Steven Spielberg's latest is in theatres now, and in preparation for Disclosure Day I decided to finally make my way through all the blind spots I had in his legendary filmography. I did mean to have this out a few weeks ago but life gets busy so sometimes a ranked list has to wait a bit to see the light of day. Spielberg has had some ups and downs throughout the span of his career, but it's really shocking how few of his films are real duds. With a filmography spanning over five decades he's made more all time classics than bad movies, so going through his career was a real treat. Now that I've finally watched everything from him, including his latest, I thought it would be fun to do a little ranking of all his work. Note that this will only include his solo directorial efforts so something like The Twilight Zone won't appear here, nor will Poltergeist as Tobe Hooper is technically the director of that one.
#36. A.I Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Kicking things off here with what will likely be the hottest take I have. Plenty of people I know absolute adore this one, but it's the only Spielberg movie that I genuinely can't stand. I did watch this a few years ago before AI boomed to where it is now, so my negative sentiments towards the film don't even have anything to do with my negative sentiments towards artificial intelligence. This is just a really annoying movie in my opinion, it's way overlong with a narrative I found dull and overbearingly cheesy. The music is good but is washed out by largely cringey acting and a litany of Pinocchio references that become more and more on the nose as the film goes on. It's a movie that rushes when it needs to slow down and drags when it needs to speed up, and is truly the lone Spielberg movie that I vehemently dislike.
#35. The BFG (2016)
While A.I is a movie that actively bothers me, The BFG finds itself this low due to how much of a nothing-burger it ultimately is. The idea of Spielberg bringing his sentiments as a filmmaker to a Roald Dahl story makes a ton of sense on paper, but the end result is a film that leaves you feeling pretty much nothing. The whimsy of it feels far too forced, and sadly the visual effects are a lot weaker than they should be. There's just really nothing to latch onto here, making it an ultimately forgettable film in a largely great filmography.
#34. 1941 (1979)
1941 is often named as Spielberg's worst and it isn't hard to see why. This ultimately just doesn't feel like him, and I think having his name attached to it sours the taste in your mouth. It isn't a horrible movie, but it feels no different than other Dan Aykroyd & John Belushi comedies of the time. This is without question the worst of Spielberg's many war movies, and a film that really stands out amongst his filmography as the one that feels the least Spielberg.
#33. Something Evil (1972)
This was just Spielberg's second film and a TV movie at that, and you can really tell. It's far from the worst thing you'll ever see, but it ultimately feels like a half baked version of something like Poltergeist. It is fun to see Spielberg directing a straight up horror movie, but it is a bit disappointing that his only full foray into the genre is something with such a small backing, as you can see glimmers of his mastery throughout the film's short runtime.
#32. War Horse (2011)
This is a word I hate to use when talking about movies, especially from filmmakers of this stature, but War Horse is just boring. In general I'm less interested in Spielberg's war films, and War Horse sees him drawing a story out to a runtime far longer than it needs, all while pouring just way too much of his sentimentality into it. This feels like a film that largely exists to try making you cry, and in turn feels forced and disingenuous in my opinion. There's some great filmmaking on display, but serving a story that did nothing for me.
#31. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
This may be a bit high for some, but as bad as it is, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull does have some highlights. Cate Blanchett is an over the top but still compelling villain, and seeing Harrison Ford back as Indiana Jones is a treat enough on its own. Some action set pieces are way too goofy, but there are also a handful that are straight up great. Sadly most of the film's already limited good will is thrown away with a ridiculous finale that sucks any life out of it.
#30. Amistad (1997)
Similar to War Horse, this is Spielberg seemingly on autopilot with a historical drama. Amistad isn't a bad movie, hell it's opening scene is straight up incredible, it just isn't a movie that leaves its mark. It feels a lot more like Oscar bait than a filmmaker bringing real passion to a story, and with a runtime well over two hours I just struggled to connect with the film on the whole.
#29. Always (1989)
Always is kind of hilarious in the grand scheme of Spielberg's career. He has some forgettable movies at the beginning and more recent eras of his career, but this is a movie sandwiched right between some truly iconic work. I think that similar to 1941 this is a film that is much easier to enjoy if you don't think of Spielberg being behind the camera, but this just doesn't live up to his pedigree in any way. The story follows a deceased pilot who starts mentoring a new pilot from the grave, all while this new pilot sparks up a romance with his old girlfriend. You can easily go through life without watching this, but the strangeness of its place within Spielberg's filmography makes it somewhat fascinating.
#28. Hook (1991)
A lot of people have a deep nostalgia for Hook, and I just never really watched it when I was a kid. I am definitely due for a rewatch as it has been ages since I saw this, but on the whole it's a solid but unremarkable entry in Spielberg's filmography. I can easily see why people who grew up with it still hold it close to their hearts, I just don't have that same connection to it.
