Directing a Winner

As I looked at the cinematic landscape in 2010 (viewed through the lens of our Best Picture nominees), I realized that the group of bankable directors has changed.

Over the past 20 years, there have been several names that has been associated with quality filmmaking. Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, and Clint Eastwood all delivered incredible work in the 1990s and first decade of the 2000s. And all four have begun to tail off a bit.

Though each of them still deliver quality work, they seem to have passed their peak. Meanwhile some younger directors who seemed on the cusp — like M. Night Shymalan — have fizzled with recent offerings. In fact, Shymalan's last film has him in line to win the dubious raspberry award.

So the question is, what directors working right now are the most consistently bankable. Who do you know will not only produce a good film, but a film that will appeal to industry insiders and the masses. I have a list of four (technically five) that I think are hot right now.

1. The Coen Brothers. This seems like a no-brainer. They won all the top prizes in 2007 for "No Country for Old Men" and each of the last two years they've produced a Best Picture nominee ("A Serious Man," "True Grit"). This year's prize, "True Grit," was not only a phenomenal take on a classic film, it has been their most commercially successful. Quite a feat. I thought the Coen Brothers really hit a peak in the early to mid-1990s, with films like "Barton Fink" and "Miller's Crossing" (The Coen Brothers film I love the most), then they hit a different plateau. Over the last five years they have found a new groove. While you might not always love the content of the films, all their recent films have maintained the trademark quirkiness while being completely watchable.

2. Jason Reitman. Many probably don't know the director by name. He has directed only three feature-length films, and they've all been incredible. His last two — "Juno" and "Up In The Air" — were nominated for Best Picture. And they might not even be his best. Personally, I think I loved his debut film "Thank You For Smoking" a little more. Reitman, the son of director Ivan Reitman, seems to have found his filmmaking niche.

3. David Fincher. Many were drawn to Fincher's 1995 film "Seven." That movie showed all the raw skill and talent he had as a visual filmmaker. He followed it up with a couple strong efforts in "The Game" and "Fight Club," then he went into a long stretch where his only release was "Panic Room." Starting in 2007, Fincher really hit a new level. He released "Zodiac," a fantastic, trippy crime drama in the vein of "Seven." The next year he delivered "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which earned a Best Picture nod and showed his range. This year Fincher delivered the best film of the year — "The Social Network" — and now he's on to directing the wildly popular "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" remake.

4. Christopher Nolan. He hasn't made a bad film. I defy you to find one. Nolan burst onto the scene with "Memento," then followed that up with the beautifully crafted crime saga "Insomnia." In 2005, Nolan hit a new level with his take on Batman in "Batman Begins." In 2008, Nolan delivered what I consider to be the best film of the first decade of the 2000s with "The Dark Knight" and delivered a beautifully original film this year in "Inception." The fact he didn't get a nomination for directing is a crime. Still, Nolan might be the best filmmaker working today.

Well, that's my list. Does anyone else have any additions to the list?