Peppermint Friday Review #26: Sullivan's Travels

I hope you enjoyed Wednesday's post as it was nice to talk about something abit different for a change, and appropriately it was uploaded on International Woman's Day which wasn't planned at all by the way. Anyway we're gonna talk about an Actress and one of the best films ever I think, and it needed to be a Peppermint Friday Film to talk about, I couldn't just do it on any other day.

To put it short this film is about filmmaking, John Sullivan played by Joel McCrea is a Director who has done well, and made some money from the films he's made, but is creatively dissatisfied with the films he's made and wants to make some real gritty drama instead of the comedies he's making. The studio he works for wants him to make a film that is very much the same genre and style of film. John decides he wants to see the world at first hand so he becomes a tramp and bumps into a struggling actress called as in the film 'The Girl' who is played by Veronica Lake.  

The dialogue of this film is just brilliant, I love how witty they are and the quick humour of them both. Veronica Lake is such a beautiful woman and an amazing actress, she is a woman who I admire greatly and her portrayal of an actress who has struggled and has found it really hard the fact that she has this sense of humor is amazing and so classy and sultry she is a woman who I think we should all aspire to be. One of my favorite bits of the film and its turned into a classic line for varies films, TV shows, Theatre alike and that's when they're in the car and he goes 'What could go wrong?' and suddenly they're in prison together.

Joel McCrea is brilliant, he's an actor I've only seen in one film and that's this film, but despite that he's a good actor and I love the chemistry between him and Veronica Lake it's like an old married couple, and that's something I love in romance I like the witty, fun atmosphere with it, instead of it being all serious all the time as it's nice to have a bit of yin and yang. The character development from Joel's character is something I love, I love that he is so relatable because creative people are very erratic at times, its about changing things up all the time.

 Sully I should call him, at the beginning he is very frustrated with what he's doing, he wants to create gritty realism that has dirt underneath its fingernails, throughout the film he wants to deal with real trouble by being a tramp, he meets a beautiful girl who is struggling as an actress and is seriously thinking about going back home. She brings light to him and he brings light to her, and you all know already how much I love witty, cleverly written comedies with added genres and themes of anything. 

Minor characters I love are the Head of the studio which Sully works for, he is so patronising towards Sully about him doing something different which I like as he was very cheerful about it, which makes him even more so patronising, but I liked that because it succeeded in what the character set out to do. The butlers were so funny, and relaxed about it, one of my favorite bits of them was when Sully and Veronica were by the pool and fell in twice because they were having quite a heated conversation. They were so 'oh they're in the pool' and I just found it so amusing, during the end of the film when the plot gets thicker and much more deep.

                                                              
One of the cutest and most picturesque screenshot of the film that I love and holds a memory for me is the scene where Sully is on a boat in his hobo gear with a dog, I don't think there's nothing more beautiful than a man with his dog. You should definitely watch this film its so witty and wonderful, with a brilliant cast and its got Veronica Lake in and that's a film made I think. On that note I shall speak to you all very soon, and have a lovely weekend!

Women In Film

Follow my blog with Bloglovin This post was along time coming, and here it is I wanna talk about what I think of feminism and whether I'm a feminist or not, and women in film from behind the scene jobs such as Directors, Producers, Writers and such, also I wanna talk about female characters and they're representation and what impact they have. I also wanna touch on another topic that's not talked about as much and thats a female who's a fan of films, like me. 

Before you ask I am a feminist but I'm a quiet feminist I say that as the word scares me a bit and I'll explain why. When I first heard of the word 'Feminist' I was about 8 or 9 and we learnt about the Suffragettes in London fighting for the right to vote for women that's when I first heard that term and what it meant and since them until fairly recently that's just what I thought a feminist was. I thought a feminist was a woman who was stuck in the old Suffragette times thinking we needed rights for women and yes we do but not in the U.K which is where I live, but in some underdeveloped countries and countries that women don't have support and aren't as lucky we are in the U.K and USA where we have the vote and free speech if you get what I mean.

That term of what I thought what a feminist was which is very old fashioned and really bad to think that way, as recently its not the case anymore. Like with Emma Watson and the speech she gave at the UN and the HeForShe campaign, she made feminism much more modern and clear the light on it a little. She basically explained what feminism is much less about women but more of a whole issue with both genders, its about equality for everyone and thats what I believe in its not 'Women Vs Men' or 'Men Vs Women' its a human issue. I say I'm a quiet feminist as there are still some scary, crazy feminists out there, but obviously not everyone is and I'm sure everyone will know what I mean by crazy feminists.

