Rankings of Directors' Films (S-Z)

Rankings are not easy to make because many directors’ films fall into different genres. How can a comedy be sized up to a science fiction film? How does an action film made decades ago compare to a contemporary drama film? Overall, how does a director’s career look? What are the backgrounds of various films? Is popular opinion an influence on rankings? Should films be ranked? These are tough questions and ideas asked by movie goers, fans, cinema buffs, film reviewers, commentators, and more.

These rankings are for up to ten major motion pictures by movie directors (directed and/or written). In order to be ranked, I have to view at least three of a director’s films (directed and/or written). This post is constantly in the working as I enjoy more films.

Posted: 7 May 2020

Updated: 14 July 2020

Peter Segal

7. Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Result (1994)

6. The Longest Yard (2005)

5. My Spy (2020)

4. 50 First Dates (2004)

3. Anger Management (2003)

2. Get Smart (2008)

1. Tommy Boy (1995)

Lorene Scafaria

3. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)

2. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)

1. Hustlers (2019)

Joel Schumacher

6. Batman & Robin (1997)

5. Batman Forever (1995)

4. Tigerland (2000)

3. The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

2. Phone Booth (2002)

1. Flatliners (1990)

Martin Scorsese

10. The Aviator (2004)

9. The Irishman (2019)

8. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

7. The King of Comedy (1982)

6. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

5. The Departed (2006)

4. Gangs of New York (2002)

3. Raging Bull (1980)

2. Taxi Driver (1976)

1. Goodfellas (1990)

Ridley Scott

10. Black Rain (1989)

9. The Counselor (2013)

8. Thelma and Louise (1991)

7. Alien: Covenant (2017)

6. Prometheus (2012)

5. American Gangster (2007)

4. Blade Runner (1982)

3. Black Hawk Down (2001)

2. Gladiator (2000)

1. Alien (1979)

Tony Scott

10. Domino (2005)

9. Unstoppable (2010)

8. Crimson Tide (1995)

7. Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)

6. Déjà Vu (2006)

5. Spy Game (2001)

4. Days of Thunder (1990)

3. Man on Fire (2004)

2. Top Gun (1986)

1. True Romance (1993)

Tom Shadyac

6. Evan Almighty (2007)

5. Bruce Almighty (2003)

4. The Nutty Professor (1996)

3. Patch Adams (1998)

2. Liar Liar (1997)

1. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)

Taylor Sheridan

4. Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018)

3. Hell or High Water (2016)

2. Wind River (2017)

1. Sicario (2015)

Michael Showalter

4. The Lovebirds (2020)

3. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

2. Hello, My Name is Doris (2015)

1. The Big Sick (2017)

M. Night Shyamalan

9. After Earth (2013)

8. The Last Airbender (2010)

7. The Happening (2008)

6. Lady in the Water (2006)

5. The Village (2004)

4. Signs (2002)

3. Split (2016)

2. Unbreakable (2000)

1. The Sixth Sense (1999)

Don Siegel

3. Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

2. Dirty Harry (1971)

1. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Bryan Singer

8. Superman Returns (2006)

7. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

6. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

5. Valkyrie (2008)

4. X-Men (2000)

3. X2: X-Men United (2003)

2. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

1. The Usual Suspects (1995)

John Singleton

5. 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

4. Four Brothers (2005)

3. Poetic Justice (1993)

2. Shaft (2000)

1. Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Zack Snyder

8. Justice League (2017)

7. Sucker Punch (2011)

6. Man of Steel (2013)

5. Dawn of the Dead (2004)

4. Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

3. Wonder Woman (2017)

2. Watchmen (2009)

1. 300 (2006)

Steven Soderbergh

10. The Laundromat (2020)

9. Side Effects (2013)

8. Contagion (2011)

7. Ocean’s Thirteen (2007)

6. Ocean’s Twelve (2004)

5. Haywire (2011)

4. Out of Sight (1998)

3. Erin Brockovich (2000)

2. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

1. Traffic (2000)

Barry Sonnenfeld

7. RV (2006)

6. Wild Wild West (1999)

5. For Love or Money (1993)

4. Men in Black 3 (2012)

3. Get Shorty (1995)

2. Men in Black II (2002)

1. Men in Black (1997)

Penelope Spheeris

3. Black Sheep (1996)

2. The Little Rascals (1994)

1. Wayne’s World (1992)

Steven Spielberg

10. Close Encounters with the Third Kind (1977)

9. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

8. Munich (2005)

7. Schindler’s List (1993)

6. Minority Report (2001)

5. Jurassic Park (1993)

4. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

3. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

2. Jaws (1975)

1. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Roger Spottiswoode

Terror Train (1980)

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

The 6th Day (2000)

48 Hrs. (1982)

Sylvester Stallone

6. The Expendables (2010)

5. Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

4. Rocky III (1982)

3. Rocky II (1979)

2. First Blood (1982)

1. Rocky (1976)

Ben Stiller

4. The Cable Guy (1996)

3. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

2. Zoolander (2001)

1. Tropic Thunder (2008)

Oliver Stone

6. Snowden (2016)

5. JFK (1991)

4. Wall Street (1987)

3. Scarface (1983)

2. Natural Born Killers (1994)

1. Platoon (1986)

Quentin Tarantino

10. The Hateful Eight (2015)

9. Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood (2019)

8. Django Unchained (2012)

7. Jackie Brown (1997)

6. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

5. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004)

4. True Romance (1993)

3. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

2. Pulp Fiction (1994)

1. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003)

Andy Tennant

5. The Bounty Hunter (2010)

4. Wild Oats (2016)

3. Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)

2. Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

1. Hitch (2005)

George Tillman Jr.

