Movie franchises, actors or directors that draw YOU to the theater
 

I don't go out to see theatrical releases as much as I used to (from 50-60 movies a year to maybe half a dozen now).... but the "favorite Bond" thread got me thinking.... what are the movie franchises or directors that I ALWAYS go check out in the theater?

Here's my list:
1) 007. I'm a big Bond fan, and will ALWAYS go see a new Bond film on release. I may think the movie was crap (e.g. Die Another Day), but I won't regret going to see it.
2) Spiderman. I'm also a huge Spidey fan....
3) Star Wars (I guess I'll be there..... when we get another Star Wars release)
4) Superman
5) David Fincher
6) Wong Kar-Wai

Can't really say that there's an actor or actress that will ALWAYS draw me to the theater.

So what are your <b>ABSOLUTE MUST-SEES?</b> (remember, these are the films you will always pull yourself to see regardless of storm, hail, snow, earthquake, floods, kids, work, spousal obligations etc)

Well, with Zodiac coming out after a half a decade hiatus, Fincher is on my list right now. If he continues to take 5 years between films, I suppose the suspense will be great enough each time to draw me to the theater.

Aside from that, not many:

1) Charlie Kaufman
2) Alejandro González Iñárritu
3) Chris Nolan

-JP

Fincher
Nolan
Jeremy Piven, recently
Pacino
Mann
Clive Owen <3
Tarantino
Rodriguez

there are soo many more, but i don't feel like listing them

Michel Gondry, Saw, and Bruce Campbell.

I'm waiting for all three to come together in a grand display of appealing-to-me-ism, but so far, nothing.

Paul Thomas Anderson
Martin Scorcese
Darren Arronofsky
Alejandro González Iñárritu
David Lynch
Wes Anderson
Michael Mann
Edward Norton
Tom Cruise

new additions:

Todd Field (In the Bedroom, Little Children)
Gael Garcia Bernal (The King, Y Tu Mama Tambien)

Directors:
Steven Spielberg
Peter Jackson
Christopher Nolan
David Fincher
Clint Eastwood

Actors/Actresses:
Christian Bale
Jennifer Garner
Kate Winslet
Morgan Freeman
Tom Cruise
Clint Eastwood

I hear Fincher Fan does not miss anything by that guy that directed the Alien movie. Cameron Crow or something? Anyways...

Directors:
Alfonso Cuarón
Alejandro González Iñárritu
Quentin Tarantino

(I'd say Spielberg but I didn't go out to see Munich. I'd say Fincher but I didn't go to see Panic Room.)

Franchises:
Harry Potter :o
Bourne
Star Wars (never on opening night)

Actors:
N/A

Actors have to pay the bills, which means they sign on to make crappy movies. I like Depp but I'm not going to see The Libertine.

There's not a whole lot of directors/franchises that are theatrically review-proof for me.

deja vu

David Fincher
Harrison Ford

That's it. Nothing else will guarantee my being there.

Just about anything comic book/graphic novel related
Star Wars...always on opening night
Fincher
Mann
Kevin Smith
Pixar
Tarantino
Harry Potter
Ridley Scott
Sam Raimi
And anything Spiderman. Grew up on Spiderman in Electric Company, Animated, Comics(before I quit).

Star Wars was the only franchise that was guarenteed to get me in the theater. Always on opening night.

Bond. Seen em all at the theater.

Adom Egoyan. He directed my favourite movie of all time, after all.

I do hope that his next film (if he even makes another one) is better than Where The Truth Lies, though.

Franchises:
Batman
James Bond
Spider-Man
Jurassic Park (Yes, I hope there is another one)

Directors also have to pay the bills but sometimes I make an effort to see their films.

Paul Thomas Anderson (The greatest!)
Peter Jackson (He got me after LOTR)
Inarritu (Even if his movies continue to suck like Babel, I will still go see them hoping they will be good like 21 Grams)
Cameron Crowe (See above except substitute Babel with Elizabethtown and 21 Grams with Almost Famous)
David Gordon Green
Ridley Scott (only when he's doing epics and not silly love stories or feminist empowerment movies)
Quentin Tarantino has yet to make a bad movie.
Steven Spielberg (I usually end up going to see blockbusters but skip out on his dramas, which is a shame because Munich is amazing)
Michael Mann (reluctantly)
Christopher Nolan has earned my respect.

I would say David Fincher but Panic Room was so wholly TV-Movie-of-the-Week bad so he has to earn my trust again.

Quintin Tarantino
Kevin Smith
PTA
Christopher Nolan
Peter Jackson

Please. He's an over-rated hack.