Top 10 Steven Spielberg films, ranked from worst to best

It can be stated without an ounce of doubt that Steven Spielberg is one of the most prolific and deft filmmakers of all time. His films have curved many beautiful childhoods, and it is through his films that the development of cinema back in the 20th century was pronounced. Considered one of the, if not the, greatest filmmaker of all time, Spielberg’s productions like Jurassic Park or Raiders of the Lost Ark remains some of the most golden films of all time and have made places in the history books for shaping many childhoods and inspiring new filmmakers to come out and express their ideas, no matter how daunting they sound. If films were tangible objects, it would’ve sounded wise enough to put up his movies in museums for observers to study and apprehend the beauty and the aura exuded by these golden age films. There are almost ten Spielberg films that, if called the greatest film of all time by a thoughtful mind, wouldn’t be objected by others. Built in order to proliferate palpable nostalgia and inspire the new generation to follow their dreams, Spielberg’s plethora of films still curves the path of success for directors and producers of our era.

Hence I have decided to produce this list listing my favorite Spielberg productions. While it was quite a difficult task to gather these masterpieces and list them in orders, it was still an enjoyable and nostalgic trip to the past to explore some of the greatest works ever displayed on the silver screen. Behold the top 10 best films of Steven Spielberg, starting with:

10) The Adventures of Tintin

I wanted to kickstart this list with what has to be Spielberg’s most underrated films of all time. Being a lifelong fervent fan of Herge’s adventurous and astute young reporter, it was an absolute pleasure for me to hear that Spielberg was going to undertake a project following one of the extraordinary stories from Tintin’s comics. Since the film wasn’t released in theatres nearby, my mom and I had been rummaging through every CD store in Dhaka city just to find a Blu-Ray copy of the film. And when I finally had the pleasure of watching the film, I had found myself in for an absolute feast. This film was way more enthralling than expected, and the film doesn’t let its viewers take a break from the excitement even for a split second, it’s always an edge-of-the-seat thrill ride. At a point I felt that Herge had written the Tintin comics only for Spielberg to make films out of them- the action scenes were masterclass and handled really well, the character development of our friendly, ingenious reporter Tintin and his oblivious friend Captain Haddock was on point, and even the humour was well-handled; it wasn’t slapstick humor but rather clever.

Despite the beauty of the project, there were a few issues that bogged me upon several re-watches. The villain, Red Reckham, though enigmatic and enticing in the comics, was rather vague and cliché in the film, along with the twin cops Johnson and Ronson, who could be omitted from the film and still there wouldn’t be much of a difference. Also Spielberg undertakes a risky job of merging two large comics into a film with a short runtime of merely 107 minutes, and hence the audience has too much to chew which may impede a smooth flow of the narrative. Other than that, Spielberg’s take on Tintin is one of the most ambitious and eye-catching projects of all time, which is a fun experience.

9)Lincoln

A biography of the former US President Abraham Lincoln, which is not just an account of the events in history which led to disdainful and sad assassination, but rather a film which strikes a perfect balance between riveting narrative and emotional character development. Lincoln does for Spielberg what ‘The Prestige’ did for Nolan- sweeping away the usual style of the director to set up an unsettling atmosphere that the audience didn’t expect. After undertaking big projects like ‘Jurassic Park’ or ‘E.T’, Spielberg was only expected to make films about aliens and celestial beings animated to be brought into the screen, and the fact that a heart-wrenching true story focusing on Lincoln’s quest to ratify the 13th Amendment would make its way to Spielberg’s list of filmography was beyond imagination. Daniel Day-Lewis’ amazing performance along with those of James Spader and Sally Field only added to the brilliance of the film, and to this day, ‘Lincoln’ remains as an iconic magnum opus up for anyone willing to take inspiration in order to make a classic biography of a veteran.

8) Close Encounters of the Third Kind

ENTER ALIENS! But not those that are ferocious and willing to subjugate our planet, but only those that are welcoming and come with good omen in order to co-exist with mankind in perpetual harmony. After releasing the first blockbuster film of all time- ‘Jaws’- Spielberg upped a gear in order to enter hall of fame with an unexpectedly heartwarming journey which follows Richard Dreyfuss in his endeavor to establish contact with aliens after sighting a UFO on an abandoned road. Spielberg’s classic was the first film based on alien and otherworldly beings that I had ever watched, and the film had a palpable impact upon me. There was emotional tension built along the story with incorporation of CGI that was wholly unexpected at a time when such ideas about discovering the cosmos was considered idiosyncratic. In an attempt to discover to extraterrestrial beings, Spielberg showcases his handling of humor and lighthearted nature of a film where peaceful co-existence of all beings is heavily promoted. While its successor E.T founds its way after a few years and was more acclaimed than itself, ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ remains as one of the exemplary films of all time, and the first major manifestation of Spielberg’s fearlessness in facing criticism while following his dreams.

