Opinions needed!

[JonathanLB]

Hey, I'm having some net problems so I have to retype this, ugg, but here goes again...

Basically, I wanted to make a list of who I consider the top ten best directors in modern Hollywood. This means directors who are not only still alive, but directors who are still quite active, such as Spielberg, Ridley Scott, James Cameron, etc.

So, I'd really appreciate it if some of you could chime in with top ten lists and please do it something like this, "Steven Spielberg (Jaws, E.T., Saving Private Ryan)," or something along those lines so that you give three examples of great movies the director has done. Of course I am sure our lists will not all be the same, but right now I only have eight directors on my list so I need to think of the other two who qualify as top-ten best today.

Thanks so much for your help!

[ReaperFett]

hmmmm

1. Quentin Tarantino(Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction)
2. John Woo(Hard Boiled, The Killer)
3. Robert Rodriguez(El Mariachi, From Dusk till Dawn)
4. Guy Ritchie(Lock, Stock and two smoking barrells, Snatch)
5. Martin Scorsose(Goodfellas, Casino)
6. Sam Raimi (Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness)
7. David Fincher(Se7en, Fight Club)

[Jedi Master Kyle]

I won't name my faves, but I'll name directors that in my opinion are worthy of being in the top 10 these days in no particular order...trying to name ones that haven't been named yet

Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight, Erin Brokovich, Traffic)
Ron Howard (Appollo 13, Backdraft, Grinch)
Oliver Stone (Any Given Sunday, Platoon, JFK)
Robert Zemekis (Back tothe Future, Forrest Gump, Castaway)
Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous)

[Jedieb]

Scorsese (Goodfellas, Raging Bull
Copola (Apocalypse Now, Godfather I & II
Spielberg (Why bother, they're obvious?)
Ridley Scot (Alien, Gladiator)
Robert Zemekis (Back to the Future, Gump, Castaway)
Some of these guys are in their 50's but they're still cranking out movies today so I guess they're modern. That's just what I can think of off the top of my head.

[CMJ]

Steven Spielberg(A.I., Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan)
Terrence Malick(Badlands, Days of Heaven, Thin Red Line)
James Cameron(Titanic, Aliens, Terminator)
Ridley Scott(Gladiator, Alien, Blade Runner)
Robert Zemeckis(Forrest Gump, Castaway, Contact)
Frank Darrabont(Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile)
Joel and Ethan Coen(Big Lebowski, O'Brother Where Art Thou?, The Hudsucker Proxy)
Bryan Singer(Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil, X-Men)
Curtis Hanson(LA Confidential, Wonder Boys)
Ron Howard(Apollo 13, Far and Away, Ransom)

These were without a heck of alot of thought. I suppose my list could change...but this is a pretty damn good one.

[Jedieb]

I'd take the following from CMJ's list and add them to mine in a heartbeat:
Howard
Coen Bros.
Darrabont

A couple that I would consider on the bubble would be Spike Lee and Oliver Stone. Both can be inconsistent, but when they're good (Platoon, Wall Street, Malcolm X, Jungle Fever) they're very good.

[Hart Kenobi]

Kevin Smith :)

[JonathanLB]

Wow...

Now I just realized how many people I had forgotten.

Here is the thing, though, ok I guess I'll say why I wanted you guys to make this list now.

Basically, I was considering a future book, maybe next summer, maybe the one after, maybe later than that, that would be like my analysis of who I consider the top ten best directors in modern Hollywood. So, that requires that I honestly like their movies. Also, I must have three case studies from each director, three films to analysis in fairly good detail and really dive into...you know, like comparing Blade Runner to the book (so I'd have to read it), and discussing aspects on it by reading essays people wrote, etc. Very detailed analysis (this would allow me to get into some TPM analysis too, and ANH).

So, when I think of Zemeckis, I think of a very commercial director who has achieved great success, but because I don't care for him he simply cannot be on the list. Forrest Gump was trite and corny and I really didn't like it. Way overrated. What Lies Beneath was the worst film of the summer that was made in the US (Godzilla 2000 sucked way harder). On the other hand, Cast Away rocked and shows his obvious directing talent, and the Back to the Future films are sweet. Then again, I HATE HATE HATE HATE Contact. Stupid, retarded, moronic film that I HAD to sit through twice because the second time was in my Chemistry class. That movie is god awful. I despise it. Because of all his failures I simply cannot consider him a great director, though he has the skills, he's just so off and on it's not even funny.

