Spielberg Movies: Ranked Worst to Best
He has been one of the most influential and most famous filmmakers in all of history. Multiple generations of viewers have been inspired by his imagination with the screen, and his legacy still stands today with the standing popularity of films such as Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan. Amazingly, he's still at work to this day in creating inspiring feature after inspiring feature. I also love how varied his style is: he's been over the ocean, far into the future, well into the dark periods of the past, introduced us to other worlds, and even brought dinosaurs back to life. They are all seemingly different types of films yet they share one characteristic in common: captivation of what's on the screen. I say this is an artist who deserves to have all his work, both good and bad, memorialized. So now, here is my picks for each of his other works ranked from worst to best:
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- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen KingsleyIn German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.This is kind of a cliche pick for the #1 spot at this point, but it wholly deserves it without a question of reason. Schindler's List has become one of the most treasured films of all time for all the right reasons: the length of detail it goes into about the victims of the holocaust is heartbreaking, and the way one Nazi went from a greed to a savior to over a thousand Jews is a story everybody needs to see at once. So Steven Spielberg, thank you so much for all you gave to make this picture and change the world with your own Jewish background. Because of you, one life was saved along with the world entire.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMatt DamonTom SizemoreFollowing the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.Saving Private Ryan truly is a triumph in filmmaking. It has incredible action sequences, moving character development, powerful acting, stunning cinematography, staggering editing, an impactful social message, and most important of all: a tremendous amount of respect to the soldiers who sacrificed their own lives for the pride and freedom of America.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDaniel Day-LewisSally FieldDavid StrathairnAs the Civil War rages on, U.S President Abraham Lincoln struggles with continuing carnage on the battlefield as he fights with many inside his own cabinet on his decision to emancipate the slaves.There is one thing that Spielberg has significantly improved upon as a director: and that's how he gets the most out of his actors. Lincoln features the defining performance of Daniel Day Lewis' career as the highly respected president, and his character is illustrated with such wisdom and detail, you'd almost wonder if your history textbooks were accurate after all.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHenry ThomasDrew BarrymorePeter CoyoteA troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape from Earth and return to his home planet.One of my all-time favorite movies, and one of the several imaginative features that inspired me to take up film, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial demonstrates precisely what made Spielberg so respected. It may appear to be a cute story about a boy helping an alien get home, but beneath it lies an autobiography of Spielberg's childhood and what divorce meant to him while in Elliot's place.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDanny GloverWhoopi GoldbergOprah WinfreyA tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry.Yet another underrated masterpiece by the big Spiel: The Color Purple deserves a better reputation than it has gotten over the years. Featuring heartfelt Oscar-nominated performances by Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, this film of Black women empowerment is told with just the right dose of emotion that Spielberg has successfully achieved over his long career.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.The film that made Spielberg famous, the one that started the summer blockbuster, the one that scared thousands from going into the water: Jaws. What I love about this iconic movie is how it's such an absurd B-movie concept that someone could have come up with on a drunk date, and yet it was told with such drama and such integrity that makes you thirsty for more.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsChristian BaleJohn MalkovichMiranda RichardsonA young English boy struggles to survive under Japanese occupation of China during World War II.It kind of drives me crazy how underrated this one is. Never before have I felt so moved by a story of a young boy's journey into manhood through the war between China and Japan. Empire of the Sun has just about anything that makes a valuable film: great performances, an effective character arc, and some of the most gorgeous sunset photography you will ever see.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.Even to this day, Raiders of the Lost Ark defines everything great about the movies: detailed direction, a captivating world, engrossing characters, a unique concept, a narrative that spans over multiple plots, and too many iconic scenes to name here. I probably could have done with the offensive cultural stereotypes, but this groundbreaking spectacle deserves its title as the definitive popcorn feature!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRichard DreyfussFrançois TruffautTeri GarrRoy Neary, an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches.Believe it or not, Star Wars was not the only mega hit sci-fi movie of 1977 to resonate with the public. There was one other, from a close friend of George Lucas' ironically. Even if it is morally questionable at times, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a magically captivating experience that portrays rather realistically how the world would react to an alien invasion.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDjimon HounsouMatthew McConaugheyAnthony HopkinsIn 1839, the revolt of Mende captives aboard a Spanish owned ship causes a major controversy in the United States when the ship is captured off the coast of Long Island. The courts must decide whether the Mende are slaves or legally free.I doubt any of you would have remembered this slavery-era historical drama. But Amistad is still a dang well-made feature that gives powerful imagery of what slaves shipped from Africa had to suffer. Yet the real stars of the show are the very real performances by Djimon Hounsou, who plays a non-English speaking slave, and Anthony Hopkins, who disappears into his portrayal of president John Adams.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsEric BanaDaniel CraigMarie-Josée CrozeAfter the Black September capture and massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics, five men are chosen to eliminate the people responsible for that fateful day.I don't enjoy political thrillers much at all, but the creative integrity that went into Munich is still clearly found. It's the massacre on Israel told from the perspective of the Israeli government. It has the feel of a social thriller and is edited to feel like a political drama; you could almost believe that this was made back in the 1970's when this crisis took place.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLeonardo DiCaprioTom HanksChristopher WalkenBarely 17 yet, Frank is a skilled forger who has passed as a doctor, lawyer and pilot. FBI agent Carl becomes obsessed with tracking down the con man, who only revels in the pursuit.Here's something that Spielberg can do better than most directors out there: he can take a unique concept and bring out all the things about it that people will find entertaining. Catch Me If You Can does just that: showing how one teenager got rich by conning other businesses through counterfeit checks. Along with incredible performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Christopher Walken, this is recommended for anybody!