Top 10 Directorial Debuts – The 00’s

Article by Todd Plucknett

Posted - 11/6/09

Go to Top 10 Directorial Debuts List

This decade has been a decent one for directorial debuts. Looking at my top 100, I saw that there were only two films that were debuts from the 2000s. So there were not too many monumental debuts like American Beauty, but there were filmmakers that turned into household names (Judd Apatow), some who made a masterpiece yet still remain widely unknown (Patty Jenkins), and some actors making their brilliant debuts behind the camera (Ben Affleck).Here is my list of the directors that showed the most promise of things to come. I am somewhat discouraged that only half of my list has another film scheduled for the near future, though…

Honorable Mention: Blue Car, Capote, George Washington, Gone Baby Gone, Manito, The Virgin Suicides

10. A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (Dito Montiel, 2006). This is one of the most brilliant films of the decade. There is so much feeling and emotion in Dito Montiel’s autobiographical indie film set in Astoria, New York. It chronicles Montiel’s childhood, seeing his best friends end up dead or in prison due to their gang lifestyle and always living on the edge of the law. Montiel’s direction is so precise. It is such a breath of fresh air to see a new filmmaker taking such huge risks. The film introduced the world to the amazing talent that is Channing Tatum and to the enormous potential that we already knew that Shia LaBeouf had. Since this film, Montiel has come out with a more Hollywood picture (Fighting) which actually had some of the same elements that made Saints so good. Montiel does not overdo anything. His films feel like a slice of life, yet nothing is romanticized. He has a knack for making things as realistic as possible, almost like a documentary. He is a real talent and one filmmaker to definitely keep an eye on.

Upcoming films: The Brotherhood of the Rose (2010), starring Channing Tatum

9. Igby Goes Down (Burr Steers, 2002). This is one of the most enjoyable and personal dramedies of the decade. Burr Steers (“Flock of Seagulls” from Pulp Fiction) made his directorial debut with this deeply emotional and darkly hilarious independent feature. It is as intelligently-written of a film as I have seen this decade, and its personal and serious subject matter is handled with such cleverness and feeling that it feels like it was made by a seasoned professional. Burr Steers needs to make another great indie flick like this one. Since, other than a few television episodes, all he has directed is the Zac Ephron comedy 17 Again. He is better than that. His debut film, from its haunting first scene to its heartbreaking ending, is one of the best films of the decade.

Upcoming films: The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud (2010), starring Zac Ephron, Kim Basinger

8. District 9 (Neill Blomkamp, 2009). This is the best sci-fi film of the past 20 years. Every moment of Neill Blomkamp’s first feature film is furiously edited and meaningful. To some, it may just seem like another movie with aliens. This film, however, has several hidden meanings and moral questions. The film is about an alien spaceship hovering over South Africa. The aliens live on earth in villages that are essentially internment camps. After a freak accident, one member of a government agency trying to evict the aliens begins mutating into one. The film is about him running from the government and realizing the inhumane acts that they had been doing to these aliens since they first discovered them. Almost every alien flick is about what the aliens will do to us. This film shows in a stark and disturbing nature what we will most likely do to them. Blomkamp, a student of Peter Jackson, will be a voice in cinema for a long time. I can’t wait for his second film.

Upcoming films: none currently scheduled

7. Amores Perros (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 2001). One of the most interesting filmmakers of this decade was Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. This is his debut film and certainly his best film. It uses a narrative style that has become all too familiar recently, but rarely has it been used with as much passion and brilliance as it was used in this film. The film has three interlocking stories, all revolving around a car accident. Each character struggles through life, dealing with love, grief, and loss. Inarritu’s direction is fantastic. It is so flawlessly-handled that hard to think that it is a debut film. Inarritu, along with frequent collaborator Guillermo Arriaga, has become one of the most recognizable and lasting voices in the industry. Their next collaboration came with 21 Grams, a gripping and brutal interlocking drama. Their next film was the Oscar-darling masterwork Babel. These are three films that have a trademark style and atmosphere that are as established as any that I have come across. When talking about the most consistent filmmakers working today, Inarritu has to be right up there.

Upcoming films: Biutiful (2010), starring Javier Bardem

6. American Splendor (Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini, 2003). This film is one of the most innovative and intriguing that I have ever seen. This debut film by documentarians Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini is about Harvey Pekar, the author of the autobiographical comic book American Splendor. The film is part live action, part documentary, and part animated. That is material that seems bound to fail. Astonishingly, Berman and Pulcini, with their first film, turned it into one of the most moving, brilliant, and hilarious films in recent memory. Pekar is one of the strangest people I have seen on screen, and his life could not have been represented better. Every moment of this quirky, near-perfect film is beautiful and exciting. It is hard to think of a more fitting representation of an average life working so well on screen. Since this film, Berman and Pulcini have only made one more feature film, the lightweight rom-com The Nanny Diaries. Their upcoming film sounds much better.