Anyway that's what I think of feminism and me being a feminist, its not like its weird I think everyone is a feminist. In terms of films and the behind the scenes aspect, the gender gap is interesting as its not like women are rubbish at being Directors, or Producers and Writers. It is getting better, particularly in TV I feel as there are more Female Producers and Writers and definitely Directors than there were 10 years ago or so. It is getting better its just we're not choosing to see it, like for instance Breaking Bad an amazing TV Show, extremely popular and its had 6 female producers working on the show consistently for 5 years I think thats amazing and brilliant but often overlooked. Plus there are so many amazing Directors that just happen to be female like Sofia Coppola, Jane Campion and Jodie Foster who have made amazing films, but people don't put them in there favorite film list, its usually great films by a female director. It should be she's a great Director/Producer/Writer or whatever and she's a female, it should be about how good something rather than whether it was made by a woman or not. 

Female characters have improved so much, its amazing in Film and TV. Female characters are just as good and strong as the Male characters if not better sometimes. I don't know one person who doesn't wanna be Arya Stark from Game Of Thrones or Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, as they're so strong and admirable women to look up to. But with the amazing characters of women in Film and TV theres also the bad characters, where writers feel the need to show as much flesh as possible or to show how chivalry the man is by the woman being a damsel in distress. I feel there are some badly written female characters as well as badly written male characters, but again its getting alot better.

As a woman who loves Films and TV something that I find is quite typically a male thing to enjoy, I say that as there aren't many females my age, older, younger who like the same things as I like that could be my problem that I'm not expanding myself more, but its something I have had problems with. In my experience and with my age it can be quite difficult to talk to people about films as they just assume I love Chick Flicks, Romantic Comedies and thats all I know. With my age, its usually with the older generation of film lovers, who immediately make the assumption of young people only liking films that were made in the modern age which can be the case but not always.

Its not that bad its just annoying as you're not taken seriously as someone who genuinely enjoys films, but its something that I've kinda used to my advantage in a way. As I'm talking to someone about films and they mention an actress like Bette Davis or an Alfred Hitchcock film, and quickly they try to explain to me who Bette Davis is or what the Alfred Hitchcock film is about and them having to explain who he is, because I clearly wouldn't know being a young woman who only likes Chick Flicks. I do enjoy being quite smug about it when I turn round and go I know who Bette Davis is, or yeah I've seen that Alfred Hitchcock film by the way, and there faces are just priceless because they don't expect it and suddenly you're taken seriously.

There is this thing called 'The Bechdel Test' for those of you who don't know its the test that show the active presence of females on film. Its based upon this comic strip and the questions are 1) the film has to have at least two women in it who both have names 2) who talk to each other 3) about something besides a man. You'll be surprised about how many films don't pass this test and films that do, examples of films that didn't pass the test are, The Social Network, The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy and the Original Star Wars Trilogy, some examples that did pass the test are, Fifty Shades Of Grey, American Pie 2, and Deep Throat. I do find the test interesting as it should be so simple to have female presence in film, and the amount of films fail to do this its crazy, but its not the B-all and End all of good and bad films. I mean it doesn't distinguish whats a good film and a bad film that's matter of preference. 

Overall I think women have flaws as do men, I don't believe there's a superior with them both in terms of characters and jobs in films because like with any job or character there are good and bad people, its not a case of Men are the best Directors because some Men might be crap, and also not all Women are only fit for Makeup Artists and can't Direct at all. I do think there should be more encouragement for women to partake in the behind the scenes jobs as it were, because we're not encouraged enough to believe that its a job just as important as an Actress, Makeup Artist, Costume etc, I don't think, but that's an opinion so I could be talking rubbish to you. Although I believe you should do something because you want to and have the ambition to not because you wanna be the first at it, or there's no enough females in this area of job so I'll do it.

I hope this post wasn't too waffleley and incoherent and I got my point across without sounding like a feminazi. So that's what I think of feminism and this will be only time I'll talk about this in real detail as I do have opinions, but I like talking about films and on this blog that's what I do I mean it says it in the title so it speaks for itself in a way. I do hope you enjoyed this rather opinionated post of me talking about women and women in films, as I did enjoy writing this but I'll talk to you all on Friday which I will do a review on and it will be back to normal. I would love to know your opinions on women in film, as its interesting to know about different opinions and such. My twitter is @zaravalerielane if you're interested, anyway I'll talk to you all on Friday!

