Eight years after his hit film, Sorry to Bother You, Boots Riley finally returns with his second feature. The high anticipation and pressure of this got us thinking about other directors' second films. So, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Sophomore Directorial Features.
As per usual, each writer ranks their top 15 films in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five.
5. BOOGIE NIGHTS (PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON)
Like a lot of curious young Canadian cinephiles, I took advantage of my parent’s decent cable TV package and watched my fair share of...let’s say, adventurous…movies whenever they weren’t looking, especially on the weekends. Surprisingly enough, you could find some of them on the History Channel. Back when they were cool, they would often showcase films that highlighted a certain part of history, uncut and uncensored. Boogie Nights was one of those. At 12 years old, my eyes gazed upon Paul Thomas Anderson’s epic exploration of the “Golden Age of Porn” - commercial breaks and all. By the time it was over, I felt as if my life had changed. Every time I’ve seen it since (and this includes seeing it on 70mm, which I highly recommend), I’m taken back to that moment in time and feel like that 12-year-old boy again - sucked in by its lively first half, and gutpunched by its sobering second half. Each time, I’m blown away that Anderson pulled off something so funny, so sad, and so ambitious (narratively and formally) in his second go-around. And at only 26 years old no less! It took some filmmakers who debuted before him four or five tries to make a movie this perfect, but this only speaks to the mastery that PTA already possessed back then, and has continued to wield as his career has gone on. He has the touch. He has the power. - Bode
4. SEVEN (DAVID FINCHER)
When you think of the most improved sophomore directorial effort, David Fincher has to come to mind. Alien 3 isn’t a completely terrible movie, but it certainly has its flaws, and didn’t allow Fincher to truly shine as the director we know him as today. So fortunately, he could only go up from there, and up he went. His sophomore outing put him on the map. The neo-noir, serial-killer thriller Seven is not only one of the strongest sophomore efforts, it’s one of the best of its genre. Rather than playing it safe, he took a bold and confident approach that ended up establishing the style we admire today. While most directors are still finding their voice on their second outing, Fincher delivered a film that feels fully realized and fearless. Seven is a brilliant masterpiece that excels in all aspects, from its premise and directing style to its atmosphere and performances. It truly remains one of the most chilling crime dramas ever made. - Paige
3. ALIEN (RIDLEY SCOTT)
Ridley Scott’s Alien is not just one of the best sophomore directorial features ever, but also one of the best horror films, and arguably the best sci-fi horror film ever. The first time I saw it, I was struck by how deeply unsettling and impactful it is. Alien is an iconic classic, a modern cultural touchstone that’s constantly referenced and whose impact continues to influence filmmakers today. From its thrilling action set pieces, chilling creature design, and distinct visual style to its fantastic visual effects that more than stand up today, it rivals the impact of modern techniques. Despite being a horror film with extraordinary body horror, as well as Scott’s second feature, Alien utilises incredible restraint, evident in the plot, the pacing, and the fantastic cinematography, to enhance the tension and steadily increasing dread. On top of this, the film became a defining moment in Sigourney Weaver’s career, and her performance is one of the most significant in all of action and horror cinema, redefining female roles in the genre. - Katie
2. WHIPLASH (DAMIEN CHAZELLE)
Considering many of you probably missed Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, I'd assume Whiplash was your likely introduction to Damien Chazelle. What an introduction it was. Chazelle has crafted an intense film that showcases the pressure, drive, and ambition it takes to become the best, all focused on the clash between a student (Miles Teller) and his abusive teacher (J. K. Simmons). Teller is no slouch here, but it's a career performance for Simmons as he gets to show off the mean-streak he perfected as Vern Schillinger on HBO'S Oz. There's nothing sugar-coated in this film, to the point it can occasionally become an uncomfortable watch, but its quality is undeniable. Chazelle's bulletproof script and dynamic direction here set the tone for his later films like La La Land and Babylon. - Nick
1. PULP FICTION (QUENTIN TARANTINO)
I was very young in 1992, so I couldn’t project what I thought Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs meant for his career prior to the arrival of the masterpiece that is Pulp Fiction. However, having seen both, I can tell you the proof was in the pudding, and if of age, I would’ve been clamoring for the follow-up back then. As a novice, I thought film and storytelling were such linear, three-act structured mediums, so when I saw Pulp Fiction, it flipped my logical brain on its head. I didn’t think time could be manipulated in such a cohesive and entertaining way. As my cinema history knowledge was expanded, I came to realize its contribution to an outstanding movie year, and how other inferior films (looking at you Forrest Gump) paled in comparison yet stole some of its shine. Without Pulp, we don’t have the second act of John Travolta, we don’t have Uma Thurman, and we don’t have Sam Jackson’s prestige filmography; we basically miss out on thirty years of interesting cinema because of the possibilities a movie nerd generated when he crafted something so special and aspirational. It is my favorite movie of all time, and if you find fault in that, perhaps you need an adrenaline shot to the heart. - Robert
HONORABLE MENTIONS
THE MATRIX (THE WACHOWSKIS)
THE INCREDIBLES (BRAD BIRD)
EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (DANIELS)
THE TERMINATOR (JAMES CAMERON)
SHAUN OF THE DEAD (EDGAR WRIGHT)