Top Ten Best Directors of the 21st Century

[dreamdead]

It's been unanimously voted by me that we catalogue Match-Cut's best directors of the 21st century.

What does this mean? That any filmmaker who created (full-length) directorial work before 2000 is excluded from your top ten. Don't worry. Match Cut likes lists and we'll go through the decades over the next several months.

What are you tasked with doing? Coming up with ten worthy directors, listed 1-10 (with #1 receiving 10 points through to #10 receiving 1 point), that you then post here in this thread. I'm lifting the idea from this site (http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2013/4/2/team-top-ten-best-directors-of-the-21st-century.html), so feel free to read it while thinking up your own choices. Animation directorial work is, naturally, welcomed.

[Watashi]

That any filmmaker who created (full-length) directorial work before 2000 is excluded from your top ten. Don't worry.


You did this just so Brad Bird is excluded, huh?

[dreamdead]

You did this just so Brad Bird is excluded, huh?

Pete Docter is totes eligible, though.:twisted:

[Dukefrukem]

With my list I can also see into the future.

10. Neill Blomkamp
9. Joe Wright
8. Fede Alvarez (muhahahaha)
7. Daniel Nettheim
6. Bart Layton
5. Seth MacFarlane
4. Quentin Dupieux
3. Ti West
2. Wally Pfister (but really Ben Affleck)
1. Jon Stewart (but really George Clooney)

[Watashi]

10. David Gordon Green
9. Joss Whedon
8. Rian Johnson
7. Adam McKay
6. Tomas Alfredson
5. Andrew Dominik
4. Kenneth Lonergan
3. Tom McCarthy
2. Joon-ho Bong
1. Edgar Wright

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Not counting Kaufman, cause it feels like a bit of a cheat.

10. Michel Gondry
9. Julia Loktev
8. David Gordon Green
7. Ursula Meier
6. Joon-ho Bong
5. Andrew Bujalski
4. Miranda July
3. Yiorgos Lanthimos
2. Shane Carruth
1. Kenneth Lonergan

[Dead & Messed Up]

Shane Carruth
Bong Joon-Ho
Ti West
Michel Gondry
Lucky McKee
Edgar Wright
Tarsem Singh
Adam McKay
Banksy
Christopher Smith

That's all I got for now.

Edit: Swapped out Joss Whedon for Edgar Wright, and Rian Johnson for Lucky McKee

[Spinal]

I don't think I can come up with 10. Joe Wright seems like the clear winner though.

[Dukefrukem]

Editing my list to include Ti West

[Melville]

Good idea for a list, but almost everyone I could think of had a movie from the 90s tucked away in their filmography, or like David Gordon Green, has seemingly gone to pot after a strong beginning. Here's a list of people with distinctive visions I like:

10. Bong Joon-Ho
9. Giorgos Lanthimos (even though one of the two movies of his I've seen was nigh unwatchable. I'm giving him credit for creative influence on Attenberg.)
8. Cristian Mungiu (based only on 4 Months)
7. Justin Kurzel
6. Joachim Trier (based only on Oslo)
5. Charlie Kaufman
4. Steve McQueen
3. Andrew Dominik (based only on Jesse James)
2. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
1. Kenneth Lonergan

EDIT: added Bong Joon-Ho just to get to 10.

Apparently I've never seen a movie by Joe Wright.


6. Tomas Alfredson
Not eligible, or he'd be on my list.

[Boner M]

Man, I felt hopeful compiling all these names.

1. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Joon-ho Bong
3. Lisandro Alonso
4. Maren Ade
5. Miguel Gomes
6. Andrew Bujalski
7. Jonathan Glazer
8. Kenneth Lonergan
9. Lucrecia Martel
10. Michael Robinson

RU: Ben Rivers, Ben Russell, Giorgos Lanthimos, Edgar Wright, Pablo Larrain, Rob Zombie, Laida Lerxtundi, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Frank V. Ross, Joachim Trier, Peter Strickland, Carlos Reygadas, Rian Johnson, Aaron Katz, Julia Loktev, Ben Wheatley, Azazel Jacobs, Adam McKay, Ursula Meier

Need to see more: Alex Ross Perry, Denis Villeneuve, Asghar Farhadi, Michelangelo Frammartino, Cristi Puiu, Denis Cote, Pedro González-Rubio

Great debuts, waiting for follow-up: Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Sean Durkin, Michael Rowe, Justin Kurzel, Nadav Lapid

Jury's still out: Steve McQueen, Corneliu Porumboiu, David Gordon Green, Sofia Coppola, Andrew Dominik, Richard Kelly, Ti West, Michel Gondry

[Boner M]

8. Giorgos Lanthimos (even though one of the two movies of his I've seen was nigh unwatchable)
Kinetta or Alps?

[Melville]

Kinetta or Alps?
Kinetta. I haven't seen Alps yet.

