[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

I don't know, Tim Burton is sort of past his prime. Big Fish was OK, but POTA and Sleepy Hollow were utter crap. Corpse Bride pales in comparison to Nightmare Before Christmas.

[LifeDistortion]

Woody Allen does still kick ass. "Matchpoint" was a great film. I like Wes Anderson for the most part, but I don't see his films as exceptional. M. Night ain't so bad but movies are more then just a nifty ending. Sofia Coppola is awesome, "The Virgin Suicides" is one of my favorite films. I also love Terry Zwigoff's "Ghost World" but have yet to see "Art School Confidental" so can't make a judgement on it. Also Todd Solondaz is really good, he did "Welcome To The Dollhouse" and "Happiness" but his last film "Storytelling" wasn't as good as those two. I feel like I could be forgetting someone, but that's all I can think of for now.

[krastian]

It's been said a million times, but it doesn't get much better than Kubrick for me.

[atari 2600]

There's a lot of buzz around the Wachowski Bros. because they were able to rise like a phoenix out of the Matrix sequels ash-pit to make big money again with V for Vendetta.

In the critic's corner, much is being made of the Mormon couple Jared & Jerusha Hess who came out of seemingly nowhere with Napoleon Dynamite & also have Nacho Libre with Jack Black which premieres soon.

Paul Greengrass did exceptional things with Bloody Sunday & with United 93 I thought. He can also do big action (The Bourne Supremacy) so I predict a best-of-both-worlds blockbuster in the future from him.

Wes Anderson is most famous now for his new AMEX commercial (M. Night Shyamalan has one coming soon too) I think, but it's cool that he's not afraid to make fairly big movies that genuinely take risks.

I exceptionally enjoy all the Coen Bros. films & even though The Man Who Wasn't There & The Ladykillers didn't gain much of an audience (even with Tom Hanks) I still think they are going very strong.

Also, don't count out David Lynch. His new one, which is rumored to come out this year, is Inland Empire & as a sign of a hopeful return to old form, will feature Laura Dern & Harry Dean Stanton.

[m^a(t)h]

david lynch

[RdTv]

Originally Posted by SpectralJulianIsNotDead

I don't know, Tim Burton is sort of past his prime. Big Fish was OK, but POTA and Sleepy Hollow were utter crap. Corpse Bride pales in comparison to Nightmare Before Christmas.

Heard. I agree with POTA and Corpse Bride. But honestly, lets look at the facts.....

Tim Burton is responsible for such classics and great films as:

Batman
Edward Scissorhands
Pee Wees Big Adventure
Ed Wood
Beetlejuice
Nightmare Before Christmas
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
Big Fish

And if you are going to rate directors by their prime, then Tarantino is out, and maybe even Allen, although Melinda Melinda was strong.

[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

I didn't like Charlie and the Chocolate family. Personally, I think Beetlejuice, Batman, and Pee Wee are his masterpieces. Maybe I hate Johnny Depp.

You must not have seen Match Point, it was as strong as Woodie Allen's best.

[Alex's Trip]

Originally Posted by RdTv

Did you see coffee and cigarettes? If so, you probably thought it was boring too, right? Thats the Jarmusch style.

oh and what about this TIM BURTON

I wasn't bored out of my mind or anything...I enjoyed watching it. It was just not great or anything. It was a 7 out of 10 for me I didn't mean to imply that it was bad. I have not seen Coffee and Cigarettes...

[RdTv]

Originally Posted by SpectralJulianIsNotDead

I didn't like Charlie and the Chocolate family. Personally, I think Beetlejuice, Batman, and Pee Wee are his masterpieces. Maybe I hate Johnny Depp.

You must not have seen Match Point, it was as strong as Woodie Allen's best.

Heard. Really, no Ed Wood? I don't know you but I thought someone with your taste would like it, but that's cool. And yes, I have yet to see match point so I can't fault Mr. Allen on that. Off subject kinda, I love the fact that hes become so old that he's not even playing his role anymore...its so woody allen.

[Neongod]

Yup, you forgot Kubrick. Asshole

[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

Originally Posted by RdTv

Heard. Really, no Ed Wood? I don't know you but I thought someone with your taste would like it, but that's cool. And yes, I have yet to see match point so I can't fault Mr. Allen on that. Off subject kinda, I love the fact that hes become so old that he's not even playing his role anymore...its so woody allen.

Well, I loved Ed Wood, but I generally find the Johnny Depp films to be weaker, although Ed Wood is one of his best performances, he does the naiive filmmaker very well, I love the scene where he meets Orson Welles. I love Ed Wood movies in the first place, and Tim Burton did a really good job in portraying the mythological character that is Ed Wood. Plus Jeffrey Jones played Criswell, which was a perfect casting decision. Not to mention Billy Murray as Bunny Breckinridge.

[TheDom]

wtf I don't know any of these people

Marx Brothers own everybody and still kick ass.

[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

Originally Posted by atari 2600

There's a lot of buzz around the Wachowski Bros. because they were able to rise like a phoenix out of the Matrix sequels ash-pit to make big money with V for Vendetta.

In the critic's corner, much is being made of the Mormon couple Jared & Jerusha Hess who came out of seemingly nowhere with Napoleon Dynamite & also have Nacho Libre with Jack Black which premieres soon.