7) Catch Me If You Can

Talk about a dream duo of Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio actively participating in a cat-and-mouse chase while Spielberg sits behind the camera, handling the shots. It’s beyond fantasy for a film buff of my nature! In this ‘based on real life’ crime drama, DiCaprio plays Frank Abagnale, a con-artist who dexterously pulls of risky scams while being chased by government agent Carl Hanratty, played by Hanks. Thoroughly enjoyable and tense along with insertion of whimsical humor makes this film a great film, along with all the thriller elements you would expect in a Spielberg film. But why would someone who is so absorbed into discovering extraterrestrial lives and those from the cretaceous period suddenly gain interest in making a crime drama? That’s because Spielberg has great interest in clever scams, and indeed those shown in the film by Abagnale will leave your jaws wide open. Check this out if you haven’t yet.

6) E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

A simple yet elegant film. ‘E.T’ tells the story of how an unexpectedly adorable alien gets stranded on the plains of earth, and, with the help of a few kids native to the area, escape from the wrath of an authoritarian government and find its way back to home. ‘E.T’ is perhaps the most emotionally moving creation of Spielberg, a tear-jerker that left many audiences crying at the end of it because of the beautiful relationship set up between Elliot and E.T. The chemistry that builds up between these two throughout the course of this film is admirable, and the story evokes empathy from the audience when the final act comes around. It’s a masterclass from Spielberg, an unofficial sequel to his 1980 classic ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’.

5) Saving Private Ryan

Talk about one of the most heartfelt, gruesome war films of all time. While many war films only seem to focus upon the glory and monumental feats achieved by soldiers, Spielberg goes ‘no holds barred’ while depicting the horrors of war with bombs blowing off here and there, limbs being torn apart and teammates lost everywhere. This is a strongly rated-R film for the amounts of violence showcased because Spielberg really wants us to feel what the soldiers felt during the Second World War rather than just applauding for them and singing hymns. Tom Hanks and Matt Damon display great chemistry in this film, it even brings out the best from Vin Diesel which is amazing. Talking about the shots of Normandy beach, Spielberg says, “We took every inch of that beach — as filmmakers, not as war veterans. It took us 25 days of shooting to capture 25 minutes of those landings.” No wonder why this film won Academy Awards for ‘Best Direction’ and ‘Best Cinematography’ back in 1999.

4) Jaws

Talking about ‘Jaws’ always hypes me up. This is the first ever blockbuster film in the history of films, grossing a mind-blowing $470 million and staying on top as the highest grossing film of all time till ‘Jurassic Park’ came out (good time to insert a Thanos joke: Spielberg used his film to destroy his film). But ‘Jaws’ is one of the most brilliant films of all time, that really distinguished Spielberg from every active director back in the day and allowed him to make a statement that he was going to rule the box offices for years to come. Spielberg’s incorporation of a mechanical animatronic shark that weighs 3tonnes back in the day when use of CGI was beyond imagination is as daunting as it is fascinating. The risks taken by Spielberg and his team in order to make this film work is perhaps the most astonishing feat reached in cinema history (only matched by that of ‘Avengers: Endgame’). The cast, including the villainous shark, does an amazing job setting up tension, and then making it work. The suspense as the Shark lurks around the boat containing Martin Brody, Matt Hooper and Quint is easily one of the scariest scenes in a film that is not a horror film. Also this film made me care about a mechanical shark lurking in the water to the brilliant theme song by John Williams, so that should explain its position this high in the list. Also Matt Brody is one of the most coolest heroes of all time. Don’t even get me started on John William’s beautifully ominous theme that still sends shivers down my spine. Yup, as insinuated by my writing style, I have actually gone crazy while talking about this masterpiece.

