Not sure how long the official ballot is going to be but here’s my preliminary Top 25 directors list. I took into account things like productivity, consistency, ambition vs execution, distinctness, how much I look forward to their next movie, are they improving, and just generally how much I like their stuff.
1. Mike LeighHappy-Go-Lucky (2008) ★★★★
Secrets & Lies (1996) ★★★★
All or Nothing (2002) ★★★★
Vera Drake (2004) ★★★★
Topsy-Turvy (1999) ★★★½
Career Girls (1997) ★★★½
Naked (1993) ★★★½
Life Is Sweet (1990) ★★★½
The Short & Curlies (1987 - short) ★★★
Hope to catch up with: Nuts In May, The Kiss of Death, Abigail’s Party, Who’s Who, Home Sweet Home, Grown-Ups, Bleak Moments, Meantime, Hard Labour2. Hayao MiyazakiSpirited Away (2001) ★★★★
Princess Mononoke (1997) ★★★★
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984) ★★★★
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) ★★★★
My Neighbour Totoro (1988) ★★★★
Porco Rosso (1992) ★★★½
Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) ★★★½
Castle In The Sky (1986) ★★★½
The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) ★★★
Ponyo (2008) ★★★
3. Woody AllenVicky Christina Barcelona (2007) ★★★★
Match Point (2005) ★★★★
Melinda Melinda (2004) ★★★★
Whatever Works (2009) ★★★½
Anything Else (2003) ★★★½
Another Woman (1988) ★★★½
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) ★★★
Scoop (2006) ★★★
The Purple Rose of Cario (1985) ★★½
Bananas (1971) ★½
Hollywood Ending (2002) ★
Need to revisit or catch up with: Annie Hall, Manhattan, Crimes and Misdemeanors. I don’t have much interest in the rest at this time...4. Yimou ZhangHero (2002) ★★★★
To Live (1994) ★★★★
House of Flying Daggers (2004) ★★★½
The Road Home (1999) ★★★½
Not One Less (1999) ★★★½
Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) ★★½
Would like to see: Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern, Shanghai Triad, Keep Cool, Happy Time, Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles5. Stanley KubrickEyes Wide Shut (1999) ★★★★
Barry Lyndon (1975) ★★★★
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) ★★★★
Full Metal Jacket (1987) ★★★★
The Shining (1980) ★★★★
The Killing (1956) ★★★½
Lolita (1962) ★★★
Spartacus (1960) ★★
A Clockwork Orange (1975) ★★
Killer’s Kiss (1955) ★★
Paths of Glory (1957) ★
Dr. Strangelove (1964) ★
6. Christopher NolanThe Prestige (2006) ★★★★
The Dark Knight (2008) ★★★★
Inception (2010) ★★★★
Batman Begins (2005) ★★★
Memento (2000) ★★½
Insomnia (2002) ★★
Curious about but not breaking down doors to see: Following 7. Farrelly Bros.Me, Myself and Irene (2000) ★★★★
Shallow Hal (2001) ★★★★
Dumb & Dumber (1994) ★★★★
Kingpin (1996) ★★★½
There’s Something About Mary (1998) ★★★½
Hesitant to watch: Osmosis Jones, Stuck on You, Fever Pitch, The Heartbreak Kid8. Steven SpielbergJurassic Park (1993) ★★★★
Minority Report (2002) ★★★★
Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001) ★★★½
Jaws (1975) ★★★½
Saving Private Ryan (1998) ★★★½
Catch Me If You Can (2002) ★★★½
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) ★★★½
Schindler’s List (1993) ★★★½
War of the Worlds (2005) ★★★
The Terminal (2004) ★★½
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) ★★½
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) ★★
Hook (1991) ★★
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) ★★
Munich (2005) ★★
Amistad (1997) ★★
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) ★
Some interest in seeing: Empire of the Sun9. Oliver StoneWall Street (1987) ★★★★
JFK (1991) ★★★★
Any Given Sunday (1999) ★★★½
Talk Radio (1988) ★★★½
Platoon (1986) ★★★
W. (2008) ★★★
Would like to catch up with: Salvador, Born on the Fourth of July, Heaven & Earth, U Turn10. Stanley TongJackie Chan’s First Strike (1996) ★★★★
Rumble in the Bronx (1995) ★★★★
Supercop (1992) ★★★★
Need to see immediately: Supercop 211. Ang LeeCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) ★★★★
Sense and Sensibility (1995) ★★★★
Brokeback Mountain (2005) ★★★★
The Ice Storm (1997) ★★★½
Pushing Hands (1992) ★★½
Hulk (2003) ★
