Hou Hsiao-hsien - Ranked

Some 10 years ago Kent Jones said: “Because right now, it doesn’t get much better than Hou Hsiao-hsien.” For me, that statement is as true today as it was all those years ago for Kent Jones. If it weren’t for Johnnie To I’d say he is the greatest contemporary director by far. But since To is an unstoppable beast I will cut the “by far”. Still though, there isn’t a living director whose films mean so much to me as Hous.