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Cody Dawg · Nov 25, 2005, 04:10 PM

Who is it? Why? I'm talking about contemporary directors.

It could be Steven Spielberg, of course, but that's an easy answer. What about Cameron Crowe? Cameron is also an amazing writer as well as director. Or Tim Burton? WDLove and I were discussing movies and I thought it would be a good thread.

My choice might just be Tim Burton - and I've never been a Tim Burton fan. But, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is one of the finest movies ever made. It will receive Oscar nods in the spring and my opinion is that Johnny Depp should win Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Willy Wonka. (He should have won for Pirates of the Caribbean in my opinion.) He is one fine generational actor with a wonderful body of work for quirky and offbeat characters. He is simply astounding as Willy Wonka - the movie could not have been made without him. He is Willy Wonka. If you haven't seen the movie get thee to thy movie theater or video rental and rent the movie.

Okay, so let's see what you think.

Kr0nos · Nov 25, 2005, 04:20 PM

Easy, Alfred Hitchcock. Followed by John Woo, JL Goddard and Kenneth Anger.

Cody Dawg · Nov 25, 2005, 04:23 PM

No. Al is dead. Doesn't count.

I'm talking about directors CURRENTLY making movies.

BlueSky · Nov 25, 2005, 04:25 PM

Allen Smithee, hands down.

Cody Dawg · Nov 25, 2005, 04:27 PM

Name their movies, folks, and maybe WHY their movies are great.

Thanks.

Rolling Bones · Nov 25, 2005, 04:35 PM

There are no great directors. They all make stinkers but every once in a while they accidently make a half-assed good one.

Some of the better ones are in Europe.

Kr0nos · 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

I'm talking about directors CURRENTLY making movies.

Okay, then John Woo.

The Killer, A Better Tomorrow, Bullet in the Head...

He is basically the inventor of modern action movie "standards". Tarantino ripped off his movie "City on Fire" to make "Reservoir Dogs".

Sadly, all his Hollywood movies suck a55.

Kr0nos · Nov 25, 2005, 04:40 PM

Originally Posted by BlueSky

Allen Smithee, hands down.

....

demograph68 · Nov 25, 2005, 04:46 PM

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

Eug Wanker · Nov 25, 2005, 04:48 PM

Heh. Yes, Alan Smithee is one of the most prolific and enduring directors of all time.

nredman · Nov 25, 2005, 04:48 PM

kevin smith

BlueSky · Nov 25, 2005, 04:50 PM

dual postage

BlueSky · 05:00 PM

Alan Smithee has ALWAYS had the courage to attach his name to a film that mere mortal directors don't have the balls to.

(And I have the nads to end a sentence in a preposition.)

Eug Wanker · Nov 25, 2005, 04:55 PM

Hey, show some respect. Mr. Smithee's name should be spelled 'Alan' not 'Allen'.

(Well, most of the time anyway.)

BRussell · Nov 25, 2005, 04:56 PM

How about Martin Scorsese - The Aviator, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Gangs of New York.

DeathMan · Nov 25, 2005, 05:33 PM

Gangs of New York?

Francis Ford Coppolla maybe. I like writer directors, but they don't usually stay writer/directors for very long. I'm not sure why that is. I guess you only have so many fresh ideas. M. Night Shamalan comes to mind.

Monique · Nov 25, 2005, 05:37 PM

Martin Scorcese

By the way Ethan Coen is not a director; he writes scripts with his brother and he produces the movies. Right from the start they knew which one could do what really really well.

macroy · Nov 25, 2005, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by BRussell

How about Martin Scorsese.....

Hell yes. Seconded. I also like Rob Reiner (Princess Bride, Spinal Tap) and dare I say Richard Donner (Superman, Maverick, Lethal weapon(s))?

However, I don't think you can have a list without Spielberg. Like him or not, he's made some excellent movies - Raiders, Amistad, ET, Jaws, and one of my favorites - 1941.

Monique · Nov 25, 2005, 05:43 PM

Talking about great directors Munich should be one of Spielberg's best movie.