Upcoming films: The Extra Man (2010), starring Paul Dano, Kevin Kline, John C. Reilly, Katie Holmes, Cathy Moriarty, Celia Weston

5. Ghost World (Terry Zwigoff, 2001). This is a film that just exudes nostalgia. Terry Zwigoff’s brilliant debut comedy-drama knows exactly what it is like to be a teenager. Zwigoff’s direction is very subtle and beautiful, keeping the focus on the actors and the wonderful screenplay. The film centers on two recently-graduated girls who have a critique on everything. They are two of the most enjoyable characters to hang around, mainly because they are so much like the normal person. Things that they talk about and things that go through their heads are exactly what people think but never say. The performances that Zwigoff gets from his actors are superb, especially from Oscar-worthy Steve Buscemi. Zwigoff is an interesting filmmaker. This was his first feature after the groundbreaking documentary Crumb, and it is one of the best indie comedies of the decade. Recently, he has made the black comedy Bad Santa and the weaker Art School Confidential. With Crumb and Ghost World, Zwigoff’s potential was through the roof. I hope he returns to that sort of quirky, realistic subject matter soon.

Upcoming films: none currently scheduled

4. The 40 Year Old Virgin (Judd Apatow, 2005). What is there to say that hasn’t been said about Judd Apatow? The man is the master of comedy, and he has only directed three films. His first, while not necessarily his best, is the one that put him on the map. Almost instantly, he was a household name. After several years of writing TV shows and trash like Celtic Pride, Apatow decided to make a directing effort. He could not have made a stronger impression. It is a sex comedy for the ages. Not only is it one of the most uproarious films ever made, but it has a heart as big as any one of those laughs. That is what made Apatow so much different than anyone else in the comedy industry. He gives us comedies that we do not need to feel guilty for laughing at. Apatow has since made his best film Knocked Up and the wonderfully personal comedy-drama Funny People. Apatow isn’t going anywhere. His status right now is as iconic as any director working today. I cannot wait for his next venture.

Upcoming films: none currently scheduled

3. Boiler Room (Ben Younger, 2000). This is one of the most enjoyable films of the decade. First-time writer-director Ben Younger creates a brilliant, energetic atmosphere in the often visited stock broker world of film. This film is the Wall Street for its generation, giving the leads to the likes of Giovanni Ribisi, Scott Caan, Vin Diesel, and Nicky Katt, all who give the best performances of their careers. Younger’s direction creates a thrilling atmosphere, but never too much to make it stray away from the drama. It is a very dramatic and emotional movie. Younger brings all of these young, and at the time fairly unknown, actors together to create a fantastic film about corruption and greed. Since, Younger has only made one film, the underrated romantic comedy Prime. It was a lot better than most people would ever give it credit for. It starred my two favorite ladies ever (Uma and Meryl), and it is an unconventional take on the genre. Younger has real talent. I am convinced that he could work for a long time if he continues to get the right projects.

Upcoming films: none currently scheduled

2. Monster (Patty Jenkins, 2003). So Ebert and I agree for once. This is one of the great experiences I had watching a movie this decade. Patty Jenkins crafted this masterful and deeply disturbing film about a monstrous lead character that is impossible not to feel an incredible amount of sympathy for. Jenkins directs it fairly straight, giving it a thrilling atmosphere amongst the romance and murder. Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci give two of the best performances of the decade. Both, especially Theron, get completely lost in their roles. Jenkins somehow makes this movie that could have been a straight-to-Lifetime film turn into a masterpiece of cinema. This can be accredited to her instincts as a filmmaker and her passion for the project at hand. The film leaves us with a lot to think about. These characters’ lives just completely unfolded right before eyes, and the way the film ends on such a somber note leaves the audience completely haunted. Since, Jenkins has not made another film. I hope she picks up the camera again soon. Her one film is as good as anything this decade.

Upcoming film: none currently scheduled

1. In the Bedroom (Todd Field, 2001). Todd Field has made two of my 25 favorite films of all time. He seems like such a veteran of the industry, but those are his only two films he has made. This is his first, and while it is not his best, it is still the most astonishing debut film of the decade. Field has an ear for suburban drama unlike any filmmaker I have ever seen. In the Bedroom is a masterpiece. The mood is as well-established as any film. The tension is there, even though it is an incredibly quiet film. The emotion is drawn from each member of its incredible ensemble cast. Each character makes you really feel their grief and identify with their predicaments. Field is a masterful filmmaker. Each scene feels vital, and there is not a false note in the entire film. The camera is always in the precise place. The film is incredibly honest. It is just about the most real film I have seen. It is so close to perfect. Since this film, Field has only made Little Children, the 2006 suburban drama that is even better. Field can do no wrong in my eyes. His debut film was not only the best of this decade, but one of the best of all time.

Upcoming films: Blood Meridian (2011), based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy