Favorite directors

[DethMaiden]

Talking to manks in the Takashi Miike thread kinda made me think about this. We don't tend to talk about our favorite albums without the context of who our favorite bands are, or even our favorite books without considering them in the context of the careers of their authors (or at least I don't), and directors are the creative force behind movies, so let's talk about them! Also, let it be known that I'm an obsessive director fan. I think the average American moviegoer decides what movies to see because of the cast, but I'm generally most intrigued by the director (or the source material, but we've talked about comic book movies a thousand times before ). So, favorite directors, favorite films by them, comments on their style...please share, I love talking about this shit.

Coen Brothers
Favorite movies: "The Big Lebowski," "Fargo," "No Country for Old Men," most of their others to a slightly lesser degree
I basically worship these cats. Favorite director/directing team of all time, best dialogue writers on the planet, best at structure, and I think they generally just make some of the most riveting, watchable movies. They've had a couple misses, but their career batting average is something like .900 in my book.

David Lynch
Favorite movies: "Mulholland Dr.," "Eraserhead," "Blue Velvet"
The only dude who I'll throw hours of my life into understanding his movies fully. It's not pretentious, ego-stroking shit...it's just somewhat inaccessible filmmaking that is truly rewarding once you get a grasp of it. Also, the one mainstream film of his I've seen, "The Elephant Man," is also fantastic.

Christopher Nolan
Favorite movies: "The Dark Knight," "The Prestige," "Memento"
He's just an amazing storyteller. He tells the most interesting stories and throws in the most phenomenal twists, and at the end of the day, he's basically making action movies and thrillers. But rather than insulting his audience with drooling badassery and fight scenes, he makes interesting films in a genre that deserves them but rarely gets them. Soooo excited for "Inception" next month.

Spike Jonze
Favorite movies: "Adaptation," "Where the Wild Things Are," "Being John Malkovich" (incidentally, that's all of his movies)
Can't say enough about how great I think he is. Unfortunately, he doesn't take much work, but that has done wonders for his batting average - 1.000, if you ask me. Sadly lumped in with hipster directors like Wes Anderson and Michael Gondry but way better, way less pretentious, and with a pretty unique vision. Unconsciously makes cult movies, which is cool.

Stanley Kubrick
Favorite movies: "The Shining," "A Clockwork Orange," "Full Metal Jacket"
An absolute grade A fucking legend. Just about everything he's ever done is a classic at some level, and I doubt if I get any flak about putting him up here.

Honorable mentions: Peter Jackson, Clint Eastwood, Terry Gilliam, Milos Forman, Wes Craven (pre-Scream)

Dishonorable mention: Tim Burton - would have made the top five when I was 15. Then I stopped being 15. Only movies he's directed that I still like are the ones that look nothing like Tim Burton movies - Ed Wood and Big Fish.

[powerslave_85]

Hmm. I usually don't put a whole lot of stock into who's directing a movie, but I'll see anything the Coen brothers do. There are a couple who I love for creating/resurrecting a franchise but whose other work I am otherwise unfamiliar with (Nolan and Peter Jackson come to mind). Spielberg has a couple of clunkers, but I love most of his stuff.

[evildeadjedi]

I agree with those five and would like to add:

Peter Jackson

Meet the Feebles, Beautiful Creatures, Dead Alive, and LOTR Trilogy.

Martin Scorsese

Just about everything

Sam Rami

Evildead Trilogy and Drag Me to Hell

Steven Spielberg

Just about everything

George Romero

Just about everything

John Carpenter

Just about everything older

Brian De Palma

Carlito's Way(1993)
Scarface(1983)
Carrie(1976)
Blow Out(1981)

Quentin Tarantino

Just about everything

Harold Ramis

Caddyshack, National Lampoons Vacation and Groundhog Day.

John Landis

Blues Brothers(1980)
Animal House(1978)
The Twilight Zone(1983)


Sergio Leone

Once Upon A Time In The West(1968)
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly(1966)
Once Upon A Time In America(1984)
Once Upon A Time... The Revolution(1971)
Fistful Of Dollars(1964)
For A Few Dollars More(1965)
My Name Is Nobody(1973)
Colossus Of Rhodes(1961)


Clint Eastwood

Unforgiven(1992)
Sudden Impact(1983)
Million Dollar Baby(2004)
Mystic River(2003)
The Outlaw Josey Wales(1976)
White Hunter, Black Heart(1990)
Unforgiven(1992)
True Crime(1999)
High Planes Drifter(1973)
Blood Work(2002)
Gran Torino (2008)


Barry Levinson

The Natural(1984)
Rain Man(1988)
Bandits(2001)
Envy(2004)
Good Morning, Vietnam(1987)

[DigMySpanky]

I agree with DethMaiden on all the pics. The Coens are my all time favorites. Big Lebowski is tied for best movie of all time (Bronx Tale), is the most quotable movie of all time, and is by far the best comedy of all time. They transcend a lot of noir-ish styles. From Raising AZ to A Serious Man and almost everything in between, I'm 100%on board.

Also wanna throw in Spike Lee on the strength of Summer of Sam, 25th Hour, and Bamboozled.

