25 Best Film Directors of the 21st Century (So Far)
Which directors have received the best reviews from professional critics since 2000? Find out below, where we rank this century's top filmmakers by their average Metascores.
To be included, a director must have four or more eligible films. Such films have seven or more reviews from professional critics and were first released (in any country) on or after January 1, 2000, and must have been released (including as a straight-to-Netflix streaming release) at some point in the USA. Multi-director anthology films are excluded, as are theatrical re-releases of older films. Averages were calculated using Metascores from July 12, 2017, and include films released through July 7, 2017.
#9
Mike Leigh
The esteemed English auteur has been dividing his time between film, TV, and theatre since the 1960s. His filmography, which is shockingly devoid of yellow or red Metascores, includes such 1990s classics as Secrets & Lies and Life Is Sweet. But his 21st century output is hardly a step down, and includes four of his seven career Oscar nominations. His next film, the 19th century historical drama Peterloo, is due in 2018.
| Films directed, 2000-2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| ▣ | Mr. Turner | 2014 |
| ▣ | Happy-Go-Lucky | 2008 |
| ▣ | Vera Drake | 2004 |
| ▣ | Another Year | 2010 |
| ▣ | All or Nothing | 2002 |