama tells the story of two very different brothers who find common ground through their love of fly fishing. It's a simple premise and a beautiful film. It helps that Susan Traylor lies naked in the grass to show her ass.
The Lost Daughter, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal
This film is surprisingly fantastic and it was Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut. I didn't know she had this in her, but now I want to see what else she can direct! Olivia Colman stars as a professor with a difficult personality on vacation by herself ruminating on her relationship with her daughters as she befriends a young mom, Dakota Johnson. Star-studded cast!
Rising A24 favorite Jessie Buckley plays the young Olivia Colman in her memories and goes nude in this scene that shows her hard nipples and her perky peach.
Lolo, directed by Julie Delpy
French actress Julie Delpy charmed all of us by starring alongside Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise. In 2015, she directed Lolo. This French dark comedy takes on the weirdness of motherhood as Julie stars as a single mom with a 19-year-old son who wants to stop his mom from falling in love with the new guy she met on vacation. Things get psychotic, but at least there are massive mams to look at!
A Star is Born, directed by Bradley Cooper
Bradley Cooper is a major A-list actor, so maybe it was that confidence that made him believe that he could take on the storied A Star is Born for a new generation. This was the fourth remake of the film and it may be the most popular. That is thanks, in part, to Lady Gaga's nude performance. I have to hand it to Bradley. He knew what we wanted to see!
By the Sea, directed by Angelina Jolie
This 2015 film was not critically acclaimed, but it has great nudity and it does show off Angelina Jolie's eye for cinema. The shots are beautifully composed and the film does have a great deal of nudity between Angelina sitting in a bath and her spying on Melanie Laurent having sex. It's a gorgeous-looking film made better by the gorgeous women in it!
Wine Country, directed by Amy Poehler
Amy Poehler put all of her middle-aged funny female friends together in this delightful 2019 comedy that is more enjoyable than you may think. Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch, and Paula Pell join Amy for a girls' trip through Napa Valley. So who goes nude? Paula Pell!
Paula was a longtime writer for SNL who didn't enjoy mainstream success until recently, which is partially thanks to this film where Paula is a total standout. You might recognize her for her roles on Mapleworth Murders and Girls5Eva.
Play Misty For Me, directed by Clint Eastwood
Now Clint is a pretty major director with a resume boasting nearly 50 films to his name, but he had to get started somewhere. The actor got his start in show business in 1955 with roles in B-movies until he made a name for himself in Westerns. By the early 70s, he decided it was his time to get behind the camera and his debut was a surprising thriller.
What may be more surprising is that the film gives us early nudity from Arrested Development's star Jessica Walter whom you may know best as Lucille Bluth. There's money in the banana stand and there's a banana in your pocket when you see her topless in a dimly lit sex scene.
