Top 10 Favourite (modern/classic) Directors

You remember how like, a month a go, I listed my favourite modern actors and actresses, along with my faaourite classic ones? I did promise at the end of the classic one that I'd list my favourite directors. But the Classic Movie Marathon got in the way and last weekend I completely forgot about it, so here it is...my favourite directors from any era:

Honourable Mentions: Martin Scorsese, Elia Kazan, John Hughes, Sam Mendes, Edgar Wright, Robert Zemeckis, Billy Wilder, Howard Hawks, Roman Polanski, Jane Campion, Peter Jackson, Kathryn Bigelow, Judd Apatow, Matthew Vaughn, Sidney Lumet, Greg Mottola, Duncan Jones, Rian Johnson.

10. Danny Boyle (on the set of 127 Hours)

When I came to the end of making my 100 Favourite Films list I got really angry because I missed a lot of films (I need to extend the list to 150), but I got especially angry over the fact that no Danny Boyle movies made the list. Now, that is nothing against him - or his films - because every work I've seen of his is absolutely brilliant. It's just one of those things when it comes to making a list like that. Danny Boyle's films have been both revolutionary and visually stunning, with the cool editing techniques he uses, the high saturation he uses with the camera and the always awesome soundtrack music he chooses. What he can do with a film is absolutely amazing. And pretty much half of the music I listen to comes from a Danny Boyle movie, so he gets extra props there.
Favourite film: 28 Days Later...

9. Jason Reitman (on the set of Up in the Air)

I know that Jason Reitman has only made three films. But he is one of those people who just became great after their first feature. I believe that the guy just continues to get better and better, even though he is so consistently great. His films, Thank You For Smoking, Juno and Up in the Air have all been tremendously well-received, which is exactly what he deserves. Add in the fact that he already has 4 Oscar nominations to his name (three for Up in the Air - Picture, Screenplay and Direction, one for Direction in Juno), I'd say that Reitman is well past the 'up-and-coming' stage...and I'd hate to have him let me down.
Favourite film: Juno

8. Frank Capra (left, on set of It Happened One Night)

Frank Capra films are the best. For anyone who is slightly snarky towards those classic films, I'd definitely put forward Capra movies to them first, because his movies are always so happy, funny and all-round enjoyable fares. It Happened One Night and It's a Wonderful Life, particularly, are two of my favourite films. The former because it is probably the funniest film I have ever seen and the latter because it's probably the most beautiful film I have ever seen. Plus, I never feel as uplifted as I do after I've seen a Capra movie.
Favourite film: It Happened One Night

7. Darren Aronofsky (on the set of The Wrestler)

As some may know, I'm a huge fan of lots of editing and 'different' camera techniques. And no-oe gives me that more than Darren Aronofsky. I'm pretty new to being a fan of him, since I only really started taking notice of him after I saw Black Swan and then trhe big life fuck-up Requiem for a Dream a mere two days later. I've been meaning to rewatch The Wrestler since I bought it like three months ago, but I still haven't gotten around to it. I see Aronofsky's work as an art form; he and his cinematographer Matthew Libatique like creating films that have so many different fragments that they all spin out to be a beautiful masterpiece. And I also like how the first word I say at the end of any Aronofsky movie is "fuck". I mean that in the best possible way.
Favourite film: Requiem for a Dream

6. George Cukor (right, on the set of The Philadelphia Story)

 First thing you should know about George Cukor: he was originally the director for Gone with the Wind. That's before he got into several arguements with David O. Selznick and Clark Gable didn't like his very feminine approach to the movie. One of the scenes he shot that remained in the film was the scene where Rhett and Scarlett have their first dance together. Here is a morsel of the considerable talent Cukor had: he could direct a dancing sequence unlike any other. Cukor was known as a ladies director, since he often directed movies with very strong female characters (including The Women, a film which doesn't have one man in the cast!). The people who direct chick flicks today need to take a note or two off him. Oh, and by the way, he directed 20 different actors to an Oscar nomination...good track record, huh?
Favourite film: Gone with the Wind...but since he was uncredited for that, I'll choose The Philadelphia Story.

5. Baz Luhrmann (on the set of Australia)

I'm quite the Baz Luhrmann obsessor. I own each of his movies, Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet, and Moulin Rouge! being the special edition 'red curtain trilogy' copies, and I also own Australia. I've seen each of his films at least three times and I love them all to little bits. I'm actually considering going to stalk the set of The Great Gatsby because I am so excited for that. I've spent too long without a new Luhrmann movie. His movies are great, lavish spectacles, with some great visuals and they always bring a tear to my eye. The fact that the guy is also very musically talented just adds so much pizazz to his films. I need a new Luhrmann film, and I need one now.
Favourite film: Moulin Rouge!

