6) Bryan Singer – X-Men, X2, X-Men: Days Of Future Past
Although it was released only a decade-and-a-half ago and is often credited as one of the foundation stones of modern superhero cinema, Bryan Singer’s original X-Men movie feels almost radical now. The basic plot – good guys must defeat evil genius from annihilating mankind – is familiar, but thematically it’s pure Singer, dealing with the persecution of outsiders, the Jewish people especially (something that Singer has explored elsewhere), and observing the growing pains of youth in what feels like a remarkably personal way.
X-Men also plays around with the idea of identity (via Logan/Wolverine and the shape-shifting Mystique), something the director had previous to then dealt with in The Usual Suspects and Apt Pupil. But what most stands out is how deeply felt X-Men is. Though Singer’s subsequent X-movies since then have diluted the director’s individual concerns, they’re still very much Singer’s films. For a fundamentally action-oriented superhero franchise, they’re made with what feels like genuine affection, and are imbued with the director’s DNA.