Denis is the "Arkane Studios" of film
I agree, I love Resident Evil, especially the first one
-
Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
-
We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.
Opinion: Denis Villeneuve is the best active director
- Thread starter TinTuba47
- Start date
He made BR2049, so at least he's in contention for the top spot. Let's see how Dune turns out now: if he nails it, he'd be my pick.
He is great but James Cameron is the best active director.
But yeah Villeneuve maybe a close second, or third (or fourth)
But yeah Villeneuve maybe a close second, or third (or fourth)
Arrival might be his best.
I have no idea no idea if he's the best active director, but he's up there. I'd be curious to see what he'd make if he also wrote the script, since he seems more the director to find a script that's already really good and champion it by making the film that script deserves.
I have no idea no idea if he's the best active director, but he's up there. I'd be curious to see what he'd make if he also wrote the script, since he seems more the director to find a script that's already really good and champion it by making the film that script deserves.
I loved Arrival, and Bladerunner 2049 is nearly, NEARLY, perfect. BR2049 might be in my top 5 movies of all time, personally.
Gotta say though that my favorite director still alive and working has to be David Lynch.
Gotta say though that my favorite director still alive and working has to be David Lynch.
The only one of his I really got into was Enemy, but that's mainly because it's a puzzle type movie like Memento. I really do like what he did with that though. When you realize that the editing is used as an unreliable narrator was a great moment.
He's up there but it's a hard decision for me between him, PT Anderson, Marty, Alfonso, Tarantino, Fincher, Coens, Wes Anderson, Bong Joon-Ho.
Then there are up and comers like Aster, Egggers, Gerwig, Jenkins, Wright, and Garland that I really respect.
Probably missing a couple as well.
Then there are up and comers like Aster, Egggers, Gerwig, Jenkins, Wright, and Garland that I really respect.
Probably missing a couple as well.
The real answer is "there isn't one director to rule them all".
There is, however, a highest tier of directors. Denis is certainly in it.
There is, however, a highest tier of directors. Denis is certainly in it.
Eggers is the guy to look out for now. His previous two films are perfect, and I'm dying to see what he does with a Viking theme on his next project
Me watching anything from Lynch:
Also, me watching anything from any other director mentioned in this thread:
My pick is probably still David Fincher though I get the vibe Mank will 100% not jell with me at all when I get around to watching it, but I'm also fairly unfamiliar with a lot of really well regarded directors (only Villeneuve movie I watched was Arrival which was pretty great but nothing about it screamed "best director currently working" to me). Bong Joon-Ho could win my pick pretty easily if all of his stuff is as well directed as Parasite.
All I saw from him was Blade Runner 2049 and thought it was a good deal worse than the original so never bothered to watch anything else
I somehow still haven't seen his Blade Runner, but I've hit the rest of his filmography and it is wild how consistent Villeneuve is at making 8/10 movies for me. Every single one. Very good but never quite in my favorites of the year. Definitely appreciate his voice a lot though!
Still, for favorite working directors, I'm all in on Johnnie To. He always seems to have something coming out and they are always extremely interesting and often full on transcendent. Boy can move a camera like nobody else. Truly, we stan
Still, for favorite working directors, I'm all in on Johnnie To. He always seems to have something coming out and they are always extremely interesting and often full on transcendent. Boy can move a camera like nobody else. Truly, we stan
He's up there for sure. Lots of amazing active directors though. Wong Kar-Wai, Lynch, Scorsese, Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook, Paul Thomas Anderson, Jim Jarmusch, Fincher, Miyazaki, Robert Eggers, etc. Honestly would be hard for me to single out one director and say they're undoubtedly the best alive. They all fill their own niches and have different levels of consistency.
This thread is surprising since I thought era already worshiping Villeneuve（except when he criticises WB for how they handled HBO Max debacle) is common knowledge.
I agree that he is generally great. He's worked with good scripts and adaptations and his films are generally in line with how good the writing is. They are all impressive movies but there hasn't been a great one that really connected with me so far.
I agree that he is generally great. He's worked with good scripts and adaptations and his films are generally in line with how good the writing is. They are all impressive movies but there hasn't been a great one that really connected with me so far.
Yeah, he's 2 for 2. I am absolutely there for whatever he's got next.
Yeah, whenever people make this kind of claim I wonder how many movies they watch every year. Like how can you even think there's a best director alive category when there are so many directors alive with some incredible filmography under their belt. If someone names Nolan as the best director alive I assume he only watches Hollywood blockbuster, not counting how people completely overlook European and Asian directors. Even if you look at South Korea, you have Bong Joon-ho, you have Lee Chang-dong (Burning is a masterpiece), you have Park Chan-wook, Kim Ji-woon, Na Hong-jin, the late Kim Ki-duk and I'm sure I'm missing someone.
