The Top 20 Film Directors Right Now

After reading an article published by 'Complex' that discussed the top film directors right now, I had my fair share of disagreements and decided to create a list of my own. The criteria was that the director had to be active within the last five years and they had to have directed at least two films. It is always difficult to narrow a large field of talented people down and it was extremely tough to leave quality directors such as Rian Johnson (Knives Out), Steven Soderbergh (Logan Lucky), Jia Zhangke (Ash is Purest White), the Safdie Brothers (Uncut Gems), and others off of the list. That being said, I feel like I got it right with these twenty directors that immediately attract an audience when their name is attached to a project. In no particular order here we go:

Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women)

The young director has a short list of projects as she has only directed three major films, yet Gerwig has garnered multiple Academy Award nominations for both Little Women and Lady Bird. The success that she has had with these two films ensures us that she will continue to be a top director and will hopefully open the door for more female directing and involvement in film.

Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)

Tarantino continues to be one of the best by sticking to his style that includes extended scenes of dialogue, nonlinear storylines, and aestheticization of extreme violence. Throughout his career Tarantino films have racked up thirty-four Academy Award nominations and seven wins making him one of the best to ever do it.

Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity, Roma)

One of the most successful and coveted Mexican-filmmakers, Cuarón has been incredibly versatile over the course of his directorial career. His last two films Roma and Gravity received a great deal of love from the Academy, including a Best Director win for Roma.

Denis Villenueve (Prisoners, Sicario, Arrival)

Villenueve knows how to direct a successful thriller and his movies have seemed to improve over the years. He definitely has a lot left in the tank and I am excited to see what he does with the remake of Dune, starring Timothée Chalamet.

Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

The British-Irish director can put together both dark-comedies and dark-drama's that are able to draw an array of emotions out of the audience. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is one of my favorite movies in the last few years and it seems as if McDonagh really knows how to get the most out of his cast.

Bong Joon-Ho (Snowpiercer, Parasite)

When you win Best Director, Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Foreign Film you make the list. The South Korean director is a top-five director right now and it will be interesting to see if he can ever top Parasite.

Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, If Beale Street Could Talk)

The success that Jenkins has seen in the last few years came off of an eight-year hiatus from feature filmmaking, as he became the second black person to direct a Best Picture winner. He knows how to create a powerful film that challenges the false identity we consistently see through Hollywood film.

Christopher Nolan (Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, Dunkirk)

If you direct the most successful superhero franchise ever, break box-office records, and manage to grab several Oscar nominations along the way then you undoubtedly make the list. Nolan always produces movies that make you think about the unconventional structure of these narratives, giving his directorial style great uniqueness.

Adam McKay (The Big Short, Vice)

McKay underwent one of the most major directorial transformations, going from directing silly movies like Step Brothers and Anchorman, to critically acclaimed comedy-dramas like The Big Short and Vice. In these two films he illustrates that he is able to effectively produce comedic hits on more serious issues.

Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall, 1917)

Although Mendes has been very successful directing the 007 series, the 2019 film 1917 is what solidified his spot on the list. The unique cinematography of 1917, is one of the reasons that it was able to rack up many Oscar nominations.

Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed, Black Panther)

I knew Coogler would be a top director after seeing Fruitvale Station back in 2013, as he knows how to create a film that resonates with an audience for days, or even weeks. Although Black Panther was an impressive feat, resurrecting the Rocky franchise into something meaningful and fresh should be what defines Coogler.

Coen Brothers (No Country for Old Men, Inside Llewyn Davis, Ballad of Buster Scruggs)

This duo is able to span an interesting and distinct style of film across many different genres, allowing for expansive range while still remaining within their identity. The films created by the Coen Brothers have changed cinema for the better and they will go down as two of the best to ever do it.

Wes Anderson (Moonrise Kingdom, Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs)

Anderson brings quirky humor and a distinct visual style to every project that he does. His films are like no other and although his style may not resonate with some, you cannot deny his unique and daring ideas.

Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us)

Peele has redefined horror by crafting films that are evident of social and political issues in our country. This 'new horror' style pushes audiences to think more critically about the narrative being presented and most people have embraced the brilliance of his two films. Despite being new to the directing scene, Peele has revamped a genre that was dying out due to lackluster productions.

Martin Scorsese (Shutter Island, Wolf of Wall Street, The Irishman)

I am not a Scorsese fan, although he continues to be one of the best directors in the game. The longtime director has been one of the most influential directors in film history and has continued to produce critically acclaimed films frequently.

Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water)

Not a lot of directors can create successful films through monsters and fairy tale themes, but Del Toro has been able to do this very well. Despite having some hit or miss films over the years, he made up for it with the release of The Shape of Water, bringing home Best Director and Best Picture at the 2018 Academy Awards.

Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land, First Man)

His first two major films that revolved around music allowed for great performances from the star studded cast and Chazelle even took home an Oscar for Best Picture...oh wait that's awkward, Moonlight actually did. Nonetheless, many will forget about Chazelle when speaking upon the top directors in the game, but I will not be one of those. I mean he was the youngest person to win an Academy Award for Best Director, so I don't really see how you could leave him off the list.

Taika Watiti (What We Do in the Shadows, Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit)

This is the pick that I might get some heat for, but I definitely have a soft spot for Watiti and I believe he is absolutely brilliant. He definitely doesn't have quite the depth of others on this list, but he directed arguably the most fun Marvel movie to date, and tabbed an Oscar win for best adapted screenplay for Jojo Rabbit. I envision a very successful directing career for Taika.

Spike Lee (He Got Game, Pass over, BlacKkKlansman)

Spike Lee has always explored race relations and political issues in his films, making him one of the best at carrying this out. He has produced and directed great films for a very long time and has influenced others along the way, but his most recent film BlacKkKlansman is what keeps him on this list.

Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth, The Lobster, The Favourite)

After being nominated for an Academy Award for the foreign film Dogtooth back in 2010, the Greek director has enjoyed success since then directing black comedies that are very unique. Lanthimos brings his own style with every project that he works on and knows how to really make a film his.