Review: Travels With My Aunt

Last week was abit wishy washy, as there was no usual Wednesday post, there was but not the Peppermint Friday way post if that makes sense. I did touch on something I'm really happy that I touched on and thats women in film, the posts I did were both involving Elizabeth Taylor and Tennessee Williams, and I spoke alot about the women in those stories. So we're gonna carry it on and it was a long time coming so thats what we're gonna do. This weekend I watched Travels With My Aunt, with Maggie Smith and Alec McCowen and thats what we're gonna talk about today.

Travels With My Aunt is about a man called Henry Pulling who's mother has just died (Alec McCowen) and at the funeral his Aunt Augusta played by Maggie Smith who says she raised him and not his mother. She has an African boyfriend called Zachery who is waiting for her, she is then received a package containing a served finger who belongs to her true love Ercole along with a note saying they will be reunited with payment of $100,000. Augusta asks if Henry can accompany her to Paris aware that she is has pay ransom, and its just as the title suggests 'Travels with my Aunt'

Firstly it has Maggie Smith in it, so you're immediately gonna enjoy it, plus its Maggie Smith as more of herself than anything you know what I mean if you watched her in interviews particularly back in the day. She's so acid tongue and witty, that's the Maggie that isn't shown that often and thats why I love it so much. Alex McCowen plays the opposite of Maggie Smith's character Augusta, he's shy, straight guy in the comedy. The character dynamic is amazing love how different they are to each other and it makes it so much more funny. The costumes are amazing aswell, love all the clothes Maggie wears in this film, its set in the 70's and that's an interesting and fun era of fashion and film. The fact that Henry is younger than Augusta and he's much more mature is one of the things that makes me love Augusta and Maggie Smith that much more shes's internally youthful.

The minor characters they meet on the journeys are just wonderful, they're such full of colour. Tooley is a firm favorite she's so quirky and adorable one of my favorite scenes was when she was flirting and encouraging Henry to smoke marijuana. She reminds me of Danielle Foussard from To Catch A Thief that cheeky, funny, slightly naughty girl and that kinda character is always fun to me. All the interesting funny peculiar people they encounter are just so brilliant, like the Taxi driver they meet as soon as they get to Paris he's so positive and can't speak that much English its so accurate its hilarious because we've all met someone like that when we go to different countries and its so bonkers you've gotta laugh at it. 

There is a serious side to it in terms of Augusta and the genuine of her being Henry's Aunt as it can be wishy washy, because throughout the film you're questioning whether or not she's his Aunt, but I'd like it to be one of those make of it what you will moments of film and storytelling. Another serious part of the story is, the problem with Augusta's relationships and how she feels about them. I loved that Augusta has that mind of an 18 year old, and doesn't give a thought about long term marriages, and focusing on the hear and now of relationships and flings. I just hope that I'm like that when I'm at that age. Adding that the 1970's of film and I think I've said this before, but its quite a serious era of film I feel it had much more of the dialogue and styles we see now, and I haven't seen that many 1970s films so its a good one to watch of those who haven't seen many. 

                                                                    
If you watched The Lady In The Van or read the review I did #promo then you'll see the similarities of characters in them both. Maggie is a fantastic Actress and if you loved The Lady In The Van then you'll love this film, just think of Travels with my Aunt as a younger version of Maggie in The Lady In The Van. Alec McCowen was amazing in it, just total opposites from each other, and I love that, just found out Alec McCowen past away only a month ago, so RIP. Give this film a go as its so funny with its witty lines, and brilliant Acting talents from Maggie Smith and Alec McCowen. 

Peppermint Friday Review #25: Suddenly Last Summer

This film is quite a serious one, as the story touches on some pretty hardcore issues and the acting talent is brilliant and an amazing story. Next week will have alot more structure to it, and it will be lighter and less serious, to balance it out a bit. 

This is the first time I'll be talking about Katharine Hepburn, which is much needed and the second time I'll be talking about a Tennessee Williams classic. The story is about Catherine Holly played by Elizabeth Taylor she has had a mental breakdown and was sent to an institution due to her cousin Sebastian who died under mysterious circumstances whilst on holiday. Sebastian's rich mother Violet Venable played by Katharine Hepburn denies her son's truth over what happened, and tries to bribe by getting them a new wing for the hospital. Dr Lawrence J Hockstader and Dr John Cukrowicz both played by Albert Dekker and Montgomery Clift to perform a lobotomy to Catherine.

