Top 20 Directors (5-1)

 5. David Fincher

Films: Se7en, The Game, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network

            David Fincher is a greatly talented, fairly young director. His films are often psychological and can certainly be considered thrillers. Fincher has created amazingly fresh films in the past 20 years. Fincher’s first “real” film was Alien³ in 1992. It is considered a fair final to the trilogy, which is impressive considering the first two are sci-fi/horror classics that were directed by Ridley Scott and James Cameron respectively. Fincher’s next film, Se7en, is ranked number 28 on the IMDb.com Top 250 films of all time list and was nominated for an Oscar. Fincher’s next film, The Game, went under the radar. I hadn’t even heard of it until last year (It was released in 1997). I gave it 10 out of 10 stars on IMDb.com when I saw it. He followed this by IMDb’s 18^th ranked film, Fight Club, the box office hit but poorly reviewed, Panic Room, another great film that went under the radar, Zodiac, the triple Oscar winner, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and IMDb’s 149^th ranked, The Social Network. It is of my opinion that David Fincher has never made a bad film. His next film due out in 2011 is the American remake of the Swedish hit, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Not many directors can effectively remake a movie 2 years after the release of the original. Although I don’t think the remake should happen, I have faith in Fincher to at least make a good film.

4. Alfred Hitchcock

Films: The 39 Steps, Sabotage, Rebecca, Suspicion, Saboteur, Shadow of a Doubt, Spellbound, Notorious, Rope, Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Psycho, The Birds, Marnie

            This man and the next two directors on this list should not come as a surprise to anybody. Alfred Hitchcock has passed on but he has left us one of the most impressive collections of films that have ever been compiled. He was nominated for 5 Oscars for Best Director, but sadly never won. Empire magazine ranks Hitchcock as the second best director of all time. He is known as the greatest horror movie director ever, for his intricate murder scenes, and ability to get people on the edge of their seats. Hitchcock made successful film after successful film, most of which have been able to withstand the test of time. Hitchcock was likely the most famous director before Steven Spielberg, which is amazing for somebody who strictly directed horror/suspense/psychological type films. Many of his films share similar themes as well as similar casts.  

3. Martin Scorsese

Films: Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, New York New York, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, The Last Temptation of Christ, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island

            Martin Scorsese is known primarily for directing gangster films and he is certainly the best at it. Scorsese works with high profile actors such as Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Daniel Day-Lewis. Scorsese has worked with DeNiro on 8 films and with DiCaprio on 4 films. Scorsese taught two other directors on this list how to direct (Spike Lee & Oliver Stone). Six of Scorsese’s films are on IMDb.com’s Top 250 list. Scorsese finally won his long overdue Oscar for Best Director in 2006 for his work on The Departed. Scorsese has been on a roll of late and is set to direct 3 new films in the upcoming years, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Sinatra, and Silence. Each of these films sound like they are going to be awesome.

2. Stanley Kubrick

Films: Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, Eyes Wide Shut

            The person who is number one on this list is number one because I think when all is said and done he will be deserving of number one. If all of these directors directed at the same time and possible future films were not taken in to play, Stanley Kubrick would be my number one favorite director. In my opinion Kubrick is the most versatile director ever. Kubrick’s films were not simple films; each film is a masterpiece, like a Picasso painting. Kubrick died unexpectedly in 1999 when he released his final film, Eyes Wide Shut. Sadly, Eyes Wide Shut was not received well by critics and he could not win a posthumous win for Best Director or Best Film. Kubrick had a bit of strangeness throughout his films; he seems to be the main inspiration for the directing styles of David Fincher, Darren Aronofsky, and Paul Thomas Anderson among many others. Kubrick received Oscar nominations for Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon, and Full Metal Jacket. Four of his films were ranked on AFI’s list of the 100 best films of all time.

1. Quentin Tarantino

Films: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill vol. 1, Kill Bill vol. 2, Sin City, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds

            This may be the most contested choice in the top 5. I am in love with every Quentin Tarantino film I have seen. Tarantino is an eccentric director and actor (Much better director than actor). He is known for the incredible scenes of dialogue he puts in his films. These scenes often feature hilarious points of view of philosophical topics or philosophical points of view on hilarious topics. Most of Tarantino’s films include a “Mexican Standoff” (Three or more characters point guns at each other at the same time). He uses a lot of elements from “film-noir” and “spaghetti westerns”. Tarantino will likely never win an Academy Award for Best Director because his films are often frowned upon for the seemingly pointless violence and language. Tarantino’s favorite directors include Brian De Palma (Scarface, Carrie), Sergio Leone, and Martin Scorsese. Tarantino has a lot of time left to direct more great films and that is why he is my top ranked director. I can’t imagine disliking a Tarantino film unless he made drastic changes from his trademark style.