[elixir]

Hmm. I guess this.

1. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Eugène Green
3. Miguel Gomes
4. Serge Bozon
5. Maria Speth
6. Kenneth Lonergan
7. Frank V. Ross
8. Mia Hansen-Løve
9. Alexis Dos Santos
10. Bong Joon-Ho

[ledfloyd]

These inverted lists have got to stop.

1. Kenneth Lonergan
2. Edgar Wright
3. Miguel Gomes
4. Joachim Trier
5. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
6. Sylvain Chomet
7. Bong Joon-Ho
8. Cristian Mungiu
9. Michelangelo Frammartino
10. Mia Hansen-Love

[Melville]

5. Miguel Gomes
I should watch that Tabu. I've seen the first few minutes multiple times but for some reason never finish it.

[elixir]

These inverted lists have got to stop.
But it adds so much suspense!

[Boner M]

Edgar Wright >>>>>>>> Joe Wright

[elixir]

Seriously though, if it makes counting harder, I can fix it.

I'll just do it, actually. Because of that.

[ledfloyd]

I was going to list Castaing-Taylor, but he's apparently made some earlier films. Also, are we counting Sofia Coppola?

[elixir]

Virgin Suicides is '99.

[Boner M]

I was going to list Castaing-Taylor, but he's apparently made some earlier films.
I think they were just shorts?

Forgot that VS was '99.

[Yxklyx]

1. György Pálfi
2. Richard Kelly
3. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
4. Rian Johnson
5. Juan Pablo Rebella & Pablo Stoll
6. Kenneth Lonergan
7. Carlos Reygadas
8. Shane Caruth
9. Banksy (did he actually direct that?)

10. Andrew Bujalski
11. Lucrecia Martel
12. Edgar Wright
13. Maren Ade
14. John Cameron Mitchell
15. Miranda July

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

1. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Carlos Reygadas
3. Christian Mungiu
4. Jonathan Glazer
5. Lucrecia Martel
6. Asghar Farhadi
7. Denis Cote
8. Todd Field
9. Veiko Ounpuu
10. Kanye West

David Gordon Green would have been top 5 if this poll was conducted in 2005. Now he is dead to me.


Edgar Wright >>>>>>>> Joe Wright

Any British filmmaker's name picked out of a hat>>>>>>Edgar Wright>>>>>>>Joe Wright

[Dukefrukem]

These inverted lists have got to stop.



It's a countdown to the best.

[Bosco B Thug]

Crickets be damned. Lucky McKee, fools.

Glazer
Weerasethakul
Gomes
Trier
probably Lonergan once I see Margaret

Maybes: Bong, E. Wright, Ade

[Winston*]

Crickets be damned. Lucky McKee, fools.


I wrote about The Woman in a university essay last year.

[Boner M]

5. Christian Petzold
If we we're exluding TV features, he'd definitely be on my top 10.


Any British filmmaker's name picked out of a hat>>>>>>Edgar Wright>>>>>>>Joe Wright
Nonsense, Edgar Wright's made several of the most purely joyous films of this century. His absence from Paul just showed how crucial his voice was for Shaun and Hot Fuzz.

[Winston*]

If we we're exluding TV features, he'd definitely be on my top 10.


Nonsense, Edgar Wright's made several of the most purely joyous films of this century. His absence from Paul just showed how crucial his voice was for Shaun and Hot Fuzz.

Also, Spaced.

[Bosco B Thug]

David Gordon Green would have been top 5 if this poll was conducted in 2005. Now he is dead to me. How much should we hold it against him that he likes dumb comedy and making dumb comedies? No other director has so weirdly bifurcated his career, but I don't know if he's quite betrayed anything.I liked Snow Angels fine, so I'm just waiting out for his next somewhat-serious film. (So mad Suspiria's been held up, BTW.)


