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I just finished reading Andrew Sarris's "The American Cinema," about the auteur theory, and it got me thinking about which directors had the biggest impact on cinema since the start of the new millennium. Only one year left in the decade, so I think it's fair to start a discussion.
Here are some who would make my list.
THE OBVIOUS
Clint Eastwood Output: Space Cowboys, Blood Work, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, Changeling, Gran Torino, The Human Factor (set for release in 2009)
Two Oscars for "Million Dollar," nominations for "Mystic" and "Letters," and a subtle elegiac style that elevates genres as diverse as the sports movie, the war epic, the procedural, and the crusader movie.
Peter Jackson Output: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, King Kong, The Lovely Bones (set for release in 2009)
Leading the next generation of effects pictures, his films have revolutionized CGI without sacrificing art.
BREAKTHROUGHS
Christopher Nolan Output: Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight
Starting with the reverse chronology of "Memento," he seemed to be a new trickster storyteller, but I think more interesting are his subjects: Dark characters struggling against their internal and external demons.
Fernando Meirelles Output: City of God, The Constant Gardener, Blindness
I didn't see the widely panned "Blindness" and can't yet comment. But after the kinetic glories of "City and "Gardener," I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and call it a fluke.
DISTINGUISHED POPULISTS
Steven Spielberg Output: A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report, Catch Me if You Can, The Terminal, War of the Worlds, Munich, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Not a perfect decade -- he seemed to be phoning it in with the last "Indiana Jones" sequel and there's no excusing "The Terminal" -- and he'll be better remembered for the 1990s, from which came "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List," and "Saving Private Ryan." But considering the astonishing ambition of "A.I.," "Minority," and "Munich," you can hardly accuse the medium's most successful filmmaker of resting on his laurels.
Quentin Tarantino Output: Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Sin City (special guest director), Death Proof
The 1990s wunderkind proved an extraordinary pop artist with the "Kill Bill" films, which combined elements of spaghetti westerns, anime, and kung fu movies and created the decade's single greatest action heroine in Uma Thurman's the Bride. "Death Proof," another tribute to the movies and another example of Tarantino's love of movies informing his thrilling entertainments.
ETC.
Mike Nichols Output: What Planet Are You From?, Wit, Angels in America, Closer, Charlie Wilson's War
You have to have been watching television to understand why Nichols is one of the decade's most important filmmakers. "Wit" and "Angels in America," broadcast on HBO, both rank among the best films of the decade, and "Closer" further establishes his brilliant work with actors.
Ang Lee Output: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; The Hulk; Brokeback Mountain; Lust, Caution
"Hulk" and "Lust" received mixed reviews, but I can't leave off my list the eclectic filmmaker responsible for both "Crouching Tiger" and "Brokeback."
Brad Bird Output: The Incredibles, Ratatouille
Any director of live action would kill to have this ace animator's track record, his box office success, his critical accolades, and his two Oscars.
Andrew Stanton Output: Finding Nemo, WALL-E
Ditto, except for the two Oscars part; he won't be a two-time winner until February.
Steven Soderbergh Output: Erin Brockovich, Traffic, Ocean's Eleven, Full Frontal, Solaris, Ocean's Twelve, Bubble, The Good German, Ocean's Thirteen, Che
Nobody's perfect. The quality of half that list is dubious, but he's a director I admire for being able to transition well from bright, shiny heist pictures like the "Ocean's" movies to darker, smaller, brilliant fare like "Bubble" and the underrated remake of "Solaris." And the one-two punch of "Brockovich" and "Traffic" in 2000 make him a director it would be foolish to ignore.
Paul Greengrass Output: Bloody Sunday, The Bourne Supremacy, United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum
He gave summer actioners a good name with his "Bourne" films, and then used those suspense skills to do something altogether braver, bolder, and more extraordinary: the gut-wrenching, verite-style "United 93."
The Coen Brothers Output: O Brother, Where Art Thou?; The Man Who Wasn't There; Intollerable Cruelty, The Ladykillers, No Country for Old Men, Burn After Reading
A controversial duo, accused of condescending to their admittedly quirky lot. I almost left them off the list, but the sublime "Man Who Wasn't There" and the magnificent "No Country" convinced me to include them.
Judd Apatow Output: The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up
Included as much for his contributions as a producer: the good ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall"), the bad ("Superbad"), and the ugly ("Drillbit Taylor"). There's no doubting he emerged as the decade's most influential force in comedy.
Alfonso Cuaron Output: Y Tu Mama Tambien, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men
I can't think of three more different films. I liked "Tambien" and "Azkaban," but I think it's easy to say that the bravura filmmaking of "Children" stands as his most significant contribution to cinema in the last ten years.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: 742,
"A movie is not good because it arrives at conclusions you share, or bad because it does not. A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it: about the way it considers its subject matter, and about how its real subject may be quite different from the one it seems to provide." - Roger Ebert, from the introduction to "Awake in the Dark" (2006)
The word "important" is the most perplexing part of the question for me. Are we talking ground-breaking? Developmental? I have no clue. So instead, I'll talk about the directors who I feel are the most interesting at this moment.
