The Definitive Spielberg Ranking (10–1)
It is time for the final part of our Spielberg Rankings
After trying to have this final part out around the release of Ready Player One, life found a way…to get in the way of me publishing this earlier. For over the past 40 years, Steven Spielberg has mesmerized and inspired multiple generations with his movies. He has taken on multiple genres and has created multiple masterpieces and classics throughout his career.
In Part One, we looked at some of Spielberg’s less popular films. Some of which were massive misfires, while others were misunderstood experiments for Spielberg. In Part Two, we looked at some of Spielberg’s middle of the road films and a few classics that barely missed the top ten. In this final part, we will look at the films by Spielberg that are considered by many as masterpieces (some less than others). Some of these have been considered masterpieces since their initial releases, while others have benefitted from the passage of time and have actually grown in appreciation since they were released.
Again, this list is not just based on my own opinion, but it is based on a compiled list of 13 other online sources including IMDb, Rolling Stone, Buzzfeed, Rotten Tomatoes, and a number of others. The average rating next to each film stands for the average placement of the films when combining all of the lists together. The complete ranking with all of the online sources will be posted at the bottom of this article. So, let’s get started with the final part of our Spielberg Rankings.
10. Lincoln- (Avg. Rating — 10.79)
The appearance of Lincoln at number 10 was fairly surprising when everything was averaged together. The film was not a favorite amongst most extreme cinephiles because they found it boring. I know some find it stagey because it is an incredibly dialogue heavy film, but the film is one of Spielberg’s biggest technical achievements and it contains the greatest performance ever seen in a Spielberg film.
Lincoln tells the story of President Abraham Lincoln as he tries to pass the Thirteenth Amendment in order to abolish slavery in the United States. The film is loosely based on the Lincoln biography Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Like the book, the film takes a look at the many working relationships Lincoln had with his colleagues, both of which were his political allies and enemies.
Spielberg’s Lincoln is one of his most impressive films when it comes to the technical side. It went on to receive 12 Oscar nominations, including two wins, one of which was for Best Production Design. But, the best thing about Lincoln is the performance given by Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln. It is the greatest performance by any actor in a Spielberg film and Day-Lewis is still the only actor to ever win an Oscar for a performance in a Spielberg film. Some people have labeled this film as boring because they were expecting brutal Civil War reenactments, but instead they got a well-crafted screenplay anchored by solid performances from one of Spielberg’s best ensembles. This is definitely a film that is worth re-evaluating if you haven’t seen it in a while.
9. Minority Report (Avg. Rating — 10.57)
Minority Report is one of Spielberg’s most underrated blockbusters and pretty close to a sci-fi masterpiece. When most directors are usually wrong when they try to predict the future in their films. Minority Report is one of those rare films that creates a world that feels like it could be the future we live in. Due to Spielberg’s detailed research to the story and its world, a number of the technological advancements that are present in the film have since occurred. Spielberg has spent a lot of his career building unique worlds in his movies, but the world of Philip K. Dick’s Minority Report is one of the most innovative and unique worlds he has helped create.
The year is 2054 and a special police department known as PreCrime has been created to help prevent crimes before they happen by using the knowledge they receive from three psychics known as “precogs”. In one of the precog’s visions, John Anderton (Tom Cruise), the Chief of the PreCrime Division, is seen murdering a man 36 hours into the future. John finds out from the creator of the PreCrime technology that occasionally Agatha, one of the precogs, has a different vision than the other two precogs. This is known as a “minority report”. As John kidnaps Agatha to find out the truth, a manhunt by the Department of Justice ensues in hope of capturing John before the crime happens.
When watching Minority Report, it seems like a descendant of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner because of it’s mixing of the noir and sci-fi genres. Blade Runner is easily the better sci-fi film, but Minority Report is the better noir due to its story, characters, and style. Even though Spielberg has created this incredible futuristic world, he uses it more as a backdrop than anything and that’s what makes the film work. When revisiting Spielberg’s post-millennium work, many people focus more on the award-winning films or the Spielberg misfires. However, Minority Report is a film that deserves to be considered as one of Spielberg’s best in the latter half of his career.
