I would say Eric Rohmer and Hong Sang-soo. Also, (depending on the film), Richard Linklater and Eric Rohmer.
Savvy
Hmm I wouldn’t say that Rohmer and Hong possess \very similar styles. While both employ extended scenes of dialogue, their approach to this is rather different with Rohmer placing emphasis on the interaction of philosophy and ideas while Hong is more concerned with the nature of our interaction itself, often bluntly exposing the way we awkwardly convey our thoughts. As such, Hong’s fi;lms do have a more light-hearted and yet cynical tone, wi the the former more present in his latest films and the latter more present in his earlier films.
John Waters – Harmony Korine ?
I always thought that Gilliam, Luhrmann and Jeunet were all on the same plain even at different points but on that plain.
I do think Waters and Korine are more different than alike. Some noteworthy differences are that Waters seems to focus more on irony or grotesque comedy. Pink Flamingos is more or less a celebration of life.
Korine tends to dwell on some of the darker aspects of humanity. Gummo is melancholic at times with a sad sympathy for the rural socially neglected. Kids is full of dark cynicism towards counterculture and youth.
Waters is the optimist, Korine is the pessimist.
Wes Anderson - Spike Jonze
Hitchcock and Clouzot may not have a similar style, but their voice and material is very similar.
Also, anyone feel free to call me out on it, when I watch Almodovar i get a very strong modern Hitchcock vibe, but i think that’s more influence than anything else.
Luc Besson and Baz Luhrmann have the same sort of over the top style, it seems. I disliked Moulin Rouge!, Australia and Romeo + Juliet for pretty much the same reasons I disliked The Fifth Element, Léon and The Messenger. There’s this garish, obnoxious, cutesy thing they both seem to have going.
Would put Spike Jonez closer to Michel Gondry than Wes Anderson. Anderson has a much stronger focus on straight narrative while Jonez and Gondry love the surreal, dreamy feel.
Also, putting Michael Bay in the same league as McG is an insult to Bay. McG and Stephen Sommers are in the same boat, however. Bay has a certain bombastic panache that the other two haven’t been able to master. Moreover, McG and Sommers take their films way too seriously. Bay has fun, and it shows.
Wes Anderson and David O. Russell is usually almost always mentioned with similar style.
@ JP. Agreed on Hitchcock and Almodovar, especially in Carne tremula.
Spike Lee is heavily influenced by Scorsese.
Interested in the thread, but don’t see any pair mentioned that really truly MATCH perfectly yet. I believe they are out there though
Abbas Kiarostami has a massive influence over Michael Haneke. It’s especially obvious since Haneke referred to him as one of his favorites in an interview.
At any rate, at the spirit of mentioning close but not golden matches.
Modern Gilliam and Modern Burton
visually speaking only.
Early Mallick and Early David Gorden Green
“John Waters – Harmony Korine”
I disagree! For most part their humor, dialogues, characters, obsessions, use of music, influences, casting choices, aesthetics and styles are completely different.
John Waters >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Harmony Korine
Pasolini & Rossellini
Gilliam & Bunuel
Fincher & Nolan
Or am I just pairing random people?
liubei
I mentioned this elsewhere but Zemeckis, Zwick, and Ron Howard films are nearly identical in the beats that they use, the themes, and their general style. It’s like they all use the same Hollywood directing template to craft their films regardless of the genre.
There are a lot of similarities between McG and Michael Bay as well but that’s more obvious.
Any other directors who seem very similar in style?