I made a list of noteworthy films to recommend to a friend, basing it off the previous one (in the older posts), and adding a lot more.
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Here's a list of notable directors and some great starting points for getting into their films. The latter half of the list consists of notable genre films and just some unstored goodness.

Directors

Brian De Palma
- Carlito's Way
- Blow Out

Steven Soderbergh
-Out Of Sight
-The Limey

Danny Boyle
- Shallow Grave
- Trainspotting

Steven Shainberg
- Hit Me
- Secretary

Todd Solondz
- Welcome to the Dollhouse
- Happiness

Gus Van Sant
- Drugstore Cowboy

Coen Brothers
- The Big Lebowski
- Everything else they've done, basically.

Spike Lee
- Do The Right Thing
- Mo' Better Blues

Martin Scorsese
- Raging Bull
- Taxi Driver
- Bringing Out The Dead
- The Departed

Steven Spielberg
- Schindler's List
- Jaws
- Duel
- The Indiana Jones Trilogy

Jim Jarmusch
- Dead Man
- Stranger Than Paradise
- Night On Earth

David Cronenberg
- Crash
- Videodrome

Orson Welles
- Touch of Evil

John Waters:
- Cecil B. Demented
- Crybaby

Peter Jackson:
- Dead Alive

Terry Gilliam:
- Brazil
- 12 Monkeys (and the Behind the Scenes documentary on the bonus features)

David Lynch:
- Elephant Man
- Mullholland Drive

Oliver Stone
- Platoon

Woody Allen:
- Annie Hall
- Shadows and Fog

Alfred Hitchcock:
- Strangers on a Train
- Rear Window

Wes Anderson
- Rushmore
- The Royal Tennenbaums

Sofia Coppola
- The Virgin Suicides
- Lost in Translation

Mel Brooks
- Anything.

P.T. Anderson:
- Boogie Nights
- Punch Drunk Love
- Magnolia
- There Will Be Blood
- Everything else. This guy is amazing.

Stanley Kubrick
- Paths of Glory
- 2001
- Full Metal Jacket
- The Killers
- Dr. Strangelove

Terrence Malick
- Badlands
- The Thin Red Line

Francis Ford Coppola
- The Godfather I, II and III
- The Conversation
- Apocalypse Now

Tim Burton
- Ed Wood

Quentin Tarantino
- Pulp Fiction
- Death Proof

Kathryn Bigelow
- The Hurt Locker
- Near Dark
- Strange Days

Jonathan Demme
- Stop Making Sense
- The Silence of the Lambs

Darren Aronofsky
- Requiem for a Dream
- The Fountain
- The Wrestler
Christopher Nolan
- Following

Michael Mann
- Heat
- Collateral
- Manhunter

Charlie Chaplin
- City Lights
- Modern Times

John Carpenter
- The Thing
- Halloween
- Escape From New York
- They Live

Michel Gondry
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Martin McDonagh
- In Bruges

Sam Raimi
- The Evil Dead series
- A Simple Plan
- The Gift

David Fincher
- Zodiac
- Se7en


International Film

Jean-Luc Godard
- Breathless
- Band of Outsiders

Akira Kurosawa
- Rashomon
- Seven Samurai
- Ran

Wong Kar-Wai
- In The Mood For Love
- Chungking Express
- 2046

Pedro Almodovar
- All About My Mother
- Talk To Her

Ingmar Bergman
- Persona
- Wild Strawberries

Tom Tykwer
- Wings of Desire

Lars Von Trier
- Dancer in the Dark
- Element of Crime
- Europa
- The Boss of it All

Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Accatone

Werner Herzog
- Stroszek

Federico Fellini
- 8 1/2
- La Dolce Vita

Michael Haneke
- Funny Games
- The White Ribbon
- Benny's Video

Jean Pierre Jeunet
- Amelie
- Delicatessen
- The City of Lost Children

Jean-Pierre Melville
- Le Samourai
- Le Cercle Rouge
- Un Flic

Fatih Akin
- Head-On
- The Edge of Heaven

Guillermo del Toro
- Pan's Labyrinth
- The Devil's Backbone
- Cronos

Krysztof Kieslowski
- Blue
- White
- Red (in that order)

Genres

Modern Day Film Noir:
- L.A. Confidential
- Chinatown (Polanski)

Documentaries:
- Rize
- Dogtown and Z-Boys
- The Endless Summer
- Little Dieter Needs to Fly (Werner Herzog)
- The Fog of War (Errol Morris)
- Man on Wire

Horror:
- Halloween (John Carpenter)
- The Thing ("" "")
- Alien

Italian Horror:
- Lucio Fulci's Zombie
- The Beyond
- Susprira (Dario Argento)

Italian Giallo:
- The Case of the Scorpion's Tail (Sergio Martino)

Action/Adventure:
- The Rock (Michael Bay - I am totally serious.)
- Gladiator

Sci-Fi:
- Donnie Darko
- Primer
- Blade Runner

Classic:
- On The Waterfront
- The Grapes of Wrath (John Ford)
- The Apartment
- Peeping Tom

