Best Directors Under 50

[Carlosg777]

There are many "young" directors working today, making all kinds of movies. From Quentin Tarantino to Kevin Smith, from Sofia Coppola to Christopher Nolan, from Wes Anderson to David Fincher, and from Darren Aronofsky to Zack Snyder--and that's just the American/British directors. It's evident that there's a huge variety of films being made today, some of which are truly great. What do you think is the best director under 50 (who's still alive), and why?

Personally, I'd have to give it to Paul Thomas Anderson. Much more so than a "hip" or "trendy" director, he's an amazing filmmaker. He hasn't made a bad movie, and all of his films are different. Plus, he's a terrific writer, manages to make all of his pictures incredibly beautiful, and brings out great performances out of his actors (Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood , anybody? And who knew Adam Sandler could act, even if it's just in one movie, i.e.Punch-Drunk Love?)

If you asked me, out of all of the 'younger' directors working today, he has the most staying power. Personally, I regard him as possibly the greatest American "auteur" to come out since the 1970s.

[sg123]

I say David Fincher. Sometimes I like Nolan's movies more, but when it comes to just being a director, I say Fincher. He's just got such a great style and all his films have a certain look/style/etc. that I'm a big fan of. The man knows how to direct a film. Honorable mention to Nolan, PTA, Aronofsky and Tarantino.

[mport5150]

I loved Star Trek (2009) and JJ Abrams!!

[Schonfelder]

Apichatpong Weerasethakul, miles ahead of all the others.
Number 2 would be Jia Zhang-Ke.
Honorable mentions : Lucrecia Martel, James Gray, Quentin Tarantino, Lisandro Alonso, Alex de La Iglesia, Xavier Beauvois, Bong Joon-Ho

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by sg123

I say David Fincher. Sometimes I like Nolan's movies more, but when it comes to just being a director, I say Fincher. He's just got such a great style and all his films have a certain look/style/etc. that I'm a big fan of. The man knows how to direct a film. Honorable mention to Nolan, PTA, Aronofsky and Tarantino.

I second that,but he has taken some strange turns in his later career...Thinking about his latest project,and CCBB-although I like somewhat that movie,but not his best.

The one I'm following is Alexander Payne.Think About Schmidt and Sideays shows extreme promise.

[iam1bearcat]

Paul Thomas Anderson
Darren Aronofsky
Steven Soderbergh
David Fincher (although he's gotta be getting close to 50)
Judd Apatow...? If he qualifies

[SLeeK]

I'd also have to go with PTA, although Fincher is a close second

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by sg123

I say David Fincher. Sometimes I like Nolan's movies more, but when it comes to just being a director, I say Fincher. He's just got such a great style and all his films have a certain look/style/etc. that I'm a big fan of. The man knows how to direct a film.

Yep. David Fincher is the man!

I am instantly interested in anything this guy gets involved in.

[newginafets]

Joon-ho Bong, Quentin Tarantino, Chan-wook Park, Ki-duk Kim, Joko Anwar, Nia Dinata

[Quilty]

Quentin Tarintino - His films are so original and so bad ass. Its nice when you can tell a film is made by a film fan.
Darren Aronofsky - Pi to Black Swan, not a stinker in the bunch, I loved them all.
David Fincher - Seven and Social Network make him a top tier director
Danny Boyle - i usually find this kind of style distracting and music video like, but boyle really knows how to enhance the narrative of his films.
Michael Gondry - his films are wonderful and never fail to capture my imagination.
Nolan - Deep and well rounded blockbuster films. Always something for everyone

[vegeta88]

David Fincher will be 50 next year, so get ready to pick a new winner for those of you who named him. He is a great director and I love the looks of his films like Zodiac and Fight Club.

My top pick has to go to Nolan. He is great at putting together complex stories while getting great shots and great performances out of his actors. The Prestige is magnificent.

While this is 'Best' directors, I have to name Wes Anderson as he is one of my favorites and is the best at what he does.

[42041]

I think Paul Thomas Anderson is headed for greatness.

[Carlosg777]

Very nice and interesting picks. I figured Nolan, Aronofsky and Fincher were bound to be mentioned, though I expected more people naming Tarantino. While I enjoy the films of all of these directors, to me, personally, they all lack a certain something... Benjamin Button wasn't a bad film, but it wasn't great either. I couldn't stand Zodiac, nor the Kill Bills. Regarding Nolan... he always lets me down. I mean, he's a very good director indeed, not many people could craft a movie like Inception, I get that, but, I don't know, he never goes as deep as I'd like him to (except in Memento). That precisely was my major problem with Inception and The Dark Knight, sure, he made them something much more than just 'popcorn' or 'Hollywood' flicks; he made the best superhero movie in existence, but I feel it fell a little short, mainly, because, to me, he's sacrificing depth for (sometimes unnecesary) action. Same thing with Inception; it was great, till the third act... those scenes in the snow took the focus away from what was most important. Maybe I just have the wrong expectations.

