It’s weird that it’s taken me long to get to this list. But
now is the time to look at my favourite directors. For this list I did a lot of
looking about and tried to really figure out the directors whose work I admired
the most. I also made sure I stuck to one golden rule. I had to like at least
three of the director’s movies, which also means a director has to have made at
least three movies. I think this one golden rule really helped me refine the
list down. But for the people out there I will also list my favourite movies
from the director. As if I didn’t have enough work already.
10: Mel Brooks
(Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, Robin Hood Men In Tights, The Producers, Young
Frankenstein)
Mel Brooks was one of the directors who helped form my
humour when I was just a kid. While other kids watched Star Wars over and over,
to the point of memorizing every line, I did the same for Spaceballs. When
Robin Hood Men In Tights came out I was performing the main musical number for
many of my friends. But even with all the zany comedy a film like Blazing
Saddles also has a message buried beneath all the great jokes. While I’ve
listed above all my favourite movies, even those that didn’t land well with
audiences I still enjoy. Yes that’s right I I’m one of the few people to like
Life Stinks. Still at one point Brooks was a director who could never miss in
making people laugh, and when he wanted to he could throw a little message
along with the comedy.
09: Paul Thomas
Anderson (Boogie Nights, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood)
The day I watched There Will Be Blood is the day I knew I
didn’t need to watch any more movies done by Paul Thomas Anderson, he would
always have a place in my top ten. It’s hard to describe how much of an impact
that movie made on me, and honestly only a few movies have ever had that effect
on me. It all had to do with the character of Daniel Plainview. While a lot of
credit has to go to Daniel Day-Lewis for the performance, its Anderson’s
focus on character in his movies that truly lets Plainview live. But getting away from that
movie, he also managed to move me and make me laugh in his other efforts such
as Boogie Nights and Magnolia all which really delve into characters and allow
the story to truly breathe through them. While the movie isn’t on the list
above I’ve got to give him a fair tip of the hat to for Punch Drunk Love which
made me believe that Adam Sandler can do serious movies. Paul Thomas Anderson
is a director that is able to create powerful movies that really highlight
interesting characters and ones that we might not normally want to watch.

08: Quentin Tarantino
(Inglorious Basterds, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill)
Tarantino only get’s number eight on my list, I can already
sense people grabbing their pitchforks and torches for a little mob justice.
But I still like the man’s work and do watch Inglorious Basterds maybe a little
too much for my own good. I think the ultimate testament to the man is he
creates movies that influence the way people talk. Sometimes I real of a quote
from his movies and not even realize it as it’s just the way I talk. Add to the
fact that the man can create interesting stories that just eat up the time even
though the movies are long. Tarantino also has a habit of putting people in
films that suddenly propel their movie careers, or even rejuvenate them. I
can’t wait for his next movie, as I really want to see what he does with a
Civil War era story. Tarantino is a director that has been able to tap into the
social conscience and manage to influence it with his work.
07: Frank Darabont
(The Mist, The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile)
Frank Darabont is the man behind my favourite movie of all
time. The Shawshank Redemption was the movie that made me take film seriously
and is probably the reason why I’m blogging about movies. It was a movie about
hope but it was set in one of the darkest of settings. It really shows the
genius that is Darabont, as he really has a great handle on tone and atmosphere
and how to use them to maximum effectiveness. But as if the man wasn’t cool
enough, he also loves horror movies. The Mist is a fantastic horror movie, that
really revels in the bleakness. He also helped write Nightmare on Elm Street 3
and The Blob as well as some other horror fair. Horror or drama, Darabont is
one of those directors that always knows what he’s doing, and one that doesn’t
shy away from the darkness of reality.
06: Wes Anderson (The
Life Aquatic, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Fantastic Mr Fox, The Darjeeling
Limited)
There is just something about Wes Anderson films that get to
me. I can’t put my finger on it, but beneath all the quirkiness of the
characters and settings, are themes that really resonate with me. More than any
of his films The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou seems to emphasise this
quality. Claymation sea creatures, film techniques that bring in to question
the whole reality of what we are watching, characters that are delightfully
weird, and a story that takes a left turn at Albuquerque, all hide the potent themes
of family, love, loyalty, grief and revenge. Getting away from Steve Zissou and
his crew, his other movies offer a lot in the same way, and when viewed as a
whole he proves himself to be quite the auteur. Every movie of his that comes
out I look forward to as I know I’m in for a fantastical ride, with a serious
dose of heart.
05: David Cronenberg
(A History of Violence, Eastern Promises, The Fly, Existenz, Crash, Videodrome)
Whether it is his earlier science fiction and horror work,
to his more modern reality based work, Cronenberg has the power to utterly
creep, disgust and disturb the hell out of me. Still no matter the era I like
his fascination with body horror and the changes people go through. Even in A
History of Violence themes of transformation are present as violence acts as a
virus and changes the people around the main character once it’s introduced
into the circle. At his best he can create movies that turn audiences away as
they are confronted with imagery that just manages to get under the skin, yet
if they stick around there are lessons to be learnt about the human condition.
Crash is probably an excellent example of this, as while I had problems getting
through some of the scenes I emerged better for watching the movie fully
through. Cronenberg is a director that doesn’t shy away from the blood and gore
of being, but is always asking interesting questions to go along with it.

