Pound for pound, Alfonso Cuaron is a more accomplished director with a more versatile skill set than Martin Scorcese.  This is not to say anything bad about Scorcese.  He's a master of the craft and has defined a couple generations of filmmaking.  This is to say nothing of how great an advocate for films he is.  But Cuaron has accomplished, in my mind, at least as much in fewer films than Martin has.  In terms of innovation, and serious leaps in evolution as a filmmaker, there's no one really like Cuaron that I can think of.  Again, Scorcese is great, but we all kinda know what to expect with a Scorcese film whereas Cuaron surprises and impresses equally with every film, in a way we have not seen from him at that point.

I mean just think of it. 

The Little Princess
Great Expectations
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Azkaban
Children of Men
Gravity

COMPLETELY different films, all handled with such a clear focus and tonal unity.  Every single on of those films knows exactly what it is and even if you don't like any of those specifically, you can't deny that they're all fully committed to their own identity.

Oh I know he wasn't.  I knew as I was typing it that Mike would greet me with huzzah's.  I'm just sort of screaming into the wind, asking the film gods to strike me down or challenge me.

I really enjoy a Knight's Tale.

Yub Yub!   

Gettin real sick of saying this, but, hotlinking imdb images doesn't work.

Check your pics after you post people.