I wrote about The Woman in a university essay last year. Paragon of good taste, you are.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

Also, Spaced.

that is the one thing he's had a hand in that I liked.

[Boner M]

Can't believe I still haven't seen Spaced.

re: DGG, Prince Avalanche is supposed to be a return to form; even won best director in Berlin.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

alright, inspired by Bresson I have decided to re-do my list.

1. Lena Dunham
2. Lena Dunham
3. Lena Dunham
4. Lena Dunham
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

[endingcredits]

1. Steve McQueen
2. Kenneth Lonergan
3. Pedro González-Rubio
4. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
5. Giorgos Lanthimos
6. Maren Ade
7. Jan Hřebej
8. Michelangelo Frammartino
9. Andrey Zvyagintsev
10. Asghar Farhadik

[EyesWideOpen]

Edgar Wright doesn't count. He made a full length before 2000.

[Pop Trash]

1. Kenneth Lonergan
2. David Gordon Green
3. Richard Kelley
4. Jeff Nichols
5. Ti West
6. Sarah Polley
7. Mike Mills
8. JJ Abrams/Matt Reeves
9. Edgar Wright
10. Ramin Bahrani

I too am leaving Kaufman off since it feels a bit cheaty. I'm mostly going by 'potential for greatness' here since most of these filmmakers have made some flubs but I still have faith in them (esp. Green and Kelley). Lonergan was easy since he's made two great films already.

[EyesWideOpen]

deleted because I hate you guys

[Pop Trash]

Edgar Wright doesn't count. He made a full length before 2000.

But who the hell as seen that? I've never even heard of the thing until today.

[EyesWideOpen]

But who the hell as seen that? I've never even heard of the thing until today.

I don't see why that's relevant. Going by the rules set forth in the first post it says no full length films done before 2000. It doesn't have an exception for films that Pop Trash hasn't heard of.

[Pop Trash]

Any British filmmaker's name picked out of a hat>>>>>>Edgar Wright>>>>>>>Joe Wright

Big Tom Hooper fan eh?

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

Big Tom Hooper fan eh?

not a big fan, but Hooper is a better filmmaker than Edgar Wright.

[Boner M]

not a big fan, but Hooper is a better filmmaker than Edgar Wright.
God no.

[Boner M]

1. Kenneth Lonergan
2. David Gordon Green
3. Richard Kelley
4. Jeff Nichols
5. Ti West
6. Sarah Polley
7. Mike Mills
8. JJ Abrams/Matt Reeves
9. Edgar Wright
10. Ramin Bahrani
NEEDS MORE 'MURKA!!!

[Winston*]

God no.

Wrongest thing ever posted on this site.

[baby doll]

Need to see more: Denis VilleneuveUn 32 août sur terre came out in 1998.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

Wrongest thing ever posted on this site.

Guy Ritchie is a better filmmaker than Edgar Wright.

The only filmmaker Edgar Wright is better than is Edgar Wright.

[Spinal]

Hyperbole!

[baby doll]

As for the original question, I could only think of four who've really impressed me: Lucrecia Martel (The Holy Girl and The Headless Woman), Pablo LarraÃ*n (Tony Manero and Post Mortem), Abderrahmane Sissako (Heremakano and Bamako), and Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Blissfully Yours, Tropical Malady, and Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives). The jury's still out on Serge Bozon (La France), Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Asghar Farhadi (A Separation), Miguel Gomes (Tabu), Alain Guiraudie (Pas de repos pour les braves), Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth), Lee Yoon-ki (My Dear Enemy), Steve McQueen (Hunger), Ursula Meier (Home), Carlos Reygadas (Silent Light), and João Pedro Rodrigues (Odete) until I see one other movie by them I really like. I've officially given up on David Gordon Green.

[B-side]

Sissako's directed features before 2000.

[B-side]

A top 5 not including directors I've only seen one film from:

1. Mark Neveldine/Brian Taylor
2. Carlos Reygadas
3. Lucrecia Martel
4. Mohammad Rasoulof
5. Apichatpong Weerasethakul

[dmk]

I'm not too familiar/enamoured with a lot of names mentioned above, but for me

1. Azazel Jacobs
2. Gabriel Abrantes
3. Aleksandr Mindadze
4. Radu Muntean
5. Kenneth Lonergan
6. Ti West
7. Yorgos Lanthimos
8. Pablo Larrain
9. Christoph Hochhäusler
10. Miguel Gomes

Also important, maybe, are Cristi Puiu, Vimukthi Jaysundara, Ivan Sen, Jonathan Glazer, Zachary Oberzan, Ronald Bronstein, Adam Curtis and Eugène Green.