8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Avg. Rating — 8.71)
Before 1977, there were hardly any alien films like Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The most popular alien films were usually B-movies that dealt alien invasions. But Spielberg took a much different approach. Instead of having the aliens conquer the world or the humans fight the aliens, Spielberg focused on something that was both simple and important. Communication.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind tells the story of Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss), an Indiana family man who has an encounter with a UFO. Neary soon finds out that he is not the only person to have experienced this phenomenon. As Neary begins obsessing over the images that cloud his mind, the relationship between him and his family becomes strained. Slowly, Neary begins to find out that government agencies are aware of these UFOs and are actively searching for them as well.
Even though there were multiple writers on the project, Close Encounters is one of the few films Spielberg is credited as the screenwriter. That is one of the main reasons why it feels like one of Spielberg’s most personal films. The film has beautiful cinematography from Vilmos Zsigmond, a great score from John Williams, and memorable performances from Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon, and the great François Truffaut.
Outside of another Spielberg classic that will be named later, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is one of the most heartfelt sci-fi films ever made. It has since become one of the most influential sci-fi films of all time and it changed the way storytellers made alien films. Instead of them being about conquering and destroying, they were about communication and contact. Without Spielberg, the sci-fi genre would look a lot different. Just look at Arrival, a film that is literally all about communication with extra-terrestrials.
7. Catch Me If You Can (Avg. Rating — 8.64)
Catch Me If You Can is Spielberg’s most underrated masterpiece. I argue this constantly in my daily life. It doesn’t have huge set pieces like Raiders of the Lost Ark, it doesn’t contain innovative special effects like Jurassic Park, and it did not become known as the originator of the blockbuster like Jaws. But Catch Me If You Can is one of Spielberg’s most perfect films and it seems like time is slowly revealing that to people.
Spielberg’s film tells the true story of Frank Abagnale, Jr. (played by Leonardo DiCaprio), a teenage boy who ran away from home to become one of the greatest con artists before he turned 19. Abagnale stole close to $3 million from Pan Am Airlines by posing as a Pan Am pilot and forging numerous Pan Am payroll checks. He would then go on to pose as a doctor in Georgia and a lawyer in Louisiana. In the midst of this, Abagnale is being chased by Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) and the FBI.
Catch Me If You Can is one of Spielberg’s most personal in terms of the story. Spielberg’s parents divorced in a similar fashion as Abagnale’s did in the film, which was something not from Abagnale’s real-life or from the original script. The film also checks every box in Spielberg Bingo: parental divorce, father/son relationship (which became a bigger focus once Spielberg came onboard), loss of innocence, troubled childhood, Christmas, and a person on the run.
The film is also one of Spielberg’s best technical films in terms of filmmaking, but it isn’t flashy. It’s a film that should have gone on to beloved by the Academy, but in 2002 it ended up being one of the least nominated films of his career, only receiving two nominations (Best Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken and Best Original Score).
The film contains one of the most interesting scores of John Williams’ career, smooth cinematography, great production design, and phenomenal performances by the entire cast. Spielberg is usually at his best when he is having fun and Catch Me If You Can shows that. The film has slowly gained an audience over time because it is one of those rare films that grows on you and it is one of his most rewatchable films.
6. Jurassic Park (Avg. Rating — 7.93)
1993 was Spielberg’s greatest year. It is arguably the greatest year of any filmmaker. Spielberg released two films in 1993, Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List. One dominated the box office and one dominated the awards circuit. Jurassic Park ended up becoming the highest-grossing film of all time and a cultural phenomenon. It pushed the boundaries of technology at the time of it’s release, showing that Spielberg was still one of the most innovative directors of his generation.
