Favorite directors

[HungFist]

Hardly an original topic, but why not. See my comments below for a more intresting discussion topic.

Active directors
1. Yoshihiro Nishimura
2. Sion Sono

+ keeping an eye on
Pang Ho-Cheung

Interested in right now
- Takahisa Zeze
- Kazuyoshi Kumakiri

Dead and buried, or lost talent
- no one really

ok, this needs a bit of explanation. 5 years ago most of my favorite directors were 60's or 70's or whatever decade directors who were not working anymore, or had lost their talent by that time but had made great films before. Those masters I really appreciated. This has changed. Now I can't get so excited about directors of the past anymore because they have done their films already, their filmography is complete. I've probably even seen most of their films... there isn't much left to discover. Little excitement. Instead, now I'm a fan of Nishimura and Sono, cause they are still making awesome films and you never know what will come next... it's a real time gamble with these guys.

Secondly, the short list doesn't include any JP indie drama directors. This is because these guys are eaten by the mainstream film industry so fast (just like in Hollywood). These young newcomers usually remain interesting a maximum of 5 years, and then they become boring. Some exceptions exists, like Takahisa Zeze who keeps going back and forth between commercial films and arthouse. That can make him interesting, but not a favorite director, really (especially with some terrible films in his filmography).

Nowadays for me it's more about finding an interesting director and going through his interesting films, rather than coming across anyone you'd go as far to fall a "favorite director".

Aside directors there one studio... Nikkatsu's Sushi Typhoon. They're producing awesome movies only. I want to see every film they produce!

[luckystars]

Here's how I see it. The more you get into film the bigger your interest in let's say and actor, director, genre, era or writer. As a rule a good actor doesn't mean to say you always get a good film. Writers ditto. Genre is too massive. Era can change with the new films you find to enjoy. I think once you've explored a certain amount of films everyone starts down the 'oh I always hear Scorsese' or whoever is a master. Again you can only watch so many of one directors films but in absorbing one Directors catalogue you can (hopefully) start to develop an 'ear' for the better films and best of all discriminate! Say 'actually I didn't think XYZ deserves the accolades' or this films was better than that.

I think once you have a taste of your own and you've been through the 10 or so really big name Directors it's when you'll start picking up on the lesser known, and hopefully keep on making new discoveries as you go. Certainly as your senses become honed you're more likely to zero in on hot new fresh talent! And how many times can you rewatch the oldies? Why not save them for special occasions and watch something new? I own 500 odd films but I rarely get a chance to watch them again, unless I really fancy revisiting a personal favourite. Also CINEMA! New directors = visits to the cinema. Support new talent, enjoy films in the best place possible!


EDIT: Just to add, with new films from active Directors you get the build up for each new project. I'm always looking at what my heroes are up to. When's the new project coming out..

[HungFist]

Good answer. Just the kind of "response with content" I was hoping for.

[brooce-leroy]

Don't know if i can give as intelligent as the existing responses, but I don't really have a favourite director and even if i did they are very mainstream directors. For example, I am looking forward to JJ Abrams' future projects (super8 looks good) as I thought MI3 was a fantastic crowd pleaser, and Star Trek was a great achievement as I am someone who does not normally like Star Trek, but he seemed to make a film that didn't alienate fans but also worked for non-fans, and that is a hard skill to manage.

As for current Hollywood helmers, there is also Michael Mann - one of the only ones that I really look forward for a new film coming out. Having said that I hated Public Enemies (found it slow and ponderous) but I do like his early stuff, and obviously the likes of Heat, Collateral (probably Tom Cruise's best ever performance) and even the maligned Miami Vice movie.

I also have a lot of time for Ben Affleck as a director. He may not have made anything particularly original but I just find it amazing that someone who has gotten so much flak as an actor can direct such competent and engrossing films such as Gone Baby Gone and The Town.

There are not many decent HK directors around working anymore, but the aforementioned Pang Ho Cheung definitely interests me also. I recently acquired Exodus and am looking forward to seeing Dream Home too. Men Suddenly in Black is a fantastic satire, very intelligent and extremely funny. For pop corn movies, the only one left that I really look forward to is Wilson Yip and his team ups with Donnie Yen.

[romerojpg]

Zach Snyder - only made perfect films so far, So that's nice

[brooce-leroy]

Yeah, can't wait for Punch the Sucker. Watchmen was great as i haven't read the graphic novel. 300 i enjoyed on first viewing but for me has no re-watch value (I found it boring 2nd time around unless you have a penchant for men with rippling oiled torsos).

Actually, Darren Aronofsky is one that interests me. I have a love it hate it kind of thing with his films. Black Swan wasn't appealing when I saw the trailer at the cinema, but since then (having read and heard more about it) I have a compulsion to see it now, and not just because Portman and Mila Kunis lez it out. I've not seen PI but i thought Requiem, although extremely depressing, was such a amazing assault on the senses. Its not something that you'd watch again in a hurry but there's no doubt that its an amazing film. I didn't get on with The Fountain but The Wrestler was a welcome change of pace.

