Undefended is posted every Friday. All FilmFisher writers are given a prompt and respond with a list of five items, none of which are explained or rationalized. This week…

The top five screenwriters working today?

James Banks

1. David Webb Peoples

2. William Goldman

3. Vince Gilligan

4. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

5. Michael Mann

 

Kanaan Trotter

1. Coen Bros

2. Alfonso Cuaron

3. Terrance Malick

4. Paul T. Anderson

5. Wes Anderson

 

Christian Leithart

1. Coen Bros

2. Ed Wright/Simon Pegg/Nick Frost

3. Peter Morgan

4. PT Anderson

5. Shane Black

 

Joseph Gross

1. Charlie Kaufman

2. Joss Whedon

3. The Coen Bros.

4. Vince Gilligan

5. Steven Moffat

 

Jon Paul Pope

1. Paul Thomas Anderson

2. The Coen Bros.

3. Charlie Kaufman

4. Wes Anderson

5. Lars Von Trier

 

Joshua Gibbs

1. Paul Thomas Anderson

2. The Coen Brothers

3. Charlie Kaufman

4. Noah Baumbach/Whit Stillman (tie)

5. John Patrick Shanley

 

Sean Johnson

1. Wes Anderson

2. Paul Thomas Anderson

3. Brad Bird

4. Coen Bros.

5. Matthew Weiner

 

Joshua Stevenson

1. Charlie Kaufman

2. The Coen Brothers

3. Andrew Bujalski

4. Brad Bird

5. Dan Harmon

 

Remy Wilkins

1. Paul Thomas Anderson

2. Mike Leigh

3. Charlie Kaufman

4. Woody Allen

5. Sofia Coppola

 

Justin Spencer

1. Terrence Malick

2. Wes Anderson

3. P.T. Anderson

4. Alfonso Cuaron

5. Mike Leigh

 

Thomas Banks

1.Ben Hecht

2.Billy Wilder/I.A.L. Diamond

3.Joseph Mankiewicz

4.John Huston

5.Coen bros.