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksMark RylanceAlan AldaDuring the Cold War, an American lawyer is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.As far as Oscar-bait movies go, Bridge of Spies is very by-the-numbers. There isn't much of any impact from this Cold-War era film that basically goes back to Spielberg's old bag of tricks. But still, the acting is strong, the cinematography is pleasing to watch, the storytelling is appropriate, and most to all of the right turns are made.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordSean ConneryAlison DoodyIn 1938, after his father goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones finds himself up against the Nazis again to stop them from obtaining its powers.By far the best sequel Spielberg has ever directed, possibly because of how he personalized it with the father-son connection played appropriately by Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. It adds so much needed depth to Indiana Jones' character, and gives a satisfying closure to the trilogy that otherwise should have ended after the first one.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsJeremy IrvineEmily WatsonDavid ThewlisA young farm boy enlists to serve in World War I after his beloved horse is sold to the cavalry. His hopeful journey takes him out of England and onto the front lines as the war rages on.The first half of War Horse is a wonderful little journey of a single horse and how he goes from a family pet to a weapon of the battlefield in World War I. The second half loses its personal touch by focusing less on the horse and more on the war. I could have made some changes here and there, but this is still a heartwarming feature that most anyone can enjoy.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHaley Joel OsmentJude LawFrances O'ConnorA highly advanced robotic boy longs to become "real" so that he can regain the love of his human mother.It's a good take on the future, particularly in what it means to be human. It's got some neat special effects, cinematography, and performance by Haley Joel Osment. But I can't quite recommend A.I. Artificial Intelligence because it's not entirely clear on what it's communicating, and the ending is just straight-up depressing with no upside. Probably wasn't the right movie for Spielberg to take over.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsSam NeillLaura DernJeff GoldblumA pragmatic paleontologist touring an almost complete theme park on an island in Central America is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park's cloned dinosaurs to run loose.I said earlier that Jurassic Park is overrated, and I'm sorry to say this, but it kind of is! Now, the special effects used to create the dinosaurs still hold up unbelievably well, and the creation of suspense is both believable and engrossing. What I can't get over is the uninteresting narrative and the most repulsive deus-ex-machina I have ever seen in my life.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRichard DreyfussHolly HunterBrad JohnsonThe spirit of a recently deceased expert pilot mentors a newer pilot while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend that he left behind.It's okay: not even I knew a thing about this movie before this list. It isn't exactly the masterpiece expected from Spielberg, but Always is still a touching love story between a deceased firefighter and his girl, who he has left on dissatisfied terms. It's also worth noting how this features one of the few appearances of Audrey Hepburn in her saggy-skin days!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom CruiseColin FarrellSamantha MortonJohn works with the PreCrime police which stop crimes before they take place, with the help of three 'PreCogs' who can foresee crimes. Events ensue when John finds himself framed for a future murder.I honestly do not think that Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise go well together. They both have talent, but together, they just can't make any material worthwhile. But still, Minority Report is a pretty satisfactory futuristic thriller that gives a good dose of mystery and social commentary guaranteed to keep most any fans of the genre engrossed.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom HanksCatherine Zeta-JonesChi McBrideAn Eastern European tourist unexpectedly finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.Probably the simplest and most small-scale feature that Spielberg has ever made, The Terminal tells about an Irish immigrant trapped in an airport with such a heart that is entertaining as well as educational. Tom Hanks proves yet again how he can play just about anything with his vulnerable yet effective portrayal of the immigrant of few words. It's no Citizen Kane, but it's still a heartwarming joy!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsDustin HoffmanRobin WilliamsJulia RobertsWhen Captain James Hook kidnaps his children, an adult Peter Pan must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit in order to challenge his old enemy.It's not quite as bad as everyone else makes it out to be, and it's perfectly suitable for families to enjoy together, but where Hook mainly falls flat is the complete confusion of it all. One minute, it seems like a straight-up mystifying fantasy, the next, it's a flat-out slapstick comedy for the kids. On top of that, it has rather overdone performances and plot holes you could sink a ship into.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsMark RylanceRuby BarnhillPenelope WiltonAn orphan little girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the human world.It is overall a magical experience that brings out the child in all of us, and brims exactly the same feel the classic children's book has brimmed over the generations. But The BFG just can't be put any higher because of the rather poor acting of the little girl and the relatively uninspired storytelling that offers nothing beyond a dreamy reality.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsGoldie HawnBen JohnsonMichael SacksA woman attempts to reunite her family by helping her husband escape prison and together kidnapping their son. But things don't go as planned when they are forced to take a police hostage on the road.The first theatrical release Spielberg has ever directed, The Sugarland Express does give a rather well-acted, well paced thriller of two married convicts on the run in order to retrieve their baby in Texas. But you can otherwise easily tell that it's early into Spielberg's career. It's not quote-on-quote "bad," it's just lacking in emotional and dramatic impact, particularly in Spielberg's often celebrated cinematic techniques.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTom CruiseDakota FanningTim RobbinsAn alien invasion threatens the future of humanity. The catastrophic nightmare is depicted through the eyes of one American family fighting for survival.As simple entertainment, War of the Worlds succeeds pretty darn well. As a quality piece of film, this doesn't live up to the hype it had at the time. Tom Cruise's performance is pretty unbearable to watch most of the time, and Dakota Fanning holds the title as Spielberg's second most annoying character. The suspense and tension are still satisfactorily there, but the impact afterwards is not.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsJamie BellAndy SerkisDaniel CraigIntrepid reporter Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by Haddock's ancestor.The Adventures of TIntin is passable enough in telling the journey of this young boy in search for a fortune. But honestly, it's just not a memorable feature in any way (I can barely even remember what the plot was). I mean, the motion-capture computer animation is good, and some action scenes are rather impressive, but this experimental adventure film of Spielberg's is really only that and nothing more: experimental.