The spotlight of cinema is very selective. That being the case, many wonderful and visionary directors are never given the credit deserved simply because they don't comply with the "Hollywood standard." Certainly not all these underrated directors are "unknown," but they definitely aren't given the worthy praise like some more well-known names. Without further ado, here is my incredibly biased list of underrated directors:

I. Jim Jarmusch

Jim Jarmusch is the undisputed king of independent cinema. With films featuring top-notch actors like Johnny Depp, Tom Waits, Winona Ryder, Tom Hiddleton, Tilda Swinton and Bill Murray, how could you have not heard of Jim Jarmusch? Probably because he's been consciously dodging the public eye since the early 1980s. If one is to talk about art creating mood, Jarmusch is in the forefront. Many of his films have loose plots, sometimes no plot, yet the characters, situations and atmospheres are so rich and authentic, they're brilliant.

"Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination." — Jim Jarmusch

Much like many Tarantino films, some Jarmusch scenes may contain conversations that seemingly have nothing to do with the progression of the plot, but yet add to the character development and relationships. The only thing is Jarmusch had been doing it close to a decade earlier than QT. He is by far my favorite director of all time, and he's still going strong after a fruitful almost-40 years of film making. My top three Jarmusch films are "Mystery Train," "Night on Earth" and "Down by Law."

II. Alex Cox

The raw director that brought punk aesthetic to the public — Alex Cox. Alex Cox had an interesting and rather short-lived career in the film business. Directing classics such as "Sid and Nancy", "Repo Man," "Straight to Hell" and assisting on "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," Cox has a large repertoire of gems. Somewhat blackballed from Hollywood in the late 80s (reportedly for working during the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike) Alex has done many independent ventures since.

"I don't think about Hollywood at all." — Alex Cox

Most of Cox's classics are somewhat fantasies installed in a realistic landscape. His characters are incredibly over the top, unpredictable and crude. The backdrops in his films are dirty, grimmy and revealing. His films are for the underdogs, for the misfits, for the "freaks." Although I haven't seen some of Cox's more obscure filmography, "Repo Man" is my undisputed favorite and one of my favorite films of all time.

III. Gregg Araki

John Hughes on acid, a teen drama on drugs, this is the appropriate way of describing some of Araki's best works. Known for films such as "Doom Generation," "Mysterious Skin," "Kaboom," and "White Bird in a Blizzard," Gregg Araki has a very distinct and eccentric style of filmmaking. While I've only seen two of his films, he has already risen the ranks as one of my favorite directors. The attention to detail in his films rivals that of Wes Anderson. His sets, palettes and precision are commendable, but what's even more commendable is how quickly he destroys them. He has had stars like Rose McGowan and Joseph-Gordon Levitt in his films.

"I couldn't make movies like this if I started to worry about what Jerry Falwell is going to have to say about it." — Gregg Araki

Araki is definitely a director that I haven't delved into enough, but I feel like I already know his distinctive style. His films are rather shocking both graphically and audibly, so do use discretion, but what I've learned in watching films is, are you really going to let something on a screen offend you? This is the director's mind you're looking at, this is not your own. You may see things you disapprove of, but to them, it's all they know. My undisputed favorite of his films is "Doom Generation." It is so wild and all over the place, but yet has so much substance.

IV. Terry Gilliam

This is the director that I may get some flack over. Terry Gilliam is a famous director, the majority of his films are in theaters, but I feel like in the grand scheme of cinema legends, he is not recognized enough. Gilliam, under Jarmusch, is probably one of my favorite directors. I've talked about style with the others on this list, but if you want to talk about style (IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT STYLE) you stop at Gilliam. His style is so unique, so cutting edge and so masterful, you cannot deny his genius. His films, while being visually beautiful are also packed with commentary and meaning. A Monty Python vet, he began in comedy, and although his later projects have shreds of comedy," he has delved into more surreal drama. He is known for films such as "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," "Brazil," "Time Bandits," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," "12 Monkeys," "The Fisher King" and "The Life of Brian," among many more. His films have starred everyone across the board including Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro and Robin Williams.

"The sad thing is because things are getting so big, so costly, it means you only do the same movie again and again. The subject matter becomes more simplistic, you don't deal with any real issues, you don't disturb the audience, you don't make them think, you just give them the safe secure guaranteed ride. The technical skills are phenomenal, but they're not about anything. It's time to bring films back that are about something, that are about life, about reality, and about the nightmare of living." — Terry Gilliam

Before I pick my top three for Gilliam, you have to understand that all of his film are good, some are great, but none are bad by any means. My top three are "Brazil," "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnasus"

V. James Rolfe

James Rolfe, out of all these names, is someone you're least likely to have heard of. A personal favorite of mine for many years, James Rolfe is an independent film director who has made his mark by creating the highly popular, Angry Video Game Nerd series. Although, this is primary claim to fame, he also makes feature films and does various other film-related projects. What draws me to him is his relatability. Born in the early '80s, he had access to a video camera at a young age, this enabled him to start making films at 10 years old. He frequently talks about his past films and the experience that he accumulated on his website, Cinemassacre.com. Although he doesn't have a distinct style, his films are very personal and authentic which makes up for it. His specialty is horror, and he is a huge horror buff as well as having an extensive video game collection.

"I just want to make movies." — James Rolfe

Although most of his films are short films, I'm going to name my top three. They are "The Jersey Odyssey: The Legend of the Blue Hole," "Cinemassacre 200" and "The Dragon in my Dreams."

There is a whole world of unnoticed and underrated directors that deserve to be appreciated. Branch out, and for every couple Hollywood films, watch a lesser known one. You may be surprised at the quality you find. Sometimes, those in the spotlight aren't the best of the best.