Big Mac · Nov 25, 2005, 05:45 PM

I'm surprised Cody would claim the Willy Wonka remake was a good film. First of all, it was remake, one which I could hardly sit through. Depp came off more like an eccentric pedophile than an eccentric confectioner.

demograph68 · Nov 25, 2005, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by Monique

Martin Scorcese

By the way Ethan Coen is not a director; he writes scripts with his brother and he produces the movies. Right from the start they knew which one could do what really really well.

Thanks.

Cody Dawg · Nov 25, 2005, 07:43 PM

No, Depp is no way like a pedophile.

Also, Academy likes for someone to have a supporting body of work and Depp has certainly proven that he has tremendous acting chops.

Martin Scorcese is a great director, yes, but he's not on my list of THE best director of all time.

There is James Cameron and Titanic, though an older pic, was probably THE epic of our time, our current generation's Gone With The Wind I will venture.

Now, someone mentioned the Coen brothers?

Of course Joel Coen DID direct Fargo

WAY

I think Fargo is one of the best movies made, ever.

Marge Gunderson: Oh for pete's sake, he's fleeing the interview! He's fleeing the interview!

Marge Gunderson: There's more to life than a little money, ya know. Don'tcha know that? And here ya are. And it's a beautiful day. Well. I just don't understand it.

LOVE that line. "There's more to life than a little money, ya know."

ShortcutToMoncton · Nov 25, 2005, 08:26 PM

I'm astounded and somewhat appalled that Cameron Crowe was just nominated as one of the best directors alive today. Man. There should really be some physical punishment for making a statement like that.

And Tim Burton?! Based on WHAT?!? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?!? Maybe Planet of the Apes?! He's had his moments, but BEST DIRECTOR?! Ye gads.

I can't wait for someone to nominate Peter Jackson with the way this is going!

You can't argue Scorcese or Spielberg for great directors. Both have bodies of work that dwarf almost anyone else. However Spielberg is famous for his "epics" that just seem a little too...grandiose and made-for-Oscar, which Scorcese seems to have the tendency to bring out Oscar performances while the film itself is passed over.

I would probably say one of those two, however. There are plenty other great directors, but they simply don't have the history of innovation and/or consistency behind them. Tarantino certainly does just fine, but he doesn't have the volume and Kill Bill 2 was very, very weak. The Coen brothers certainly have a few good movies, but again – they've had misses, and they don't have more than 5 or 6 quality films.

greg

Cody Dawg · Nov 25, 2005, 08:30 PM

Sorry, but Crowe's Vanilla Sky is simply excellent, along with Jerry Maguire.

He's not the best director of our time, no. But he's got vision. I think he's a better writer than a director perhaps, I'm not sure.

BRussell · Nov 25, 2005, 08:36 PM

Woody Allen is another that has to be mentioned.

wdlove · Nov 25, 2005, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

No, Depp is no way like a pedophile.

Also, Academy likes for someone to have a supporting body of work and Depp has certainly proven that he has tremendous acting chops.

Martin Scorcese is a great director, yes, but he's not on my list of THE best director of all time.

There is James Cameron and Titanic, though an older pic, was probably THE epic of our time, our current generation's Gone With The Wind I will venture.

Now, someone mentioned the Coen brothers?

Of course Joel Coen DID direct Fargo

WAY

I think Fargo is one of the best movies made, ever.

LOVE that line. "There's more to life than a little money, ya know."

I agree with you Cody. "Fargo" was an awesome movie. Your opinions are right on target.

BasketofPuppies · Nov 25, 2005, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by BlueSky

Allen Smithee, hands down.

He doesn't count. He retired in 1997.

Now, Thomas Lee, he's a genius.

Dale Sorel · Nov 25, 2005, 09:02 PM

George Lucas

Kevin · Nov 25, 2005, 09:04 PM

Depp's version of Wonka can't even touch Wilder's.

Pendergast · Nov 25, 2005, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by wdlove

I agree with you Cody. "Fargo" was an awesome movie. Your opinions are right on target.

You 2 should get married, now.

The best directors are....

Kurosawa (Seven Samurai)

Kieslowski (La Double Vie de Véronique).

Eug Wanker · 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Pendergast

The best directors are....

Kurosawa (Seven Samurai)

He is Spielberg's and Lucas' favourite director. In fact, Lucas said that Star Wars was inspired by Hidden Fortress. My favourite movie of his is probably Ikiru.

Kieslowski (La Double Vie de Véronique).