3) Schindler’s List

‘Schindler’s List’ is arguably one of the greatest films ever. There is no argument about that, there can’t be considering the beauty of this film. From describing the hard daily lives of the people during the Second World War to embarking on a journey of brutal depictions of Nazi tortures, this film is quite an experience. Schindler’s List follows the story of German businessman Oskar Schindler who starts out employing Jews in his factory to improve profit margins but ends up being moved by the horrific conditions they were in. He decides to take matters into his own hand and tries to save as many Jews as he can. You can say this has been a passion project for Spielberg since his love and compassion towards those who were victims of the inhumane tortures is conspicuous in his film. He holds back nothing, and utilizes everything at his disposal to create an emotional experience of a lifetime, and his endeavors are well backed up by a brilliant performance by Liam Neeson and a riveting performance by Ben Kingsley, both of whom are at the top of their game in a situation known by many, but experienced by few. The use of themes as a means to carry the film is fascinating, and the use of black and white color while constantly showing the girl in the red jacket as a motif is absolutely stunning. No spoilers but the red coat is one of the greatest examples of symbolism in the history of films. ‘Schindler’s List’ is one of the rare cases of a film being extremely riveting to a point where it seems like this is a trauma the audiences have gone through, and is a must watch for anyone who loves films, just for the beauty of it.

2) Raiders of the Lost Ark

In regards to action films, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ is a cinematic milestone. It’s a great leap for action films and films from the adventure genre, and there really is no question about it. This film is stunningly beautiful, extraordinarily crafted and conspicuously clever. For a cinema lover like me, Raiders of the Lost Ark is a timeless gem, one that really pushes the filmmaker inside you to take inspiration and start working in films. Through the ages, many films have followed the legacy of this film, and many still do because of how exceptionally beautiful this is. A perfect starter to a world famous franchise, ‘Raiders of the Los Ark’ gives us Indiana Jones, one of the greatest explorers and archaeologist ever brought into the silver screen. Harrison Ford gives us what has to be the greatest performance of all time, and it’s as if he was born to play this character. This is the film which brought out the explorer in me, thanks to Harrison Ford being such an inspirational figure in this film. He is extremely clever in matching puzzles in order to get closer to the treasure, he is exceptionally knowledgeable about archaeology, and he is also vulnerable in many ways. He is scared of snakes and he is so naïve that when his students are flirting with him, he is oblivious to it.

Where do I start with the action sequences? Each and every action or chase sequences are brilliant in this film, and are so enthralling that you find yourself stuck in that situation with our heroes. The action sequences are beautifully handled- the hand to hand combat sequences are riveting and each an every chase scene is a product of scrupulous and diligent hard work. That chase sequence with the Nazis is still the greatest chase sequence of all time.

Lets talk about John Williams’ beautiful composition for a second. If you liked his soundtrack from ‘Jaws’, you will love his soundtrack for this film. It is catchy, playful and ominous at times and beautifully captures the mood of this film.

All in all, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ is a true masterpiece and will remain a cinematic milestone for ages to come.

1) Jurassic Park

Here it is my fellow readers. Behold one of the greatest films in the history of cinema. It doesn’t matter if you are a film lover or not, one thing is certain- you have some sort of nostalgia wrapped around this film. This film- like ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’- is another cinematic milestone, except ‘Jurassic Park’ goes even beyond. It opened up something revolutionary to filmmakers, something that is now an essential element in cinema- visual effects. Back when visual effects or CGI wasn’t something so easily useable, Spielberg used his skills to apply CGI as a make-up to a huge animatronic dinosaur, in order to make it look as realistic as possible. Needless to say, but Jurassic Park made better usage of visual effects compared to many films coming out today, 28 years after its release.

There is not one flaw in this movie. Every element in this film perfectly fits into the film. There are beautiful skills used to create suspense, and even the humors work perfectly. Each and every scene in this film has a separate fanbase itself, and the characters, each and every one of them, fits perfectly into the narrative. There is not one character that goes below or beyond the mark, they are just perfectly balanced in a beautiful script.

I have to talk about the cast. Hats off to one of the greatest cast of all time. The actors in this film, even the children who are meant to be a burden to our hero, are perfect. The cast is very talented, and at a point it seems that the actors have become the characters they were designated to play. I am pretty sure Dr. Alan Grant, played by the unparalleled multi-talented Sam Niell, had become an icon to many children, and many even aspired to become paleontologists after watching this film. Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum are amazing in this film, and together the three give us a legendary trio, one that is still my favorite trio of all time.

Let’s talk about John Williams again because that man is a genius. His composition for Jurassic power to make me cry even after so many years of re-watch.

Jurassic Park to this day remains a transcendent cinematic experience, one that will always inspire filmmakers and build childhoods.