Hughes (who doesn't love Ferris Bueller?),
 Polanski,
 Hitchcock,
 Coen Bros.,
 (Kevin) Smith,
 (Wes) Anderson...
 Scorcese - of course! Gangs of New York blew the Aviator out of the water. (and my cousin has been co-producer on many of his films;))
 I did like Ang Lee's work on Brokeback.
 And I dug the direction of Good Night, Good Luck...however, I might have more an affection for the lighting director for that movie.