I like his colours trilogy.

Originally Posted by BasketofPuppies

He doesn't count. He retired in 1997.

They tried to force him into retirement, but he's still making movies even now.

greenG4 · Nov 25, 2005, 10:28 PM

Nobody mentioned Peter Jackson?

isao bered · Nov 25, 2005, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Kevin

Depp's version of Wonka can't even touch Wilder's.

agreed. and i fail to see how the remake is "one of the finest movies ever made" - it's a spiritless reinvisionment of a better movie.

be well.

laeth

besson3c · Nov 25, 2005, 10:38 PM

Whoever made "Earnest Goes to Camp"

Doofy · Nov 25, 2005, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Pendergast

Kieslowski

Best director who ever lived.

ironknee · Nov 25, 2005, 11:17 PM

Stanley Kubrick. done.

Veronica · Nov 25, 2005, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by greenG4

Nobody mentioned Peter Jackson?

Here!

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton

I can't wait for someone to nominate Peter Jackson with the way this is going!

calamar1 · Nov 26, 2005, 12:22 AM

i'm surprised no one has mentioned david fincher, sofia coppola, or darren aronofsky, three relatively young directors with an already impressive list of credits. each has at least one movie that demands mention in any list of the best films of the last decade.

Rob van dam · Nov 26, 2005, 12:48 AM

Originally Posted by calamar1

i'm surprised no one has mentioned david fincher, sofia coppola, or darren aronofsky, three relatively young directors with an already impressive list of credits. each has at least one movie that demands mention in any list of the best films of the last decade.

another vote for darren aronofsky requiem for a dream was great.As was coppola's lost in translation.How come no one metioned sam mendes or spike lee?

Pendergast · Nov 26, 2005, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by Doofy

Best director who ever lived.

And the best choice of music as well...

I can't watch his movies anymore: the pictures have been marked on my brain.

BRussell · Nov 26, 2005, 01:08 AM

Another one no one has mentioned is Robert Altman. I don't think he'd be my number 1, but he'd be on a lot of top 10 lists.

MaxPower2k3 · Nov 26, 2005, 02:00 AM

Kubrick's good. Wong Kar Wai (Fallen Angels, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love, 2046) is good, too.

ShortcutToMoncton · Nov 26, 2005, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by Rob van dam

another vote for darren aronofsky requiem for a dream was great.As was coppola's lost in translation.How come no one metioned sam mendes or spike lee?

Besides Spike Lee, all of them have a couple films to their credit. That's hardly worth a "best director" title.

And I've never been a huge Spike Lee fan, to be honest.

greg

gomanute · Nov 26, 2005, 02:18 AM

Originally Posted by besson3c

Whoever made "Earnest Goes to Camp"

gomanute agrees.

Rob van dam · Nov 26, 2005, 06:35 AM

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton

Besides Spike Lee, all of them have a couple films to their credit. That's hardly worth a "best director" title.

And I've never been a huge Spike Lee fan, to be honest.

greg

Could be you dont like spike lee because hes not to main stream.I know heaps of people who love his work.Another one to add to the list would be clint eastwood.

demograph68 · Nov 26, 2005, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

My favourite movie of his is probably Ikiru.

I want that.

Y3a · Nov 26, 2005, 09:04 AM

Stanley Kubrick, Robert Wise, James Cameron. All have done Big, complex movies and didn't let the tech crap get in the way of telling the story.

Lucas is a film maker, but not a good director.
most directors are waaay to choppy from filc to flic.

Kubrick was able to be meticulous in his craft,
Wise was able to make a movie without adding a footprint of his own,
Cameron is the master of technologies but doesn't let it intefere with the story.

Nexus5 · Nov 26, 2005, 09:30 AM

Ridley Scott:
Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Matchstick Man..

and

David Fincher:
Alien³, The Game, Fight Club...

nexus5.

monkeybrain · Nov 26, 2005, 11:15 AM

Terry Gillian. Everybody should be made to watch Brazil again, it's becoming better with time as that world becomes more real.

Cody Dawg · Nov 26, 2005, 11:52 AM

Okay, chiming in again.

Roberto Benigni is awesome for Life is Beautiful which is one of my favorite movies of all time.

What a story that movie tells, eh?