There's a million and one things that happen in this story that just so juicy, but that would be ruining such a brilliant story and I can't do that to you guys. First of all this story is quite an adult based one as its very dark and deals with some quite serious issues. Elizabeth Taylor's acting performance in this is just beautiful, she delivers a woman who is struggling with the terms of her cousin's death, going through a mental breakdown and having her Aunt want her to have a lobotomy thinking that will make things better. 

Katharine Hepburn is fantastic, although it is slightly predictable as thats the kinda character she usually plays, the sharp tongued, outspoken sometimes bitter woman. She did do a very good job, despite thats the role she usually plays but that can't be helped. I've always been a big fan of Katharine Hepburn's voice and backstory in particular as she is very intriguing she came from a political family with a suffragette mother and her brother committed suicide when she was only 10, it had a real affect on her growing up into the woman she is. I find her quite sharp voice very interesting and brilliant to listen to as there wasn''t that many Actresses at that time who had that sort of voice. 

Montgomery Clift was brilliant at conjuring what happened, he was the audience in the story if you will, he was asking all the questions that we as the audience were asking as to what was going on, and what happen to Sebastian. This was during Montgomery's later career, when he was even more moodier and sensitive, Albert Dekker was brilliant even though I haven't seen him in that many things he was very good. Montgomery's facial expressions were just brilliant he delivers the words so perfectly its just off the cuff and no second thoughts about it they were said they way they needed to be said. 

The costumes of the film were brilliant if a little boring, but then again the costumes for a film like this shouldn't be stylish but Elizabeth Taylor's swimsuit was beautiful, and her dress it fitted with her character so well, as did Katharine Hepburn's it was stylish for the elderly and that sounds like a backhanded compliment, but I didn't mean it that way, if I dressed the way Katharine Hepburn dresses in this film when I'm that age I'll be a very happy girl. Although her hair has alot to be desired, but each to their own. 

I love the dynamic between Catherine and Violet as they are so unique characters in their own right. Catherine is so vulnerable and Violet is very hard faced and a part of me wants to say she's conservative, if thats how you describe someone. The differences between them as actresses is amazing, you already have the age difference and different styles of acting overall they both act upon instinct, but Katharine Hepburn has had a much more formal training that Elizabeth as she's been doing it since she was a little girl.

I just want to reiterate how impressed I was with Elizabeth's performance she was going through a really tough time in real life. Her husband Mike Todd had just died in an airplane accident, and she cleverly used her real life situation while explaining what happened last summer with Sebastian, Catherine's cousin. When she was telling Dr John Cukrowicz about what Sebastian did to her on the beach and what he made her wear last summer, it was just one of the most emotional pieces of dialogue and acting I ever saw. In her performance I could feel all her emotions and I just got her, and it was brilliant.

                                                                

This story is amazing and it is hard to get into at first as I can agree its not the easiest film to watch. But when you get into it and you will, you won't regret it It is quite an adult film in terms of themes but its amazing with brilliant actors and the brilliant dialogue. I will talk to you all later and have a lovely weekend. 

Review: Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

This week is gonna be a lot less harder than it was last week, not to say it won't be intellectual and insightful, as this film is just different in genres. Plus this is a film that I really want to talk about, and I haven't done talked about Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman in this detail before or ever really, so thats what we're gonna do. 

Its about a Southern couple Maggie 'The Cat' and Brick Pollitt played by Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman, Brick is trying to reconnect to his athletic high school days and tragically injures his knee. The next day he and Maggie visit to celebrate Big Daddy's 65th Birthday who is played by Burt Ives. Brick and Maggie find out that Big Daddy has cancer and will die in a year, Maggie wants the large inheritance and encourages Brick to spend time with him to get in Big Daddys good books. Throughout the film its parallels of family struggle and relationship troubles.

I love Elizabeth Taylor as an Actress and of course a Fashion Icon, there is no doubt she looks absolutely gorgeous in this film. It got me thinking that if Maggie was a middle aged woman or just hideously ugly would people still like her? Elizabeth Taylor makes the role look so sexy and brilliant. Her character was so real in a way as she did things that were so childish and irrelevant to this relationship and she did things that were quite grown up and mature in a way, for instance she got quite jealous when Brick had a best friend called Skipper who got to spend more time with him, Skipper committed suicide and she wanted to ruin their relationship, which to me makes no sense and just a stupid thing for someone to do. She portrayed this character so brilliantly and with such instinct to the role. 