04: Ridley Scott
(Blade Runner, Alien, Kingdom
of Heaven, GI Jane,
Gladiator, Legend, Black Rain, Black Hawk Down)
When I was young I went to a movie night that was showing
both Labyrinth and Legend. Labyrinth was the movie that I liked the most, but I
couldn’t help but be impressed by the visuals of Legend. Having grown up I’ve
come to appreciate Legend a whole lot more, and realised that Ridley Scott has
been a director that has regularly popped up in my life. Blade Runner is one of
my favourite Science Fiction film, and really did formalise what I like about
Science Fiction. Gladiator actually made me like Russell Crowe, Black Hawk Down
is one of my favourite war movies, Kingdom
of Heaven is slowly
climbing my list of all time favourite movies, GI Jane is a movie that I enjoy
despite some issues and it also was the first film to introduce me to Viggo
Mortensen one of my favourite actors. Finally who can forget Alien which gave
me the Xenomorphs that I love so much. Ridley Scott has always been in my life
influencing my taste in movies.

03: Christopher Nolan
(Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Inception)
Well first off he did two awesome Batman movies, but this
isn’t the only thing that drew me to the director. Memento was an excellent
film that played with narrative flow, Insomnia actually gave Robin Williams an
meaty role to bite into and The Prestige was just an excellent period piece
that gave us a look into illusions. What I like about Nolan is how varied his
movies are, and how dedicated he is to each and every movie. But maybe the
ultimate reason why he makes it so high on my list is this little movie called
Inception. One of my favourite topics is dreaming so I was having an absolute
riot with the movie. Everything about this movie was polished head to toe, and
it offered a movie that was only as complicated as you make it. To me Nolan is
just an example of a professional that wants to craft a well tailored product
that manages to reach as many segments of the population as possible.

02: The Cohen
Brothers (The Big Lebowski, Hudsucker Proxy, True Grit, No Country for Old Men,
O Brother Where Art Thou? Millers Crossing, Intolerable Cruelty)
Thrillers, Comedies, Westerns, Crime; the genre’s that The
Cohen brothers have done is impressive. What is truly impressive about the
brothers is how they seem to be capable of working in any genre. Sure there
have been some missteps, but the amount of films that people enjoy is
astounding. That’s the other thing that the Cohen’s bring, films that are loved
by people as well as being praised by critics. They truly seem to be in love
with their work and it seeps onto the celluloid. No matter how I feel I can
always reach for a Cohen Brothers movie and find something to suit my mood.
01: David Fincher
(Fight Club, Seven, Alien 3, Zodiac, The Social Network, Panic Room)
So my favourite director of all time has to be David Fincher
and simply put it’s because he hasn’t made a single movie that I’ve hated.
Every movie is a work of art and the darkness that he seems to deal with mainly
really inspires me. Fight Club was one of those movies that knocked me down
like a freight train. The Social Network was truly inspiring as he turned a
subject many mocked, into an interesting character study. Alien 3 while crapped
upon is an excellent ending to then trilogy, and while it had its problems it
tapped into a side of Ripley not yet explored. David Fincher represents one of
the directors who’ll be remembered from this current age of cinema. I’m
anxiously awaiting the remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo as it’s just
the sort of story that he can truly bring his dark visuals.