Curious about: Eat Drink Man Woman, The Wedding Banquet, Ride with the Devil, Lust Caution12. Milos FormanAmadeus (1984) ★★★★
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) ★★★★
Valmont (1989) ★★★½
The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) ★★★½
Man on the Moon (1999) ★★½
Goya’s Ghosts (2006) ★
13. Martin ScorseseCasino (1995) ★★★★
Goodfellas (1990) ★★★★
Gangs of New York (2002) ★★★½
Shutter Island (2010) ★★★½
After Hours (1985) ★★★
The Departed (2006) ★★★
No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005) ★★★
Cape Fear (1991) ★★½
The Aviator (2004) ★★½
Bringing Out the Dead (1999) ★★
Taxi Driver (1976) ★
Raging Bull (1980) ★
Mild interest in: Mean Streets, The King of Comedy, The Colour of Money14. Darren AronofskyPi (1998) ★★★★
Requiem for a Dream (2000) ★★★★
The Fountain (2006) ★★★½
The Wrestler (2008) ★★★
15. Steven SoderberghErin Brockovich (2000) ★★★★
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) ★★★★
Out of Sight (1998) ★★★½
Sex, Lies and Videotape ★★★½
Ocean’s Twelve (2004) ★★★½
Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) ★★★½
The Limey (1999) ★★★½
Traffic (2000) ★★★½
The Informant! (2009) ★
Che: Part One (2008) ★
Would like to see: Solaris, The Girlfriend Experience16. Tony ScottSpy Game (2001) ★★★★
Top Gun (1986) ★★★★
Domino (2005) ★★★½
Crimson Tide (1995) ★★★½
True Romance (1995) ★★★
Enemy of the State (1998) ★★★
Man on Fire (2004) ★★★
Deja Vu (2006) ★★½
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009) ★
Urgently need to see: Days of Thunder, The Last Boy Scout17. Curtis HansonThe Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992) ★★★★
The River Wild (1994) ★★★★
Wonder Boys (2000) ★★★½
L.A. Confidential (1997) ★★★½
8 Mile (2002) ★★½
Will see but don’t hold out much hope for: The Bedroom Window, Bad Influence, Lucky You18. Bruce BrownThe Endless Summer 2 (1994) ★★★★
On Any Sunday (1971) ★★★½
The Endless Summer (1966) ★★★
19. Coen Bros.The Big Lebowski (1998) ★★★★
No Country For Old Men (2007) ★★★★
Burn After Reading (2008) ★★★½
Fargo (1996) ★★★
The Ladykillers (2004) ★★½
Blood Simple (1984) ★★½
Miller’s Crossing (1990) ★★½
Barton Fink (1991) ★★
A Serious Man (2009) ★
Curious about: The Hudsucker Proxy, O Brother Where Art Thou?, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Raising Arizona20. Peter JacksonThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) ★★★★
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) ★★★★
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) ★★★½
King Kong (2005) ★★★
Heavenly Creatures (1994) ★★½
Curious about: The Frighteners21. Sergio LeoneFor a Few Dollars More (1965) ★★★★
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) ★★★★
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) ★★★★
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) ★★★
Once Upon A Time In America (1984) ★
Curious about: Duck You Sucker22. Michael MooreBowling for Columbine (2002) ★★★★
Sicko (2007) ★★★½
Capitalism: A Love Story (2009) ★★★½
Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) ★★★
Roger & Me (1989) ★★★
Canadian Bacon (1995) ★★½
23. Danny BoyleSunshine (2007) ★★★½
The Beach (2000) ★★★½
28 Days Later... (2002) ★★★½
Slumdog Millionaire (2008) ★★★
Trainspotting (1996) ★★★
May check out: Millions, A Life Less Ordinary, Shallow Grave24. Clint EastwoodUnforgiven (1992) ★★★★
Million Dollar Baby (2004) ★★★★
Pale Rider (1985) ★★★½
Changeling (2008) ★★★½
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) ★★★½
The Bridges of Madison County (1995) ★★★½
Heartbreak Ridge (1986) ★★★
The Eiger Sanction (1975) ★★½
Space Cowboys (2000) ★★½
Blood Work (2002) ★★½
Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) ★★½
Flag of our Fathers (2006) ★★
Invictus (2009) ★
Gran Torino (2008) ★
Bird (1988) ★
Would like to see: High Plains Drifter25. David FincherFight Club (1999) ★★★★
Se7en (1995) ★★★½
Zodiac (2007) ★★★½
Panic Room (2002) ★★★
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) ★★
Alien 3 (1992) ★
Would like to see: The Game
I'm going to work to see many of these unwatched films before sending in my ballot.