As an avid movie-watcher, I’ll often hear about how modern cinema is terrible and filled with boring, unimaginative crap. And though movies like “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” do their best to give this claim some legitimacy, the modern cinematic landscape is full of innovative, exciting new work. This viewpoint of mine isn’t particularly contentious, but without the right type of awareness a lot of great films would fly under the radar of the general movie audience. So, listed below is my (definitely not exhaustive) selection of exciting modern directors that are pumping out intense, thought provoking, and intriguing visions.
Michael Haneke
This Austrian provocateur has been shocking audiences since the late 1980s. Notable for his intellectual and sometimes emotionally detached style, Haneke examines modern malaise, complex feelings of guilt, and deconstructs film language with unusual compositions and stories. His last two films “Amour” and “The White Ribbon” both netted him the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Paul Thomas Anderson
Hailed in many critical circles, Anderson makes uncompromising works of art that are as visually pleasing as they are narratively intriguing. “The Master” and “There Will Be Blood” are not to be missed, with smart, enveloping direction and tremendous performances.
Joel and Ethan Coen
Dark humor, merciless wit and a disregard for typical narrative structure are some of the reasons the Coen Brothers are one of today’s best practitioners. These genre-blending brothers can always be counted on to give an idiosyncratic and singular vision that is instantly recognizable. “No Country for Old Men”, “True Grit “and “Inside Llewyn Davis” are some great examples of their recent work.
Wong Kar-wai
Wong Kar-wai’s scintillating and sumptuous visual approach has culminated in some of the most beautiful images ever put to film. And underneath the style lies heartfelt emotional drama that captures the ephemeral moments of everyday relationships and actions. “In the Mood for Love,” “2046” and “The Grandmaster” are some of Wong’s most accomplished works from this century, and they all stand as a testament to his virtuosic rendering of mood and emotion.
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Once you get past trying to decode this Thai director’s name, you’ll spend even more time deciphering the enigma of his quiet, spiritual movies. Narratively bizarre yet strangely universal, Weerasethakul’s films provide an alternative to tired Western modes of storytelling.
Christopher Nolan
A name everyone should know, Nolan has been making smart blockbusters for years. Complex yet accessible to people everywhere, if every big budget flick was as sleek as “Inception,” “Interstellar,” or “The Dark Knight” I wouldn’t need to make this list in the first place.
Claire Denis
Denis is a French director whose films typically deal with Post-Colonial Africa and sexuality. Consciously infusing personal experience with her stories, Denis creates enigmatic, sometimes elliptical narratives. Her films also investigate the complex relationships in race, power and family.
Steve McQueen
Most famous for 2012’s “12 Years a Slave,” McQueen’s austere and intense visions are truly breathtaking. His three films (Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave) all depict extreme physical suffering, and his rigid, unflinching compositions feel both chillingly matter of fact and intensely emotional.
There are dozens more, but if you want to see good movies all it takes is the effort to search for them. Other notable directors to look into include:
J.J. Abrams
Pedro Almodóvar
Wes Anderson
Ben Affleck
Woody Allen
Darren Aronofsky
Kathryn Bigelow
Danny Boyle
James Cameron
Sofia Coppola
Alfonso Cuarón
Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Xavier Dolan
Clint Eastwood
David Fincher
Jean-Luc Godard
Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Peter Jackson
Jim Jarmusch
Jia Zhangke
Alejandro González Iñárritu
Abbas Kiarostami
Spike Lee
Lynne Ramsay
Nicolas Winding Refn
Martin Scorsese
Ridley Scott
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Spielberg
Quentin Tarantino
Guillermo del Toro
Lars Von Trier
Denis Villeneuve
Edgar Wright
Zhang Yimou
