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Such a close call, both filmmakers have excellent efforts to their name, but I have to go with Sayles. Never less than honest and true to his characters, unafraid of the small story and always in thrall to it, Sayles is the voice for the downtrodden and the little man - he's almost a guiding spirit to the Brick awards. Jarmusch is redolent with style, a force that sometimes overwhelms the substance of his stories. It's this style that will win this poll for him though, it's hard to resist.
I had to give the edge to Jarmusch solely due to DEAD MAN, one of my all-time favorites. On a personal level, it hit me deeper than anything in Sayles' oeuvre, as fine a filmmaker as Sayles is.
I changed my vote right at the last second and went with John Waters.
While Jarmusch's films tend to amuse me, Sayles' work lingers.
Really? Jim Jarmusch over John Sayles?? There is no contest. John Sayles makes beautiful heartfelt movies born out of experience and pain. Sure, I haven't seen Sayles' latest movies but that's because he's making movies outside of the system and that makes it hard for his fans (since they come and go out of theaters so quickly). Look at John Sayles' body of work vs. Jim Jarmusch's. Lone Star, Passion Fish, Eight Men Out, Limbo, Return of the Secaucus Seven (a much better and an earlier Big Chill), City of Hope, and Matewan are all great movies. And his other movies are all for the most part good solid movies. Jim Jarmusch's work is interesting and cool but does not have the lasting effect that John Sayles movies have on me.
OMG, this isn't even close! While I appreciate the quirkiness of Jarmusch, Sayles's films of the 1980s and 90s are brilliant in their exploration of various facets of American society. The political messages of those films were needed in Reagan's America. The films weren't blunt political tracts but told powerful stories peopled with engaging, sympathetic characters. Matewan may be the best of these. I've shown it several times to students in my classes, and my students never fail to connect with the story of Joe Kenehan and his efforts to build a union among coal miners. Most of my students were fairly conservative Southerners, but they grudgingly came to side with miners. The best comment I got was from one student who wrote, "I don't believe in unions, but those people sure needed one."
Think of the actors that have come out of Sayles's movies: Chris Cooper, Mary McDonnell, David Strathairn, Angela Bassett, Joe Morton.
Furthermore, I really appreciate Sayles's versatility: screenplays for Alligator and for TV movie Shannon's Deal, genre exercises elevated by Sayles's witty dialogue and sound plotting.
Okay, last year it was Whedon vs. Abrams; this year it's Jarmusch vs. Sayles. Exactly how many hipster/film geek marriages and relationships are you guys trying to break up, anyway?
Sorry, but i meant to say "by default i went with Jim Jarmusch."
I've never seen any Sayles films so by default i went with him. I have seen about every major Jarmusch film and he can be hit or miss. I would add that Sayles seems primed for a Filmspotting Marathon though.
Ever since I saw "Down By Law" as an 18-year-old budding film lover, Jim Jarmusch has been working his way into the top spot of my favorite directors. I’ve seen every film he’s directed and I truly think he is the best “independent” mind working in cinema in the last 30 years. There is not a film he’s made that I would consider a flop (not even "The Limits of Control" which may be more style than substance, but man, that style), and even while keeping his distinct aesthetic within each film, none are derivative of another. Finally, as my last trump card in the Ultimate Fanboy competition, I even have a tattoo on my forearm of Eva’s cassette player from Stranger Than Paradise, commemorating one of my personal five favorite films of all time.
"Eight Men Out" seals it for Sayles.