Isn't it time for some new directors?

[Mysterious Dude]

I found 2008 pretty disappointing. As I look through the critical favorites of 2008, I see films by Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher, Christopher Nolan and Charlie Kaufman. Most of them appeared on the scene in the nineties, and were very fresh at the time, but now they're in their late thirties or older, and I think their latest work is missing a lot of that freshness and ingenuity. Aren't there any new filmmakers out there? Has it become harder for young filmmakers to break out into the mainstream? Or have I missed the films somehow?

[Wryan]

I look forward to Rian Johnson's work (tho Brothers Bloom looks kinda one-note) and Spike Jonze's.

I'm sure there are others.

[Ivan Drago]

It hasn't been that hard for new filmmakers to become mainstream. Gil Kenan for example with Monster House and City of Ember.

[Mysterious Dude]

It hasn't been that hard for new filmmakers to become mainstream. Gil Kenan for example with Monster House and City of Ember.
But how does his work stand up against Tarantino, Wes Anderson, P.T. Anderson and other new directors of the 90's?

I'm probably not being fair to Christopher Nolan, since his first major film (Memento) was from 2001, so I think we can rightfully claim him for this decade. But the decade is almost over, and what do we have to show for it? Christopher Nolan and... Rian Johnson?

[Raiders]

David Gordon Green?
Michel Gondry?
Sofia Coppola?
Joe Wright?
Edgar Wright?

Not sure of all their ages, but they are all from 2000-onward (eh, I guess Coppola was '99) and all have made their cinematic mark.

[Derek]

If we're talking purely American auteurs who made their first film in the 00s, I'd add David Gordon Green, Kelly Reichardt and Andrew Bujalski. Lots of great new filmmakers in the international community, but most of the current greats from the US started in the 90s or earlier.

[DavidSeven]

I've thought about this a bit.

I'd argue the introduction of inexpensive digital filmmaking has made it harder for new talent to break out. The pool of feature films from unrecognized talent is incredibly diluted -- and the best talent may go unrecognized unless they get great festival support, which seems more and more to favor films with broad appeal.

Also, inexpensive means for making films suggests that there's less at stake for first time filmmakers. Maybe this means that first time filmmakers aren't really aiming for homeruns the first time out because they know they'll have repeated opportunities. W. and P.T. Anderson, Tarantino, et al weren't going to get a $1 million budget more than once if they didn't hit a home run the first time out.

Finally, the industry as a whole has shifted to films with established audiences. New filmmakers don't buy rights to creative property (books, comics, video games, etc.). There has generally been less emphasis on supporting/distributing original material. Could Reservoir Dogs get nationwide distribution today? I'd be surprised. Bottle Rocket got a pretty strong ad campaign during its release -- I doubt it'd get an internet banner today.

It's not that there isn't new talent out there. External factors just prevent them from emerging the way they were able to in the 90s.

[Wryan]

Haha, Neil Marshall. I didn't see Doomsday, but that guy could carve out a piece of the genre pie any time he wants, far as I'm concerned. I'd take ten Dog Soldiers or Descents over Mirrors (there's another for you: Aja) and the Saws.

[Sycophant]

Sweet, sweet Edmond Pang Ho-Cheung.

[Ezee E]

Most of the better "new" directors from this decade are foreign.

David Gordon Green, Neil Marshall, Christopher Nolan, Spike Jonze, and Darren Aronofsky have already been said.
I'll say that five of these guys will have masterpieces by the time their career is finished, some of which may already have one in some people's opinions:

Andrew Dominik
J.J. Abrams
Paul Greengrass
Chris Cunningham (once he makes a movie)
Jonathan Glazer
Alejandro Gonzales Innaritu
Craig Brewer
Zack Snyder
Martin McDonagh
Kevin McDonald
Todd Field
Chan Wook-Park

[Sxottlan]

Well, technically Charlie Kaufman was a new director in 2008.

[Russ]

Also (looking at foreign directors)

Makoto Shinkai
Tarsem Singh
Masaaki Yuasa

[Sycophant]

Bong Joon-Ho.
Thomas McCarthy.

[Watashi]

Andrew Stanton

[Pop Trash]

Nice thread. I threw out a similar question at a thread at RT that was about the best American directors whose first film debut was 1989 or later (the consensus seemed to be a split between Tarantino and PT Anderson)

I said that a harder quesion would be the best American directors whose first film debut was 1999 or later (my vote was for Spike Jonze with David Gordon Green, Richard Kelly, and Sofia Coppola coming up next) But a consensus wasn't really there and most agreed that there has been a dearth of good new American filmmakers over the last ten years. I suppose Nolan would win if we could count him as an honorary American.

Also, Kelly Reichard can't really count since her first feature River of Grass (which I haven't seen) came out in the mid 90s.

[Derek]

Also, Kelly Reichard can't really count since her first feature River of Grass (which I haven't seen) came out in the mid 90s.

True. I forgot Old Joy wasn't her first feature. But Nolan's Following came out in '98 so he can't really count either.

[Pop Trash]

True. I forgot Old Joy wasn't her first feature. But Nolan's Following came out in '98 so he can't really count either.
Right. I suppose you could let both slide since Memento and Old Joy put them on the cinema map. Even then I don't think Reichard will be directing any superhero movies anytime soon. Perhaps an artsy, pensive Ozu style Wonder Woman is in order?

