Sanjuro – 1962 Kurosawa
The narrative lacks the brilliance and freshness of Yojimbo (that can happen with sequels- same music borrowed here) and the worldview is a little more optimistic than Kurosawa’s finest work—but damn, Kurosawa sets up immaculate
The 228th Best Director of All-Time: Ryan Coogler
Coogler. Coogler had multiple archiveable films before the age of 30 (born 1986). His debut is a magnificent indie drama, he’s made the best Rocky franchise film possibly ever (and at least since 1976) and
Bedazzled – 1967 Donen
A very funny film, it is no great accomplishment for Stanley Donen—any number of directors could have pointed the camera and comedians Dudley Moore and Peter Cook Moore and Cook were a sketch comedy duo—talented.
The Naked Kiss – 1964 Fuller
An abnormal blend of B-movie melodrama and crime thriller—only Sam Fuller could deliver A strong opening- hand-held camera of Constance Towers (back with Fuller from their work together the year before in Shock Corridor) in
The 227th Best Director of All-Time: Xavier Dolan
Dolan. Wunderkind, genius, prodigy—you name it. Dolan’s 2009 debut I Killed My Mother is a startlingly strong debut for a director of any age—but at age 20—it is almost unthinkable. He’s prolific as well and
The 226th Best Director of All-Time: Paolo Sorrentino
Sorrentino. Italian auteur Paolo Sorrentino makes beautiful, opulent tales of morality, power, greed and corruption. 2008’s Il Divo isn’t Sorrentino’s debut, but it made him a recognized name on the international festival circuit. His films
Lawrence of Arabia – 1962 Lean
David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia is both the smartest epic (not a description you’d give to many in the genre actually) and the most epic of epics. Lean’s ability to capture the breathtaking locations with
The 225th Best Director of All-Time: Joanna Hogg
Hogg. London born Joanna Hogg’s debut film was at the age of 47 in 2007. Hogg made four films total (as of 2020) and all four landing in the archives including one top 100 of
The 224th Best Director of All-Time: The Safdie Brothers
Ben and Josh Safdie. At the time of writing have not had a chance to catch their debut- 2009’s Daddy Longlegs or second effort Heaven Knows What in 2014 but with Good Time (2017) and
The 223rd Best Director of All-Time: George Roy Hill
Roy Hill. George Roy Hill was at the helm for both Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid and The Sting- brilliant films (especially Butch Cassidy) starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. They were box office
The 222nd Best Director of All-Time: Paul Verhoeven
Verhoeven. What a wild ride Paul Verhoeven’s career has been. He’s been called a sleaze and a provocateur – but there’s an undeniable consistency in the work regardless of budget, genre, decade or, even—the quality
The Lodge – 2019 Fiala & Franz
It’s hard not to see Hereditary (out in 2018- a year before) in the formal construct of the horror film with a reoccurring dollhouse motif- but still- this is a unique enough effort- and undoubtedly