Of course, you have Eastwood, Spielberg, Scorsese and even Peter Jackson, for reasons already stated.
For me, the most entertaining directors at the moment are those who work for Pixar, particular Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird; the methods with which they utilize the medium of animation to tell some of the greatest story in recent memory is nothing short of remarkable. If any one had attempted to explain Ratatouille to me (a talking rat who cooks and helps a young chef find himself), I would have laughed my *** off. Instead, it is one of those unlikely cinematic hits that tell the most human of comedies. And don't even get me started on The Incredibles and Wall*E.
---- OSCAR FYC: Best Picture - "Up" Best Actor - Michael Stuhlbarg, "A Serious Man" Best Actress - Saoirse Ronan, "Lovely Bones" Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz, "Basterds" Best Original Screenplay - "Up"
Posts: 1924 | Location: Right behind you. | Registered: December 07, 2007
Well, "important" is a relative term. What I mean is the directors who have provided the greatest contribution to the medium, who are influential and have directed some of the most excellent films.
Now that you mention it, I actually forgot to include Martin Scorsese. I found "The Departed" extremely overrated, but even so he deserved a mention for "Gangs of New York," "The Aviator," and "Shine a Light," the last of which I have not seen but which received terrific reviews.
"A movie is not good because it arrives at conclusions you share, or bad because it does not. A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it: about the way it considers its subject matter, and about how its real subject may be quite different from the one it seems to provide." - Roger Ebert, from the introduction to "Awake in the Dark" (2006)
SORRY, this list does NOT make a good case for "important" American film directors (other than Scorsese), although I would like to see someone of Sarris' acumen attempt to make a case for any of them using the auteur theory.
For me Mike Leigh stands out as the most important director in cinema now.
He is an artist who truly embraces the collaboration necessary in film. Mike Leigh spends months before filming begins working with actors and others to create the screenplay. He begins with just an idea and, through improvisation, develops a crafted screenplay. It's through this work that Leigh finds what he calls "truth."
The results are stunning pieces of film which become more satisfying on repeat viewings.
When I first watch a Mike Leigh film, I am so captured by the mesmerizing performances that I fail to notice how beautifully the camerawork and editing enhance the telling of the story. The films almost have the feel of documentary filmmaker which contributes to their sense of truth. Leigh embraces naturalism. The camera lingers to allow the audience to reflect and make decisions. We as viewers are treated with intelligence and expected to participate. Leigh is not a filmmaker who spoonfeeds his audience.
If important means cutting edge, innovative, and effective, Mike Leigh is an important director.
I loved his Happy-Go-Lucky, a film which has stayed with me. The characterizations from Hawkins, and the crazed Eddie Marsan might be my favorite duo this year. Mike Leigh definitely deserves a big mention here.
This is an overwhelming topic for me. All of these directors have made major contributions to this art form. I have to add Terrence Malik, possibly my favorite American director.
Posts: 13901 | Location: canada | Registered: December 22, 2005
Zhang Yimou Hero, house of Flying Daggers, Curse of golden flower, Happy Times Riding Alone in thousands miles. Beauty, action, intimacy, entertaiment. he got all. and of course, the olympics opening.
Posts: 730 | Location: Paraguay | Registered: July 06, 2004
Originally posted by 742: I just finished reading Andrew Sarris's "The American Cinema," about the auteur theory, and it got me thinking about which directors had the biggest impact on cinema since the start of the new millennium. Only one year left in the decade, so I think it's fair to start a discussion.
Here are some who would make my list.
THE OBVIOUS
Clint Eastwood Output: Space Cowboys, Blood Work, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, Changeling, Gran Torino, The Human Factor (set for release in 2009)
Two Oscars for "Million Dollar," nominations for "Mystic" and "Letters," and a subtle elegiac style that elevates genres as diverse as the sports movie, the war epic, the procedural, and the crusader movie.
Peter Jackson Output: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, King Kong, The Lovely Bones (set for release in 2009)
Leading the next generation of effects pictures, his films have revolutionized CGI without sacrificing art.
BREAKTHROUGHS
Christopher Nolan Output: Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight
Starting with the reverse chronology of "Memento," he seemed to be a new trickster storyteller, but I think more interesting are his subjects: Dark characters struggling against their internal and external demons.
Fernando Meirelles Output: City of God, The Constant Gardener, Blindness
I didn't see the widely panned "Blindness" and can't yet comment. But after the kinetic glories of "City and "Gardener," I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and call it a fluke.
