10. Peter Jackson
Known for: The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Though he did make movies in the 90's, his contribution to epic fantasy films alone merits his place on this list. The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a massive undertaking and a commercial smash. Bringing together hobbits, elves, wizards, dwarfs, and more with critics and fanatics. Jackson's epic adventure King Kong also won Oscars, but it's The Hobbit's box office triumph that cemented his place in pop culture.
9. Ang Lee
Known for: Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi
This Taiwanese-American's work is so diverse, you don't always expect what he's going to do next. He's broken the laws of gravity, has had us see green in the Hulk, and has broken our hearts. Lee even managed the technically impossible by turning Life of Pi into a movie. What's remarkable is he's the first Asian to with the best director Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA award.
8. David Fincher
Known for: Se7en, Fight Club, The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
After the dark-styled Se7en, Fincher made Fight Club one of the most talked about films of the year despite disappointing box office numbers, and extreme violence. He then kept tensions high and brought to life the fantastic tale of a man who ages in reverse. Thanks to his visually exhilarating work and masterful storytelling, Fincher also thrilled us with an Oscar winning drama and mystery.
7. Christopher Nolan
Known for: Batman Begins, The Dark Night, Inception, The Dark Night Rises
Known for his neo-noir inspired style, modern look and dark themes, Nolan first played with our minds in psychological thrillers. However, audiences really took notice of the British filmmaker with his gritty Batman reboot which recharged the superhero and paved the way for one of the genre's finest. He's since the mesmerized us, turned dreams into reality, brought the dark knight out of retirement to the delight of the fans.
6. James Cameron
Known for: Alien, The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Titanic, Avatar
After establishing himself in the science fiction and action genres in the 80's, Cameron invaded pop culture with Terminator 2. However, it was his 1997 epic romantic disaster film that crowned him king of the world. Titanic won 11 Oscars and was the highest grossing movie ever. Over a decade later, Cameron broke that record with the groundbreaking 3D and computer generated movie Avatar.
5. Joel & Ethan Coen
Known for: Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country For Old Men, True Grit (2010)
The Coen brothers aren't just directors, they're also writers and producers. These brothers are well known for letting their wit and cleverness shine through; which sometimes leads to dark and twisted results. Weather it's an Oscar winning crime film like Fargo, a cult hit like The Big Lebowski, or a satirical comedy, While they've excelled especially in western inspired films, their black comedies have also been critically recognized. The Coens prove that two directors are better than one; they just need to work on their endings.
4. Clint Eastwood
Known for: Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, Letters From Iwo Jima, Gran Torino
He'll probably always be famous for his acting, but Eastwood's films excel in the same way when he's behind the camera. He's been directing films since the 70's, but came into his own during the last few decades winning best picture and director Oscars for Unforgiven, and Million Dollar Baby. His simple yet effective directing style has allowed him to explore many different genres and garner multiple accolades in recent years.
3. Quentin Tarantino
Known for: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained
Tarantino introduced us to the stylized violence, pop culture heavy references, and excessive cursing we've come to love and expect with his directorial debut: Reservoir Dogs. The director then planted the seeds for the growth of non-linear films with Pulp Fiction. With Kill Bill, he continued to showcase his pension for different movie genres and has since managed two of his most highest grossing films to date.
2. Martin Scorcese
Known for: Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street
Inspired by his Italian background and Roman Catholic upbringing, Scorcese crafted some of cinema's greatest. Also known for featuring themes of violence and crime, Scorcese found further success in the 90's with Goodfellas. After pushing his actors to use their dramatic acting abilities , he won his first best director Oscar for The Departed. He continues to produce critically acclaimed work today.
Honorable Mentions:
J.J. Abrams
Wes Anderson
Darren Aronofsky
Ron Howard
Gus Van Stant
Oliver Stone
1. Steven Spielberg
Known for: Jaws, E.T, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln
After setting the bar for the modern blockbuster in the 70's and 80's, Spielberg set box office record in the 90's. He also received critical and commercial acclaim after taking a more mature turn with epics like Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Though he's been criticized for being too sappy, he continues to collect awards in the 21st century, has become a household name, and remains one of Hollywood's most recognizable and influential directors.
Darren Aronofsky
Ron Howard
Gus Van Stant
Oliver Stone
1. Steven Spielberg
Known for: Jaws, E.T, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln
After setting the bar for the modern blockbuster in the 70's and 80's, Spielberg set box office record in the 90's. He also received critical and commercial acclaim after taking a more mature turn with epics like Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Though he's been criticized for being too sappy, he continues to collect awards in the 21st century, has become a household name, and remains one of Hollywood's most recognizable and influential directors.
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