Film Faves: The Digital Age - Directors
Here we are at the final part of this special three-part edition of Film Faves. If you haven't already, please start with parts one and two of this series before reading on.
Here we are at the visionaries behind the camera, those who actually choose to shoot digitally or with film, the directors. Here are my six favorite directors to debut or break out during the Digital Age of film.
Directors:
6. Darren Aronofsky
Favorite films:
Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler
You may say Darren Aronofsky is a pretentious visionary, who takes himself too seriously, but I find Aronofsky’s work to be some of the most powerful and expertly-handled films I’ve ever seen. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of his debut, Pi, or his existential fantasia, The Fountain. But I am looking forward to next month’sThe Black Swan and his much-courted crack at geek culture (he’s been interested in Batman and RoboCop before), 2012’s The Wolverine. Why? Because Aronofsky always has something interesting to say in interesting visual ways and no two films of his are alike. He’s really good at stripping a story or character down to the basics. If his work on The Wrestler isn’t evidence enough, go look up his pitch for Batman: Year One from prior to when Nolan made the franchise what it is. His work may seem pretentious to some, but it’s rarely boring.
5. Judd Apatow
Favorite films:
The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up
A lot of comedic directors will focus primarily on humor that is broad or gross. As a result, the characters will often come across as one-dimensional cartoons. Judd Apatow is a director who is hilarious, but always puts the jokes second to the story or characters. As a result, he’s become the top comedic director and producer of the digital age. His films are interestingly in contrast with a period that is defined by its technology, effects, and sleekness. Apatow’s work, humor aside, could’ve been filmed in almost any era because there aren’t any flashy effects or costly production values (two out of three of his films cost no more than $30 million). They’re just people dealing with situations life throws their way, be it a socially-impaired 40 year-old or a lazy man-child whose life forces him to grow up. Judd Apatow is also responsible for nurturing countless writers, directors, and actors over the past decade, including Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, James Franco, Nick Stoller, Seth Rogen, Greg Mottola, Adam McKay, Paul Rudd, Jay Baruchel, and many others. This guy knows comedy.
4. Jason Reitman
Favorite films:
Thank You for Smoking, Up in the Air
Jason Reitman is an intriguing director, one whose style and themes may not yet be clear. I think if one were to take a look at his three films, they’d see that Reitman enjoys movies that refuse to play to the lowest common denominator, which is to say his sense of comedy is intelligent, dialogue-driven and maybe situational at times. But if one were to look at his biggest successes, Juno and Up in the Air, what’s most important to him is character and story – and he’s good at both. Thank You for Smoking had some good character moments, but was mostly about the satire. Juno stepped up the character elements to the primary focus (What kind of character is Juno? What would she do in her situation? How do others respond to her?). Up in the Air dialed down the comedy, played up the drama, and added layers to character and story. It is his best film so far. Reitman is a talent that we’ve witnessed become a better director with each film. I can’t wait to see what he does with his next film.
3. Edgar Wright
Favorite films:
Shaun of the Dead,
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Is there a contemporary British comedic director superior to Edgar Wright? Wright is one of the preeminent filmmakers of a specific culture and generation, one that grew up on video games and balls-out action flicks. Having grown up in the eighties and nineties, he is able to perfectly tap into those pop cultural touchstones that informed many of us during that time. There are very few films that can speak directly to his generation and the next generation as entertainingly or meaningfully. Wright walked hand-in-hand with his buddy Simon Pegg virtually out of nowhere with the brilliant comedy Shaun of the Dead. British audiences were already familiar with them for their TV series Spaced. But none of us Stateside were familiar with their brand of geek humor. Wright and Pegg recently took a break from each other for other projects, which in Wright’s case was this year’s brilliant adaptation Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. His next project may continue his love of geek culture in an adaptation of Marvel’s scientist Avenger, Ant-Man.