In case you don’t know, Jurassic Park tells the story of an eccentric billionaire who brings a group of visitors to his newly created theme park full of cloned dinosaurs. Once the visitors begin their trip through the park, things begin to go horribly wrong as the park loses power and the dinosaurs are unleashed. The visitors must find a way to survive and get off the island before things get worse.
Jurassic Park was a watershed moment for Hollywood movies and its use of visual effects. Spielberg was the perfect director to tackle the issue of bringing dinosaurs to life for the film adaptation of Michael Crichton’s novel. Any other director might have only used stop motion animation, which was the original plan for the film. The direction of the film is perfect, the great mix of visual effects and practical effects still holds up tremendously, and John Williams’ score is amazing as usual. Numerous Spielberg films have changed the industry and Jurassic Park is easily one of the most important film of his career in regards to how much it shifted the industry.
5. Saving Private Ryan (Avg. Rating — 7.2)
Throughout his entire career, Spielberg has tackled many of the major wars of modern history. The Civil War in Lincoln, World War I in War Horse, Vietnam War in The Post, and the Cold War in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Bridge of Spies. The major war that appears the most in Spielberg films is World War II. From the Indiana Jones series to the Empire of the Sun, Spielberg has tackled numerous aspects of World War II, but no other Spielberg film portrays the aspect of military warfare better than Saving Private Ryan.
Saving Private Ryan tells the story of Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) and his company searching for Private James Ryan in the heat of World War II. After the death of his three other brothers in the war, the American government orders for Private Ryan to be found and sent home immediately since he is now the only remaining child of his family. After storming the beach of Normandy on D-Day, Miller and his men are ordered to risk their lives by traveling to the frontlines of the war and save one unknown man so that he can return home.
Spielberg not only shows the external struggle Miller and his men are going through, but their internal struggle . Why must they risk their lives so that one man can return to his family? Why is he the one that is allowed to go back and not them? These men, including Miller, are not lifelong military men, but civilians that became soldiers for the war. Spielberg does not forget that as he tells their story. They are flawed men who are trying to make it home to their families in one piece.
As most everyone knows, the opening of Saving Private Ryan is one of the greatest sequences of any film in the past thirty years. It portrays the chaos and brutality of war in twenty minutes better than most three hour war films do. Like most of latter-day Spielberg, the film has an incredibly well-rounded cast, all the way down to the one-scene roles. It’s also usually a good thing when you have Tom Hanks in the main role leading the charge. Saving Private Ryan is a masterclass in filmmaking and the film is arguably the greatest technical achievement of Spielberg’s entire career.
4. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Avg. Rating — 5.14)
Spielberg is a director that loves working with a large canvas. He has made a number of great films on a large scale, but Spielberg works incredibly well when he works with a story that needs to be told on a smaller scale. Even though E.T. is considered to be one of the best sci-fi films of all-time, it is a very restrained film for Spielberg and one of his most personal.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial originated as a horror sequel to Close Encounters of the Third, but was later dropped by Spielberg after he realized that it was not the film he wanted to make. E.T. tells the story of Elliot (Henry Thomas), a young boy who befriends an alien that arrives in his town. As Elliot and his siblings becomes close with E.T., the government finds out that aliens have landed in the area. As the government chases down E.T., Elliot must protect E.T. from the danger that is coming after him.
Over the years, E.T. has become a staple for most kids to watch as they are growing up. It is a film that makes you feel nostalgic about childhood, which is a big reason why the aesthetic of the film has popped up a lot in the recent run of nostalgic-type stories like Stranger Things and IT. Like most of Spielberg’s films, the cinematography of the film is beautiful and John Williams gives us a great score. Since its release, it has become one of Spielberg’s most beloved films, even though some cynics have tried to discredit it over the years.
3. Schindler’s List (Avg. Rating — 4.21)
This was the film that almost broke Steven Spielberg. Spielberg would call up Robin Williams during the filming to make him laugh as he made his darkest film. Schindler’s List was the second success he had in 1993 and it was the film that finally brought him the Oscar for Best Director. It is a film that will go down as Spielberg’s darkest most mature film within his filmography.