DISTINGUISHED POPULISTS
Steven Spielberg Output: A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report, Catch Me if You Can, The Terminal, War of the Worlds, Munich, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Not a perfect decade -- he seemed to be phoning it in with the last "Indiana Jones" sequel and there's no excusing "The Terminal" -- and he'll be better remembered for the 1990s, from which came "Jurassic Park," "Schindler's List," and "Saving Private Ryan." But considering the astonishing ambition of "A.I.," "Minority," and "Munich," you can hardly accuse the medium's most successful filmmaker of resting on his laurels.
Quentin Tarantino Output: Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Sin City (special guest director), Death Proof
The 1990s wunderkind proved an extraordinary pop artist with the "Kill Bill" films, which combined elements of spaghetti westerns, anime, and kung fu movies and created the decade's single greatest action heroine in Uma Thurman's the Bride. "Death Proof," another tribute to the movies and another example of Tarantino's love of movies informing his thrilling entertainments.
ETC.
Mike Nichols Output: What Planet Are You From?, Wit, Angels in America, Closer, Charlie Wilson's War
You have to have been watching television to understand why Nichols is one of the decade's most important filmmakers. "Wit" and "Angels in America," broadcast on HBO, both rank among the best films of the decade, and "Closer" further establishes his brilliant work with actors.
Ang Lee Output: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; The Hulk; Brokeback Mountain; Lust, Caution
"Hulk" and "Lust" received mixed reviews, but I can't leave off my list the eclectic filmmaker responsible for both "Crouching Tiger" and "Brokeback."
Brad Bird Output: The Incredibles, Ratatouille
Any director of live action would kill to have this ace animator's track record, his box office success, his critical accolades, and his two Oscars.
Andrew Stanton Output: Finding Nemo, WALL-E
Ditto, except for the two Oscars part; he won't be a two-time winner until February.
Steven Soderbergh Output: Erin Brockovich, Traffic, Ocean's Eleven, Full Frontal, Solaris, Ocean's Twelve, Bubble, The Good German, Ocean's Thirteen, Che
Nobody's perfect. The quality of half that list is dubious, but he's a director I admire for being able to transition well from bright, shiny heist pictures like the "Ocean's" movies to darker, smaller, brilliant fare like "Bubble" and the underrated remake of "Solaris." And the one-two punch of "Brockovich" and "Traffic" in 2000 make him a director it would be foolish to ignore.
Paul Greengrass Output: Bloody Sunday, The Bourne Supremacy, United 93, The Bourne Ultimatum
He gave summer actioners a good name with his "Bourne" films, and then used those suspense skills to do something altogether braver, bolder, and more extraordinary: the gut-wrenching, verite-style "United 93."
The Coen Brothers Output: O Brother, Where Art Thou?; The Man Who Wasn't There; Intollerable Cruelty, The Ladykillers, No Country for Old Men, Burn After Reading
A controversial duo, accused of condescending to their admittedly quirky lot. I almost left them off the list, but the sublime "Man Who Wasn't There" and the magnificent "No Country" convinced me to include them.
Judd Apatow Output: The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up
Included as much for his contributions as a producer: the good ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall"), the bad ("Superbad"), and the ugly ("Drillbit Taylor"). There's no doubting he emerged as the decade's most influential force in comedy.
Alfonso Cuaron Output: Y Tu Mama Tambien, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men
I can't think of three more different films. I liked "Tambien" and "Azkaban," but I think it's easy to say that the bravura filmmaking of "Children" stands as his most significant contribution to cinema in the last ten years.
It's absoultly absurd that you would not include Ron Howard to this list. The proof is in the current special TCM is running this month "Ron Howard - 50 Years of Film!"
Posts: 1913 | Location: Pennsylvania USA | Registered: July 24, 2002
I made this list on the fly, and for those above who have criticized my selections or omissions, understand that I do not claim the list to be comprehensive and I certainly do not have Sarris's acumen. I merely intended it to be a starting point for discussion.
"A movie is not good because it arrives at conclusions you share, or bad because it does not. A movie is not about what it is about. It is about how it is about it: about the way it considers its subject matter, and about how its real subject may be quite different from the one it seems to provide." - Roger Ebert, from the introduction to "Awake in the Dark" (2006)
It's absoultly absurd that you would not include Ron Howard to this list. The proof is in the current special TCM is running this month "Ron Howard - 50 Years of Film!"
Wow, 50 years? That's nearly half your lifetime, Mikead.
My pick as most important director of the decade is Jia Zhang-ke.
Four films of his approach or achieve greatness - Platform, Unknown Pleasures, The World, Still Life. Each has been acclaimed around the world, including the US (Still Life won this year's best foreign language film award from the LA Film Critics).
That he is virtually unknown to all except a hardy few in this country shows how low and uninformed our cinematic culture has become.