2. Zack Snyder
Favorite films:
Dawn of the Dead, 300, Watchmen
Zack Snyder may be the best stylized action director of the digital age. He’s also consistently proved himself a great adapter of other works, be it a remake of a classic zombie film, mature graphic novels, or children’s adventure stories. Some may criticize Snyder for failing to use his slow/fast stylized action talents for something wholly original. We may get a fantastic reply to that criticism with next spring’s Sucker Punch. But after that, Snyder will direct a Superman film (Superman: Man of Steel) and a sequel to his sophomore effort 300 – both of which keep him heavily steeped in geek culture. His most recent effort was a CG-animated children’s film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. I have yet to see this, but judging by trailers and comments I’ve heard it is a visually fantastic film – especially in 3D. Zack Snyder, while a filmmaker of action films that aren’t for everybody, must be given credit for consistently pursuing material that few would consider – and doing so with a great deal of success. He is a visual master, able to make brutal violence look just as beautiful as a bird flying in the wind. I’m not waxing poetic here; just compare scenes of 300 with the trailer to Legend of the Guardians. Whether or not his stories appeal to you, there isn’t an action director in the digital age as visually interesting as Zack Snyder. On a side note, I personally nominate this guy to direct the BioShock film.
1. Christopher Nolan
Favorite films:
Memento, Batman Begins,
The Dark Knight, Inception
I believe last December I named Christopher Nolan one of the best directors of the decade. He is also my favorite director of the digital age. He hit it big with the “film noir in reverse” indie Memento and eventually moved on to take the superhero genre to the highest level of storytelling. Watchmen may be the greatest superhero story ever written, but The Dark Knight is the greatest superhero story ever filmed and it’s thanks to Christopher Nolan. Nolan knows how to make popcorn films with intelligence and depth. His recent film Inception was the year’s most highly-anticipated live-action film, mostly because, like Memento before, of its original premise and execution. It also happened to be the first wholly original film to be released in a year full of adaptations, sequels, and remakes – very few of which were any good. It was one of the only original films to treat its audience as intelligent beings. That’s a consistent element in Nolan’s films that is unfortunately atypical of most American movies. Nolan’s ability to make serious films out of commercially-successful crowd-pleasing entertainment such as the Batman franchise and Inception makes him the best talent to come out of the digital age.
There you have it! That about wraps up this special edition of Film Faves. Who are your favorite actors, actresses, or directors of the Digital Age? Please feel free to comment below or on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or via email if you have a lot to say. I welcome your thoughts.
Thanks so much for reading. Film Faves will take a month off, but will return hopefully in January to start a new decade with the year 1999, quite possibly the greatest year of '90s film. See you then!
Here we are at the visionaries behind the camera, those who actually choose to shoot digitally or with film, the directors. Here are my six favorite directors to debut or break out during the Digital Age of film.
Directors:
Favorite films:
Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler
You may say Darren Aronofsky is a pretentious visionary, who takes himself too seriously, but I find Aronofsky’s work to be some of the most powerful and expertly-handled films I’ve ever seen. I’ll admit, I’m not a fan of his debut, Pi, or his existential fantasia, The Fountain. But I am looking forward to next month’s
Favorite films:
The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up
A lot of comedic directors will focus primarily on humor that is broad or gross. As a result, the characters will often come across as one-dimensional cartoons. Judd Apatow is a director who is hilarious, but always puts the jokes second to the story or characters. As a result, he’s become the top comedic director and producer of the digital age. His films are interestingly in contrast with a period that is defined by its technology, effects, and sleekness. Apatow’s work, humor aside, could’ve been filmed in almost any era because there aren’t any flashy effects or costly production values (two out of three of his films cost no more than $30 million). They’re just people dealing with situations life throws their way, be it a socially-impaired 40 year-old or a lazy man-child whose life forces him to grow up. Judd Apatow is also responsible for nurturing countless writers, directors, and actors over the past decade, including Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, James Franco, Nick Stoller, Seth Rogen, Greg Mottola, Adam McKay, Paul Rudd, Jay Baruchel, and many others. This guy knows comedy.
Favorite films:
Thank You for Smoking, Up in the Air
Jason Reitman is an intriguing director, one whose style and themes may not yet be clear. I think if one were to take a look at his three films, they’d see that Reitman enjoys movies that refuse to play to the lowest common denominator, which is to say his sense of comedy is intelligent, dialogue-driven and maybe situational at times. But if one were to look at his biggest successes, Juno and Up in the Air, what’s most important to him is character and story – and he’s good at both. Thank You for Smoking had some good character moments, but was mostly about the satire. Juno stepped up the character elements to the primary focus (What kind of character is Juno? What would she do in her situation? How do others respond to her?). Up in the Air dialed down the comedy, played up the drama, and added layers to character and story. It is his best film so far. Reitman is a talent that we’ve witnessed become a better director with each film. I can’t wait to see what he does with his next film.
Favorite films:
Shaun of the Dead,
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Is there a contemporary British comedic director superior to Edgar Wright? Wright is one of the preeminent filmmakers of a specific culture and generation, one that grew up on video games and balls-out action flicks. Having grown up in the eighties and nineties, he is able to perfectly tap into those pop cultural touchstones that informed many of us during that time. There are very few films that can speak directly to his generation and the next generation as entertainingly or meaningfully. Wright walked hand-in-hand with his buddy Simon Pegg virtually out of nowhere with the brilliant comedy Shaun of the Dead. British audiences were already familiar with them for their TV series Spaced. But none of us Stateside were familiar with their brand of geek humor. Wright and Pegg recently took a break from each other for other projects, which in Wright’s case was this year’s brilliant adaptation Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. His next project may continue his love of geek culture in an adaptation of Marvel’s scientist Avenger, Ant-Man.
Favorite films:
Dawn of the Dead, 300, Watchmen
Zack Snyder may be the best stylized action director of the digital age. He’s also consistently proved himself a great adapter of other works, be it a remake of a classic zombie film, mature graphic novels, or children’s adventure stories. Some may criticize Snyder for failing to use his slow/fast stylized action talents for something wholly original. We may get a fantastic reply to that criticism with next spring’s Sucker Punch. But after that, Snyder will direct a Superman film (Superman: Man of Steel) and a sequel to his sophomore effort 300 – both of which keep him heavily steeped in geek culture. His most recent effort was a CG-animated children’s film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. I have yet to see this, but judging by trailers and comments I’ve heard it is a visually fantastic film – especially in 3D. Zack Snyder, while a filmmaker of action films that aren’t for everybody, must be given credit for consistently pursuing material that few would consider – and doing so with a great deal of success. He is a visual master, able to make brutal violence look just as beautiful as a bird flying in the wind. I’m not waxing poetic here; just compare scenes of 300 with the trailer to Legend of the Guardians. Whether or not his stories appeal to you, there isn’t an action director in the digital age as visually interesting as Zack Snyder. On a side note, I personally nominate this guy to direct the BioShock film.
Favorite films:
Memento, Batman Begins,
The Dark Knight, Inception
I believe last December I named Christopher Nolan one of the best directors of the decade. He is also my favorite director of the digital age. He hit it big with the “film noir in reverse” indie Memento and eventually moved on to take the superhero genre to the highest level of storytelling. Watchmen may be the greatest superhero story ever written, but The Dark Knight is the greatest superhero story ever filmed and it’s thanks to Christopher Nolan. Nolan knows how to make popcorn films with intelligence and depth. His recent film Inception was the year’s most highly-anticipated live-action film, mostly because, like Memento before, of its original premise and execution. It also happened to be the first wholly original film to be released in a year full of adaptations, sequels, and remakes – very few of which were any good. It was one of the only original films to treat its audience as intelligent beings. That’s a consistent element in Nolan’s films that is unfortunately atypical of most American movies. Nolan’s ability to make serious films out of commercially-successful crowd-pleasing entertainment such as the Batman franchise and Inception makes him the best talent to come out of the digital age.
There you have it! That about wraps up this special edition of Film Faves. Who are your favorite actors, actresses, or directors of the Digital Age? Please feel free to comment below or on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or via email if you have a lot to say. I welcome your thoughts.
Thanks so much for reading. Film Faves will take a month off, but will return hopefully in January to start a new decade with the year 1999, quite possibly the greatest year of '90s film. See you then!