20. Victor Fleming
Films: The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Victor Fleming could not be left off of this list. I have never seen Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde nor have I seen Fleming’s version of Joan of Arc. Fleming makes this list because he made 2 of the greatest films of all time. One is fantasy, the other is historical, one is an adult favorite, and the other is a kid’s favorite. The amazing thing about these two films is that the same man directed them and he directed them in the same year. 1939 is widely considered the greatest year in the history of film. 1939 saw the release of: Of Mice and Men, Wuthering Heights, Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Rules of the Game, etc. Fleming was responsible for 2 of the 10 films that were nominated for best picture at the academy awards in 1939. Gone With the Wind (My second favorite film of all time) won Best Picture, and The Wizard of Oz is easily the most famous of 1939. Fleming was a late replacement to direct The Wizard of Oz, but he was very influential on each movie and pioneered the modernization of Hollywood films to what they are today.
19. Sam Mendes
Films: American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, Away We Go
Sam Mendes is a fantastic director with the potential for future greatness. Along with his several directorial roles he was also the executive producer of The Kite Runner. Sam Mendes is an amazing Hollywood talent who may be slightly overshadowed by the fame of his wife, Kate Winslet, who he directed in Revolutionary Road. Mendes directs amazing stories about everyday life and keeps his films as realistic as possible. American Beauty deals with sexual desires as well as mid life crises. Road to Perdition deals with a gangster whose family is slain and how he must deal with it while trying to get out of the business but also get revenge. Jarhead features soldiers battling in Kuwait, it was one of the first movies to illustrate the battlefields of the current wars in which the US has become involved, without Jarhead there may be no such thing as Academy Award winner: The Hurt Locker. Revolutionary Road told the story of a deteriorating marriage, and a wife dealing with depression and anxiety (Among other plot sensitive things that I won’t mention). Away We Go takes us on a journey with a young couple. The woman does not want to get married, but the man does. They find out that the only real family members in their lives, the man’s parents, are moving to Europe. They need to find a place of their own. They travel the US and Canada to visit old friends and relatives. The film teaches us the diversity of the term: family. I look forward to seeing more from Sam Mendes. His films do not disappoint.
18. Judd Apatow
Films: The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Funny People
Judd Apatow has been responsible for some of the funniest movies of the last decade. Not only has he directed The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Funny People. He has also written Walk Hard and Pineapple Express, and he has produced Step Brothers, Walk Hard, Superbad, Talladega Nights, Kicking and Screaming, Anchorman, The Cable Guy and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Of the films Apatow has directed he has made his movies about legitimate issues but made them funny, such as being a virgin at the age of 40, an unwanted pregnancy, and cancer. The best thing about Apatow is that he is truly just getting started and he may already be the best comedy director of all time.
17. Tim Burton
Films: Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Beetle Juice, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Big Fish, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland
What Judd Apatow has done for the comedy genre, Tim Burton has done for the “weird” genre. Burton has directed countless hits. He has directed live action films, musicals, animated films, and even Batman movies. It is to his credit that he has formed a strong bond with Johnny Depp, similar to Scorsese’s bond with DiCaprio and Soderbergh’s bond with Damon. This bond between actor and director has produced a plethora of excellent films. Some movies of Burton’s may not particularly measure up to your tastes, but who doesn’t like Edward Scissorhands or Big Fish? Tim Burton is considered an artistic genius whose work was shown at the Museum of Modern Arts in New York City. His animation is highly regarded in Hollywood, but he hasn’t always been interested in the “strange”. Most people don’t know that Tim Burton worked for Disney on the animation department for The Fox and the Hound (My favorite non-Pixar Disney movie) in 1981.
16. Spike Lee
Films: Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, He Got Game, Summer of Sam, 25th Hour, Inside Man, Miracle at St. Anna
Spike Lee is a polarizing figure in Hollywood. Many people love his work, and many people consider Lee to be a bigoted man who deserves to get 1 star for every movie he makes. Count me as one of the people who support Spike Lee. He has been making excellent films for years now. Sure, many of his films are made primarily to positively portray African Americans and negatively portray Caucasians, but you have to understand these films from a middle ground rather than being offended by their themes. If Spike Lee was a racist individual why would anybody work with him? The truth is Spike is a talented director who gives us visuals of things we wouldn’t understand without his help. Do The Right Thing was an excellent portrayal of inner city issues. Malcolm X, his best film, was a terrific portrayal of an influential, and very misunderstood, man (Like Lee). He Got Game taught us what it is like for an inner city African American to deal with many people who plan on riding his coattails as he makes his decision on whether to go to college or to the NBA. Lee’s films show us a part of the world that many of us never get to see, myself being one of these people. I do not consider Lee a bigot. I consider Lee to be somebody who shows us the issues of racism from another perspective. Lee receives much undeserved criticism for every film he makes. Check out the IMDb.com forums for each of his films if you don’t believe me (There is a link on the right column on my blog). I support Lee now and will continue to support him in the future.
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