These are the top four new american directors I think. I have to vote for Anderson because I think his attention to all aspects of his films especially art direction exceeds that of everyone else.

Though I went with Wes as well, my very close second choice would be David Gordon Green (George Washington and All the Real Girls). And if you can count Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu (Amores Perros and 21 Grams) as an American director (fair if we can count Nolan, who is British) then he's probably my top choice over Anderson, but just barely.

But that's me.

Will

(Edited by Wiyum at 3:56 am on Dec. 6, 2003)

All have promise. But Anderson, after only three films, can already be thrown on the "greatest of all time" short list. The man is a genius. If the new one is as great as Rushmore and Tennenbaums, I think we'll have a rival to the Altmans, Coppolas, and Welles'.

Sofia Coppola...i loved virgin suicides, lost in translation was good not great.

So far, overall, I like Aronofsky. I'm interested to see what he has coming.

wiyum, haven't seen 21 grams yet...is it not in Nashville yet???

All the real girls I can't figure out. The thing is, I should like it...its right up my alley. but a few things bothered me about it most notably his bending over backwards to make sure his characters come off as very educated with big vocabularies despite the fact that he wants them to have a little country bumpkin charm as well. Trying to disspell myths about farmers and people who live outside of urban settings is a noble idea, but I think dude bashes us over the head with it a few too many times...(the wine drinking and all the characters waxing philosophical and psychoanalyzing each other). Also the lead female character's loss of virginity in a one night stand is absurdly out of character...one minute she's head over heels in love with this guy and she's talking about how she's never had this love before and then she goes and casual sex with someone. This character that was built up is not someone who would have casual sex, especially for the first time, imho. With that said, there were some brilliant moments in this film, some really georgeous stuff and some good dialog. visually incredible. It gets a little mushy sometimes, teetering on that fine line, which I can take but a more brutal reviewer might rip apart. (read: neuboy). In short, this is the kind of movie Wilco fans would love (actually its Will Oldham who does the score) but I'm a big Tweedy fan and it was a bit much here and there even for me. Its at the top of my list to view again, i may need to watch it a few more times to "figure it out".

hey, is Winterbottom young enough to be considered a "young" director. He is brittish, though.

That's a fine last name. I always liked names with "bottom" thrown in there. They hold their own with names like Derryberry and Pettyjohn.

Wes Anderson. I'm very excited about The Life Aquatic...

It seems that this is the case, which is a shame. Go see it as soon as it is in Nashville, it is an intense film.


I doubt that there is anything you need to "figure out." You seem to have analyzed the film more deeply than I had. I just really like it, and its "flaws" are charming to me ("flaw" being your point about the characters being overly literate).

I have a friend that lost her virginity at a party on campus while her boyfriend was out of town, mostly because she was drunk and there was an element of peer pressure. In any case, she never told the guy, so the story isn't identical, but maybe that's why I didn't have a problem with that aspect.

In any case, I do prefer George Washington, but I really adore both films. And the "Wilco-ness" of All the Real Girls is a really strong point.

Will

(Edited by Wiyum at 8:26 pm on Dec. 7, 2003)

definitely Wes Anderson

I'd say Wes Anderson, but I like Aronofski a lot as well.

I really love Wes Anderson out of this group, but what about Paul Thomas Anderson folks?
Hard Eight.
Boogie Nights.
Magnolia.
Where's the love?

(Edited by herman at 2:23 pm on Jan. 1, 2004)

jamiecarrol is a huge pt anderson fan. I'm a fan...but does his age fall into the "young" category? I'm not sure. Anyway, Boogie Nights was great, Magnolia was great but could've been edited more liberally. Hard Eight was ok at best. Haven't seen punch drunk. I'm interested to see what else he has coming.

(Edited by roadie at 2:58 pm on Jan. 1, 2004)

wiyum,

everybody's got me all hyped up about George Washington. But I haven't seen it at any of the rental stores. maybe I need to look harder. Any ideas? And what is the premise of the film?

I love me some PTA...and noticed that today was his birthday. He's 33- I HOPE that still counts as young! Esp. since Hard 8 (which I thought was great) came out when he was 27...and imdb says he put something called "The Dirk Diggler Story" out when he was 18. Wes kicks his ass though- same grandiosity & ego (in a good way), but way more controlled & carefully constructed.

First of all, see Punch-Drunk Love. It is a love-or-hate kind of film, but I definitely love it.

No idea where to rent George Washington. I just broke down and bought it, regardless of its prohibitively expensive price tag. If Videoculture doesn't have it, I don't know of any place that might... been too long since I lived in the Nashville area I'm afraid.

As for the premise, I don't want to go into plot, so I'll just say that it is a movie about kids that takes seriously everything that the kids take seriously, rather than take a stance of superiority over the kids. It is at once very funny, very sad, and very touching. If you don't like Terrance Mallick (Badlands, Days of Heaven, and The Thin Red Line), stay away.

Will

i too would have gone with pr anderson if he were a choice but ill stay with wes anderson out of all of those.

I think its a student project film. It's basically an early, longer version of the "documentary" seen about halfway through Boogie Nights.

wiyum,

I love Terry Malick.

Kids taking stuff seriously....like Kicking and Screaming??

(I love that movie by the way)

God, can't believe I forgot Punch Drunk. Great film.

Hard Eight - Never heard of it. It must suck.
Boogie Nights - gay
Magnolia - shit.
Punch Drunk Love - Mr. Deeds was better.

Speaking of Andersons, what about Paul W.S. Anderson of Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon, Soldier, Resident Evil, and soon Alien vs. Predator.

He kicks P.T.'s gay ass.

seriously?

nevermind.


(Edited by Bowl of Fire at 6:33 pm on Feb. 10, 2004)

god, i hope you're not serious.

Mr. Deed's?

judging a film you've never seen...brilliant