TSPDT recently released its list of the 1000 most-acclaimed films of this century. Like LAST YEAR, I created a list of film-makers based on TSPDT's 1000, film-makers with the most impressive filmographies during the years 2000 to 2015. Their ranking considers two aspect - how many of their films feature in Top 1000, and what is the respective rank of each of these films on that list.
So here they are, the top ten film-makers of the last fifteen years:
10. Claire Denis (69-year old French film-maker): The only woman on the list, Denis is one spot down from last year. She has directed six feature films since 2000, ALL of which feature in Top 1000: Trouble Every Day, Friday Night, The Intruder, 35 Shots of Rum, White Material, and Bastards.
9. Martin Scorsese (73-year old American film-maker): Scorsese is one spot down this year as well. But his latest feature, 'Silence' should release by year-end and that will give him the opportunity to climb up the chart. He has directed six films since 2000, ALL of which feature in Top 1000: Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, Hugo, and The Wolf of Wall Street.
8. Quentin Tarantino (52-year old American film-maker): Tarantino did not feature in the top ten list last year. But this year, thanks to his latest film, he grabs the eighth rank, being the only new entry, and kicking out Christopher Nolan from top ten. He has made six films in the last fifteen years, ALL of which feature in Top 1000: Kill Bill: Volumes 1 and 2, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight.
7. Apichatpong Weerasethakul (45-year old Thai film-maker): His latest, 'Cemetery of Splendour' could not make it to Top 1000. And hence, this Thai master is one rank down from last year. He has directed seven feature films in his career, all since 2000, five of which feature in Top 1000. More remarkable is the fact that four of his movies are among top 60: Tropical Malady (2004) is highest rated at #13, followed by Blissfully Yours, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Syndromes and a Century, and Mysterious Object at Noon.
6. Steven Spielberg (69-year old American film-maker): Has directed eleven films since 2000, eight of which feature in Top 1000: AI Artifical Intelligence, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can,Munich, War of the Worlds, War Horse, Lincoln, and Bridge of Spies. Thanks to his latest, he has climbed one rank up from last year. In a few months, his new film will be out: The BFG. It is based on a Roald Dahl novel and the screenplay is by Melissa Mathison who wrote the wonderful ET for Spielberg more than three decades ago.
5. Jia Zhangke (45-year old Chinese film-maker): Has directed seven films since 2000, six of which feature in Top 1000: Platform (2000) is highest rated at #17, followed by Still Life, The World, Unknown Pleasures, A Touch of Sin, and 24 City. His latest, Mountains May Depart, could not make it to Top 1000, and hence he is one position down from last year.
4. Wes Anderson (46-year old American filmmaker): Despite no release this year, Anderson has climbed one place up from last year's rankings. He has directed six films since 2000, ALL of which feature in Top 1000: The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and The Darjeeing Limited.
3. Joel and Ethan Coen (American film-makers, respectively 61 and 58 years of age): Missing the second spot narrowly by one point, the Coen Brothers have retained their third rank. They have directed nine films during 2000-2015, seven of which feature in Top 1000: No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man, Inside Llewyn Davis, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, True Grit, The Man Who Wasn't There, and Burn After Reading. Their latest, Hail, Caesar! may take them to the second spot next year.
2. Richard Linklater (55-year old American film-maker): Holding on to the second spot, Linklater has directed eleven films since 2000, seven of which feature in Top 1000: Before Sunset, Boyhood, Waking Life, Before Midnight, School of Rock, A Scanner Darkly, and Bernie. His latest, Everybody Wants Some!! is about to be released and Linklater may continue to stay in top three next year as well.
1. Michael Haneke (Austrian film-maker, about to turn 74): Despite having no releases in the last three years, Haneke is at the top. And it seems he will stay there for the next year as well. Reason? Six of the seven features he made since 2000 are ranked so highly that his total score surpasses film-makers with more movies. Cache (2005) is highest ranked at #7, followed by The Piano Teacher (#45), The White Ribbon (#47), Code Unknown (#66) and Amour (#73). Time of the Wolf is ranked #479.
So here they are, the top ten film-makers of the last fifteen years:
10. Claire Denis (69-year old French film-maker): The only woman on the list, Denis is one spot down from last year. She has directed six feature films since 2000, ALL of which feature in Top 1000: Trouble Every Day, Friday Night, The Intruder, 35 Shots of Rum, White Material, and Bastards.
9. Martin Scorsese (73-year old American film-maker): Scorsese is one spot down this year as well. But his latest feature, 'Silence' should release by year-end and that will give him the opportunity to climb up the chart. He has directed six films since 2000, ALL of which feature in Top 1000: Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, Hugo, and The Wolf of Wall Street.
8. Quentin Tarantino (52-year old American film-maker): Tarantino did not feature in the top ten list last year. But this year, thanks to his latest film, he grabs the eighth rank, being the only new entry, and kicking out Christopher Nolan from top ten. He has made six films in the last fifteen years, ALL of which feature in Top 1000: Kill Bill: Volumes 1 and 2, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight.
7. Apichatpong Weerasethakul (45-year old Thai film-maker): His latest, 'Cemetery of Splendour' could not make it to Top 1000. And hence, this Thai master is one rank down from last year. He has directed seven feature films in his career, all since 2000, five of which feature in Top 1000. More remarkable is the fact that four of his movies are among top 60: Tropical Malady (2004) is highest rated at #13, followed by Blissfully Yours, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, Syndromes and a Century, and Mysterious Object at Noon.
6. Steven Spielberg (69-year old American film-maker): Has directed eleven films since 2000, eight of which feature in Top 1000: AI Artifical Intelligence, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can,Munich, War of the Worlds, War Horse, Lincoln, and Bridge of Spies. Thanks to his latest, he has climbed one rank up from last year. In a few months, his new film will be out: The BFG. It is based on a Roald Dahl novel and the screenplay is by Melissa Mathison who wrote the wonderful ET for Spielberg more than three decades ago.
5. Jia Zhangke (45-year old Chinese film-maker): Has directed seven films since 2000, six of which feature in Top 1000: Platform (2000) is highest rated at #17, followed by Still Life, The World, Unknown Pleasures, A Touch of Sin, and 24 City. His latest, Mountains May Depart, could not make it to Top 1000, and hence he is one position down from last year.
4. Wes Anderson (46-year old American filmmaker): Despite no release this year, Anderson has climbed one place up from last year's rankings. He has directed six films since 2000, ALL of which feature in Top 1000: The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and The Darjeeing Limited.
3. Joel and Ethan Coen (American film-makers, respectively 61 and 58 years of age): Missing the second spot narrowly by one point, the Coen Brothers have retained their third rank. They have directed nine films during 2000-2015, seven of which feature in Top 1000: No Country for Old Men, A Serious Man, Inside Llewyn Davis, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, True Grit, The Man Who Wasn't There, and Burn After Reading. Their latest, Hail, Caesar! may take them to the second spot next year.
2. Richard Linklater (55-year old American film-maker): Holding on to the second spot, Linklater has directed eleven films since 2000, seven of which feature in Top 1000: Before Sunset, Boyhood, Waking Life, Before Midnight, School of Rock, A Scanner Darkly, and Bernie. His latest, Everybody Wants Some!! is about to be released and Linklater may continue to stay in top three next year as well.
1. Michael Haneke (Austrian film-maker, about to turn 74): Despite having no releases in the last three years, Haneke is at the top. And it seems he will stay there for the next year as well. Reason? Six of the seven features he made since 2000 are ranked so highly that his total score surpasses film-makers with more movies. Cache (2005) is highest ranked at #7, followed by The Piano Teacher (#45), The White Ribbon (#47), Code Unknown (#66) and Amour (#73). Time of the Wolf is ranked #479.