#27. War of the Worlds (2005)
While I still consider this a decent movie, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed watching War of the Worlds. Based on the iconic novel, this marked Spielberg's return to making movies about alien lifeforms for the first time since the early 80s, and saw him putting them in a more apocalyptic setting than before. This is a pretty gripping movie, but visually I found myself underwhelmed by the mid-2000s style and struggled to connect with the cast much at all. I can see this rising the ranks upon a rewatch, but as of now I can't put it any higher.
#26. Ready Player One (2018)
Spielberg taking on an iconic sci-fi novel like this felt like a match made in heaven, and despite the mixed reception it has received over time, I still did enjoy this quite a bit. This almost feels ahead of its time in how much it relies on references and cameos, but there's something wildly fun about him throwing so many things I love into one giant messy movie. Tye Sheridan is a solid lead and Olivia Cooke is great in a supporting role, and I have to mentioned how great some of the tracking shots are throughout.
#25. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
This is the lone animated film in Spielberg's filmography, and I'd call it a solid one. The early stages of the movie feel very much like an Indiana Jones for a young audience, and while I did find that the story started losing me as it went on it still offers a fun adventure ride. I think part of what holds me back is the animation style which I frankly just don't love, but on the whole this is just a solid adventure flick.
#24. Bridge of Spies (2015)
In a similar vein to Adventures of Tintin being a solid adventure movie, Bridge of Spies is just a solid war movie. I don't think it stands out much amongst the rest of Spielberg's work, but it offers a gripping story and its cold war setting makes it at least tonally different from his other war movies. Tom Hanks is great but Mark Rylance's well earned Oscar winning performance is the real standout here. It just goes to show you how great Spielberg's filmography is that a movie this solid ranks only 24th.
#23. The Sugarland Express (1974)
Here we have another film of Spielberg's that is largely forgotten, and while 1941 or Something Evil can be lost to history, The Sugarland Express deserves a lot more love. Released the year before his big breakout with Jaws, this sees Spielberg telling a Bonnie & Clyde type of story with Goldie Hawn leading the show. It doesn't really feel like one of his movies, but that's part of where its charm comes in as its road trip crime vibe is something we haven't seen much of since his debut Duel. There are certainly some limitations, but I really enjoyed this one as a strong early entry in Spielberg's filmography.
#22. The Color Purple (1985)
I first watched this a couple years ago in preparation of the remake, and it's a fascinating comparison study. The two films are naturally very similar narratively, but I think Spielberg's take on the story has a much better flow and performances that are a slight step up. That being said, I think the new one has a lot more passion behind it. Spielberg is obviously great behind the camera, but you can feel the difference between Spielberg's take as a white filmmaker and the more powerful voice Blitz Bazawule brings to the 2023 film. This is an all around great movie, but I do think it falters a bit in comparison to its contemporary.
#21. The Post (2017)
The Post is a movie that shouldn't be nearly as exciting as it is, and that's all thanks to Spielberg's work behind the camera. It takes a bit to get truly investing but once the ball gets rolling it reaaally gets rolling. The cast features a lot of insanely talented actors all at the top of their games. Streep and Hanks are incredible as always and some surprisingly great dramatic performances from comedic actors like Bob Odenkirk, Alison Brie, and David Cross. The pacing is really solid, and the John Williams score gives an already important story an extra oomph that help make it feel more lasting.
#20. Munich (2005)
Munich is among the most underrated works in Spielberg's filmography. Nominated for five Oscars but winning none, this follows a team tasked with taking out the people responsible for the Black September crisis at the 1972 Olympics. This is a political thriller rich with tension, and the ensemble cast is all around fantastic. Of his work this probably isn't one I'll revisit much, but it offers a much more serious tone than we typically see from him which is enough to make it a fascinating entry in his filmography.
#19. The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
I wasn't entirely sure where to put The Lost World, but I think this is a good spot that balances its quality as a movie with my unflinching love of dinosaurs. This is a clear step down from the original in pretty much every way, but there are high points that I wish were talked about more. The scene with the RV hanging from a cliff is arguably the most impressive display of tension we've seen in Spielberg's career, and adding Julianne Moore and Vince Vaughn to the fray help give this an ensemble that you can have a lot of fun with. There are a lot of stupid moments here, especially Goldblum's daughter gymnastics fighting a raptor, but anyone who knows me knows how much I love these movies, and The Lost World is no exception.
#18. Lincoln (2012)
If there's a movie on this list that I thought would bore me more, it would easily be Lincoln. As much as I appreciate Lincoln as a historical figure, a two and a half hour historical drama isn't typically my vibe. Lincoln is fantastic though, painting an epic portrait of the larger than life figure, anchored by a frankly insane performance from Daniel Day-Lewis. Despite its genre and lengthy runtime the film is never dull, and Spielberg's tone fits pretty perfectly in telling a story of someone fighting for what was right in a tumultuous time. Lincoln deserves every bit of praise it has received, and perhaps even more.