[Ezee E]

No Derek Cianfrance yet?

I'll do this shortly.

Anyone going to tally by chance?

[B-side]

A rare dmk appearance.

I was gonna do the Pokemon gag again, but there hasn't been enough time between them yet for it to be funny again.

[dreamdead]

Anyone going to tally by chance?

I've got tallying.

Anyone seen Chan-ok Park's work (Paju)? She's high on my list I'm building. As is Andrea Arnold.

[Pop Trash]

NEEDS MORE 'MURKA!!!

Bong Joon Ho, Celine Sciamma, and Asghar Farhadi crossed my mind but ultimately I went with:

http://img.costumecraze.com/images/vendors/eloper/A7530-main.jpg

[Grouchy]

not a big fan, but Hooper is a better filmmaker than Edgar Wright.
Jesus Christ, no.

[Ezee E]

Kanye West, Kurious?

Rian Johnson
Steve McQueen
Joon-Ho Bong
Jonathan Glazer
Derek Cianfrance
Ashgar Farhadi
Christian Mungiu
David Gordon Green
Ben Affleck
Andrew Dominik

Pretty much interchangeable as the range of work is too difficult to really rank them.

EDIT: Alfredsson for Cianfrance.

[Raiders]

Makoto Shinkai, people. Come on...

Having just seen About Elly, I can assure you Farhadi is legit.

1. Makoto Shinkai
2. Bong Joon-ho
3. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
4. Asghar Farhadi
5. David Gordon Green
6. Edgar Wright
7. Ti West
8. Maren Ade
9. Joachim Trier
10. Mike Mills

HM: Jonathan Levine, Rian Johnson, Yorgos Lanthimos (negative buzz on subsequent films makes me want to see them first), Michel Gondry

[Boner M]

Cianfrance debuted w/ Brother Tied in '98, which is impossible to see now.

[Grouchy]

Not including directors I've only seen one movie from:

1. Jonathan Glazer (can't wait for Under the Skin)
2. Bong Joon-Ho
3. Lucky McKee (May is more than enough to make him one of my favorites)
4. Tomas Alfredson
5. Edgar Wright (assuming the unseen-by-all A Fistful of Fingers doesn't rule him out)
6. Lucrecia Martel
7. Andrew Dominik
8. Rian Johnson

Can't make it to 10 in all honesty.

[Yxklyx]

I don't see why that's relevant. Going by the rules set forth in the first post it says no full length films done before 2000. It doesn't have an exception for films that Pop Trash hasn't heard of.

Yeah he shouldn't count. Also, the cutoff for "full-length" should probably be 60 minutes (or maybe even 45 minutes). His is 78m.

[baby doll]

Sissako's directed features before 2000.I wasn't counting La Vie sur terre as a feature as it's only sixty minutes long--roughly the length of a B-picture on the second half of a double bill (as opposed to an A-film that can stand on its own).

[Ezee E]

Yeah, Brother Tied never even got distribution, so I think Cianfrance counts.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

Kanye West, Kurious?


Based on Runaway (best film of 2010), yes. Other posters were listing directors based on speculation of the future. West is my pick for someone who is going to continue to do interesting work in the future, and exert his influence in film more and more.




Having just seen About Elly, I can assure you Farhadi is legit.


Yes. Fireworks Wednesday is also very good.


Yeah he shouldn't count. Also, the cutoff for "full-length" should probably be 60 minutes (or maybe even 45 minutes). His is 78m.

Feature films are defined as 40 mins or longer.

[Grouchy]

Feature films are defined as 40 mins or longer.
I didn't know that, I thought it was 60 minutes. So I directed a feature film? Weird.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

I didn't know that, I thought it was 60 minutes. So I directed a feature film? Weird.

I remember being told by a teacher in film school that it was something under 60 mins so I googled it right now because I couldn't recall. MPAA, BFI, and others say 40 mins which seems to be the accepted definition. SAG says 80 mins. If it was up to me I would say 60 too, 40 still seems like a short.

[B-side]

I wasn't counting La Vie sur terre as a feature as it's only sixty minutes long--roughly the length of a B-picture on the second half of a double bill (as opposed to an A-film that can stand on its own).

