Sam Raimi is a director, producer, screenwriter, and, briefly, actor that rose to fame in 1977, although his first project was in 1972. He is most known for his 1981 film, The Evil Dead, and for directing the original Spider-Man trilogy. His directing style is very hands-on and is no stranger to DIY projects.
He is also directing the upcoming Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, which should be a triumphant return to his superhero filmography. Although he is mainly known as a horror director, not all of his movies fall into that category, but they are still quite good and received wonderful reviews.
10 The Quick And The Dead Brought Raimi To The West (6.5/10)
Raimi wanted to make a film as an homage to the spaghetti western era. Sam Raimi directed The Quick and The Dead in 1995 with a budget of $32M and a lot of support behind him. At this point in his career, he was already established and was booking incredibly famous actors. The movie is about a female gunslinger (Sharon Stone) who enters a duel to avenger her father's death. It also features Russel Crowe and Gene Hackman.
Many critics didn't like the film as a whole, but they couldn't fault the directing and cinematography. IMDb users gave this movie an average of 6.5/10.
9 Drag Me To Hell Brought Raimi Back To Horror After A Long Time Away (6.5/10)
Co-written by Sam Raimi's brother, Ivan Raimi, Drag Me To Hell is truly horrifying while still being hilarious. The movie focuses on loan manager Christine (Alison Lohman) who evicts an old woman, causing her to have a curse put upon her.
It has since become a favorite among horror fans and horror critics. It won Best Horror Film at the Scream Awards and the Saturn Awards, respectively. It also won a Teen-Choice Award, and Alison Lohman won awards for her performance as well, becoming her most well-known role. IMDb users gave this movie an average of 6.5/10.
8 For Love Of The Game Was Raimi's Take On America's Favorite Passtime (6.6/10)
Based on the book by Michael Shaara, For The Love of the Game tells the story of Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel as he decides whether to pursue his life with baseball, the game he loves, or the woman who could change his life. It features big stars like Kevin Costner and the late Kelly Preston.
The movie received mixed reviews with many feeling it was too sappy and romantic, but everyone enjoyed the baseball scenes. Despite the harsh reviews, young actress Jena Malone was praised for her performance. IMDb users gave For The Love of The Game an average of 6.6/10.
7 Raimi Made The Gift Work (6.7/10)
After the disappearance of his daughter, a man turns to a girl with supposedly psychic powers. The plot of The Gift might sound basic, but the movie was saved by Sam Raimi, who turned the story into a spooky and sexually-charged whodunnit. It was also filled with big names and great performances from Cate Blanchett, Keanu Reeves, Hillary Swank, and more.
Directed by anyone else, this could have easily been a box-office flop, but the movie made money and was nominated for several different awards. This film was given an average rating of 6.7/10 from IMDb users.
6 Spider-Man Turned Raimi Into A Blockbuster Director (7.3/10)
2002's Spider-Man changed the course of movies, showing the world that superhero films could do massive box office business by being the first movie to make $100M in a single weekend and making $403.71M overall. While Tobey Maguire wasn't the first choice to play Peter Parker, he received wonderous amounts of praise from critics. As did his costars Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe, and James Franco. Based on the comics by Stan Lee, Sam Raimi's first installment in his Spider-Man series is an origin story in which the main villain is The Green Goblin. Spider-Man has an average rating of 7.3/10 on IMDb.
5 Spider-Man 2Â Still Stands Out As A Superhero Classic (7.4/10)
Spider-Man 2 focuses on Doctor Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) who later becomes Doc Ock, a supervillain with mechanical appendages that help his strength and agility. Many critics liked this film more than the first one because it included more of Raimi's patented crazy imagery and humor alongside a deeply personal story.
Peter Parker struggles with his growing love for Mary Jane, his relationship with his estranged best friend, Harry Osbourne, and his Aunt May on the verge of getting evicted. It has an urgency that the previous film lacked and featured an equally magnificent portrayal of a classic villain. IMDb users give this movie an average rating of 7.4/10.
4 A Simple Plan Was Raimi's First "Mature" Movie (7.5/10)
The late 90s were huge for Raimi as producers were giving him the budgets that he wanted. A Simple Plan, Raimi's first attempt at making a more mature film, is a crime thriller about 3 middle-to-lower class people who discover $4 million dollars and devise a plan to hide it from the authorities and keep the money. It features Bill Paxton, Bridget Fonda, and Billy Bob Thornton and a soundtrack by Danny Elfman.
Raimi is arguably at his best when he is creating movies with dark elements. This movie features an almost restrained version of the director. He ditches his usual flashy imagery in exchange for long shots and serious acting, making this film a refreshing addition to Raimi's filmography. IMDb users gave this film a 7.5/10.
3 Army Of Darkness Closed Out Raimi's First Trilogy (7.5/10)
The third film in the Evil Dead trilogy, Army of Darkness is absolute madness in the way only Sam Raimi could pull off. The film has the same wacky comedic vibe as the first two, but with a larger budget. Sadly, the impact factor is less simply because of its reused assets.
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Bruce Campbell reprises his role as Ash in this time-travel comedic horror. He goes back in time to save a village and retrieve the Book of the Dead while fighting an army of the undead. Army of Darkness provides a satisfying conclusion to one of the weirdest, most unique trilogies in cinema history. The third installment of the Evil Dead trilogy was given a 7.5/10 from IMDb's users.
2 Raimi Ruled The Drive-In With The Evil Dead (7.5/10)
The Evil Dead was made on an extremely small budget and was a hit at drive-ins across the United States before becoming a cult classic and one of the most interesting pieces of horror cinema. This is Raimi at his finest, although not everyone originally saw it that way. Stephen King actually voiced his support of the film, and then more people started seeing it.
The movie is about 5 friends who go to an old cabin in the woods to relax, but they accidentally unleash demonic entities. It has extreme gore, Bruce Campbell, a trapdoor, an arm that remains animated when severed, and some very controversial scenes. It is unquestionably a staple in every horror fan's library, and IMDb users give the film an average rating of 7.5/10.
1 Â Evil Dead IIÂ Let Raimi Shine (7.7/10)
Evil Dead II is more of a remake than a sequel, reusing the elements of The Evil Dead, but with a bigger budget and a more confident and funny Raimi at the helm. The characters differ from the first film, but Ash Williams is essentially the same, but with more of the cartoonish personality that would be fully present in Army of Darkness. He is now in his full form: an arrogant, loudmouth show-off that audiences love.
Raimi was able to do a lot more with this film, and have even more in-depth special effects. It is the highest-rated of the franchise and the highest-rated of all of Sam Raimi's movies on IMDb with a 7.7/10.