Top 20 Directors (10-6)

10. Darren Aronofsky

Films: Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, The Wrestler, Black Swan

           

Darren Aronofsky is another polarizing figure in Hollywood, but not because of controversies. Aronofsky simply makes polarizing films. Aronofsky’s work is absolutely brutal to watch at times, but the visual brutality is needed to get the message across. Some people may find his films difficult to watch. His debut film, Pi, was a low budget, black and white film. Pi was made on a budget of $60,000 and it brought in over $3 million. His follow up to Pi, was his best film, Requiem for a Dream. Aronofsky really began to push the envelope with this film by showing people in very lewd non-sexual sex scenes, people graphically using heroin, an orgy, an amputation, etc. This film is particularly hard to watch because of the way it is shot. All of the scenes that show people using drugs are shot quickly and from that characters perspective, making the viewer feel like they are in the character’s body. It is an uncomfortable thing to watch and to this day I would say it is the most emotionally draining film I’ve ever seen. When the movie ended the first time I saw it, I remember sitting there through the rolling of the credits, and then for an additional ten minutes without moving. I felt like I had just been hit by a Mack truck. Aronofsky’s next film, The Fountain, dealt with the tree of life, the story of Adam and Eve, time travel, etc. The Fountain is a terrific movie to watch although it may require multiple viewings. The Wrestler was Aronofsky’s most successful film. It was nominated for many prestigious awards in 2008 including 2 Academy Awards. The Wrestler was a gruesome portrayal of the life of a worn down wrestler. The wrestling scenes are brutal. Aronofsky’s next film, Black Swan deals with a rivalry between ballet dancers and the psychological issues of a girl who is trying to be a perfect ballerina. Aronofsky has what I would consider the second best director/composer relationship of all time with Clint Mansell. Some day they may pass Leone and Morricone on my director/composer list.

9. Steven Spielberg

Films: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, ET: The Extra Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, Artificial Intelligence: AI, Minority Report, Catch Me if You Can, The Terminal, War of the Worlds, Munich

            This director really doesn’t need any introduction. Of course Steven Spielberg makes the list. Spielberg is likely Hollywood’s most famous director and deservedly so. Spielberg’s films are extremely diverse. Some are sad (Schindler’s List), some are scary (Jaws), some are alien related (AI, ET, Close Encounters, War of the Worlds), some are true stories (Catch Me if You Can). All of Spielberg’s films are good and most of them are excellent. Spielberg is Hollywood’s busiest man behind the scenes. He is currently directing 3 films that are in production stages, producing 12 films that are in production stages, producing 4 TV series’ that are in production stages, and appearing as himself in 2 documentaries that are in production stages. He has worked on everything in film from cinematography (War of the Worlds), to music (Jaws), to editing (The Goonies, Poltergeist). We are extremely lucky that Spielberg has shared his unique talents with us often rather than keep them to himself like many directors do. There isn’t much I can say about Spielberg that everybody doesn’t already know. When people think of directors… Spielberg is always one of the first mentioned.

8. Christopher Nolan

Films: Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception

            Christopher Nolan makes blockbusters in a new way. He makes blockbusters that are not dumbed down to keep the audience entertained. Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige, and Inception are his 4 true feature films. Like Aronofsky, Kubrick, or Lynch, Nolan has a knack for confusing the audience. Nolan makes blockbusters with heart. All of his films are truly remarkable to watch. They were made for the big screen. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are his installations to the Batman franchise. These are, in my opinion, the two best Batman movies ever made and he still has one more on the way. Although I wouldn’t rank it so high, Nolan’s 2010 film Inception, is ranked the 4^th best movie of all time on IMDb.com and it shows no signs of wavering. I think Nolan’s best film is either Memento or Inception. Memento may be a bit more pleasing to the mind while Inception may be a bit more pleasing to the eyes. Nolan received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay for Memento. He also directed Heath Ledger in the most realistic portrayal of a character from a superhero movie ever. Ledger of course posthumously won the 2008 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for playing the Joker. Many people speculated that the 2009 Academy Awards had changed its format to feature 10 films nominated for Best Picture rather than 5 because of public outrage over the absence of The Dark Knight from the list of nominees. Whether this is truly the reason, or part of the reason, or not at all, Nolan has completely changed the face of blockbusters. At 40 years of age Nolan still has a lot of time ahead of him to make more amazing films.

7. Joel & Ethan Coen

Films: The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou, No Country for Old Men, Burn After Reading, A Serious Man, True Grit

           

            These brothers have teamed up together to direct some of Hollywood’s freshest movies of the last 20 years. Fargo won two Oscars; O Brother Where Art Thou was nominated for two Oscars; No Country for Old Men won four Oscars; Burn After Reading was nominated for two Golden Globes, and A Serious Man was nominated for two Oscars. No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski, and Fargo each hold a spot on IMDb.com’s Top 250 list. Their new film True Grit looks very promising. They frequently use the same actors and actresses in multiple films. They enjoy makes their films take place in the 1980s to early 1990s. They produce performances that are highly exaggerated by the actors, and it makes for sheer entertainment. The character development in their films is what truly amazes me. After watching a Coen brothers movie I feel like I’ve known everybody on the cast for years, and it makes me hate to see the movie end.