60 mins is definitely feature length. I don't have a hard and fast rule, but I generally think anything over around 45 mins should be considered feature length.

[baby doll]

60 mins is definitely feature length. I don't have a hard and fast rule, but I generally think anything over around 45 mins should be considered feature length."I don't have a hard and fast rule, but here's my hard and fast rule."

Anyway, I like Sissako's movies and I wanted to mention him, so I'm not counting sixty minutes as a short because it's inconvenient to me at this particular moment.

[Spinal]

"According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, American Film Institute, and British Film Institute, a feature film runs for 40 minutes or longer, while the Screen Actors Guild states that it is 80 minutes or longer." - Wikipedia

SAG is smoking crack.

[Grouchy]

"According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, American Film Institute, and British Film Institute, a feature film runs for 40 minutes or longer, while the Screen Actors Guild states that it is 80 minutes or longer." - Wikipedia

SAG is smoking crack.
Seriously. 60 minutes is definitively a feature film. Freaks is exactly that long.

EDIT: Probably a lousy example since it was intended to be longer pre-censorship.

[Ezee E]

"According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, American Film Institute, and British Film Institute, a feature film runs for 40 minutes or longer, while the Screen Actors Guild states that it is 80 minutes or longer." - Wikipedia

SAG is smoking crack.

Think for pay reasons, it goes to 80 minutes for certain benefits.

[NickGlass]

Can't believe I still haven't seen Spaced.

re: DGG, Prince Avalanche is supposed to be a return to form; even won best director in Berlin.

Prince Avalanche is pretty good. I'd say it's more a successful melding of his now-bifurcated sensibility, but it's definitely enough to justify keeping him in this conversation.

[B-side]

"I don't have a hard and fast rule, but here's my hard and fast rule."

More fast and loose than hard and fast.


Anyway, I like Sissako's movies and I wanted to mention him, so I'm not counting sixty minutes as a short because it's inconvenient to me at this particular moment.

Waiting for Happiness is a great film. I need to see more.

[Mysterious Dude]

I've seen two or more films (but mostly just two) by:

1. Ursula Meier (Home, Sister)
2. Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine, The Science of Sleep)
3. Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams)
4. Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall)
5. Ramin Bahrani (Chop Shop, Goodbye Solo)
6. Steve McQueen (Hunger, Shame)
7. Jeff Nichols (Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter)
8. Joon-ho Bong (Memories of Murder, Mother)
9. Joachim Trier (Reprise, Olso August 31st)
10. Bahman Ghobadi (A Time for Drunken Horses, Turtles Can Fly)

Honorable mention:

David Gordon Green (George Washington, All the Real Girls)
George Clooney (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Good Night and Good Luck)

And some one-hit wonders:

Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast)
Andrey Zvyagintsev (The Return)
Shane Carruth (Primer)
Jacob Aaron Estes (Mean Creek)
Cristi Puiu (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu)
Andrew Dominik (Assassination of Jesse James)
Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days)
Asghar Farhadi (A Separation)
Sean Durkin (Martha Marcy May Marlene)
Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild)

edit: Some of these directors may have made other good movies, but I have not seen them yet.

[Ezee E]

Too Ten Films by a 00's Director

4 Months, 3Weeks, and 2 Days
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Amores Perros
Blue Valentine
Brick
District 9
Exit Through the Gift Shop
Let the Right One In
Mother
Undertow

EDIT: A Separation for Blue Valentine.
The Descent for Brick.

[baby doll]

Too Ten Films by a 00's DirectorNow there's an idea:

George Washington (David Gordon Green, 2000)
Young Adam (David Mackenzie, 2003)
Innocence (Lucile Hadzihalilovic, 2004)
Bamako (Abderrahmane Sissako, 2006)
Silent Light (Carlos Reygadas, 2007)
The Headless Woman (Lucrecia Martel, 2008)
Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008)
Tony Manero (Pablo LarraÃ*n, 2008)
Dogtooth (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2009)
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2010)

[ledfloyd]

Ooh, I like this.

Tabu
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Oslo, August 31st
Margaret
Tropical Malady
4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days
The Assassination of Jesse James
Le Quattro Volte
A Separation
All the Real Girls

The order is almost entirely random.