Schindler’s List tells the story of Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a Nazi businessman who moves to Krakow, Poland seeking fortune. Schindler is able to purchase a factory and he hires Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), a local Jewish accountant to help him with the logistics of the company. By bribing SS officials in Poland, including the brutal Amon Goth (Ralph Fiennes), Schindler is able to use Jewish prisoners of the concentration camp to work in his factory. Schindler’s factory soon becomes known as a haven to Jewish people in the Krakow ghetto and Schindler begins to believe in his newfound purpose.
Besides a few exceptions, Spielberg’s films of the 1980s seem like his preparation for Schindler’s List. The film contains phenomenal performances from Neeson and Kingsley. Liam Neeson’s performance in the final scene after the war is over is probably one of the best acting moments of his career and one of the most memorable moments in the film. Ralph Fiennes also gives one of the most menacing and conflicted villain performances ever portrayed on screen. The film also contains some beautiful cinematography by Janusz Kaminiski and one of John Williams’ most heartbreaking scores of his career.
Schindler’s List went on to win seven Academy Awards, making it Spielberg’s most successful film at the Oscars. The film would also go on to make over $300 million at the worldwide box office, making it one of Spielberg’s more successful historical dramas. Since it’s release, Schindler’s List is considered by many as one of the greatest onscreen portrayals of the horrific events of the Holocaust. It’s a film that could become more important over time now that studies show that younger generations do not know much about the Holocaust. Time will tell.
2. Jaws (Avg. Rating — 3.57)
Jaws was a film that changed the film industry as a whole and the guy behind it was only 28 at the time of the it’s release. Jaws wasn’t Spielberg’s directorial debut, but it was the film that put him on the map. Spielberg’s first big hit was not just a technical achievement, but a pop culture phenomenon that would affect the entire industry for years to come.
The film centers around Amity Island and a slew of shark attacks that creates paranoia throughout the island. Police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) tries to keep everything under control on the island by closing the beaches right before Fourth of July weekend, but is met with pushback from the mayor of Amity Island. Finally, along with Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfus), an oceanographer, and eccentric sea captain and shark hunter, Quint (Robert Shaw), Brody decides to go out and kill the great white.
Jaws is a masterwork in suspense. Spielberg’s choice to use the camera to build tension was one of his most ingenious decisions of his career. The film is full of technical achievements, including the editing of Verna Fields and the memorable score by John Williams. Jaws was the originator of the blockbuster, becoming one of the first films to be released nationwide on the same day. Without Jaws, summer movie season would not be what it is today (you can argue if that is a good or bad thing).
1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Avg. Rating — 2.21)
Raiders of the Lost Ark was Spielberg’s first film after he made 1941, which finished dead last on this list. I find it interesting that Spielberg followed-up arguably the worst film of his career with the best film of his career. I feel like that proves that failure could be the ultimate lesson, especially for a talented filmmaker like Spielberg.
Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark is a perfect film. Everything about it works. The film begins in the middle of an Indy adventure as he makes his way through a temple Peru in search of a golden idol. Raiders contains one of the best introductions of any cinematic character as Indiana ruggedly appears from the shadows sporting his classic hat and his useful whip. The film does not let up for the rest of the film as we follow Indiana as he goes head-to-head with the Nazis as they both search for the Ark of the Covenant.
The film is a tribute to early serials and B-movies from the childhoods of Spielberg, George Lucas, and writer Lawrence Kasden. The trio of talented storytellers took inspiration from those earlier films, but they added modern storytelling elements to update the adventure films of their youth. The big standout of the film, however, is of course Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Ford’s charisma is the anchor of the entire film and without him the film wouldn’t be as big of a classic as it is today.
With phenomenal set pieces, great performances, beautiful cinematography, and an epic story, Raiders of the Lost Ark is not just Spielberg’s best film or the greatest action/adventure film of all time, but the film is easily one of the greatest American films of all time.
