Modern Drama Directors: 3 Filmmakers Who Stand Out

A movie is often only as good as its director, for film directors are responsible for the overall look, feel, and tone of a motion picture – especially with modern dramas. Filmmakers.com suggests that, “The film director is seen as a leader of others, as providing a kind of guiding force.” Each brings a unique, creative vision to a project and, in doing so, transform movie making into an art form.

Here's a look at three directors who have mastered the art of drama.

1. Darren Aronofsky

Darren Aronofsky directed two recent critically acclaimed, award winning dramas: “The Wrestler” with Mickey Rourke in 2008, and 2010's “Black Swan,” starring Natalie Portman. The latter earned Portman an Oscar for Best Actress in 2011.

Aronofsky's career kicked into high gear in 2000 with the drug addiction drama "Requiem for a Dream."

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2. Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson’s name has been linked to a number of critically acclaimed and award-winning films. “Boogie Nights” from 1997 and “There Will Be Blood” from 2007 are two that are most often mentioned.

The 44-year old Anderson could be considered an actor’s director. He discusses his relationships with actors in a January 2015 Rolling Stone article, explaining, “I was always hanging out with the actors. I was never the guy hanging around the special-effects crew ... I was lucky in that my first feature ... I was working with John C. Reilly, Philip Baker Hall, Sam Jackson and Gwyneth Paltrow – they taught me a lot.”

3. Steven Spielberg

Of course, one cannot discuss modern dramatic filmmaking without including a director who is arguably the most famous director of the past 35 years: Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg has directed dozens of feature films, many of which are critically acclaimed. IMDb.com calls Spielberg “undoubtedly one of the most influential film personalities in the history of film ... perhaps Hollywood's best known director.”

Many Spielberg films tend to fall into the “classic” category. “Jaws,” “Schindler’s List,” and “Saving Private Ryan” are only a few in a laundry list of movies that any director would love to have on a resume.

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ustry waits anxiously for the next Spielberg to emerge. Will it be Aronofsky, Anderson, or someone whose name is yet to be revealed that will be the next carrier of the Hollywood torch?

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