4. Alfred Hitchcock (on the set of The Man Who Knew Too Much)

 Does this man really need that much of an introduction? I know it. We all know it. Alfred Hitchcock was the master of suspense, and he is probably the greatest director who ever lived. His films are all fantastic, and probably twice as scary as they would have been because he had something to do with it. A lot of his films were instant 'must haves' on my 100 favourite films...every collaboration between he and his favourite blonde Grace Kelly got a spot, along with a few others. Psycho is one film which I will never forget. Thank you, Mum, for introducing me to him at the tender age of 11. I simply love his films.
Favourite film: Psycho

3. David Fincher (on the set of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

When making my Top 100, I was surprised at the big mound of David Fincher films got into the very top part of my list. You can't dismiss Fight Club. That movie pretty much changed my life. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has always been a favourite of mine, even though I still can't get over the act that Fincher directed it. And The Social Network. Y'all know how I feel about that one. I don't care what anyone says, that is one of the best movies I have ever seen and I could watch it 100 times in a row if I wanted to. His other films Zodiac and Se7en are both masterpieces. I just wish, that in a perfect world, I would have as much talent as Fincher. He just never stops being fucking awesome, you know?
Favourite film: The Social Network

2. Quentin Tarantino (on the set of Inglourious Basterds)

You know what I like most? When a director directs his own stuff. That's why I absolutely love Quentin Tarantino. Most of what he has directed has come from his own brain, and it takes skill to make that so effing awesome. I live for Tarantino films. When I find out he is making a new one, my stomach does a million backflips. His films are just totally boss, alright? I can't say anything more than that otherwise I might come across as a little crazy.
Favourite film: Inglourious Basterds

1. Christopher Nolan (on the set of Inception)


Wholey shit. What a surprise. I know that no one saw that coming. You know what (in fact, you probably already know this)? Every time I see a picture of Christopher Nolan, I feel so inspired. He's just a normal man, who lives a normal life, but he just so happens to direct some of the greatest modern films. And yet, he's just so cool with it. I mean, The Dark Knight went straight to #1 on the IMDb Top 250 within two days of it's release, and he's just like "cool, people like my movie, onto the next one..." I just happen to think that he is a God-like figure...and probably the greatest idol I have ever had.
Favourite film: Memento

Who are your favourite directors?

Cinema - 127 Hours

or: The movie without a right arm.

One word to sum it up: Eye-popping

127 Hours had a lot riding on it to get my approval. Firstly, I've been waiting FOREVER to finally see this movie, considering it came out 14 weeks ago in America and we have just got it. Then there's the fact that Danny Boyle never fails to impress me, so I wasn't willing to admit defeat here, especially because the trailer made it look jam-packed full of great visuals and colour. And there's the little bit of hype surrounding the now famous amputation scene...more on that later. To those who doubted that this would get its place among this years Oscar nominees, you were very wrong. This is one of my favourite films to get nominated this year.

The story is pretty well known. Based on Aron Ralston's autobiography 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place', this tells the story of Aron's (James Franco) plight to survive. On a hiking trip, Aron finds himself with his arm crushed and trapped by a boulder in an isolated canyon in Utah. With limited food and water, Aron starts to think of possible ways he could get himself out, all the while recalling past experiences which have shaped him as a person: mainly including his regrets. As Aron slowly deteriorates, he begins an unthinkable task to ensure his survival.

A whole movie based on a guy stuck in a canyon could have been a tedious journey. However, from the get go, when we see Aron getting ready for his big trip, Danny Boyle uses multiple split screens not only to add more visual goodness, but to give us a small reminder of what we are in for: a hyper adrenaline junkie type film. From there on this movie moves quickly, but surprisingly, the memories don't run this movie over. The film never strays far away from its awful predicament. While being stuck in a small place couldn't possibly be the most interesting idea for a movie, screenwriters Boyle and Simon Beaufoy give us plenty to chew on. They bring you right into the story, and with the aid of brilliant direction from Boyle and an ambient score from A. R. Rahman, you can feel every prick of pain and the urge to survive. And they also give you a very good moral: always tell someone where you are going. All the time.

James Franco had a big job in this movie. For 80% of the film, all we see is James Franco, on his own. The other 20% of the time we have people coming in and out of the story, who are easily outshone by Franco's brilliant star performance. Had this been given to any less likable than Franco, it would have fallen flat on its face. I'll admit, had Boyle's first choice Cillian Murphy gone with the role, it probably wouldn't have been as good. James Franco makes this movie. If only he could win the Oscar this year.

The editing in this movie is another strong point. There must be a million different angles used to make the prospect of claustrophobia in the canyon a lot scarier than it should have been on film. But the best editing is used in the amputation scene. There are terrific cuts which explode within the scene which is ten times more horrible than any movie that is intentionally sadistic, i.e. Saw (+7). I wouldn't call myself an expert on gore, but I generally felt sick after that scene. Which made the ending all the more sweet. In fact, this movie was life changing for me. I appreciate water a lot more now.

