#53 Joe Dante - Sci-fi geek director.

References to classic genre junk permeate his pictures. Robby the Robot from Lost in Space made a cameo in Gremlins. Roger Corman regular Dick Miller has starred in almost all of his films.

Unlike other creative associates of Steven Spielberg, namely Chris Columbus and Robert Zemeckis, Dante never abandoned his love of ray-guns, cartoon anarchy and gore for more serious or family friendly pursuits. Joe Dante is back behind the camera for the first time since the often-overlooked Small Soliders. Looney Tunes: Back in Action will mix live action actors with the classic Warner Brothers characters ala Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The project is a $100 million studio behemoth overflowing with effects that was originally offered to a "hot shot music video director."

The kind of fun and irreverence that made classic Looney Toons so great coarses through the director's filmography. Dante is the perfect man for the job. I just wish the screenwriters resisted to use the newer, mean Daffy Duck.