Said that Villeneuve is definitely a great director, but trying to name a best director is like trying to name a best musician or a best writer, absolutely useless.
Viking revenge movie named The Northman with Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, and Anya Taylor-Joy. Can't wait for it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Northman
His range of genres is impressive but I just don't get the hype personally. They're well made films but don't blow me away. Sicario and Prisoners were dope though.
I think the sort of things Robert Eggers and Ari Aster are doing are a lot more interesting, not only visually but script wise.
I think the sort of things Robert Eggers and Ari Aster are doing are a lot more interesting, not only visually but script wise.
He's fine, an excellent technical director, but I wouldn't list him as the best. I like that he brings a lot of craft and some thoughtfulness to BIG cinema. Arrival is one of my favourite Sci-fi films of recent years and Blade Runner was good.
Others have already offered replies with much more interesting active directors though. For me no-one's work excites me as Lynch. PT Anderson is top tier. Don't think anyone has mentioned Kelly Reichardt but I love her films, they're typically quiet but so impactful.
Coens, McQueen, Gerwig, Chloe Zhao, Wes Anderson, Fincher, Tarantino, Bong, Eggers, Lanthimos, Spike Lee, Cuaron, Aronofsky, von Trier, Waititi, Scorsese, Pawlokowski, Peter Strickland, Herzog, Charlie Kaufman, Park, Linklater, Spike Jonze, Lee Chang-dong, Barry Jenkins, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Debra Granik, just to get started with, have all produced great films and are active directors whose next project I'd look forward to before Villeneuve.
Others have already offered replies with much more interesting active directors though. For me no-one's work excites me as Lynch. PT Anderson is top tier. Don't think anyone has mentioned Kelly Reichardt but I love her films, they're typically quiet but so impactful.
Coens, McQueen, Gerwig, Chloe Zhao, Wes Anderson, Fincher, Tarantino, Bong, Eggers, Lanthimos, Spike Lee, Cuaron, Aronofsky, von Trier, Waititi, Scorsese, Pawlokowski, Peter Strickland, Herzog, Charlie Kaufman, Park, Linklater, Spike Jonze, Lee Chang-dong, Barry Jenkins, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Debra Granik, just to get started with, have all produced great films and are active directors whose next project I'd look forward to before Villeneuve.
Last edited:
I can't disagree. He's thrown a big splash of genuinely great filmmaking in blockbuster-sized films. Prisoners and Sicario are among my favourite films ever, and the rest of his stuff is fantastic too. So like, counting the amount of output he has had in the last 1 year, the quality of it all, id say yeah. Probably my favourite modern active director.
Sure, Cuaron, scorceese, claire denis, Yorghos Lanthimos, tarantino, eggers, and many others have dropped some amazing stuff. But im just so impressed at Vilenueves sheer output/quality ratio considering the budgets and high profile casts he's been working with.
and i say it again, watch Sicario and Prisoners. And then watch Wind river too and experience 3 of the best crimethrillers to bless cinema in the past 10 years.
Sure, Cuaron, scorceese, claire denis, Yorghos Lanthimos, tarantino, eggers, and many others have dropped some amazing stuff. But im just so impressed at Vilenueves sheer output/quality ratio considering the budgets and high profile casts he's been working with.
and i say it again, watch Sicario and Prisoners. And then watch Wind river too and experience 3 of the best crimethrillers to bless cinema in the past 10 years.
He probably wouldn't crack the top 20 for me. He is pretty consistent but is still missing a clear masterpiece (Blade Runner is close though).
Directors I would rank above him: PTA, Fincher, Almodovar, Coens, Ceylan, Baumbach, Bong, Kore-eda, Miyazaki, Scorsese, Spielberg, Mungiu, Östlund, Sorrentino, Campion, Lanthimos, Linklater, Zhao, Malick, Von Trier, Jenkins (Barry definitely, Tamara maybe), Zvyagintsev, Lynch, Maddin, Jarmusch...
And if you changed the word active to living there are like 5 - 10 names you could add to that list.
Directors I would rank above him: PTA, Fincher, Almodovar, Coens, Ceylan, Baumbach, Bong, Kore-eda, Miyazaki, Scorsese, Spielberg, Mungiu, Östlund, Sorrentino, Campion, Lanthimos, Linklater, Zhao, Malick, Von Trier, Jenkins (Barry definitely, Tamara maybe), Zvyagintsev, Lynch, Maddin, Jarmusch...
And if you changed the word active to living there are like 5 - 10 names you could add to that list.