[Yi-Long]

Not really feeling like I want to make a big list and explaining every choice, cause I'm a bit tired, thirsty, and I want to do something else...

... but Wong Kar-wai, Kim Ki-Duk, Clint Eastwood are names that spring to mind. Also usually like the movies of Ron Howard.

[HungFist]

Well, to be honest there seems to be few "past their prime" directors that do still get me excited when their name pops up... Nobuhiro Yamashita and Shunji Iwai for example. But I don't care much about their upcoming films...

But this guy is my hero


The next time I'm in Japan I'll see if I could interview him. Really wanna visit his new studio... and maybe have beer with Marc Falcow and Maki Mizui later...

[luckystars]

Actually brooce-leroy made me think of another point. There are certain Directors I'm going to go for for a cinema trip or DVD rental that more than likely I'd not buy to own, in fact I'd bank on only wanting to see the film more than once or twice at most. A few that spring to mind are (simular list) James Cameron, Ben Affleck, Steven Spielberg, Kevin Smith, Ridley Scott, Tim Burton, Edward Zwick, Edgar Wright, Jay Chandrasekhar, Frances Ford Coppola, Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor, Trey Parker, Ben Stiller, Kurt Wimmer, James Wong...

Some of those dudes have put out classics, stuff I own, but now I don't expect any serious films to come out by them. However I'm always ready for a new surprise!

[brooce-leroy]

Forgot to say, and Yi Long reminded me really looking forward to WKW's version of the Ip Man story.

[Yi-Long]

Forgot to say, and Yi Long reminded me really looking forward to WKW's version of the Ip Man story.

Yeah, kinda interested in that flick as well. Especially after the kind of failed Hollywood attempt WKW made, plus I'm eager to see Tony Leung in the role, as well as seeing the gorgeous korean actress Song Hye-Gyo in a WKW movie...

Ow, and I forgot to mention Kim Ki Duk.

[saltysam]

. Also usually like the movies of Ron Howard.

he's probably Hollywood's blandest director of big budget movies.

[Yi-Long]

. Also usually like the movies of Ron Howard.

he's probably Hollywood's blandest director of big budget movies.

I know, and I think I've only seen 2 or 3 of his movies, but I believe he usually just delivers a good/decent movie that takes it's time telling it's story, and while not too flashy or hectic, does it's job in a mature manner.

edit: aw, I just noticed he directed a Vince Vaughn/Kevin James travesty of a movie, so that's not a good sign.

Also noticed I saw a bunch more movies I didn't know he directed, like Splash, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, etc.

[Markgway]

Ransom and Backdraft are good Ron Howard films.

[saltysam]

Ransom was good but i found Backdraft decidedly average.

[grim_tales]

I hadnt heard about WKW doing an Ip Man film - could be interesting...

[Markgway]

There are no directors whose work automatically excites me anymore.

[luckystars]

There are no directors whose work automatically excites me anymore.

[Markgway]

[Shingster]

Has there ever been any directors whose work automatically excited you Mark? You seem like the kind of HK fan whose favourite filmmakers hit their peak while you were still a kid (and before)!

For me it's got to be the Coen Bros, but I think this thread deserves a mention to fallen greats like John Woo and Francis Ford Coppola who have been able to recapture some of their old magic in recent years! Hayao Miyazaki has to be the most consistent director for me over a long period, I've yet to see a bad one by him and his latest was one of his best yet.

[brooce-leroy]

John Woo only faltered because he was sucked up into the Hollywood studio system and unable to make the kind of action pictures he wanted to make (bar Face Off and Hard Target, and that was cut too of course).

[Markgway]

Has there ever been any directors whose work automatically excited you Mark? You seem like the kind of HK fan whose favourite filmmakers hit their peak while you were still a kid (and before)!

Oh, yeah. I used to be excited by anything coming soon from John Woo, Ringo Lam, Tsui Hark, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Woo Ping, etc... BUT -- that was a long time ago. Those glory days are gone, baby, gone.

Would always keep an eye out for films from Brian De Palma, Oliver Stone, Tim Burton, Paul Verhoeven, John Carpenter, Renny Harlin, James Cameron... BUT again -- not so much the last decade or so.

The Coens too frequently leave me cold (though I accept their work has quality). Only title of theirs I actually own is the charmingly eccentric The Hudsucker Proxy. Not sure why exactly that one stands out for me. I'll bet the purists hate it.

[Shingster]

I'm a purist Coens fan and I really like Hudsucker, it's very much a Coen film to me so from my perspective I would think if you like that then you'd like other films, but I also know a few people who are left cold by their films (it's certainly not an uncommon criticism) and they tend to all like one film from their ouevre as well, and it's always a different film to each person!

[gasteropod]

My favourite Coen bros film is The Big Lebowski

[Markgway]

I find that I tend to admire Coen films more than actually enjoy them; mostly they fail to engage me. Miller's Crossing and Fargo, to name two of, what I think, are their best pictures, are icyly cold and aloof. I prefer to have my emotions invoked, to care about the characters rather than just 'be interested'. Seems to me that the Coens are pathologically afraid of genuine drama and need to wrap it up in a blanket of ironic cynicism and knowing winks.