82. Rian Johnson
RIAN JOHNSON
BRICK, THE BROTHERS BLOOM
With just two films under his conical directors’ bullhorn, Rian Johnson is already on pace for one of the most interesting and ambitious filmmaking careers of recent memory. And if his appearance on this list seems a little premature, just consider it an advance of critical goodwill on good things to come. His first two outings—2005’s stylized high school neo-noir Brick and 2008’s cosmopolitan con man caper The Brothers Bloom—demonstrate a refreshing eagerness to re-imagine hoary old genres in entirely new contexts, while packing more than their fair share of undiluted popcorn entertainment value. It’s impossible to predict down what odd tributaries Johnson will take his upcoming sci-fi thriller Looper, but whatever they are, the results will undoubtedly be both fascinating and unpredictable.
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I really enjoyed Brick, and the Brothers Bloom was solid, but I wouldn’t put him on this type of list. I think he has a lot of promise, but compared to the other names around him, his inclusion stands out as being a surprise. I think the fact that more voters have seen Brick than some of the older movies is the likely reason.
I absolutely love The Brothers Bloom. It has rapidly become one of default lazy afternoon movies and I still giggle all the way through. I have yet to see Brick, but even so I whole heartedly agree with Rian’s place on this list.