Note: Just in time for Ready Player One.
There is no living filmmaker who has changed the world like Steven Spielberg. His literal “household name” is synonymous with movies. Starting in the mid-70s, Spielberg has brought wonder and amazement to the theaters again and again and again. Picking your personal favorites out of the intimidating and unmatched filmography of his is not an easy challenge. Mine is made out of films that I return to more often than others. Now, naturally there are omissions, and I will explain them.
A. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is not on this list. That is not an oversight. Do not misunderstand me, I do honestly enjoy this movie and it is an unarguable masterpiece. However, sticking it in the top 10 is what everyone would do. I wanted this list to include a few heavy hitters and some that people might not recognize at first glance.
B. 1941 is not on this list, but it is not because it is a bad film. It is a much maligned film for many reasons but it is not the abject failure it has been made out to be over the years. Give it a chance if you have never seen it and only heard its unfair reputation. Contrarily, Schindler’s List is not on this list and is a great film but is an extraordinarily hard one to watch.
C. There is only one Indiana Jones film on the list. Crystal Skull is the worst of the bunch but it too suffers from an over-exaggerated reputation.
D. Hook is not on this list. Get over it, fellow ‘90s kids. The BFG is better.
E. The Spielberg films I have not seen as of this writing are The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun and Munich. Their omissions are simply because I have yet to see them in their entirety; something I hope to rectify very soon. Ready Player One, too, but that goes without saying because it is brand-new. If all I have read, seen and heard are correct, it definitely deserves a spot on this list.
With all that out of the way, on with the list. Feel free to comment, but please be civil.
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| "You know what my husband said about the news? He called it the first rough draft of history. That's good, isn't it?" |
Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk
Written by: Liz Hannah and Josh Singer
The most recent film on this list is one of Spielberg’s strongest. Boasting an incredible cast that includes reuniting actors who have previously worked together (i.e. David Cross and Bob Odenkirk from “Mr. Show”, Sarah Paulson and Bruce Greenwood from “American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson” among others) as well as the first pairing between screen icons Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. Naturally, they play off each other well as Streep plays the optimistic owner of the Washington Post, Katherine Graham and Hanks plays the wry curmudgeon editor-in-chief Ben Bradlee. When the “Pentagon Papers” come into play threatening Richard Nixon’s presidency, Bradlee and Graham join forces with some courageous reporters to print them in the Post, despite facing certain prison time. Of course, this story has very obvious modern-day parallels which is why Spielberg wanted to make it (and make it quickly). It has some of the longest takes I have seen in a Spielberg movie, where he and longtime cinematographer Janusz Kaminski excel at capturing the tense situations on-screen. Ultimately, it is no spoiler where this story ends, but it is exciting to see that the final shot of this film nearly matches one of the opening shots of All the President’s Men, which can be considered a pseudo-sequel to this film. Spielberg and Hanks have proven themselves a formidable team time and time again and with the notable performance of Meryl Streep (who earned yet another Oscar nomination), The Post shows that freedom of the press is a weapon worth fighting for.
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| "We're just on our way to Sugarland to pick up my boy Langston." |
Cast: Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, Michael Sacks, Ben Johnson
Written by: Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins
From the most recent to the very first Spielberg film, the master filmmaker debuts in American cinemas with a high-octane, rollicking adventure drama/comedy inspired by a true story. A young woman, Lou Jean Poplin (Hawn) breaks her estranged husband, Clovis (Atherton; soon to be forever known as Walter Peck from Ghostbusters) out of pre-release prison to obtain their young baby after the State of Texas deems Lou Jean an “unfit mother”. After hitching a ride with an elderly cornpone couple, the Poplins get caught in a high-speed chase and end up hijacking a straight-laced police officer at gunpoint. With a legion of brother officers hot on their tail, Lou Jean and Clovis try to survive their lengthy journey across the state of Texas on their mission of mercy as they quickly become heroes of the common people. Without Goldie Hawn’s participation in the film, Spielberg would never have gotten the director’s chair in the first place. Though she is most well known for comedy, she demonstrates a remarkable balance between laughs and tears in this film. Particular note is given to Michael Sacks, the hapless policeman caught up in the middle of the Poplins’ chase. He has an interesting arc in the film – at first, he is duty-bound and most definitely not on their side, but by the end of the film, he has come to see them as people and does not want to see them get hurt. There is brilliant cinematography in the film with the cars on the road with the characters inside; a great example is the sequence where Clovis and Captain Tanner are first discussing terms of their hijacking. It is all filmed in one take as the camera careens around both sides of the car. While the film does not have a happy ending for the main characters, it was only a happy beginning for Steven Spielberg.
