Ranking the Films of Steven Spielberg

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Recently, Vulture ranked all 28 of Steven Spielberg's films. As bloggers Will Leitch and Tim Grierson wrote: "Spielberg doesn't always receive his due, dismissed in some quarters as merely a 'commercial' moviemaker who lacks the soul of a true artist." 

The article did get me thinking, though: How would I rank Spielberg's films? So much of his filmography helped peak my interest in the cinema when I was a child. I still regard Jurassic Park as the best experience I've ever had in a theatre. I can still remember feeling my heart in my throat. Combine Jurassic Park with my  love for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Hook and E.T. and Spielberg was easily the most influential film figure in my younger years. In my eyes, no made better movies. For those seeking both pure adrenaline and loveable characters, Spielberg is where you'd look.

Granted, Spielberg has had his fair share of cinematic misfires, but there's no denying his ability to inspire new generations of filmmakers with his stylistic flair and ability to effortlessly take on any genre or subject.

While I haven't seen everything in his oeuvre, here is how I'd rank the Spielberg films that I have seen:

20) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
19) The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
18) Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
17) A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
16) The Terminal (2004)
15) The Color Purple (1985)
14) Saving Private Ryan (1998)
13) Empire of the Sun (1987)
12) War of the Worlds (2005)
11) Catch Me If You Can (2002)
10) Hook (1991)
9) Lincoln (2012)
8) Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
7) Schindler's List (1993)
6) Minority Report (2002)
4) E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
3) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
2) Jurassic Park (1993)
1) Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Perfection. Pure, unadulterated entertainment where we get to see Spielberg at his finest.

Movie Rant: (Fairly Recent) Movies I Think Are Underrated

The Talented Mr. Ripley

I thought this could be a sort of companion piece to the Popular Movies I Dislike list I did last week.

The movies on this list were pretty much all universally acclaimed by critics. But I consider these films underrated because, in talking with other people, I find many either haven't seen them or they've never even heard of them at all.

There are a ton of underrated films out there, from each and every decade. This list will be more "recent" films -- the oldest being from 1984 and the most recent from 2008. Going back through the history of world cinema to find more underrated gems from other decades would be a task and a half -- so, in no particular order, here's a list of fairly recent movies I consider underrated/sadly ignored by the masses nowadays.

(1) The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
In this mostly faithful adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel, the late Anthony Minghella directed a moody, atmospheric murder mystery among the sights and sounds of Italy. It feels like an old-fashioned thriller and Matt Damon's restrained, yet perfectly awkward and eerie, performance allows the audience to get lost in the bizarre enigma that is Tom Ripley. I still consider this Damon's best performance.

Amadeus

(2) Amadeus (1984)
The film won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, yet it remains largely forgotten by almost everyone outside of its loyal fan base. Those expecting a straight-forward biography of the brilliant composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, will be disappointed -- however, this visually beautiful film focuses on the myths, the addictions and the jealousy behind the famous Austrian genius' short life. With rich performances (especially by F. Murray Abraham as the jealous Salieri) and an authentically historical atmosphere, Amadeus is an absolutely fascinating look at an artist's dark descent.


(3) Zodiac (2007) 
Everyone loves David Fincher, right? Well, no one seemed all that interested in his masterful recreation of the investigation into the famous 1970s Zodiac murders. The film was a dud at the box office and most people complained about its running time and the slow pace. Granted, it's recommended that you brush up on your knowledge of the case beforehand, but I believe Zodiac will go down as Fincher's most underrated masterpiece. It was ignored and is already largely forgotten, but it's an eerie look at a horrific murder case with wonderful performances (especially by Mark Ruffalo) and a great attention to period detail.

(4) Amelie (2001)
Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, it wound up losing in a shocking upset. Incredibly popular upon it's initial release ten years ago, it has since receded into the background. This whimsical gem from France was a breakthrough for star Audrey Tautou but, more importantly, it's that rare film that improves with each viewing. It's more than just a fairy tale love story and it's filled with wonderfully genuine commentary on how people choose to live their lives. It will leave you wishing you could see the world through the eyes of someone like Amelie Poulain.