Aronofsky I really like. As good as Requiem for a Dream, I really have no desire to see it again (except for the Ellen Burstyn scenes). I have to see Pi again to judge it better. The Fountain was very original, but I feel it could have been better. The Wrestler, to me, is perhaps his best and most original picture. I like Black Swan as much as it, but I just couldn't get The Red Shoes out of my head, so that affected (and will always affect, I think), my critique of the film.

Saying that, all of them have at least one masterpiece under their belts, which is surely the mark of a great director. (I won't mention them or their strengths, because, surely, you all know them.)

p.d. I don't mean to sound like a PTA fanboy, or an 'other-director-basher' or anything, but those are some of the reasons why I, personally, can't consider them the 'best' (which, I'm aware, is quite a subjective adjective).

[octagon]

I'll be interested to see where Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code) and Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (The Lives of Others, The Tourist) are headed.

By all accounts The Tourist was (to be charitable) pedestrian and I don't exactly get a must-see vibe from Source Code either but Moon and The Lives of Others were just too damned well done to be flukes. If they get back to dancing with the girls what brung 'em...

[perdition]

Christopher Nolan.

[sg123]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

I second that,but he has taken some strange turns in his later career...Thinking about his latest project,and CCBB-although I like somewhat that movie,but not his best.

The one I'm following is Alexander Payne.Think About Schmidt and Sideays shows extreme promise.

I thought the same thing a couple years ago, but when I watched CCBB a second time I recognized it as a masterpiece and i think Panic Room is his weakest film, (although it's still good, and it is what it is basically a B-Movie to see with your girlfriend) and when I first heard he was making the Social Network I was not excited at all but I love the movie and it's one of my top picks of his now. He just puts a masterful touch on all his work.

[Col. Zombie]

Originally Posted by Schonfelder

Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Jia Zhang-Ke, Lucrecia Martel, Lisandro Alonso, Alex de La Iglesia, Xavier Beauvois, Bong Joon-Ho

[jhiggy23]

Joe Wright--Atonement and Pride and Prejudice show just how much talent as a director he has. The tracking shot in Atonement alone shows it.

Aronofksy--I didn't like Pi, but his talent as a director is evident from his other films.

Soderbergh--his resume speaks for itself, plus he has more range than most.

Andrew Dominik--he has the vision of an early Malick in terms of visual style.

Todd Field--Little Children and In the Bedroom. Enough said.

Sam Mendes--American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Revolutionary Road

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck--Yeah, he made the Tourist. But he also made The Lives of Others, arguably the best film of the 2000s.

Guillame Canet--His only film to date is Tell No One, one of the best pure thrillers in the past 20 years. His next film, Little White Lies, has received mixed reviews so far but I can seen Canet being the next Olivier Assayas.

Alfonso Cuaron--Children of Men and Y Tu Mama Tambien. Fantastic talent as a director and very good with pacing.

Guillermo Del Toro--I'm not a fan of Pan's Labyrinth, but his influence is undeniable. The Devil's Backbone was an excellent film.

Juan Antonio Bayona--The Orphanage was one of the best horror films not only of modern times, but of all-time. He has a film coming out this year called The Impossible, a true story of a couple during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by sg123

I thought the same thing a couple years ago, but when I watched CCBB a second time I recognized it as a masterpiece and i think Panic Room is his weakest film, (although it's still good, and it is what it is basically a B-Movie to see with your girlfriend) and when I first heard he was making the Social Network I was not excited at all but I love the movie and it's one of my top picks of his now. He just puts a masterful touch on all his work.

Agree that Panic room is his weakest movie,but it is dead perfect in all technical aspects,just not a very deep story.He himself has acknowledged it is a popcorn movie.Would buy it in a heartbeat for cinematography alone

[sg123]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

Agree that Panic room is his weakest movie,but it is dead perfect in all technical aspects,just not a very deep story.He himself has acknowledged it is a popcorn movie.Would buy it in a heartbeat for cinematography alone

i hear you! i just want to own all his films on Blu-ray all I have so far are Social Network and CCBB (though I had almost all on DVD). All the stats on them seem to be flawless, regardless of it being expensive I want Zodiac the most, just waiting for a decent price on SE7EN and Fight Club.