THE VERDICT: 127 Hours is a visceral and intense drama with the typical Danny Boyle flair that we know and love. James Franco is simply amazing acting (for the majority) by himself, and truly makes this film the uplifting hit it is.

What I hoped for:

What I got:

Classic--28 Days Later...

or: The unfunny Zombieland

One word to sum it up: Scary (actually really scary)

You remember how last month (or the month before?) I had that really huge obsession with Cillian Murphy? Well that obsession isn't really over, as I had one more must see Cillian movie to watch: 28 Days Later... Now I get why everyone keeps raving about this film and they call it one of the best modern horrors. Because, it's actually scary. Not filled with gore, or laden with cheap thrills and people jumping out of nowhere. The story is amazingly scary when you think about it.

Animal activists invade a laboratory with the intention of releasing chimpanzees that are undergoing experimentation, infected by a virus -a virus that causes rage. The naive activists ignore the pleas of a scientist to keep the cages locked, with disastrous results. Twenty-eight days later, Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma, alone, in an abandoned hospital. He begins to seek out anyone else to find London is deserted, apparently without a living soul. After finding a church, which had become inhabited by zombie like humans intent on his demise, he runs for his life. Selena (Naomie Harris) and Mark (Noah Huntley) rescue him from the horde and bring him up to date on the mass carnage and horror as all of London tore itself apart.

As with most of his films, Danny Boyle brings a killer soundtrack and great visionary direction which sets this film apart from others. Every scene is so intricately put together, and Boyle knows exactly how to shoot a scene in a way which really captures the atmosphere of the movie. And because the atmosphere is a lonely, dark and sombre, this film becomes really scary. It's not scary for people who just enjoy sadistic killings; it's actually scary because we are drawn into the world of the protagonist, Jim, who has woken up to find his world in disarray, and we are following his journey. Just imagine, if you woke up tomorrow to find that a virus had swept through your country, how would you feel? It would suck, wouldn't it?

None of you need reminding about how great Cillian Murphy is. It was interesting to see him in such an early part of his career, looking like a total profeessional, and setting himself up for a career that has some of the most eclectic performances ever seen. The best thing about this film is that it is British, and it seems strikingly real, unlike the generic Hollywood crap we see being churned out of sick minds and straight into the doom of straight to DVD horror markets. 28 Days Later is a true horror movie, which is really as scary as hell. Just for the right minds who don't get amused by Saw. The ending is a little disappointing, though.

THE VERDICT: Inventive and visionary, a frightening horror from Danny Boyle, with a great central performance from Cillian Murphy. Believe me, no one wants to be in the same situation as poor old Jim.

8/10

Sunshine

Another day...another Cillian Murphy movie. Even though this looked totally wrong for me, considering it's a sci-fi film about the near end of the world, I still managed to enjoy it. And I'm not just saying that because Cillian Murphy and his beautiful eyes were in it...
In the future, the sun is dying and Earth lives another glacial period. After the failure of the Icarus Mission, a team of eight astronauts are sent to the sun in the Icarus II Mission to explode a weapon generating a supernova within the sun in the last hope of planet Earth. However, when a crew-member commits a mistake in the operation of the aircraft shield, he jeopardizes the survival of the group.

Sunshine is more than the average sci-fi fare, and has a lot more to it than the others which seem to over react to the event of the end of the world. First thing: the sun is dying. Scientists are actually thinking that this may happen. Sure, some think 2012 is going to happen, but after that movie, I don't think I can even believe in that theory. With this one, it doesn't really show the effects of the sun not shining on Earth, but instead follows the story of the crew who are trying to save humanity by reigniting the sun. Which brings me to the second thing: it has a relitavely unknown cast (well, not in film world, but I doubt many of the normal people would know who half of the cast is), and we can believe in them. Have you noticed how all these other apocalyptic tales are headlined by people who are famous for being famous (cough, Will Smith)? They always look like they are either in it so the makers can get some money or the actors want the money themselves. However, with Sunshine, the hero of the story is really Capa, who is played by Cillian Murphy. I'm not being bias, but he is the hero I have been searching for. Sure, at the start he's one of those people who are too smart for their own good and is a bit arrogant because of it, but in the end I was feeling like our future was in his hands and I had full confidence in him. And for once, he was a believable hero.

One of the coolest things about Sunshine was the awesome cinematography and the way Danny Boyle could capture emotions on camera. Because of the way this was made, I was scared out of my boots about what would happen next...it had such an intense feeling of loneliness because they were in space with no real contact from Earth, and I felt a part of it. The way it twists and turns was simply amazing, making it a specific must-see sci-fi.

Terrifying sci-fi that captures emotion and our future in a way that is too rarely used...truly unique. Not to mention the stunning performance from Cillian Murphy.

8/10