Brad Bird

A character holds an expression for a beat, and the objection arrives without a word. In The Simpsons (1989), directors including Brad Bird make such moments as useful as the dialogue. A change of pose can show us how little confidence someone has. We rate Bird for this attention to movement: he gives us something to notice without stopping the exchange to make sure we noticed it.

Bird's contribution to the programme included creative consultancy and the direction of two episodes, so we would not claim its achievement for him alone. David Silverman is another of the directors making the animation funny even when nobody speaks. Editors Michael Bridge and Don Barrozo are among those giving reactions enough time to register without holding up the joke. We felt fond of these people even while laughing at them, because the little changes of pose expose the insecurity behind their foolishness.

That attention to character continued into his first feature, The Iron Giant (1999), then the Pixar films The Incredibles (2004) and Ratatouille (2007). Family life and artistic effort gave him subjects suited to his interest in capable people and the difficulties they face. The move to live action with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011) made sense for a director who puts such care into where we look. His action keeps the geography clear, so we can follow where people are and understand their view of the danger.

The reservation is that his interest in talent can become too insistent. In Tomorrowland (2015), the encouragement to be optimistic becomes a lesson pressed harder than it needs to be. We prefer the confidence of those readable poses and carefully timed reactions, which let us recognise a feeling without having it explained. Start with The Incredibles for the action and family drama; with The Simpsons, choose the sharper stretches rather than treating every episode as homework.