Paul Newman was brilliant, he portrayed a man who lost all his glory days and was deeply unhappy. Its funny because he had a beautiful wife who loved him but was a very selfish woman. I haven't seen Paul Newman in many films, so I can't comment on he as an Actor too much as I haven't seen him in many roles, but I will watch him in more films. Brick as a character was so depressing and just sad to watch, but he is a better person than Maggie even though they are both incredibly flawed. The thing is both of them annoyed me equally so I don't have a favorite out of either of them.

Minor characters that are mentioned like Big Daddy was very good and the typical terrifying father figure, who deep down has a real insecurity like Brick has. Characters like Big Mama, Mae Flynn especially Mae Flynn were so annoying it was like fingernails to a chalk board just her voice was so irritating. I can understand the family aspect that was very Southern, or stereotypical Southern family. Being very friendly, polite and courteous, but it was very deep Mississippi accent, and particularly the style. 

                                                         
It was originally a Play by Tennessee Williams, and as we all know the works of Tennessee Williams is always brilliant and discussed everywhere. This film is fantastic to watch and I feel the best of Elizabeth Taylor's acting talents. Definitely give this film a watch for brilliant acting performances and gorgeous scenery set in the deep south of America. 

Peppermint Friday Review #24: Pulp Fiction

I think to end this week with one of my favorite films, is a good way to end it plus its just so Peppermint Friday. I love Quentin Tarantino and I know he's either you love him or hate him, and the content he creates may not be for people under a certain age, but silly 14 year old me who didn't listen to my teacher, as we were talking about films, and he mentioned this film and told me not to watch it as its pretty dark, but I didn't listen and boy I'm glad I didn't, and here's why.

Pulp Fiction is told in a narrative structure, at the beginning its a prologue which is in a diner with a couple having a pretty boring conversation. It combines with two hitmen Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega who are both played by Samuel L Jackson and John Travolta, and Vincent is asked to take care of Mia Wallace, Marsellus wife. Theres a Boxer called Butch played by Bruce Willis accepts money from Marsellus who just so happens to be Jules and Vincent's boss.

The story is so hard to explain, its one of those films you have to watch as its hard to explain, and the storyline is so intricate because Quentin's storytelling is so brilliant, to have someone telling you the plot is so crap to how it is when you actually watch it, its a million times better than someone explaining it to you. That's how I feel with Tarantino films anyway, its one of those things where you just have to watch it to understand it. Tarantino's storytelling is so unique and wonderful, I love how in this film he told it like you would in a novel where you have a prologue, and all the character intertwine with each other and it all makes sense. 

John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson are just brilliant I mean you can't beat them they are just fantastic. Before this film I knew who these actors were, I had a John Travolta in my mind as Danny from Grease but in this film he is quite an average guy, that sounds mean, but comparing him to Danny he is. Samuel L Jackson is so mental in this, I adore him so much. I actually don't know whether to be scared of him or to just laugh along with him. His character does prop up alot in Social Media as a meme so the character is quite a familiar face in the modern age. 

Uma Thurman is a fantastic actress, her costume, her hair, her makeup, her everything is just so perfect and down to a T as to how damaged she is and intriguing qualities to Mia. I mean everyone wants a Mia Wallace haircut at one point let's face it. What does inritate me slightly is that Uma is a fantastic actress, but I haven't seen her in that many stuff. I know she was in a few other Tarantino films, such as Kill Bill Volume 1 & 2, Batman and Robin, Les Miserable. I guess that could be me, it probably is just me the fact that I haven't seen her in many films. 

Bruce Willis is again brilliant, love all the scenes with him and his girlfriend Fabienne particularly those as they stand out to me, and relfect his character the most. Especially when Fabienne forgets to pack his watch, and he just loses it I don't know why but I like it. I remember watching a Simpsons episode and it referenced a scene in Pulp Fiction, and as a kid I watched it then and thought nothing of it, but now that I've seen this film that scene has a whole new meaning to it. One thing I'm so excited to see and just dive into is that Quentin Tarantino has stated that he is gonna retire after making 10 films and he has made about 8 or 9 I think, and people have asked what he's gonna do as he isn't gonna be filmmaking. He's said in interviews that he's gonna write books and make the films he's made into plays, so a Pulp Fiction play, that's something I need to watch and be in. 

