7. Bill Paxton - Frailty (2001)
Yes, he of Terminator and Aliens fame. Bill Paxton made his directorial debut with Frailty, a highly entertaining and original crime thriller story. The story setup is this: Fenton Meiks (played by Matthew McConaughey, in a welcome break from all his rom-com roles; see Killer Joe for another great example of McConaughey doing some actual acting) tells the strange story of his family to FBI agent Wesley Doyle, played by Powers Boothe. He reveals to Doyle how in the 70s, his father (known only as Dad and played by Paxton himself) became convinced that God had set him the holy task of destroying Hell's demons on earth, the result of which was a killing spree embarked with his two sons, Fenton and younger brother Adam. You might be asking yourself, this is all well and good, but can Bill Paxton direct? He can, and does a great job behind the camera as well as in front. There is a great sense of mood and atmosphere in this film, aided by a great score and some suitably creepy performances by the leads. The film cuts between the present day and the 70s as Fenton Meiks' story unfolds; each transition is handled cleverly (one particularly memorable one where a rain soaked windscreen in the present transitions into static on the TV screen in the 70s comes to mind). Highly recommended.