Asian Cinema:
- Tetsuo The Iron Man
- Sympathy for Mr. Vengance
- Mother
- Oldboy
- Lady Vengeance
- Memories of Murder

Asian Horror:
- Audition
- A Tale of Two Sisters

Cult Classics:
Blaxploitation - The Mack
Evil Dead 2

Western
- Once Upon A Time In The West

Film Noir:
- Double Indemnity
- Maltese Falcon
- Casablanca
- The Set-Up
- Murder, My Sweet
- Sunset Blvd.
- M. (Fritz Lang)

Biopics:
- Basquiat
- Before The Night Falls
- Capote
- JFK
- American Splendor

LGBT:
- Mysterious Skin
- C.R.A.Z.Y.

Unsorted stuff:
Silent - Nosferatu
Frankenstein (1930's)
Bride of Frankenstein
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Musicals)
Billy Wilder movies
The Graduate (70's)
Chopper
Bronson
Adrift In Tokyo
Waltz with Bashir
Hunger (2009)
Red Road (Andrea Arnold)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Let's update the list, shall we?

Brian De Palma - Carlito's Way
Steven Soderbergh - Out Of Sight
Modern Day Film Noir:
- L.A. Confidential
- Chinatown (Polanski)
Shallow Grave - Thriller
Trainspotting - Modern
American Beauty
Steven Shainberg:
- Hit Me
- Secretary
Todd Sollondz - Welcome to the Dollhouse
Gus Van Sant - Drugstore Cowboy
Every Coen Brothers Movie - *The Big Lebowski EDIT: I've seen most of them, does that count as striking them out?)
Spike Lee:
- Do The Right Thing
- Mo Better Blues
Scorsese:
- Raging Bull
- Taxi Driver
Documentaries:
- Rize
- Dogtown and Z-Boys
- The Endless Summer
Steven Spielberg:
- Schindler's List
- Jaws
- Duel
Jim Jarmusch - Dead Man
American Splendor
Crash
Mysterious Skin
C.R.A.Z.Y.
David Cronenberg - Naked Lunch
Horror (John Carpenter):
- Halloween
- The Thing
Italian Horror:
- Lucio Fulci's Zombie
- The Beyond
- Susprira (Dario Argento)
Italian Giallo:
- The Case of the Scorpion's Tail (Sergio Martino)
Donnie Darko
Primer
Blade Runner
Badlands
Charlie Chaplin:
- City Lights
- Modern Times
The Wizard of Oz
Fritz Lang's M
Silent - Nosferatu
Western - Once Upon A Time In The West
Film Noir:
- Double Indemnity
- Maltese Falcon
Casablanca
Frankenstein (1930's)
Bride of Frankenstein
Orson Welles - Touch of Evil
Classic:
- On The Waterfront
- The Grapes of Wrath (John Ford)
Experimental/Asian Cinema:
-Tetsuo The Iron Man
Horror:
- Audition
- A Tale of Two Sisters
Cult Classics:
Blaxploitation - The Mack
Evil Dead 2
John Waters:
- Cecil B. Demented
- Crybaby
Peter Jackson:
- Dead Alive
Terry Gilliam:
- Brazil
- 12 Monkeys
Any Tim Burton Movie
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Musicals)
Pulp Fiction
Billy Wilder movies
Comedies:
Wes Anderson
Mel Brooks
P.T. Anderson (EDIT: I love this guy!):
- Boogie Nights
- Punch Drunk Love
- Magnolia
Italian Film:
8 1/2 - Fellini
La Dolce Vita
The Graduate (70's)
Breathless - Godard - French New Wave
Band of Outsiders
Rashomon - Akira Kurosawa (Japanese)
Ran
Chungking Express - Wong Kar-Wai
Persona - Bergman
Wings of Desire - German
Element of Crime - Lars Von Trier
Accatone - Pier Paolo Pasolini
All About My Mother - Almodovar
Kubrick Films - 2001
The Godfather series
David Lynch:
- Elephant Man
- Mullholland Drive
Oliver Stone - Platoon
Woody Allen:
- Annie Hall
- Shadows and Fog
Alfred Hitchcock:
- Strangers on a Train
- Rear Window
Peeping Tom (Classic Horror)
Biopics:
- Basquiat
- Before Night Falls
- Capote
- JFK

A letter to my blog

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Dear blog,

I seem to have forgotten to invite you to New Year's with me. Oh, stop crying, it's not something to be worried about. I know, I know, we've done it for what, six years now? It just slipped my mind in my old age. I swear, you were on my mind when Dick Clark's count hit "1", the whole time.

Anyways, happy new year. I haven't forgotten all that you've done for me all these years. I'll try to write in you more.

Eric

P.S. - Maybe not.

Last night, I came up with a quick storyline for a dramatic short. It was based on a line that I found on OneSentence.org, a site that collects one sentence stories from anyone who wants to submit. The original line was "As I paused on the stairs, I couldn't shake the image of her standing alone in the center of the room, crying." With that, I began to piece together a plot about the degradation of a relationship, break-ups, and the after-effects of a shattering argument.