[Mysterious Dude]

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
3. Mean Creek
4. Better Luck Tomorrow
5. Sexy Beast
6. The Fall
7. Tomboy
8. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
9. Home
10. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Also: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Return, Primer, The Proposition, Babel, Chop Shop, Martha Marcy May Marlene, A Separation, Sister, Beasts of the Southern Wild

[EyesWideOpen]

I boycott this thread.

[Mysterious Dude]

Sorry, Eyes. I read that discussion, but somehow I forgot about it when I was making my list. The Wright film is gone.

[dreamdead]

Films by 2000s Directors

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. Tropical Malady
3. Paju
4. Oslo, August 31st
5. Fish Tank
6. Memories of Murder
7. Take Care of My Cat
8. You Can Count on Me
9. Dogtooth
10. Girl Walk // All Day

H/S: Margaret, A Separation, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days,

[Pop Trash]

1. You Can Count on Me
2. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
3. Margaret
4. All the Real Girls
5. George Washington
6. Take Shelter
7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
8. Tomboy
9. Dogtooth
10. The House of the Devil

[Grouchy]

1. Let the Right One In
2. May
3. Brick
4. The Descent
5. MirrorMask
6. The Host
7. Shaun of the Dead
8. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
9. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
10. Hunger

[Ezee E]

Oh shoot, Neil Marshall... I'd put The Descent in my list.

[Grouchy]

Yeah, I love Marshall's movies and he qualifies for this thread. Haven't seen Centurion yet.

[Boner M]

Yeah, Brother Tied never even got distribution, so I think Cianfrance counts.
That's silly.

[Winston*]

Haven't seen Centurion yet.

It's pretty bad.

[Ezee E]

That's silly.

It's like saying Tarantino is an 80's director for My Best Friend's Birthday. There's literally no way of seeing it unless you have a connection to Cianfrance himself. He's even said that it's only viewable on VHS in his dad's basement.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

It's like saying Tarantino is an 80's director for My Best Friend's Birthday. There's literally no way of seeing it unless you have a connection to Cianfrance himself. He's even said that it's only viewable on VHS in his dad's basement.

thats a short though so tarantino would still qualify for a 90's list based on the original poster's rules. However I agree with you that if it was never released then it shouldn't count. I'm sure many directrs have made feature length films we don't know of (in film school, before becoming a professional or whatever) so as long as it wasn't released I think they should still qualify.

The better example for Tarantino would be this Love Birds in Bondage thing that is showing up on his filmography from 1983 because it seems to be a feature but it was unfinished and all the footage was destroyed.

[Boner M]

But Brother Tied played at Sundance and a few other festivals (and earned positive reviews)... it's only in limbo because of music licensing issues.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

But Brother Tied played at Sundance and a few other festivals (and earned positive reviews)... it's only in limbo because of music licensing issues.

oh yeah then he definitely shouldn't qualify

If its been released at festivals it's an existant film. Distribution status doesn't matter

[Ezee E]

People still have Edgar Wright for the same reason as Cianfrance it appears.

Well, I disagree since there's no way of finding Brother Tied, even on Karagarga, but...

I'll put in Tomas Alfredson and A Separation.

[Grouchy]

thats a short though so tarantino would still qualify for a 90's list based on the original poster's rules. However I agree with you that if it was never released then it shouldn't count. I'm sure many directrs have made feature length films we don't know of (in film school, before becoming a professional or whatever) so as long as it wasn't released I think they should still qualify.

The better example for Tarantino would be this Love Birds in Bondage thing that is showing up on his filmography from 1983 because it seems to be a feature but it was unfinished and all the footage was destroyed.
Actually, My Best Friend's Birthday is (or was) a feature film. Most of the footage was destroyed in a fire and only 36 minutes survive. I didn't know about the Love Birds thing, but apparently no footage exists.

[Ezee E]

By the way, is Jeff Nichols like a continuation of what David Gordon Green was suppose to be if he never left barebones indie movies?

[ThePlashyBubbler]

Did we reach a consensus on this at all? Seemed like a lot of votes for Bong, Lonergan, and Joe.

[dreamdead]

Did we reach a consensus on this at all? Seemed like a lot of votes for Bong, Lonergan, and Joe.

My bad. I've fallen behind on grading and this took the brunt of it. Will get to it tomorrow/Tuesday.

