JB's Top 16 Favorite Directors
For as long as I can remember, watching movies has always been my favorite pastime. No matter the genre, there’s always something interesting to find in the way that a director crafts a film and brings out the best performances possible from their actors.
Here’s a list of my top 16 favorite directors of all time. (in no specific order)
Zack Snyder
Zack Snyder is responsible for creating 4 of my favorite comic book movies of all time (300, Watchmen, Man of Steel, Zack Snyder’s Justice League).
When I saw 300 for the first time, I thought that this guy really knows how to capture epic comic book panels and bring them to life on screen.
Edgar Wright
I remember stumbling upon “Shaun of the Dead” on TV and thought it was one of the funniest movies I’d ever seen. Like the other directors on this list, Edgar Wright’s unique directing style will elevate any script.
Matt Reeves
When it comes to world building, one of the first directors that come to mind is Matt Reeves.
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” and “War for the Planet of the Apes” are easily 2 of the best films in the entire “Planet of the Apes” franchise and the world Reeves started building with the Batman is shaping up to be something spectacular.
Robert Eggers
Robert Eggers blew me away with “The Lighthouse” and “The Northman”. He has a unique ability to truly capture the period he’s trying to depict in all of his films and I can’t wait to see what he does with Nosferatu.
Ari Aster
Ari Aster made one of the best horror movies of all time with his 2018 film “Hereditary” which featured a truly Oscar worthy performance from Toni Collette.
I loved his second film “Midsommar” and I’m chomping at the bit to see what Aster comes up with next.
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino is a brilliant writer and director and from his first film “Reservoir Dogs” you could see the talent to come in his later films.
“Pulp Fiction” is one of the most popular films in movie history and he gave us one of the most badass female action heroes in “Kill Bill”. I love how Tarantino bends history to his films.
Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith is one of the kings of indie filmmaking and was one of my biggest influences in my decision to become a content creator and aspiring filmmaker.
Kevin puts every inch of his heart and soul into his films and I love his ability to balance really deep character moments in between the comedy.
James Wan
When I think about modern horror films, one of the first names that come to mind is the iconic James Wan.
From his feature debut “Saw”, to “Dead Silence“, to the “Insidious” and “The Conjuring” franchises, and his most recent film “Malignant”, James Wan has proven that he’s one of the best horror directors to ever stand behind a camera.
Mike Flanagan
James Wan isn’t the only modern horror icon to make the list, next up is a master at not just horror movies but horror series as well, Mike Flanagan.
Flanagan is responsible for creating one of the greatest legacy sequels ever made with his follow up to Kubrick’s “The Shining” with 2019’s “Doctor Sleep”.
His partnership with Netflix has produced 3 of the best horror series ever made, “The Haunting of Hill House”, The Haunting of Blu Manor” and “Midnight Mass”.
Flanagan’s 4th outing with Netflix will come in the form of an adaptation of “The Midnight Club” and is set to be released on the streamer on October 7th.
James Cameron
Not only does James Cameron hold the crown for directing the most profitable film in history, Cameron directed two of the greatest sequels ever made with “Aliens” and “Terminator 2: Judgement Day”.
James Cameron is always trying to push the limits with what can be done with a camera and film making in general and I can’t wait to see how he changes the game yet again with “Avatar: The Way of Water”.
David Fincher
One of my favorite aspects of David Fincher as a director is his ability to put you into the minds of his characters and their stories.
“Se7en” is one of the greatest psychological thrillers of all time, “Fight Club” is one of the greatest dark comedies of all time, and it’s only a matter of time before Fincher has an Oscar on his mantle.
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick is one of the most influential directors of all time and some of his movies are still regarded as some of the best films in history.
Kubrick’s genius was only limited by the technology he had access to when he was making films and even with limited technology, “2001: A Space Odyssey” is still one of the most influential and visually stunning films of all time.
Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott’s resume is filled with incredible films like “Gladiator”, “American Gangster”, “The Martian”. He created one of the greatest movie franchises in history with “Alien” and directed my favorite movie of all time, “Blade Runner: The Final Cut”.
Martin Scorsese
The legendary Martin Scorsese has given us some of the best gangster movies of all time and made one of my favorite psychological thrillers with Leonardo DiCaprio in “Shutter Island”.
Christopher Nolan
One of the many things that I admire about Christopher Nolan is his ability to think outside of the box and create movie concepts that no one else has ever tried before.
From his first film “Following”, you could tell that Nolan loved finding different ways to manipulate time in his films and he’s created some of my favorite time manipulation movies of all time.
Denis Villeneuve
Denis Villeneuve has directed some of my favorite sci-fi movies of all time with his films “Arrival”, “Blade Runner 2049”, and “Dune”.
Villeneuve is a true visionary and I’m looking forward to “Dune Part 2” when it hits theaters in 2023.