1. Steven Spielberg He directed Jaws, my favorite movie of the 70's, which is perhaps my favorite movie of all time, with a confidence that belied his youth and inexperience. He went on to helm Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T., two films that entertained me when I saw them as a child, and astounded me when I viewed them again as an adult. He kept on thrilling me with the likes of Jurassic Park and War of the Worlds, while moving with the likes of Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List. But it might just be that a film such as Catch Me if You Can, with its whimsy and poignancy masterfully orchestrated by Spielberg that best explains why he is my number one choice. For over thirty years, his trust in the story may be the most remarkable aspect of his awesome direction.
	2. Woody Allen Annie Hall. Manhatttan. Hannah and Her Sisters. If he never made another film, those three would be quite the legacy. Funny, warm, original, daring, literate, beautiful films that make me happy to be alive in the era of films. Throw in Purple Rose of Cairo, Broadway Danny Rose, Zelig, and Radio Days, you have all you'll ever need on a desert island. Simultaneously thought-provoking, poignant and hilarious, these are films to be relished.
	3. Rob Reiner Rob Reiner earned his spot long ago with The Princess Bride. The fact that he also gave me When Harry Met Sally, The Sure Thing, A Few Good Men, Stand By Me, and This is Spinal Tap only makes me all the more glad to put him here. Each of these films is distinct in mood and technique, a couple (Bride and Spinal Tap) almost impossible to "get right." Reiner got them right. I could see (and have seen) any of these films over and over again, and I never tire of the lines I can repeat by heart, never cease to laugh at the funny parts, or mist over the tender parts.
	4. Cameron Crowe When I dismissed the twenty or so other directors vying for a spot on the list in favor of Crowe, it was because I found his films featured on my romantic comedy list, my sports movie list, and my decade best list, and they were three different films that found their places there. The 'In Your Eyes' scene in Say Anything, the 'Free Fallin' scene in Jerry Maguire, and the 'Tiny Dancer' scene in Almost Famous demonstrate how effortlessly Crowe merges his passion for music into the fabric of his films. Plus, actors tend to be better in his films than in others. A great director.
	5. The Coen Brothers What can I say? Theirs are the scenes that consistently cause my jaw to drop, whether the quest for Huggies in Raising Arizona, the invention of the hula hoop in Hudsucker Proxy, or the tenacious survival of Leo to the tune of 'Danny Boy' in Miller's Crossing, the brothers know how to craft a sequence.
	6. Quentin Tarantino Any director whose films make me writhe in the theater with the desperate need to get up and leave, only to wind up on my top ten lists, is a director worth touting. His films are thrilling, each frame revealing the cocky and brilliant director masterminding them.
	7. Peter Jackson I admired Heavenly Creatures but adored each of the three Lord of the Rings films. He instilled Middle Earth with honest emotion and made elves, dwarves and hobbits characters I cared for tremendously. When I see the trailer for King Kong and learn he will follow it up with The Lovely Bones, I think that nothing could make more sense.
	8. Baz Luhrmann For his vision of the worlds he portrays, and for his courage to create it for the screen. The fish tank scene in Romeo and Juliet suggested what he was capable of imagining. The elephant medley scene in Moulin Rouge confirmed it.
	9. Doug Liman Laugh out loud funny and hold your breath action are his two best tricks. In Swingers, he does the one, in The Bourne Identity, the other, and in Go and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, he does both. His films are a treat for the audience.
	10. Michel Gondry Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind earns him a spot on my list because, despite the wonderful script by Charlie Kaufman and the amazing performances by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, it is this film's direction that made it my favorite of last year, let alone the first five years of this decade. I can't wait to see what he does next.