Woot??
Not even Wolf of Wallstreet?
Shutter island is great too though.
Wow this sounds good. I didn't know Hamlet was based on a Norse legend. I love the obscure edges of history he seems to seek out...kinda how the Coen brothers write around peculiar dialects, but to a seriously meticulous degree.
I really like Villeneuve's films, but Greta Gerwig is probably the best director working today. As good as both Arrival and BR2049 were (I'm not a huge fan of the latter, but I recognise that it's a great film), neither of them ranked in my "film of the year" list, whereas both Lady Bird and Little Women were the best films I saw in their respective years.
Of course you have Scorsese, Spike Lee etc., who have both produced really good films in the last few years. Silence and Da 5 Bloods were both of those guys on the tops of their games. But it's hard for me to class anyone with such heritage as "best active," because really that honour feels like it belongs to newer talent.
Of course you have Scorsese, Spike Lee etc., who have both produced really good films in the last few years. Silence and Da 5 Bloods were both of those guys on the tops of their games. But it's hard for me to class anyone with such heritage as "best active," because really that honour feels like it belongs to newer talent.
I dunno, I like him but I feel he is the new Nolan in the sense that his movies are mostly entertaining but with a pretense of depth, that makes you feel sophisticated for watching them, but I don't think he will be remembered as a genius (same with Nolan).
A 'dumb' person's idea of what a smart filmmaker is (before you get offended I include myself in that category of watchers).
Prisoners is terrible though. Incendies/Arrival have terrible endings as well I think.
BR was largely great.
A 'dumb' person's idea of what a smart filmmaker is (before you get offended I include myself in that category of watchers).
Prisoners is terrible though. Incendies/Arrival have terrible endings as well I think.
BR was largely great.
He's the best in Hollywood right now, I think.
It's also interesting to see how few people watched his best work, Incendie-se. It's an incredible movie, Top 5 films I've ever watched, possibly. Like, Sicário and Blade Runner are very lackluster when compared to Incendies IMO (especially Sicário, really can't understand the love for that film)
It's also interesting to see how few people watched his best work, Incendie-se. It's an incredible movie, Top 5 films I've ever watched, possibly. Like, Sicário and Blade Runner are very lackluster when compared to Incendies IMO (especially Sicário, really can't understand the love for that film)
You can only make a film like Bad Taste once in a lifetime.
Of the current/new wave I think Alfonso Cuaron has most potential to make a movie I really like. Or Robert Eggers. And I wanna see what Fukunaga does with Bond too.
Denis V - I think he's good, but I find I never rewatch his movies, and I sometimes get bored with the pacing (Sicario especially). That said I did like Arrival and Blade Runner a lot and I have high hopes for Dune.
Saw Tenet last week and I wasn't sold on it, Nolan is so hit and miss for me.
Denis V - I think he's good, but I find I never rewatch his movies, and I sometimes get bored with the pacing (Sicario especially). That said I did like Arrival and Blade Runner a lot and I have high hopes for Dune.
Saw Tenet last week and I wasn't sold on it, Nolan is so hit and miss for me.
Prisoners and Incendies feel super overrated on the internet. They are not bad films but they definitely shouldn't be anywhere near IMDb top 250. Both of them start as fine realistic drama-thrillers but by the third act have regressed into pulpy scenery-chewing melodramas.
I disagree about Arrival though. It's a strong film from beginning to end.
Denis' 2010 to 2020 run is one hell of a decade.
Incendies, Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, Arrival, BR2049...
Flawless stuff.
Incendies, Prisoners, Enemy, Sicario, Arrival, BR2049...
Flawless stuff.
Very talented filmmaker, but he's basically the new Nolan in terms of being a big-budget sci-fi/thriller director who gets worshipped by young nerdy men online because he makes the kind of movies they like with a glossy sheen.
I love many of his movies but I don't think his films pack the same amount of humanity that the likes Scorsese, Wong-Kar Wai, Bong Joon-ho, Spike Lee, The Coens, Paul Thomas Anderson, Hayao Miyazaki, Fincher, Barry Jenkins, or Kore-eda, just to name a few of my favorites, do.
I love many of his movies but I don't think his films pack the same amount of humanity that the likes Scorsese, Wong-Kar Wai, Bong Joon-ho, Spike Lee, The Coens, Paul Thomas Anderson, Hayao Miyazaki, Fincher, Barry Jenkins, or Kore-eda, just to name a few of my favorites, do.
Last edited:
Me watching anything from Lynch:
Also, me watching anything from any other director mentioned in this thread:
Lynch actually has to cast some black people in his works for him to ever crack any top list for me.