6. Spike Jonze
Half of one of the most dynamic partnerships in Hollywood. Spike Jonze has only directed three films, two of them with screenwriter Charlie Kaufmann in Adaptation and Being John Malkovich. These two movies are among the most original and thought provoking movies in recent filmmaking history. While many would credit Kaufmann's script as the reason behind the success of the films, and they might be right to a degree, they still do not give Jonze enough credit in successfully turning Kaufmann's bizarre scripts into coherent films. He is often seen as the complement to Kaufmann's screenwriting abilities but Jonze has shown that he understands the meaning behind Kaufmann's work and successfully transfer it to the screen. His film adaption of Where the Wild Things Are was not based off a Kaufmann screenplay and still was regarded as one of the top films of the 2009 by many critics.
Filmography: Being John Malkovich (1999), Adaptation (2002), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), Her (2013)