10 Most Important Directors Of The 21st Century (So Far)

Genre film-making regularly goes through periods of critical respect and backlash, depending on what movies are being made by whom. Fritz Lang and Alfred Hitchcock were integral to promoting the idea that horror and science fiction cinema could be just as well-crafted and thought-provoking as a prestige drama, and Woody Allen had a similar effect on comedy in the 70s and 80s.

But the two-headed directorial powerhouse of Joel and Ethan Coen seems intent to give every genre on the planet a new lick of paint and a sense of respectability. Whether they’re making crime dramas, romantic comedies, westerns or golden age meta-dramas, the Coens’ movies almost always come with same vein of jet black humour running throughout, and are quintessentially ‘Coenesque’ in their make-up.

Having bagged six Academy Awards from 32 nominations since the turn of the century, the Coen Brothers have become two of the most revered writers and directors currently working in the industry.