#17. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
If we were just talking about opening scenes, Saving Private Ryan might be #1. The D-Day opening is something truly awe-inspiring to watch, but the rest of the film does fail to live up to its impressive first scene. Don't get me wrong, this is still a great movie, but it's one that does feel a bit too Hollywood at times, undercutting the gripping intensity of war with occasionally cheesy moments that take a lot of the wind out of its sails. The performances are great, and the filmmaking is damn near masterful, I just struggled to fully connect with it on a narrative level due to the oversentimental nature of those moments.
#16. Empire of the Sun (1987)
Now we have a wildly different war movie from Spielberg. Starring a very young Christian Bale, Empire of the Sun follows an English boy living in Shanghai whose life is thrown into turmoil when Japan invades and sends the foreigners into camps. This is an at times crushing watch that manages to stay engrossing from start to finish. The John Williams score can be a bit overbearing at times, but this sneakily delivers some of the most stunning visuals in Spielberg's career. If you haven't seen it, I highly suggest checking this one out.
#15. Catch Me if You Can (2002)
Crazy to have a filmography so good that Catch Me if You Can isn't even top 10. This is actually the most popular of Spielberg's filmography according to Letterboxd, something that surprised me quite a bit. What isn't surprising is that so many people love this movie, as the Dicaprio/Hanks game of cat and mouse is frankly a ridiculous amount of fun. There's a swagger to this one that you don't really see from Spielberg's other work, and he really makes the most out of an already great story. It's been a while since I've seen this one which is probably what holds it back the most, but regardless this is a great movie.
#14. Disclosure Day (2026)
Now we finally get to the newest film on this list, and one that I can see stirring some controversy. This whole list was hard to make, but figuring out where to put Disclosure Day was a particularly tough task. The rest of Spielberg's filmography has had time to linger not just with me but with the rest of the world, meanwhile we've only had a week with this one. While there are some clear faults with it, namely the messy narrative, I did find a lot to love with Disclosure Day. I can pretty confidently call it the weirdest movie Spielberg has made, but seeing him and Williams bring their magic to a fascinating sci-fi story that had me hooked till the end. I don't know how this will age with me, I can easily see my appreciation for it growing but it could just as easily sour on me. Only time will tell, but I feel good putting it here for now.
#13. West Side Story (2021)
This is one that has actually grown on me over time. When I first saw it I was a bit underwhelmed, but upon a rewatch Spielberg's vision in bringing this iconic story to life really worked for me. Visually, West Side Story is fantastic, with some truly incredible set design turning New York City into a playground for song and dance. Ariana Debose's Oscar-winning performance is truly special, and Rachel Zegler is a revelation in the leading role. The biggest thing going against this one is how great the original is, but this is still a fantastic musical.
#12. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Of the original Indiana Jones trilogy this is pretty clearly the weakest, but that in no way makes this a bad movie. The opening scene is awesome, Short Round is an icon that I wish we saw in these movies more, and while she is a bit annoying I do have some fun with Willie as the love interest. There are standout scenes all throughout, but there are elements that haven't aged too well and on the whole this doesn't quite live up to what came directly before and after.
#11. The Terminal (2004)
This might have been the biggest surprise of all the films I watched in preparation for this list. This is admittedly a very cheesy movie, but it shows Spielberg's magic as a filmmaker even telling a completely contemporary story. Tom Hanks' natural charm is a huge asset, but all in all The Terminal is a film oozing with positive vibes. It is a bit weird seeing Stanley Tucci in a more antagonistic role, but seeing everyone around Hanks' wayward tourist rally around him is just delightful. There's also something fun about the idea of living in an airport that I found very endearing. This is definitely higher than most would put this one, but I really loved it.
#10. Duel (1971)
We kick off the top 10 with the one that started it all. At young than I am now, Spielberg announced himself to the world with this TV-movie that is frankly just incredible. The film follows a simple story of a businessman on a road trip who angers a trucker, only to find himself the target of the trucker's intense road rage. We never actually see the man driving the rusty old tanker, essentially making it a vehicular monster not dissimilar in its menace to the shark in Jaws. For such a simple premise this is gripping from start to finish, squeezing every ounce of tension from the limiting story. This is a remarkable first effort, and even if you take away the fact that it's Spielberg's debut, it's just a great movie.
#9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Now we get to Spielberg's first alien movie, one that I do think has been sadly overshadowed by a certain other sci-fi movie from 1977 (I think they call it Star Wars?). This is the first film that I think really found the Spielberg magic, telling a story of extra-terrestrial life with a whimsy to it that I found intoxicating. Close Encounters clocks in at well over two hours and honestly doesn't have that much happening, but that Spielberg/Williams combo makes it just feel special. Not a lot happens but it doesn't need to, as there is a constant feeling that you're building towards something special that will make it all worth it.
