Eve’s Bayou or The Caveman’s Valentine, both directed by Kasi Lemmons.
I’d have to say that Amy Hekerling did a great job on Fast Times At Ridgemont High.
Salaam Bombay! also by Mira Nair. Heartbreaking, but a great film.
Another vote for Eve’s Bayou…I tried to post earlier but my computer wouldn’t let me.
This movie had a great atmosphere and mood.
I just want to toss another hat in the ring for Monsoon Wedding. Absolutely wonderful film.
'Nuther nod to Thirteen Conversations About One Thing. Sprecher’s like Robert Altman, only with boobs. What’s not to like? (I kid, I kid.)
Nobody has mentioned I Am Sam, by Jessie Nelson? I want to bear her children. She’s currently working on an adaptation of the kids’ book, The Night I Followed The Dog, which sounds like it might be fun.
:shudder:
Wanda by Barbara Loden, wife of Elia Kazan. Bleak and incredible. Borrowed from by Gallo in making Buffalo '66.
The Hitch-Hiker by Ida Lupino. Gritty noir.
Near Dark by Kathryn Bigelow. Innovative horror movie.
Smithereens by Susan Seidelman. Punk rock desperation.
Vagabond by Ann Le Monnier. Existential misery.
Real Genius, by Martha Coolidge.
Seriously.
I think Awakenings is Penny Marshall’s best movie.
I think the op was talking about the director of The Prince of Tides.
Why should the director being female be even remotely noteworthy?
Why not?
Someone earlier mentioned Near Dark, and while I loved that one too, Bigelow’s best film for my money is Strange Days. It also happens to be my favorite movie directed by a woman.
Runners-up: Awakenings and Little Man Tate.
Cos when this has been done before, no woman has been mentioned. In fact, Kevin Smith was suggested as “the greatest director in cinematic history” before a womans name was mentioned.
Cos no woman has ever won an oscar for best director. In fact, only two have ever been nominated (Jane Campion and Lina Wertmüller).
Cos girls aren’t as good as boys, and we have to have a “not bad for a girl” thread instead.
Isn’t it obvious? :rolleyes:
I was going to say Triumph of the Will myself. Hugely, hugely influential movie, moreso than any other film directed by a woman, and 99.99% of movies directed by men. Sure, it’s evil, but “art” isn’t a moral judgement - it’s an aesthetic judgement.
Same goes for Birth of a Nation. The sentiments expressed may be nauseating, but the manner in which they were expressed was breath-taking.
However, in looking over the other nominations in this thread, I’ll have to ultimatly agree with Dumbguy. Real Genius kicks far too much ass to be overlooked.
Kevin Smith? His name shouldn’t even be in the vicinity of that title. Yeesh.
Which is a complete travesty… that only two have been nominated, not that it was those two.
Here’s where you went wrong: I have a very different perspective on this thread, and I’d wager many others posting here do as well. I don’t see it as a “booby prize” (pun intended) thread at all… rather, the titles I named were movies that were some of my favorites, which I admire at least partially for how well they were directed, regardless of the gender of the director. I’m looking at it as a “let’s give some props to the girls” thread, one which points out some of the excellent achievements made my female filmmakers. I honestly don’t see where you’re getting the “not bad for a girl” thing at all.
I agree that women directors and few and far between, and I think it sucks. I agree that the film industry largely ignores some of their best achievements, and that also sucks, big time. However, when someone starts a thread that looks at some great films made by women, I don’t see the point of spitting on it.
That said, I realized that I forgot one earlier… I saw a short film called “Ferry” a few years ago, which was directed by a woman, though I can’t remember her name (I saw her on an interview). It was funny, artful, and succinct, and I loved it. One of the best shorts I’ve ever seen, frankly.
As is Julie Taymor’s latest, Frida.
You are all fools for not mentioning Wayne’s World, directed by Penelope Spheeris.
Another vote for Nair’s Monsoon Wedding.
Speaking of Sally Potter, I liked The Tango Lesson.
Sorry Avalonian, I was being sarcastic, apparantly not very well tho 
Like you, I think it is irrelevant what “the best movie directed by a woman” is, but I am loving this thread, getting great reccommendation of new movies to see, being surprised at times at some of the movies mentioned, and basically going “wheee look what we can do” 
Can I offer you Patricia Rozema to make up for it?
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Rozema,%20Patricia
I’ll second “Big” by Penny Marshall.
Sorry Iteki… my irony meter must be broken. Damn thing, third time this month…