5 Of The Best Movie Directors Working Today

5 Of the Best Movie Directors Working Today

1. Denis Villeneuve

• Villeneuve is one of the most visually pleasing movie directors of our modern time. He is a major science fiction buff which makes for some of the most epic visual storytelling ever made. He is also very talented with psychological thriller pieces as well. With his film Prisoners being his first to make him gain some traction, Villeneuve has created some of the biggest films in the last decade. His films such as Prisoners, Enemy and Sicario are more grounded in reality. These films use real life problems and mental diseases to drive a very intense and nail-biting narrative. Films such as Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and Dune are where Villeneuve show off his skills in science fiction. These films are beautifully shot. Every frame is worthy of being a painting on its own. With such complex and busy stories going on, there’s a lot of explaining that scenery alone can tell the audience. A film such as Dune, is one that is heavy on visual storytelling. You are thrown into such a large universe with so much lure already established. Villeneuve knows just how to ease you into such a busy narrative and make sure you can keep up.

2. Ari Aster

• Aster is one of the newer movie directors who only currently has two mainstream films released. These two films alone have created a ginormous fanbase for his talents as well as brought traction to the studio responsible for their production. Midsommar and Hereditary are two of the most popular films out of the film studio A24. Hereditary was Aster’s first film and he took the horror genre to a new level. This film is a modern-day classic that will be shared for years to come. It’s a horror film that has all types of horror. You see, hear, and feel every element of this film. Midsommar is another great horror film that stands apart from Aster’s previous film. Midsommar is visually horrifying. Using cultural and religious history to advance a sick and horrific narrative, this film will leave you feeling very uncomfortable. Aster is clearly a master of his element, and he shows that off in these two films. No matter what type of horror you like, these two films have all the elements. Fans of Aster are eagerly awaiting the official announcement of his third film which will be coming very soon. We could only imagine what he comes up with next.

3. Makoto Shinkai

• Makoto is a Japanese film director who has made his name known all throughout the world. It’s no question that Japanese culture is growing here in the west, and Makoto’s films are part of that ginormous wave. Breaking records with his first film Your Name, Makoto became a classic in the romantic genre. His two films and one short film all tug at your heartstrings and make you feel all types of emotions. Your Name is one of the highest grossing animated films of all time and rightfully so. This film looked just as beautiful as the narrative. With amazing music and voice dubbing to go with it, this film easily became a classic love story. Makoto stunned everyone again when his second film, Weathering With You was released. Another heart stopping film that will leave you happy and sad at the same time. Makoto is a master at building up towards one very intense scene. Both of his films have that one scene where everyone begins to cry. His third and final film is set to release later this year and is titled Suzume no Tojimari. It’s a bittersweet ending to Makoto’s beautiful films that we are all very excited for.

4. Christopher Nolan

• Who hasn’t heard of this legendary director? He’s the man who scrambles our brains, brings tears to our eyes, and questions our beliefs. Nolan is without a doubt one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Nolan challenges other movie directors with each of his films. He has so many powerful films that only seem to get better and better. Films such as The Prestige, Interstellar, Inception, Tenet, Dunkirk, and Momento. Nolan creates narratives which makes his audiences aware of the film. You cannot watch one of these films to relax to. The beauty of Nolan’s films is that there is no single second that is wasted. Every shot of his films beautifully ties into the grand finally. His talents go far beyond creating narratives of his own. Nolan beautifully adapted one of the most popular fictional characters of all time into a legendary trilogy of films. The Dark Knight Trilogy is regarded as some of the best comic book films, and films in general. No matter the material, Nolan understands how to craft an engaging and rewarding story for his fans. Put together with the amazing music composer Hans Zimmer, Nolan also has some of the best soundtracks in all of cinema.

5. The Safdie Brothers

• Joshua and Benjamin Safdie are two up and coming movie directors that already have two very recognized films. Good Time and Uncut Gems are two highly appreciated films. Both films share a common feeling of claustrophobia. These films have narratives that have had years of care put into them. Good Time takes you on the chase of your life. With leading star Robert Pattinson, this story is heightened by the amazing acting and direction. Uncut Gems is a film meant to stress you out. You follow a character amazingly played by Adam Sandler and are forced to watch this man gamble with his life and family. These brothers create grounded and gritty stories and put you in the front seat. You feel as if everything that is happening to these characters are happening to you as well. You will hold your breath as you try and see what is going to happen next. Something else that these films accomplish is the fact that you end up routing for the main characters. They are clearly in the wrong, but you can’t help but route for them to win it all in the end. They are also some of the few movie directors to star in their own films.