I decided for it to be a bit of a cold drama, versus a comedy. It's one of those things that I've always wanted to try but never got the opportunity to.

Quick draft of storyline:
A man recounts the story of his turbulent break-up to his best friend, which leads him to realized he'd made a mistake in leaving.

Chronologically ordered:
-Phil and Jenna get into a heated argument over "intentions" and the "state of their relationship."
-Phil leaves Jenna, but not before exchanging harsh words.
-Phil pauses on his way out, considering going back to apologize, but instead decides to keep it to himself and leaves.
-Phil discusses the breakup with his best friend the day after.
-After vocally reflecting on it, Phil regrets his decision to leave Jenna.
-Phil attempts to speak to Jenna, but in turn, Jenna lets Phil know the repercussions of what he did.
-Phil and Jenna decide to stay apart.

In order of appearance:
-Phil discusses the breakup with his best friend the day after.
-After vocally reflecting on it, Phil regrets his decision to leave Jenna.
(We see hints and flashes to the argument the night before, but nothing definite.)
-Phil attempts to speak to Jenna, but in turn, Jenna lets Phil know the repercussions of what he did.
(Jenna describes her end of the situation to Phil. We see the night before, in complete form with Jenna's V.O.)
-Phil and Jenna get into a heated argument over "intentions" and the "state of their relationship."
-Phil leaves Jenna, but not before exchanging harsh words.
-Phil pauses on his way out, considering going back to apologize, but instead decides to keep it to himself and leaves.
-Jenna blah blah blah, her end is tragic or something.
-Phil and Jenna decide to stay apart.

Remember that list of 120 or so movies that I was told to watch last summer? I've started going through the list and I've crossed out what I've watched over the past year. Got some suggestions to add to it?

Brian De Palma - Carlito's Way
Steven Soderbergh - Out Of Sight
Modern Day Film Noir:
- L.A. Confidential
- Chinatown (Polanski)
Shallow Grave - Thriller
Trainspotting - Modern
American Beauty
Steven Shainberg:
- Hit Me
- Secretary
Todd Sollondz - Welcome to the Dollhouse
Gus Van Sant - Drugstore Cowboy
Every Coen Brothers Movie - *The Big Lebowski
Spike Lee:
- Do The Right Thing
- Mo Better Blues
Scorsese:
- Raging Bull
- Taxi Driver
Documentaries:
- Rize
- Dogtown and Z-Boys
- The Endless Summer
Steven Spielberg:
- Schindler's List
- Jaws
- Duel
Jim Jarmusch - Dead Man
American Splendor
Crash
Mysterious Skin
C.R.A.Z.Y.
David Cronenberg - Naked Lunch
Horror (John Carpenter):
- Halloween
- The Thing
Italian Horror:
- Lucio Fulci's Zombie
- The Beyond
- Susprira (Dario Argento)
Italian Giallo:
- The Case of the Scorpion's Tail (Sergio Martino)
Donnie Darko
Primer
Blade Runner
Badlands
Charlie Chaplin:
- City Lights
- Modern Times
The Wizard of Oz
Fritz Lang's M
Silent - Nosferatu
Western - Once Upon A Time In The West
Film Noir:
- Double Indemnity
- Maltese Falcon
Casablanca
Frankenstein (1930's)
Bride of Frankenstein
Orson Welles - Touch of Evil
Classic:
- On The Waterfront
- The Grapes of Wrath (John Ford)
Experimental/Asian Cinema:
-Tetsuo The Iron Man
Horror:
- Audition
- A Tale of Two Sisters
Cult Classics:
Blaxploitation - The Mack
Evil Dead 2
John Waters:
- Cecil B. Demented
- Crybaby
Peter Jackson:
- Dead Alive
Terry Gilliam:
- Brazil
- 12 Monkeys
Any Tim Burton Movie
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Musicals)
Pulp Fiction
Billy Wilder movies
Comedies:
Wes Anderson
Mel Brooks
P.T. Anderson:
- Boogie Nights
- Punch Drunk Love
- Magnolia
Italian Film:
8 1/2 - Fellini
La Dolce Vita
The Graduate (70's)
Breathless - Godard - French New Wave
Band of Outsiders
Rashomon - Akira Kurosawa (Japanese)
Ran
Chungking Express - Wong Kar-Wai
Persona - Bergman
Wings of Desire - German
Element of Crime - Lars Von Trier
Accatone - Pier Paolo Pasolini
All About My Mother - Almodovar
Kubrick Films - 2001
The Godfather series
David Lynch:
- Elephant Man
- Mullholland Drive
Oliver Stone - Platoon
Woody Allen:
- Annie Hall
- Shadows and Fog
Alfred Hitchcock:
- Strangers on a Train
- Rear Window
Peeping Tom (Classic Horror)
Biopics:
- Basquiat
- Before The Night Falls
- Capote
- JFK