So I was thinking about my new blog this morning, and wondering what I could add to it. I started thinking about who my favorite film directors are, and so I decided to make a list, and put it here for everyone to share in. These guys are all great in their own ways, so I don't necessarily consider any one of them to be my absolute favorite. So in no particular order, here are my top 5 favorite directors:
John Woo -- This man's visual style and sense of action is simply incomparable. To really appreciate his genius, however, you have to go back to his Hong Kong roots (not that his American films aren't good, because they are, but his Hong Kong films are simply fantastic!). Must-see films include Hard-Boiled, The Killer, and A Better Tomorrow I & II. The other reason these films are must-see is they feature one of my all-time favorite action movie stars, the incredibly talented Chow Yun Fat (if all you've seen him in is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon or The Replacement Killers, you're really missing out).
Peter Jackson -- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. 'Nough said! Hard to believe he got his start in B horror films like Dead Alive (am I the only one out there who about lost their lunch when the old lady's ear fell into her oatmeal?). I'm ashamed to admit I haven't seen Heavenly Creatures yet (it's definitely on my list of need-to-see movies, though), but I loved The Frighteners. I'm also really looking forward to his remake of King Kong.
Alex Proyas -- I love his dark, somber visual style. The Crow and Dark City are high on my list of favorite films. The almost film noir style visuals in Dark City so added to the mood of the film. I was also impressed with his most recent film I, Robot, (which turned out to be so much more than the simple action/sci-fi popcorn flick that the trailers made it out to be).
Tim Burton -- How can you not love the films of kooky, quirky Mr. Burton? With such classics as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Mars Attacks!, what more needs to be said? I even really enjoyed his remake of Planet of the Apes, despite the mauling it received from the critics (what do they know, anyways?). It doesn't come close to the quality of the original, naturally, but is still an enjoyable film all the same. And I can't wait to see his version of Charly and the Chocolate Factory (of course, a big part of that is because of Johnny Depp -- another fine, fine actor). With so many incredible films on Tim Burton's resume, I can even forgive him for bringing us Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (everyone's allowed the occasional horribly bad decision during their careers).
Zhang Yimou (or Yimou Zhang if you prefer given name first, as opposed to family name first as they write names in Asia) -- New to my list of favorites, but rapidly rising up the ranks. Anyone who's seen Hero can understand why I think this man is so incredible. The color palettes he uses to tell the story are simply amazing (if you haven't guessed already, I really tend to look at the cinematography and visual elements of a film when deciding how much a like it -- it's unbelievable how many good stories have been turned into mediocre movies because of bad cinematography). I'm so eager to see his new film House of Flying Daggers I might have to break down and buy it on DVD (since who knows when it will hit the theatres in my neck of the woods). Another wonderful movie of his is The Road Home, which is also the first starring role for the very lovely and talented Zhang Ziyi (of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fame). The Road Home is not a martial arts movie at all (so be warned, if that's what you're looking for), but a touching and dramatic love story, and just a beautiful film (I highly recommend it).
Of course there are so many other great directors out there -- Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese (I just love mob movies!), Alfred Hithcock, Brett Ratner, Antoine Fuqua, Quentin Tarantino, Chris Columbus, Steven Spielberg (but of course everyone tends to list him). The list goes on and on. But that's probably enough for one entry. Look for more here soon!!
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