6. Clint Eastwood

Films: Unforgiven, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters From Iwo Jima, Changeling, Gran Torino, Invictus, Hereafter

            Clint Eastwood started acting in the 1950s and later became a director in the 1970s. He has received four Oscars for various roles (Directing and acting). Eastwood’s films have been amazing. Whether about war, aging, kidnappings, boxing or something completely different, Easwtood’s films always deliver. Eastwood is a living legend as both a director and an actor. A couple of other directors on this list act as well, but they are nowhere near the realm of Clint Eastwood. At 80 years of age one would think Eastwood may not have a lot left in the tank, but that hasn’t stopped him from directing the upcoming film, Hereafter, which will be Eastwood’s first dip into the sci-fi area of film. Eastwood has been ruled finished over and over again and he has always stood up to the naysayers and come back stronger each time. The man may never stop making films and because of that he holds the number 6 spot on my list. He has given his life to the entertainment of others.

Top 20 Directors (15-11)

15. Francis Ford Coppola

Films: The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Apocalypse Now, The Outsiders, The Godfather Part III

Francis Ford Coppola is responsible for what many people consider to be the greatest film of all time, The Godfather. He is also responsible for the sequels to the crime family film. Coppola has directed 32 films and has been a very flexible director over the years. His films range from gangster flicks (The Godfather), to war movies (Apocalypse Now), to monster movies (Dracula), to touching coming of age movies (Jack). Coppola has also been a very successful producer taking part in the production of American Graffiti, Jeepers Creepers, Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette, The Good Shepherd, and the upcoming film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s novel On the Road. Directing prowess may run in the family. Although she will not be included on the list, Coppola’s daughter, Sofia Coppola is a very good director herself. Sofia’s second feature film, Lost in Translation won 71 various awards, including one Oscar. She followed this movie up with a fairly interesting film in Marie Antoinette. Although Francis Ford Coppola isn’t primarily directing anymore, he is certainly lending his daughter a helping hand. We will have films directed by a Coppola for many years to come.

14. Danny Boyle

Films: Trainspotting, 28 Days Later…, Sunshine, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours

Danny Boyle is one of seven directors to win the Golden Globe, Director’s Guild, BAFTA, and Oscar for the same film (Slumdog Millionaire). He has shown us disturbingly realistic view of the life of a drug addict (Trainspotting), he has shown us, in my opinion, the best zombie movie ever made (28 Days Later…), he has taken us to the sun (Sunshine), and he has shown us life in the slums of India (Slumdog Millionaire). His next film, 127 Hours, is one of my most anticipated films of the year. Boyle has flown under the radar for the most part. I look forward to seeing any films directed by Danny Boyle in the future. He clearly as a gift and he will continue to share that gift with us for many years to come.

13. Oliver Stone

Films: Platoon, Wall Street, The Doors, JFK, Natural Born Killers, Any Given Sunday, World Trade Center, W., Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Oliver Stone just keeps going. He has a knack for violence, but he is clearly not limited. He loves handling controversial topics and I applaud for that. Stone’s films cover controversies that range from the shooting of President John F. Kennedy, two glorified psychotic serial killers who become lovers and were victims of traumatic childhoods, greed, a man who many consider to be the worst president in the history of the US, war crimes, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I could watch any of Stone’s films and be entertained. Not all of his films are excellent, but they are all fairly good, and that is saying something since the man has directed 24 films. Stone also wrote the screenplay for the cult classic, Scarface. He has also signed on to produce the upcoming film Pablo Escobar, a chronicling of the life of the famed drug dealer and Medellin cartel boss.

12. Sergio Leone

Films: A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, Once Upon a Time in America

Sergio Leone is the man behind the “Spaghetti Westerns”. He directed my third all time favorite film, The Good the Bad and the Ugly. Leone formed what I consider to be the greatest ever director/composer relationship with classmate, Ennio Morricone. Leone made westerns extremely fun to watch and although he has passed away, we see a lot of his style in Quentin Tarantino’s films. Leone died in 1989 at the age of 60 and we missed out on everything he could have done with today’s technology. Leone was loyal to the actors in his films; he featured many of the people he worked with in 3 or more of his films. Before his death he planned on directing a re-make of the 1939 classic, Gone With the Wind, that would have stayed more true to the novel. Normally I would not condone a remake of a classic, but if anybody could have pulled it off, Sergio Leone would have been that person.

11. Paul Thomas Anderson

Films: Boogie Nights, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, There Will be Blood

It is quite the coincidence that the man who has the best chance of climbing this list and finding a spot in the top 5 is currently directing a film that will be released in 2011 titled, The Master. Paul Thomas Anderson just may be a master. He has been nominated for Academy Awards for 3 of his 5 films (Magnolia, Boogie Nights, and my favorite film of all time: There Will be Blood. He is only 40 years old and we will be seeing a lot from him in the future, though I feel he may end up being the Terrence Malick type and only release 1 film every 20 years... exaggeration of course. Anderson is a “Self-taught” filmmaker like Quentin Tarantino and Steven Soderbergh; he was not born into the film business. Anderson’s films deal with deep personality issues such as depression, dysfunctional family relationships, alienation, regret, loneliness, and greed. If you could gamble on the future success of directors like you gamble on the success of athletic programs or stocks, I would put a lot of money on PTA.

Top 20 Directors (20-16)

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, 25^th 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.