Paul Greengrass did exceptional things with Bloody Sunday & with United 93 I thought. He can also do big action (The Bourne Supremacy) so I predict a best-of-both-worlds blockbuster in the future from him.

Wes Anderson is most famous now for his new AMEX commercial (M. Night Shyamalan has one coming soon too) I think, but it's cool that he's not afraid to make fairly big movies that genuinely take risks.

I exceptionally enjoy all the Coen Bros. films & even though The Man Who Wasn't There & The Ladykillers didn't gain much of an audience (even with Tom Hanks) I still think they are going very strong.

Also, don't count out David Lynch. His new one, which is rumored to come out this year, is Inland Empire & as a sign of a hopeful return to old form, will feature Laura Dern & Harry Dean Stanton.

The Ladykillers remake was OK. I haven't got hold of the original, but I've seen The Lavender Hill Mob and Kind Hearts and Coronets, and I would assume from the clips I have seen that the original Ladykillers would be up to the same caliber. Although the original Ladykillers had Alec Guiness and Peter Sellers, I can't think of any actor combo today that could match that.

I've always wondered why David Lynch didn't find a better actress than Laura Dern for Blue Velvet, but I can't really question it for Wild at Heart, which she did very well in. I've been told that her scenes in Blue Velvet were supposed to be campy, which makes sense in hindsight. Dennis Hopper, Isabella Rosellini steal all the scenes. Except for the Roy Orbison scene, best scene in the movie.

[RdTv]

Originally Posted by SpectralJulianIsNotDead

Well, I loved Ed Wood, but I generally find the Johnny Depp films to be weaker, although Ed Wood is one of his best performances, he does the naiive filmmaker very well, I love the scene where he meets Orson Welles. I love Ed Wood movies in the first place, and Tim Burton did a really good job in portraying the mythological character that is Ed Wood. Plus Jeffrey Jones played Criswell, which was a perfect casting decision. Not to mention Billy Murray as Bunny Breckinridge.

Fair enough. I see where you are at and thats a-ok.

I don't know why so many people are pissed about Kubrick, he was a premium director, really did some excellent work, but Eyes Wide Shut was his last movie and it cam out in 1998 I believe. Not to mention that he is no longer living.

[atari 2600]

in the post before, I was confining myself to stuff that's fairly recent (except for the Lynch & Coen Bros. mention)

the 10 best directors that were still making movies in 1968, the year I was born, & onwards are

Hitchcock, Kubrick, Bertolucci, Woody Allen, Coppola (Francis Ford, that is), Scorcese, Milos Forman, Lynch, the Coen Bros., & yes, Tarantino.

I was very tempted to give Clint Eastwood or even Richard Linklater Milos Forman's spot & if Michael Cimino would have made more than one great movie (The Deer Hunter) then he would have gotten a top ten listing instead of an honorable mention.

the top three living directors from the Guardian's site is rockin'
listed from 1-40
http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/...082823,00.html
or a top 40 countdown
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/...?from=storyrhs
(makes me feel less nutty for insisting that Blue Velvet is the best movie ever made)

[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

Oh kubrick is one of my favorites RDTV. I've yet to see Eyes Wide Shut, and Barry Lyndon didn't do it for me- I hate redcoats, even though my relatives all immigrated 100 years after the revolutionary war.

Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, The Shining, 2001, and Dr. Strangelove are my favorites.

My favorite director of all time is Hitchcock though. His movies are the standards I measure everything up against.

I also really love Sergio Leone.

There are a few directors I like that I haven't seen enough movies by to include in my favorites, such as Kurosawa (I've only seen 7 Samurai), Eastwood (High Plains Drifter), as well as a lot of film noir directors.

[atari 2600]

Originally Posted by SpectralJulianIsNotDead

... the original Ladykillers had Alec Guiness and Peter Sellers, I can't think of any actor combo today that could match that.

the original is an okay movie, not bad. Alec Guiness certainly classed up Star Wars. Peter Sellers was a unique talent that got wasted mostly except for his tour-de-force in Dr. Strangelove.
The Coen's The Ladykillers is a complete re-imagining really & it's a much better movie. Like the original, it does get weirdly dark towards the end. The dialogue is simply peerless & the performances, direction & music are fantastic.

[LifeDistortion]

I'll also include David Fincher for the incredible "Fight Club" and the great "Seven". The man makes visionally stunning films. And Richard Kelly for "Donnie Darko" is another promising filmaker who may prove to be one of the best new directors. I'm looking forward to his latest movie "Southland Tales" even if it does co-star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

[pantophobia]

of recent times, the most overlooked are

Mary Harron - I Shot Andy Warhol, American Psycho, The Notorious Bettie Page
Olivier Assayas - Irma Vep, Demonlover

and of course John Waters - Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Hairspray, Crybaby, Serial Mom, Pecker, Cecil B. Demented

[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

Originally Posted by atari 2600

Peter Sellers was a unique talent that got wasted mostly except for his tour-de-force in Dr. Strangelove.

You think so? I think that George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, and Slim Pickens really dominated the movie, all though Peter Sellers was great in it, I wouldn't really call it his tour-de-force. I think he was amazing as Claire Quilty in Lolita. The only movie I saw him in that he was 'wasted' in was murder by death, but that is mainly because I hate the old asian stereotype that he portrays. It was an OK movie, but Clue completely schooled it.