#8. The Fabelmans (2022)
I'm very glad Spielberg is still making movies, but if there was a perfect film to end on it would have been The Fabelmans. If you haven't seen it, this is essentially an autobiography, with the main character Sammy Fabelman being a stand in for Spielberg in his younger years. This is naturally a deeply personal film and you can feel that all throughout, watching as he grows from a little boy blown away by seeing a movie in the cinema to a young man trying his darnedest to make something of his own. Really just a beautiful and deeply inspiring watch.
#7. Schindler's List (1993)
Now we get to the film that earned Spielberg his first Oscar win, and the only one of his films to take home Best Picture. Schindler's List is just remarkable, a long and emotionally profound story of heroism in dark times, shot in some of the most stunning black and white cinematography we may ever see. Spielberg has made countless war movies, but Schindler's List is the best of the bunch, offering something uninterested in the war itself but more in the humans affected by it. You'd be hard pressed to find a film more emotionally rich than this one, just a truly remarkable achievement for Spielberg as a director.
#6. Minority Report (2002)
Schindler's List should probably rank higher, but Minority Report is simply right up my alley. Adapted from a Philip K. Dick story and marking the first collaboration with Tom Cruise, this is just a wildly cool sci-fi movie. The premise of precrime is one made even more fascinating in the modern age, and the early-2000s sci-fi style works a lot better here than it does in A.I. I'm very much due for a rewatch here, but as it stands this is one I always remember fondly.
#5. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
As evidenced by how high I put Temple of Doom, I'm a pretty big Indiana Jones fan. For a while this was actually my favourite one, but in recent years I just haven't had the same urge to watch it as I have for the one that we'll get to soon. Last Crusade is still incredible though, starting off on the incredible opening with River Phoenix as a young Indy only to add Sean Connery as Henry Jones Sr, arguably the best supporting character in the series. The action is great, the villains are fantastic, and it has one of the best climaxes of any Spielberg movie. It's honestly a shame we got two lesser films after the fact, as this would have been a perfect close for the franchise.
#4. Jaws (1975)
This is about as low as I can legally place Jaws without having my cinephile card revoked. Jaws is essentially a perfect movie, a blockbuster now half a century old that hasn't lost its step one bit. Spielberg manages to create something truly suspenseful despite a laundry list of setbacks he faced while making the film, turning limitations into assets. Barely seeing the shark makes it a menacing figure constantly lurking in our imaginations, and when it does show up in reins open water chaos that is impressive still to this day. Throw in those two simple notes of John Williams' score, and you have one of the most iconic films in history.
#3. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Over time I could see Jaws taking over this spot, but I spent way too much of my life hooked on Indiana Jones to put this any lower. There have been times where The Last Crusade has ranked a bit higher, but in recent years the iconic introduction to Harrison Ford's iconic character has given me a heightened nostalgia. The set pieces here are just too great, whether we're talking about the thrilling opening or the ending that definitely horrified me as a child. There are so many images from this one seared into my brain, and as is the case with pretty much all of the top 5, the John Williams theme music is remarkable.
#2. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
When you think of Spielberg, you often tend to think of a magical feeling that only his work can bring, and there's no greater example of that than E.T. There's a reason that the imagery of the bike flying past the moon is still so iconic, Spielberg delivers something here that has moved people for generations now. The titular ET is somehow among the ugliest and cutest creatures in cinema history, making you care for him as soon as he steps onto the screen. This is the movie that introduced us to Drew Barrymore, with Henry Thomas giving one of the greatest child performances of all time. Once again John Williams crafts a magical score, and the synergy between him and Spielberg makes for a cinematic experience that never fails to get me in my feels. I'll never stop loving this movie.
#1. Jurassic Park (1993)
If you know me at all, hell if you've ever walked within 10 feet of me, you knew what was coming in at #1. Growing up I was a full blown dinosaur kid, and truth be told I still am one now, so there's no movie that has shaped me quite like Jurassic Park. Spielberg has shown us whimsy, he's shown us tension and terror, but few films have ever managed to walk a tightrope of both quite like Jurassic Park. From a visual standpoint it is frankly insane how good the dinosaurs still look, but it's Spielberg's ability to put you in awe only to later put you on the edge of your seat that makes this so special. This is movie magic at its finest, some of the most impressive filmmaking of all time bringing prehistoric creatures to life with a tangibility the following films in the series haven't even reached. This is one of the only movies I can throw on any time any place and never tire of, for a long time it was my all time favourite and some days it still is. Jurassic Park is in my humble opinion, hands down the best of Spielberg's remarkable filmography.
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