10 Directors

I found this post and made a point to not read it fully, so I'm not sure exactly what they said. I didn't want to get ideas from it, just inspiration. It just got me thinking about my favorite directors. I definitely have a few. Let's discuss...

Cameron Crowe
He is one of my favorites because I love how he makes the music a part of the movie in ways that a lot of directors aren't able to make work. My favorite movies of his are Almost Famous, Say Anything and Elizabethtown.


M Night Shyamalan
While a lot of people are starting to like him less and less, he has continued to grow for me as one of the best. He just presents things in a different way and it's always thinking outside the box and not along the lines that most go in movies today. The Village was more emotional and beautiful for me than scary and I think that was the point. The performances of Joaquin Phoenix and Bryce Dallas Howard were just fabulous and I think Shyamalan presents all his movies in a way that makes the actors better. Even Mark Wahlberg, although I know many also disagree with that. My favorite movies of his are The Sixth Sense (obviously - just classic) and The Village.


Kevin Smith
I think Kevin Smith is hilarious. I was immediately sold on Jay & Silent Bob way back in the day, before everyone knew who he was. My dad, brother and I used to watch Clerks and Mallrats all the time. Kevin Smith won me over as a more rounded director with Jersey Girl. Although not the best movie I've ever seen, I enjoyed it and loved how he did it. The little girl singing the Sweeney Todd song in the end was always my favorite. My favorite Kevin Smith movies are Mallrats, Dogma and Jersey Girl.


Ron Howard
My first real experience with a Ron Howard movie was Cocoon and I really think that anyone who can get me to love a movie about aliens taking up old people really deserves an award or something. He continued with just fabulous movies that make you laugh and cry and remember why you like watching movies to begin with, like Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man. I can always count on his movies to move me and to make me think a little more and appreciate things. Not necessarily the place to go for action, but definitely the place to go for heart.


Michael Bay
I started loving Michael Bay when I watched Armageddon. Cheesy, I know. I'll admit that my love of the movie Armageddon is in the embarrassing category. That's okay. I still love it. He also did Transformers and The Island which had that look that just lets you know - THIS is a Michael Bay movie. You can feel it when you're watching it. I'm interested to see how his next movie, the remake of Friday the 13th, goes. My husband is really excited to see it, but as I don't see scary movies, I will have to rely on the opinions of others.


Tim Burton
Who doesn't think Tim Burton is fabulous? You just don't know what you're talking about. If we are measuring in terms of flat-out creativity that can take your breath away, he would be #1. He somehow always finds the perfect balance of beauty and horror. I mean, Johnny Depp as Willie Wonka in the Chocolate Factory is scary and strangely attractive all at the same time. The partnership between Johnny Depp and Tim Burton is another one of the appealing things for me about him. They work so well together and Johnny Depp can perfectly capture that strangely beautiful look. I literally cannot wait to see Alice in Wonderland. I'm sure it will creep me out, but it will also be everything I expect it to be and more.


Ridley Scott
Gladiator. Kingdom of Heaven. Body of Lies. I feel like I could have just stopped with Gladiator and everyone would know why he is on my list. I love the way his movies make me feel when they are over. They are inspiring and they flow in a way that a lot of movies don't. When I see that he directed a movie, they don't even have to tell me who is in it. I'll be there.

(Wow, what a random combo, right?? Those are in no particular order.)