Who Is the Most Distinctive Auteur At The Moment?

By that, I mean that after watching two or three minutes of the film, you can immediately tell who directed it. I'd say it's a three-way tie between Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, and Terry Gilliam.

Don't leave out Mike Nichols! I love his movies and can tell it's one of his movies easily. He has a great handle on capturing emotions in relationships. Sorry, I don't know how to explain that any better! Enoy listening to the Nichols and May comedy routines on LP as well.

Also, the man uses bodies of water in pretty much all of his movies...

Working Girl-arial shot over Statue of Liberty
Graduate-Fish Tank and Pool shots with Benjamin
Catch 22 - I try to forget the ocean and the guy who is cut in half.
Postcards from the Edge- infinity pool to ocean in LA
The Birdcage-fantastic zooming arial shot from ocean to beach to the club.

Can't think of too much more..getting late and Jon Stewart is now on!

EDIT while commercial on during Jon Stewart:
Of course, I didn't want to leave out some of the other favorites, Silkwood, Regarding Henry, Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf, Closer, and let's not forget his HBO work with Wit and Angels in America!

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Updated On: 7/21/05 at 02:00 AM

Paul Thomas Anderson
M Night Shyamalan

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Definitely Almondovar.

Also, Anthony Minghella, even though I've DESPISED his films (English Patient, Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain).

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HITCHCOCK

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Boobsy, at the moment?

LOL bway...I guess I'm still in that moment.

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"Ripley" had SO much potential (as I said in a different thread) but it just falls flat. Natually, Gwyneth looks gorgeous in every scene, but she's totally underused. And speaking of underused, it's a testament to Cate Blanchett that she took a 2-second cameo and fleshed out a full character.

It doesn't come close to the style, suspense, etc. of the original French film, "Purple Noon."

I find that with Mighella's films, there isn't much heart to the stories. Intricate stories and gorgeous to look at all of them, but no real substance.

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Almodovar--by a mile.