4. Faster (2010)

3. The Hate U Give (2018)

2. Notorious (2009)

1. Men of Honor (2000)

Jon Turteltaub

3. National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)

2. National Treasure (2004)

1. Cool Runnings (1993)

David Twohy

4. Riddick (2013)

3. The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)

2. Pitch Black (2000)

1. The Fugitive (1993)

Gus Van Sant

4. Finding Forrester (2000)

3. Milk (2008)

2. Good Will Hunting (1997)

1. To Die For (1995)

Matthew Vaughn

6. X-Men: First Class (2011)

5. Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

4. Stardust (2007)

3. Kick-Ass (2010)

2. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

1. Layer Cake (2004)

Gore Verbinski

6. The Lone Ranger (2013)

5. Rango (2011)

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007)

3. The Mexican (2001)

2. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of Black Pearl (2003)

1. Pirates of Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)

Paul Verhoeven

6. Showgirls (1995)

5. Starship Troopers (1997)

4. Total Recall (1990)

3. RoboCop (1987)

2. Basic Instinct (1992)

1. Black Book (2006)

Denis Villenueve

6. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

5. Prisoners (2013)

4. Arrival (2015)

3. Enemy (2013)

2. Incendies (2010)

1. Sicario (2015)

Wachowskis Brothers

8. Jupiter Ascending (2017)

7. Speed Racer (2008)

6. The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

5. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

4. Cloud Atlas (2012)

3. Bound (1996)

2. V for Vendetta (2005)

1. The Matrix (1999)

Taika Waititi

4. Eagle vs. Shark (2007)

3. Jojo Rabbit (2019)

2. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

1. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

James Wan

5. Furious 7 (2017)

4. Death Sentence (2007)

3. Saw (2004)

2. Aquaman (2018)

1. The Conjuring (2013)

Denzel Washington

3. Antwone Fisher (2002)

2. Fences (2016)

1. The Great Debaters (2007)

Mark Waters

4. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

3. Vampire Academy (2014)

2. Freaky Friday (2003)

1. Mean Girls (2004)

Paul Weitz

6. In Good Company (2004)

5. Antz (1998)

4. Grandma (2015)

3. Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (2009)

2. American Dreamz (2006)

1. American Pie (1999)

Orson Welles

3. The Third Man (1949)

2. Touch of Evil (1958)

1. Citizen Kane (1941)

Peter Weir

5. Gallipoli (1981)

4. Witness (1985)

3. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

2. The Truman Show (1998)

1. Dead Poet’s Society (1989)

Joss Whedon

8. Justice League (2017)

7. Alien: Resurrection (1997)

6. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

5. Cabin in the Woods (2011)

4. Much Ado About Nothing (2012)

3. The Avengers (2012)

2. Toy Story (1995)

1. Serenity (2005)

Billy Wilder

7. The Apartment (1950)

6. The Seven Year Itch (1955)

5. Double Indemnity (1944)

4. Sunset Blvd. (1950)

3. Stalag 17 (1953)

2. Some Like It Hot (1959)

1. Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

Michael Winner

5. Death Wish III (1985)

4. Death Wish II (1982)

3. The Sentinel (1977)

2. Death Wish (1974)

1. The Mechanic (1972)

Robert Wise

4. Star Trek (1979)

3. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

2. The Sound of Music (1965)

1. West Side Story (1961)

Len Wiseman

6. Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)

5. Underworld Awakening (2012)

4. Total Recall (2012)

3. Live Free or Die Hard (2007)

2. Underworld: Evolution (2006)

1. Underworld (2003)

John Woo

7. Broken Arrow (1996)

6. Paycheck (2003)

5. Mission: Impossible II (2000)

4. Face/Off (1997)

3. Windtalkers (2002)

2. The Killer (1989)

1.. Hard Boiled (1992)

Edgar Wright

7. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

6. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

5. The World’s End (2013)

4. Ant-Man (2015)

3. Baby Driver (2017)

2. Hot Fuzz (2007)

1. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Joe Wright

5. Hanna (2011)

4. Anna Karenina (2012)

3. Atonement (2007)

2. Pride & Prejudice (2005)

1. Darkest Hour (2017)

William Wyler

3. How to Steal a Million (1966)

2. Roman Holiday (1953)

1. Ben-Hur (1959)

Boaz Yakin

4. Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)

3. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

2. The Punisher (1989)

1. Remember the Titans (2000)

David Yates

6. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

5. The Legend of Tarzan (2016)

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

Wilson Yip

3. Ip Man 3 (2015)

2. Ip Man 2 (2010)

1. Ip Man (2008)

Terrence Young

4. The Amazons (1973)

3. Thunderball (1965)

2. Dr. No (1962)

1. From Russia With Love (2063)

Robert Zemeckis

10. Beowulf (2007)

9. Flight (2012)

8. The Walk (2015)

7. Cast Away (2000)

6. Romancing the Stone (1984)

5. The Polar Express (2004)

4. Back to the Future Part II (1989)

3. Forrest Gump (1994)

2. Back to the Future (1985)

1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Yimou Zhang

7. Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

6. Shadow (2018)

5. House of Flying Daggers (2004)

4. Jo Dou (1990)

3. To Live (1994)

2. Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

1. Hero (2002)

David & Jerry Zucker

4. Rat Race (2001)

3. The Naked Gun (1988)

2. Airplane! (1980)

1. Ghost (1990)

Edward Zwick

10. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016)

9. Love & Other Drugs (2010)

8. American Assassin (2017)

7. Defiance (2008)

6. The Last Samurai (2003)

5. Legends of the Fall (1994)

4. Courage Under Fire (1996)

3. The Siege (1998)

2. Blood Diamond (2006)

1. Glory (1989)