 The couple at the beginning of the film are just fantastic, at the beginning you don't think too much about them, like 'yeah okay cool' but as you get to know then, particularly in the last scene in which they appear, thats when shit breaks the fan. Its funny with all the characters in this film you'd think there must be one I hate, and yeah the couple I do like but they do annoy me ever so slightly, not sure why they do, they just do. Its wonderful that the film so brilliant ties everyone together and makes it so exciting to watch.                                                                                                                                                     

This film will knock your socks off, and will no doubt be unique and wonderful to watch and unlike anything you have seen before. Its a Cult Classic you'll see people dressing as the characters whether it be for Halloween/Fancy Dress or for a screening of the film. People have played parodies to the film, homages. Its such a brilliant film, with a strong fan base and possibly my favorite Tarantino film. 

Filmmakers Everyone Should Know

I've been wanting to do a post like this for a while now, as I do champion Actors and Actresses in lead of the film. Theres also the brains behind the operation, some of these directors are not just directors they're writers, like the majority are in a way. I got this book for Christmas its called 'A-Z Great Film Directors' and its so aesthetically pleasing and I love how its planned out with the pictures, and the fantastic artwork of the directors, and how cartoony they're drawn. 

 
 
The way they did Spielberg as Indiana Jones is something I love and makes me very happy. If you want to buy a copy of this book I highly recommend you do, one thing that does annoy me slightly about this book, but thats not the author's fault or publishing company's fault its kinda Hollywood's fault that it just so happens that there hardly any female directors in this book, but again thats a different topic altogether, which I will talk about eventually. The directors I will be talking about some are mention in the book, but some aren't so its not entirely based from this book, and there some directors I haven't even heard of until I read this book! Definitely recommend this book!
                                                         
Steven Spielberg

A director who is so awe-inspiring, I mean everyone knows atleast one of his films. I love the fact that he was 27 when he made Jaws a film that became a huge hit amongst everyone, and its so iconic everyone knows the theme music to Jaws. He made E.T which again is such a classic, and has inspired various TV Shows and Films *cough* Stranger Things *cough*. He's made films that are much more suited for the adults like Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List, and he's made films for the younger audience like E.T while still telling a story that meaningful and cinematically wonderful to watch as an audience member. 

David Lynch

This man is a strange one, I mean he make Tim Burton look boring and thats saying something. David Lynch is so weird in his approach to film and storytelling I don't find it weird anymore, I just think 'okay cool' I just love the fact that David Lynch is not only a director he's a Writer, Artist, Musician, Photographer and doesn't just do film work, he's written allot of stuff for TV aswell, like Twin Peaks. The Elephant Man and Blue Velvet are probably my favorite David Lynch films, I don't want to talk too much about it as I wanna save them for a separate review as they deserve it. Most directors usually turn up there nose at doing TV but thats what I love about David Lynch he doesn't care, he's such a fantastic storyteller who I adore.

Roberto Benigni

Roberto Benigni is a director I never really hear people talk about, and it annoys me as he is so underrated. He is an Italian Director who won an Oscar for Life is Beautiful in 1998 which was in the Foreign Films Category a Category that noone really care about. He made what I think the best Pinocchio ever, he is in some ways like an Italian Kenneth Branagh he directs his films, but at the same time is in them. I also love his personality in interviews, it shows that great directors and filmmakers in my opinion don't just come from the U.K and the U.S.A, they come from all different walks of life. 

Ridley Scott

I've spoken about this filmmaker a few times on here, I feel personally he is the King of Sc-Fi in my opinion anyway. As he did Alien a film thats just iconic, and brilliant, but also the beginning of modern Sc-Fi. He is amazing at storytelling, and devising in different genres such as Thelma and Louise, Robin Hood, and G.I Jane who are all so different from each other. He is a director that that people have preferences over like some people prefer his Sc-Fi work than his Fantasy or more Period Drama/Action, and I think its great that he can play with different genres and can be amazing at it. I love him in Actor's Roundtable on Youtube, as well. 

Kathryn Bigelow

Got to include this legendary lady in the mix, perhaps one of the most important Directors ever she is the first female director to win an Oscar, and for a War film The Hurt Locker. A film that's very serious and not fun in the slightest, but oh god its an amazing film. Not to say women can't direct serious War films, but as a woman who adores films its a stereotype that pops up quite alot, with women who love films, and women who make films just do Chick Flicks and Rom-Coms, which some women do like and thats fine each to there own, but its nice to see variety in filmmaking. Again I will do a post on Women in FIlm, but anyway Kathryn Bigelow is fantastic and not a one trick pony in making films of different genres and experimenting with stories.