[dreamdead]

My list, since I never posted it:

1. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Kenneth Lonergan
3. Joachim Trier
4. Chan-ok Park
5. Andrea Arnold
6. Giorgos Lanthimos
7. Bong Joon-ho
8. Makoto Shinkai
9. Banksy
10. Jonathan Glazer

[Winston*]

Seen movies from all of those. Reprise didn't do that much for me, but I've loved movies from all of the others.

[dreamdead]

Seen movies from all of those. Reprise didn't do that much for me, but I've loved movies from all of the others.

My bad. That's not the overall consensus--I just never posted my list.

Also, you've seen Chan-ok Park's films? That's not Chan-wook Park, mind you.

[Winston*]

6Also, you've seen Chan-ok Park's films?

Nope. I'm racist.

[dreamdead]

We're getting a top 14 directors here, people. Anyone that got more than 20 points of votes deserves some love.

14. Lucrecia Martel – 21 points

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QetAPRJITT4/UFOILLt7i1I/AAAAAAAABQQ/VwHFw7SDfnk/s1600/LUCRECIA+MARTEL+2.jpg

Filmography:
The Holy Girl
The Headless Woman
The Swamp

[dreamdead]

12. Shane Carruth (tie) - 22 points

http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/shane-carruth.jpg

Filmography:
Upstream Color
Primer

[dreamdead]

12. Carlos Reygadas (tie) - 22 points

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Carlos_Reygadas_Tokyo_Intl_Fil mfest_2009.jpg/220px-Carlos_Reygadas_Tokyo_Intl_Fil mfest_2009.jpg

Filmography:
Silent Light
Battle in Heaven
Japón

[dreamdead]

11. Steve McQueen - 24 points

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2012/1/4/1325688368720/Steve-McQueen-QA-007.jpg

Filmography:
Hunger
Shame

[dreamdead]

10. Yorgos Lanthimos - 25 points

http://twitchfilm.com/assets_c/2012/09/Yorgos-Lanthimos-thumb-630xauto-32104.jpg

Filmography:
Dogtooth
Alps
Kinetta

[Grouchy]

Carlos Reygadas is such a wanker. Can't stand the guy or his films.

[dreamdead]

I abhor Battle in Heaven, which resonates with all of the worst excesses of arthouse cinema. That said, Mark Cousins's Story of Film gives a good defense of one of the 360-degree wandering camera sex scenes in the film in terms of how it reveals privilege as well as captures daily working life among the lower class.

There were enough formal interesting aspects about BiH that I'll someday get to Silent Light, but I'm still trying to convince myself that any film of his could ever approximate Ordet, as most critics suggest that parallel.

[dreamdead]

9. David Gordon Green – 27 points

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/06_davidgordongreen_lgl.jpg

Filmography:
George Washington
All the Real Girls
Undertow
other stuff I refuse to acknowledge, quality be damned

[dreamdead]

8. Andrew Dominik – 28 points

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Andrew_Dominik_2012.jpg/220px-Andrew_Dominik_2012.jpg

Filmography:
Chopper
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Killing Them Softly

[Ezee E]

If this were before his double feature of awful comedies, I bet Gordon Green would be #1.

[dreamdead]

5. Ti West (tie) - 31 points

http://images.starpulse.com/news/bloggers/747815/blog_images/ti-west-2.jpg

Filmography:
The House of the Devil
The Innkeepers

[dreamdead]

5. Joachim Trier (tie) - 31 points

https://static.festivalscope.com/uploads/cache/1316101417Joachim_Trier-portrait-resize-225x210.jpg

Filmography:
Reprise
Oslo, August 31st

[dreamdead]

5. Miguel Gomes (tie) - 31 points

http://ojosabiertos.otroscines.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/eHJ3emt0MTI_o_comptition-tabou-de-miguel-gomes.jpg

Filmography:
The Face You Deserve
Our Beloved Month of August
Tabu

[dreamdead]

4. Jonathan Glazer - 36 points

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb52/The_Playlist/glazer.jpg

Filmography:
Sexy Beast
Birth
Under the Skin

[dreamdead]

3. Bong Joon-ho - 66 points

http://blogmedia.dramafever.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Bong-Joon-Ho-with-camera.jpg

Filmography:
Barking Dogs Never Bite
Memories of Murder
The Host
Mother
Snowpiercer

[dreamdead]

If this were before his double feature of awful comedies, I bet Gordon Green would be #1.