[Ezee E]

Also, PT Anderson probably wasn't even considered a top-notch director until his third film, a good 4 years after his first movie.

Tarantino until his second. Four years later.
Wes Anderson, perhaps after Rushmore.

Many of the guys listed still need a couple more movies to accurately judge.

[Pop Trash]

Also, PT Anderson probably wasn't even considered a top-notch director until his third film, a good 4 years after his first movie.

Not really. I remember Boogie Nights being as big of a film by a new/young director as Memento. Actually bigger. It got Oscar nods and everything. I also remember it being talked about a lot in my circle of friends in high school.

[Derek]

Even then I don't think Reichard will be directing any superhero movies anytime soon. Perhaps an artsy, pensive Ozu style Wonder Woman is in order?

1) There's a "t" at the end of Reichardt. :)
2) We're not talking about who will make the next great blockbuster. We're talking about notable, talented directors, so your comment seems oddly out of place.

[Ezee E]

Not really. I remember Boogie Nights being as big of a film by a new/young director as Memento. Actually bigger. It got Oscar nods and everything. I also remember it being talked about a lot in my circle of friends in high school.
I had just started out high school I guess, so I wouldn't know. It was just known as the movie about porn, and it got us excited.

I didn't see it until afer Magnolia came out.

[Pop Trash]

1) There's a "t" at the end of Reichardt. :)
2) We're not talking about who will make the next great blockbuster. We're talking about notable, talented directors, so your comment seems oddly out of place.
You know you want to see her version of Wonder Woman. Just admit it.

[Ezee E]

Andrew Stanton
Speaking of which, he's being honored at this year's Venice Film Festival, along with the accomplishments of Pixar.

[Yxklyx]

I did a little research of new directors of recent films that I liked a lot (some foreign thrown in):

Cristian Mungiu
Bob Goldthwait
Kelly Reichardt - Wendy and Lucy
Ryan Fleck
George Ratliff - End Zone
Rian Johnson - Brothers Bloom
David Jacobson
Noah Baumbach
Shane Caruth
Jacob Aaron Estes
Maren Ade
Scott Caan

It looks like only three have any films in 2009.

[Ezee E]

I wonder when we'll hear from Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others) again.

[Yxklyx]

Oh and Moodysson has a new film coming out this year.

[Amnesiac]

I wonder when we'll hear from Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others) again.

Yeah, me too.

Despite the fact that I think I recall him badmouthing Pan's Labyrinth.

[eternity]

cough Rian Johnson cough

[Stay Puft]

Joachim Trier


Shane Caruth

Will he even make another movie? I'm still waiting.

[transmogrifier]

cough Rian Johnson cough

Eh. Good compositional skills, horrible screenwriting skills.

[Rowland]

Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Andrew Dominik

[Derek]

Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Andrew Dominik

Great call. Can't believe I missed Joe, if only for Tropical Malady, and this reminds me I need to get around to Chopper one of these days.

[Sycophant]

Yeah, while we're talking about good new Thai directors, I'm not going to leave out Wisit Sasanatieng.

[Watashi]

Even though he's only made one film, I'll look forward to anything Zach Helm releases next.

[Winston*]

Steve McQueen

[Boner M]

Steve McQueen
Good choice.

I'll also agree with Joe and Dominik.

[Raiders]

Joseph Kahn

[dreamdead]

Joachim Trier


Yep. I expect the film community to raise him higher in their ranks in the next year or so as Reprise gets more viewers. It's a film that demands artistic respect in its technical mastery even if he's still one or two more works away from being as strong narratively.

[dreamdead]

Joseph Kahn

How long has his production of Neuromancer been in preproduction? Still, my fondness for Torque does lead me to think he could deliver an interesting adaptation that wouldn't overstay its welcome.

[Raiders]

How long has his production of Neuromancer been in preproduction? Still, my fondness for Torque does lead me to think he could deliver an interesting adaptation that wouldn't overstay its welcome.

I have no idea. I was being facetious.

Hook... line...

:twisted:

[dreamdead]

I have no idea. I was being facetious.

Hook... line...

:twisted:

:sad:

Clearly I need to work on my facetious detector.

[Yxklyx]

Joachim Trier



Will he even make another movie? I'm still waiting.

Yeah, I doubt it. A few of the directors I listed might only ever direct one movie in their life.

[Ezee E]

Hmm... How about Shane Meadows? Dead Man's Shoes showed promise, but I ultimately didn't like it. However, This is England was pretty good, if not great. Does he have anything in the works?

[Raiders]

Hmm... How about Shane Meadows? Dead Man's Shoes showed promise, but I ultimately didn't like it. However, This is England was pretty good, if not great. Does he have anything in the works?

I would have definitely said him, but he's been around since before 2000, so I didn't. His new film Somers Town has gotten good press and I know many people really like A Room for Romero Brass and Small Time.

[Boner M]

Somer's Town is his best yet, IMO. Didn't care much for A Room For Romeo Brass, though Considine is outstanding as always (in his screen debut, to boot).

[Mysterious Dude]

I will say that this has been a good decade for foreign cinema. It might be due to the invention of the DVD, but it seems like we're getting movies from countries that have never (or hardly ever) made movies before, in Africa and Eastern Europe and such. I saw a wonderful movie from Bosnia called Grbavica. Go Bosnia!

Still not too impressed by the new directors, though.