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| "You know your own future, which means you can change it if you want to." |
Cast: Tom Cruise, Max von Sydow, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton
Written by: Scott Frank and Jon Cohen
After fulfilling his duties to his good friend Stanley Kubrick and finishing A.I., Spielberg got to do his own, un-tethered take on the future with the writings of Blade Runner author Philip K. Dick. Tom Cruise plays police captain John Anderton of the Pre-Crime Unit, a special agency that can predict and prevent crimes from happening. At the same time a nosy investigator (Farrell) questions the integrity of such an idea (“We are arresting people who have broken no law”), Anderton finds himself the prime suspect in a murder that will happen in less than 48 hours. In order to clear his name, he goes on the run with one of the three Pre-Cogs, a young woman named Agatha (Samantha Morton) who has never seen the outside world. While he protects her and searches for the truth, Anderton must face a terrible tragedy from his past and question what he might be capable of if pushed to his limits. The first real Spielberg film of the new millennium showcases a future not as fanciful as Back to the Future Part II but more realistic than Blade Runner. The mystery is quite thrilling and the action is spot-on. There is even a bit of gross-out humor in the film, almost a throwback to the dinner scene in Temple of Doom. If there is a weak spot in the film, it comes down to the very end of it. Without giving anything away, it is very out of tone with the rest of the film and could come off as schmaltzy. Still, Minority Report is a very compelling thriller with enough action and political intrigue to keep you watching and keep you guessing.
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| "James... Earn this. Earn it." |
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper
Written by: Robert Rodat
Perhaps the second most emotionally difficult film for Spielberg following Schindler’s List, the film’s opening is among the most heart-pounding and visually arresting sequences in all film history – the recreation of the Allies storming Omaha Beach. There are many reports of veterans of World War II having to exit the theater during this scene – it was too much for them to take, particularly the sound design when the soldiers drown underwater. The film continues on with Tom Hanks as Capt. John H. Miller leading a group of soldiers on a mission to rescue a young man (early Matt Damon) whose three brothers have already died in the line of duty. There are causalities to be sure, but the characters do not die in vain. Spielberg received a second Oscar for Best Director and dedicated it to his father who served in World War II (and would later help to inspire Bridge of Spies).
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| "Now get this! Comic books! He reads comic books! Barry Allen is The Flash!" |
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams
Written by: Jeff Nathanson
After the heady dark themes of both A.I. and Minority Report, Spielberg took the opportunity to lighten up a bit as he directs this breezy adventure based on the almost literally unbelievable true story. Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio) is a bright young man whose world collapses around him following his parents’ divorce. Having inheriting the gift of gab from his father (an Academy Award-nominated Christopher Walken), Frank decides to take on several different identities and the high life that comes with them – including a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer. Hot on his heels, however, is a determined FBI agent (Hanks) chasing after him to bring to justice. This is yet another Spielberg film with an absolute dynamite cast; DiCaprio apparently was very sick during the making of the film but his self-confidence as Frank is effervescent. It also marks one of the first major films of Amy Adams, who was clearly a movie star from the start. John Williams’ main title theme matched with the hypnotic animated opening is simply the best. Catch Me is a nice treat to have if you have just been subjected to bitter herbs of darker stories.
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| "You care about something, you fight for it. You hit a wall, you push through it." |
Cast: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg
Written by: Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish
Steven Spielberg was reading the initial reviews came out for Raiders of the Lost Ark in France and he kept coming across the word "Tintin" in the papers. He had scant knowledge of French from high school, but when the translation was brought to him, he discovered a series of comic books about a young adventurer named Tintin, who traveled across the globe much like Indiana Jones but with a more comedic bent. Naturally, Spielberg was hooked on the story but could not fathom a way to bring the inimitable artwork of Hergé to life. That is, until, over 20 years later when Spielberg met Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson on-stage at the Oscars presenting him with Best Picture for The Return of the King. Spielberg soon discovered another Tintin acolyte in Jackson, who suggested creating the world of Hergé through performance capture. Intrigued by the technology, Spielberg agreed with the provision that Jackson accompany him as producer. The resulting film is, as Spielberg described it, "unapologetic, shameless adventure", written by "Doctor Who" showrunner Steven Moffat and Hot Fuzz collaborators Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish. The film has a rousing momentum that rarely stops and Spielberg shows his amazing control of perfomance capture and pushes it to its limits in a standout chase sequence all done in one shot. Spielberg and Jackson set off to make three films, the latter two of which have not been made but if there is any chance that they will happen (and recent reports indicate they might), I will gladly be there on opening day.
