There is no doubt that directing your first film is incredibly challenging—it marks the beginning of your journey as a filmmaker, where you finally get to showcase your style and expertise to new audiences. Seeking to captivate thousands with your vision successfully is quite a demanding task, especially when you’re trying to make a name for yourself in a vast industry.
These are some of the filmmakers that surprised everyone (including plenty of dedicated Reddit users) with their directorial debuts. From Alex Garland's mind-blowing sci-fi thriller Ex Machina starring Alicia Vikander, to Orson Welles' timeless classic Citizen Kane, many films almost feel too good to be the first motion picture these directors ever executed. A number of Reddit threads have asked this question, and while everyone has a different answer for their face, the same movies do tend to keep popping up.
Ex Machina (Alex Garland, 2014)
Starting with the smart and innovative Ex Machina, which earned Garland three Oscar nominations including Best Writing and Original Screenplay, there is hardly any doubt that the unconventional film is one of the best of its genre. It tells the enthralling story of a young programmer who is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in artificial intelligence, managing to keep viewers immersed from the beginning. According to Reddit user MrQualtrough, it is "the only movie ever where I hated the ending but I knew it was the right one."
The concept of how an AI would be, look like and interact is genially explored throughout the movie, as well as the satirical element of misogynistic attitudes towards women—yes, even if they are humanoid robots. The brilliant storytelling and thought-provoking scenes make it hard to believe that Ex Machina is, in fact, a debut feature.
Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino, 1992)
Quentin Tarantino has certainly made it to the top in a short period of time. Although Pulp Fiction was the first movie that acquired the director's widespread fame, Reservoir Dogs is the flick that launched the filmmaker into the film industry. Following the story of six criminals, who reunite to plan a jewelry heist only for it to end up going completely wrong (spoiler alert: one of them is a police informant), this picture introduces audiences to Tarantino's characteristic approach to dialogue.
While it is not an excellent film, it is a pretty solid debut feature that charmed viewers into watching more of the director's work, which ultimately resulted in him becoming one of the most successful filmmakers to this day. Even now, Reddit remains enthralled.
The VVitch (Robert Eggers, 2015)
The Northman and The Lighthouse director Robert Eggers' first film centers around a family in the 1630s New England who is torn apart by sinister forces. The director's folkloric horror debut is as chilling as it is haunting. It is scary in its singular and balanced way; no traditional jump-scares are needed to agitate viewers, plus it gives them a perfect preview of what Eggers' work looks like.
Also counting amazing performances by everyone involved (namely Anya Taylor-Joy who made her film debut as the lead in this) and top-notch cinematography, much like the rest of the filmmaker's features, The VVitch is a must-watch for horror genre fans. Even in the early days of the film's release, Reddit was obsessed.
Donnie Darko (Richard Kelly, 2001)
Donnie Darko explores the troubling life of a teenager who is manipulated to commit terrible crimes after escaping a bizarre accident. Adding up this movie's captivating story to Jake Gyllenhaal's outstanding performance as the main character who clearly goes through a lot, this motion picture is well worth the watch.
Touching on several themes and putting viewers' brains to test, Donnie Darko is not only arguably Richard Kelly's best piece of cinema, but it also is his extremely impressive directorial debut. A now-deleted Reddit user referred to Donnie as "Time-traveling Jesus," which might explain the character's lasting appeal.
The Shawshank Redemption (Frank Darabont, 1994)
Voted the greatest movie of all time with a solid 9.3 IMDb score, viewers may get shocked when they learn that Frank Darabont's film was actually a debut feature. The Shawshank Redemption tells the admirable story of two prisoners who, over several years, bond and find solace in each other during hopeless times.
Other than the undeniable chemistry between Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbin's characters (who are very easy to empathize with), this film, which almost feels like a warm hug and a soft pat on the back, delivers an inspiring storyline that fascinates the audience and keeps viewers intrigued to watch it until the end.
Get Out (Jordan Peele, 2017)
Many Reddit users agree that there are very few films like Get Out. Long story short, Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend (Allison Williams), an interracial couple, go visit the girl's overly-accommodative parents for the weekend. While everything seems fine at the beginning, things start to escalate and the character finds himself trapped in disturbing discoveries.
Intelligent, political, scary, and filled with twists and turns, Jordan Peele's first film successfully managed to create an extremely unsettling atmosphere while also sending a very important message to the audience. There is no doubt that this is a movie that should be very meticulously and attentively watched by everyone, especially given the great emphasis on its theme and depiction of an alarming reality that we, too, live in.
The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola, 1999)
Sofia Coppola debuted her first movie in 1999, starring Kirsten Dunst as one of the main protagonists. This charming and extremely well-crafted drama that marked the beginning of the filmmaker's journey tells the mysterious story of five different sisters who are sheltered by their parents in the mid-70s.
Through beautiful cinematography (especially the perfect usage of color) and an amazing soundtrack, The Virgin Suicides, which feels like a haunting, ethereal dream at times, surely enchanted plenty of viewers. For user _w00k_, the films stands out because of "Giovanni Ribisis' deadpan narration, knowing the feeling the boys felt pining over the girls, the seafoam green haze that reminds you of lost summer evenings..."
American Beauty (Sam Mendes, 1999)
Another good example of a debut feature from the same year is American Beauty. Though somewhat flawed, many agree that Sam Mendes' first movie is a brilliant piece of cinema and consider it a must-watch for everyone who truly enjoys movies. It tells the story of a depressed suburban father who decides that it is a good idea to start developing a crush on his daughter's best friend during a midlife crisis.
Other than a great snapshot of America during the nineties, the compelling movie gathers a very nice script and a few unexpected twists. Checking in with Reddit, many users cite this as one of the greatest first features from a director ever.
Hereditary (Ari Aster, 2018)
-1.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Haunting and soul-stirring in every sense of the words, Ari Aster's directorial debut is incredible beyond comparison. Very much like the previously mentioned film The Witch, Hereditary showcases how great horror genre films are when intelligently made, even (and especially) if they don't resort to the same shocking effects overused in several movies of the genre; for instance, the trick of jump-scares.
This supernatural psychological horror thriller follows the story of a family after its matriarch passes away. Throughout the course of the movie, several terrifying secrets about their ancestry begin to unravel in the most sinister ways. For user cncamusic, "There's something about that final scene that just disturbed the Hell out of me."
Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Fellow Reddit users likely agree that Citizen Kane just had to be here. While Orson Welles' film has been considered the best of all time by some people, some may be let down by it and find it boring or unappealing. However, there is no denying that it is an incredible first feature overall, especially given the time it premiered.
The plot centers on the rise and fall of publishing industrialist Charles Foster Kane (brought to life by Welles himself) through a series of flashbacks. After his death, reporters seek to uncover the meaning of his final word: "Rosebud." According to Reddit user dogger6, "To come out of nowhere and write, direct, and star in what is still considered the greatest film of all time? It's beyond impressive, it's absolutely bonkers."