[Wizzbang11]

Directors who make great films:
David Cronenberg: Videodrome, Naked Lunch, A History of Violence
Probably my favorite director. He can do the weird/disturbing/surreal/gross better than just about everyone save maybe David Lynch in Eraserhead, and is also phenomenal at the ultra-realistic and gritty. Goddamn, he's amazing/

Quentin Tarantino: Reservoir Dogs, Inglourious Basterds, Pulp Fiction
Writes the best dialogue I have ever heard in a movie. Reservoir Dogs is also my favorite movie, it's an absolute masterpeice. Kill Bill, Death Proof and From Dusk Till Dawn (that one in a good way) were kind of awful, but Reservoir Dogs, Inglourious Basterds, Pulp Fiction redeem any bad he could have done.

Stanley Kubrick: A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove, Full Metal Jacket
Awesomeand arguably the best director of all time. He really can(could) do no wrong, although I have heard Eyes Wide Shut was terrible, I have not seen it so I'm sticking to my claim. A Clockwork Orange alone is a perfect film, not to mention his many other classics.

Directors who make great movies:
John Carpenter: They Live, The Thing, Escape from New York
Fantastic at corny action, decent at legitimate horror (beyond Halloween...eh.) They Live and Escape from New York are essential for awesomely bad action, and The Thing has some of the coolest real effects of any movie of it's time.

Kevin Smith: Clerks (+II), Dogma, Chasing Amy
Hesitant about this one because of the atrocities he has been responsible for (Mallrats,Jersey Girl,the most recent cop one with Bruce Willis), but Clerks is one of my favorite movies of all time, the other are great too. Second to Tarantino for my favorite dialogue.

George Romero: Day of the Dead, Dawn of the Dead, The Crazies
The only thing preventing this from going in the 'films' section is the terrible acting in most(if not all) of his movies. Day of the Dead is the most underrated of his works, I would say it's the best(and darkest) of the Dead series. The Crazies, Martin and Creepshow are fantastic too.

[TonyD]

Coens FTMFW

[mastodon421]

This took me a while to think about. Being such an avid film fan picking a few favorite directors is quite the task Anyways here are my favorite directors.

Quentin Tarantino
Favorite Films "Pulp Fiction,"Reservoir Dogs","Kill Bill Vol 1"

Ever since I saw Pulp Fiction when I was 13 Tarantino has been my favorite director. What I like so much about Tarantino is how well he writes his dialogue which is kind of a lost art form now-a-days. 3 of his films are in my top 10 of all time and pretty much everything he has done is a masterpiece.

Martin Scorcese
Favorite Films "The Departed", "Goodfellas","Taxi Driver"

Sure Scorcese is a bit one-dimensional but he has a knack for crime dramas. No one makes Crime Drams as enthralling and just plain wonderful as Scorcese does. He has had misfires with other genres("The Age Of Innocence,"The Aviator") untill "Shutter Island" proved Scorcese can take risks and prevail.

Judd Apatow
Favorite Films "The 40-Year Old Virgin","Knocked Up"
Judd Apatow is not just a spectacular director who is responsible for some of the finest comedies of the past 5 or so years but he also writes and produces. Apatow is a comic genius and he has pretty much pioneered modern comedy films.

Christopher Nolan
Favorite Films "Memento", "The Dark Knight", "Batman Begins"

Christopher Nolan who is one of the best storytellers to come along in a long time. In his relatively short career he has already rescurrected a dead franchise(Batman) and brought us one of the most mind-bending and just flat out fantastic films of the past 10 years ("Memento"). I think Nolan will be going down with the legends of films by the time his career is over.

Kevin Smith
Favorite Films "Clerks" "Dogma", "Zack and A Miri Make A Porno"

Kevin Smith gets a lot of hate around the film industry. Sure his brand of comedy is vulgar and crude but it is also razor-sharp and hysterical. With the exception of "Jersey Girl" Smith is pretty much always on top of his game and always bring unique comedy to the table.

Robert Rodriguez
Favorite Films "Sin City","Planet Terror", "Desperado"

Yes I understand Rodriguez has made a lot of shit kids films like the "Spy Kids" Franchise but If you throw those films away he is one of my favorite directors. "Sin City" is my 2nd favorite film of all time and it was the film that was the gateway for me into his work. Rodriguez is a visonary and one of the most underrated directors in Hollywood right now.

Honorable Mentions Ridley Scott,Steven Speilberg,Clint Eastwood,Guy Ritchie,Zack Snyder

[Indestructible]

Originally Posted by Wizzbang11

Kevin Smith: Clerks (+II), Dogma, Chasing Amy
Hesitant about this one because of the atrocities he has been responsible for (Mallrats,Jersey Girl,the most recent cop one with Bruce Willis)

Mallrats is good and funny. I agree with jersey girl it sucked. A movie directed by kevin smith with george carlin as a lead role and you couldnt make it funny at all.

[powerslave_85]

Oh man, I forgot about Guy Ritchie. Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, and Rock'N'Rolla are all fantastic. Especially those first two.

[DethMaiden]

Originally Posted by Indestructible

Mallrats is good and funny. I agree with jersey girl it sucked. A movie directed by kevin smith with george carlin as a lead role and you couldnt make it funny at all.

I don't think you should watch movies. The media just makes them to distract you.