27. Sam Mendes (1965 - )
He may be most famous for being the (now ex-) husband of Kate Winslet, this man from Reading is one of the biggest directing names to come out of the British Isles. With 1999's American Beauty, a sensationally popular film and multiple Academy Award winner, Mendes burst onto the scene and hasn't really faltered in any big way since then. Whether he's depicting war in Jarhead, paying respect to the gangster era of past with Road to Perdition, portraying the turmoils of suburban marriage in Revolutionary Road or the turmoils of prospective parenthood in Away We Go, Mendes knows how to direct his actors and make endlessly entertaining and endearing movies. He's now become even more British by directing the best James Bond film to come out in ages, Skyfall.
Must See: American Beauty (1999)
26. John Boorman (1933 - )
The great adventure-director, John Boorman made his name in films with a couple of stand-out movies in the late 60s and 70s. Point Blank with Lee Marvin, and Deliverence with Burt Reynolds and Jon Voigt would prove to become the best part of Boorman's legacy in filmmaking but they're strong enough to put him right about the mid-point of our Greatest 50. His films are fuelled with a vibrancy that is hard to come by these days, including even his more outlandish h work like the retelling of King Arthur's story in Excalibur or portraying a hilariously bizarre future in Zardoz, but it is his social commentary on the darker side of man's nature that makes Boorman, who started off in dry cleaning believe it or not, indispensable to the list.
Must See: Deliverance (1976)
25. Michael Winterbottom (1961 - )
When it comes to that special brand of British humor we all love so much (don't even deny that you love it), it doesn't get much better than the duel combo of Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan. Etching their names in the universal comedy hall of fame with 24 Hour Party People and A Cock And Bull Story, Winterbottom emerged as one of the most promising young directors from the 90s. With his unhinged look and shake down of the facade of British mannerism and propriety, even lesser known films from Winterbottom (2010's The Trip and The Killer Inside Me) are better than most of the commercial fluff that's been coming out of the woodwork lately. Always fascinated with people and the places that define them, Winterbottom may not be the most successful British filmmaker and he has done some questionable stuff (care for some Trishna anyone?) but he's built a solid international reputation and is a name that always beckons attention. This year, he's back with Coogan for The Look of Love.
Must See: 24 Hour Party People (2002)