Also, Darabont, he would easily make my list. Easily, except that I think I only have two films that I could use: Green Mile and Shawshank Redemption. So... if he makes another great film in the next two years, I'm ok. Same with M. Night Shyamalan. He's on my list, only he has two films too, and needs that third.

Spielberg has too many darn films and I'll never be able to choose three... Although, I firmly believe without a shadow of a doubt he is the greatest director of all time. Lucas is obviously very talented but ultimately he was not commited to his craft, more to improving the elements that go into a movie (which is great for all of us). If he had done films all his life, directing that is, then that would have ruled... But, I'm happy with just the Star Wars films. What a life accomplishment!

Ron Howard is good, but I'd have to find three films I considered strong 3.5 star movies or four star ones. Apollo 13 is four...

I haven't seen some of the films mentioned so I should probably do that...

[CMJ]

I believe he was in the Director's chair for a film called BURIED ALIVE made in 1990. I've never seen it, but I'm almost positive he directed it. THE MAJESTIC which comes out later this year is also directed by Darrabont.

[Jedi Master Kyle]

What about Cocoon? That was a pretty damn good movie. Along with Appollo 13, Backdraft, Far and Away, Willow, Grinch, and Ransom, you can make a pretty strong case for him. At least I think.

[Darth23]

Contact was a great movie.

I guess for SOME PEOPLE maybe they should have blowed more stuff up.

:p

I mostly like the work of Rob Reiner

This is Spinal Tap, Sure Thing, Stand by Me, Princess Pride, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men.

Of course I never saw A Story of Us, But I Love most of the movies he's directed.

[Dutchy]

Then again, I HATE HATE HATE HATE Contact. Stupid, retarded, moronic film that I HAD to sit through twice because the second time was in my Chemistry class. That movie is god awful. I despise it.

Contact is one of the most thought provoking movies I've ever seen.

[Jedieb]

I liked Contact and I loved Gump. But it's Jon's project so he can do what he wants. But Zemekis will make him pay, oh he'll make him pay! The forces of Zemekis will make sure this book is never published! You'll rue the day Jon! RUE THE DAY!!!! ;)

[IndianaJones]

CMJ has the best list, almost too perfect, so I'm going to go with everything he has, except Terrance Malick and substitute my man from Red Bank, Kevin Smith. Us Jersey Guys have to stick together, besides he is a comic genius.

I also switched James Cameron with Rob Reiner. Rob is another visionary. He took agreat story, The Body, and made it a betterfilm in my opinon. One of the few times a book translated into a movie better.


Honorable Mention...

Steve Buscemi, even though his directorials are bizarre they tend to speak an awful lot about humanity and what life is like.

Tarantino, I know he is starting something soon, but he didn't make my list because I don't think he has been acive enough lately, and Ihated from Dusk till dawn.

George Lucas, he's the man, butwhat the hell is with the new title???

And Gary Sinise, he is in my opinion one of the most visionary and talented directors. A director's main job is as a story teller, rather a story interpretor. Go watch his version of Mice and Men and you'll se why, its brilliant.

So my list in noparticular order is...
Steven Spielberg(A.I., Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan)
Kevin Smith
Ridley Scott(Gladiator, Alien, Blade Runner)
Rob Reiner
Robert Zemeckis(Forrest Gump, Castaway, Contact)
Frank Darrabont(Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile)
Joel and Ethan Coen(Big Lebowski, O'Brother Where Art Thou?, The Hudsucker Proxy)
Bryan Singer(Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil, X-Men)
Curtis Hanson(LA Confidential, Wonder Boys)
Ron Howard(Apollo 13, Far and Away, Ransom

Good List CMJ, its nearly perfect in my mind.

[ReaperFett]

so, one reason you didnt put Tarantino on a directors list......was for a film he didnt direct? :)

Hes been waiting for Uma Thurman to get trained for Kill BIll. Now shes pregnant. So apparently hes going to start on his WW2 film, which has Micheal Madsen and Adam Sandler in

[IndianaJones]

I thought that from Dusk till Dawn was his. He wrote it, didn't he. He stared in it anyway, and I hated it. THat wasn't the main reason I kept him off, it was his recent inactivity. DTD just was a finishing thought.

[ReaperFett]

the original screenplay was his. It was refined to the classic it now is

[CMJ]

Getting into a argument/discussion over favorite directors is often like getting into a conversation about favorite ice cream flavors. EVERYBODY'S list is different. :) I'm not even sure I'd pick those same 10 again if I went in fresh, there are alot of talented directors out there. But I am pretty dang proud of my list. :)