5. Quentin Tarantino
Notable Films: Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained Growing up as a film geek and aspiring filmmaker, Tarantino was the dream. Every short film I made with my friends stole aspects from his movies (notably the shot from inside the trunk signature). His first sort-of-trilogy of connected characters was Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown, two of those being on the list of greatest films in the past 25 years (sorry Jackie Brown, not you). Pulp Fiction is everything great about Tarantino. His penchant for raw dialogue, violence, humor, blood, whit, are all at their best. His next rumored sort-of related trilogy of historical fiction, the first two entries being Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained, have a new Tarantino-tone to them. They are produced on a much larger scale than his previous films, but there's no doubt you're in Tarantino's world. His twisted sense of humor and love of violence balance each other out that most people can get behind his films. Tarantino is another director who doesn't rush projects and attracts great talent. And, he gave America Christoph Waltz, for that, we all should be grateful.