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| "Mr. Hammond, I think we're back in business!" |
Cast: Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough
Written by: Michael Crichton and David Koepp
When Michael Crichton first pitched his novel to him, Steven Spielberg called Jurassic Park “the most genius combination of science and imagination”. Another combination of science and imagination is visual effects, which took a gigantic leap forward with the computer-generated dinosaurs in the film which were complimented by the real-life mechanical dinosaurs created by Stan Winston. During a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with the legendary Ray Harryhausen, Spielberg showed him a test of digital dinosaurs running through a film and Harryhausen declared, "Well, there's the future." The lead characters are memorable and actually stand a good chance against the dinosaurs though they are not your traditional action heroes. Spielberg throws in his trademark characters who cannot deal with the idea of parenting; specifically one Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill with a decent character arc. The movie spawned two sequels (with only one directed by Spielberg) and a soft reboot with a sequel on the way later this year.
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| "I saw something last night that I can't explain!" |
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon, François Truffaut
Written by: Steven Spielberg
In the 1970s, two very different news stories were being propagated frequently in the media: Watergate and UFOs. Both had theories thrown around about, mundane and fantastical. As far as Steven Spielberg was concerned, all the negative stuff going on Earth meant the stars were the limit. In all the movies he directed with Richard Dreyfuss starring, he purposefully casts him in the character that Spielberg sees himself as: in this case, Indiana lineman Roy Neary. After coming into contact with beings not of this world, Neary becomes obsessed with finding out the truth of they are here. At the same time, famed scientist Lacombe (Truffaut) is pursuing evidence all around the world of extraterrestrial life and bizarrely, keeps coming across the same five musical notes. The paths for both men end at the intimidatingly-named Devil's Tower in Wyoming. The last third of the movie culminates in a very sweet and heartfelt ending. In one of the three different versions of the movie, John Williams composes a stirring and almost tear-jerking take on "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Disney's Pinocchio (a movie that comes up in dialogue early in the movie). Late last year, Columbia Pictures put the movie out in theaters again for its 40th anniversary (as well as shilling for a new Blu-Ray and 4K release). It actually did well enough that Columbia's initial one-week-only engagement was bumped up to two weeks. That shows you the power a Close Encounter can have.
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| "This shark, swallow you whole." |
2. Jaws (1975)
Cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary
Written by: Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb
If there is one movie that has launched the careers of multiple modern-day directors, it has to be this one. And really, who can blame them? For all the trouble Spielberg and company had to endure with drunk lead actors, an unpredictable ocean to film on and a recalcitrant robot shark, it has perhaps the sweetest happily-ever-after of a cinematic afterlife that is possible. From the line "You're gonna need a bigger boat" to the iconic theme, Jaws has encompassed almost all pop culture. It spawned three lesser sequels, a popular theme park ride at all Universal parks that no longer exists, as well as video games and even a fan documentary on the film's Blu-Ray. Despite the film's reputation for being terrifying, it has a lot of slow, meaningful moments: the tearful Mrs. Kinter confronting Chief Brody, the brief sequence of Brody and his youngest son silently playing together and, of course, Quint's famous "U.S.S. Indianapolis" speech. To paraphrase actor Michael J. Fox, "[Jaws] is everything you go to movies for."
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| "I don't know, I'm making this up as I go." |
Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey
Written by: Lawrence Kasdan
I know I said I was not going to put 1941 on this list, but it is an important film. Without its (seemingly) epic failure, Spielberg would not have needed a project to prove himself on. George Lucas, Spielberg's long-time friend, had just the project: a full-blown throwback/love letter to the rough-and-tumble adventure serials they had both grown up on with the greatest hero of them all who was then-named Indiana Smith (Spielberg agreed to direct on the condition the character's name be changed). At the time, Spielberg was on the outskirts of Hollywood to the point where he was filming the movie overseas (a first for him). John Landis was filming An American Werewolf in London. Joe Dante was filming The Howling. John Carpenter was filming Escape from New York. These films are all memorable and fine in their own right, but only one topped them all in the same year. A movie with Nazis, ghosts, Hitler-loving monkeys, thousands upon thousands of snakes, and the Ark of the Covenant; as well as the role Harrison Ford will forever be known for - Indiana Jones. It continues to define the action/adventure genre and inspired countless knock-offs (some decent, some awful). Harrison Ford was once asked what his definition of Indiana Jones is: "I think the audience likes a character who is both an academic and an adventurer.... It's his tenacity, his unwillingness to give up, his zeal for the hunt. And the pleasure that he takes in going to amazing places, seeing bizarre and amazing things and solving the mysteries that lay before him."
So there it is, my personal top 10 favorite Steven Spielberg movies. It definitely took a lot of time - re-watching the movies, thinking about them, reading on what Spielberg himself and others had said about them - and it is a list I am willing to stand by. I hope you enjoyed reading it and please share if you did!
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