There's a few people at Grantland and at other places that appreciate Your Highness as dumb fun. Anyone here able to confirm this? And anyone at all appreciate of The Sitter? I'm optimistic his next will get rid of the stink of the recent past, but man he killed so much of my early goodwill for him...

[dreamdead]

2. Kenneth Lonergan - 84 points

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/06/24/magazine/24lonergan1/24lonergan1-articleLarge-v3.jpg

Filmography:
You Can Count on Me
Margaret

[dreamdead]

1. Apichatpong Weerasethakul - 93 points

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2010/5/24/1274701077134/Apichatpong-Weerasethakul-006.jpg

Filmography:
Blissfully Yours
Tropical Malady
Syndromes and a Century
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

[dreamdead]

The following all received at least one first-place vote:

Kenneth Lonergan
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
György Pálfi
Jonathan Glazer
Steve McQueen
Mark Neveldine/Brian Taylor
Azazel Jacobs
Andrew Dominik
Makoto Shinkai
Ursula Meier
George Clooney (if Duke’s serious?)


Asghar Farhadi missed the list by one vote. Sorry for not yet getting to A Separation, all.

[Kurious Jorge v3.1]

I abhor Battle in Heaven, which resonates with all of the worst excesses of arthouse cinema. That said, Mark Cousins's Story of Film gives a good defense of one of the 360-degree wandering camera sex scenes in the film in terms of how it reveals privilege as well as captures daily working life among the lower class.

There were enough formal interesting aspects about BiH that I'll someday get to Silent Light, but I'm still trying to convince myself that any film of his could ever approximate Ordet, as most critics suggest that parallel.

I hated Silent Light when I first saw it but after a second viewing I realized it was one of the most amazing works of contemporary cinema. It holds its own against Ordet.

[ledfloyd]

I like Silent Light a fair amount, despite despising Battle in Heaven.

Unless Sexy Beast has something to offer that Birth didn't, I'm not sure I get Jonathan Glazer.

[Pop Trash]

Is Rian Johnson too lamestream now? I'm surprised he didn't make it.

[Pop Trash]

There's a few people at Grantland and at other places that appreciate Your Highness as dumb fun. Anyone here able to confirm this? And anyone at all appreciate of The Sitter? I'm optimistic his next will get rid of the stink of the recent past, but man he killed so much of my early goodwill for him...

I really need to watch Your Highness since I avoided it cuz of the stench of bad buzz, but I do like a good stoner comedy. I honestly thought Pineapple Express was better than Snow Angels. I still think I'll avoid Not Adventures in Babysitting unless someone wants to make a passionate defense for it.

[Derek]

I honestly thought Pineapple Express was better than Snow Angels.

I'm with you there (though Thirlby in that band outfit ftw!), but Your Highness is just plain terrible.

[Philosophe_rouge]

Man, I felt hopeful compiling all these names.

1. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
2. Joon-ho Bong
3. Lisandro Alonso
4. Maren Ade
5. Miguel Gomes
6. Andrew Bujalski
7. Jonathan Glazer
8. Kenneth Lonergan
9. Lucrecia Martel
10. Michael Robinson

RU: Ben Rivers, Ben Russell, Giorgos Lanthimos, Edgar Wright, Pablo Larrain, Rob Zombie, Laida Lerxtundi, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Frank V. Ross, Joachim Trier, Peter Strickland, Carlos Reygadas, Rian Johnson, Aaron Katz, Julia Loktev, Ben Wheatley, Azazel Jacobs, Adam McKay, Ursula Meier

Need to see more: Alex Ross Perry, Denis Villeneuve, Asghar Farhadi, Michelangelo Frammartino, Cristi Puiu, Denis Cote, Pedro González-Rubio

Great debuts, waiting for follow-up: Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Sean Durkin, Michael Rowe, Justin Kurzel, Nadav Lapid

Jury's still out: Steve McQueen, Corneliu Porumboiu, David Gordon Green, Sofia Coppola, Andrew Dominik, Richard Kelly, Ti West, Michel Gondry
My second favourite Denis villeneuve is from 1998, so unfortunately not qualifying but you should see more anyway <3

[Boner M]

Seen movies from all of those. Reprise didn't do that much for me, but I've loved movies from all of the others.
I'm not big on Reprise (both times I've seen it), but Oslo is a huge leap forward in every way. Can't imagine you not liking it.