American Psycho

(5) American Psycho (2000)
You either love it or you hate it. The first time I saw the film I know I missed out on a lot of its dark comedy and commentary on yuppie society of the 1980s. Having re-watched it a couple of times over the years, I realized what a great (albeit understated) adaptation it is of a very complex (and graphic!) Bret Easton Ellis novel. Christian Bale nails his performance as Patrick Bateman, the wealthy New York investment banking executive who slowly loses himself in his perverse and violent fantasies.

(6) Boogie Nights (1997)
This cautionary tale of how a young man went from small town student to a big-time porn star named Dirk Diggler is arguably director P.T. Anderson's best film to date. It's a film that is rarely mentioned anymore, but it's an intimate and often hilarious look at the porn industry of the 1970s and 1980s through the eyes of the famously well-endowed Diggler. Full of wonderful performances in a large ensemble cast that includes Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman and William H. Macy, Boogie Nights also boasts a killer soundtrack. Anderson has Quentin Tarantino's knack for picking great songs to accompany his films.

(7) In Bruges (2008)
This film debuted in one lonely theatre in Toronto a few years back and, when mentioned, it's usually met with blank stares. Despite the fact that it was critically acclaimed and earned Colin Farrell a Best Actor Golden Globe, it's an under-the-radar film from the U.K. that deserved more attention than it received. Watching the delightfully un-PC hitmen, played by Farrell and Brendon Gleeson, run around the medieval city of Bruges is hilarious, heartwarming and tragic all at once. In Bruges is classified as a dark comedy, but it's so much more than that.

Secretary

(8) Secretary (2002)
Speaking of small indie films that are often met with blank stares -- Secretary is that fantastic little film that you haven't even heard of, let alone seen. Maggie Gyllenhaal is so perfectly cast as a mentally ill young woman heading back into the workplace that I often continue to associate Gyllenhaal with her character, Lee Holloway. James Spader plays the demanding lawyer that she works for -- and the two ultimately embark on a sexual, sadomasochistic affair. It's a wonderfully bizarre love story.

(9) The New World (2005)
The fact that this is widely considered to be Terrence Malick's weakest film is no insult to the work itself -- it's still a lyrical, poetic ode to man's ever-changing relationship with nature, told through the eyes of 17th century Englishman John Smith (Colin Farrell) and Pocahontas (Q'orianka Kilcher). With it's leisurely pace, long segments of stunning visuals and whispered dialogue, The New World won't be to everyone's personal taste, but it's a masterpiece that often gets lost in the shuffle of other more well-received Malick films.

Downfall (Der Untergang)

(10) Downfall (2004)
This German film was nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film award at the Oscars -- only to suffer a surprising loss, much like Amelie in 2001. Bruno Ganz gives a stunning and authentic-feeling performance as Adolf Hitler during the rapid decline of his power. With his subtly trembling hands (Hitler was rumoured to have had Parkinson's Disease), watery eyes and stooped shoulders, Ganz embodies the diminishing fire of one of the world's most violent dictators. The entirety of the film takes place in Hitler's bunker in Berlin during the final days of his tumultuous life. Downfall dared to show a softer side to the dictator -- one who thanked people for their loyalty, married his longtime girlfriend, Eva Braun, and tearfully mourned the betrayal of Albert Speer, one of his most trusted men. You'll feel as though you are watching an actual documentary on Hitler's final moments.

Question: What films do you think are underrated or have been largely forgotten?

Movie Rant: Popular Movies I Dislike ...Which Will Likely Make Me Unpopular

The Breakfast Club

While re-watching Pretty in Pink (1986) again for the first time in years last week, I realized how much I enjoyed it as a guilty pleasure film (poor, loyal Duckie). Than it reminded me how much I disliked The Breakfast Club (1985) -- arguably John Hughes' most popular and beloved film.

It got me thinking about other popular movies that everyone seems to love but makes me feel like an outcast for actively disliking. Not hate, mind you, just dislike (as in, I don't get the fuss). So, I thought it'd be fun to make a list of Popular Movies I Dislike ...Which Will Likely Make Me Unpopular. 


1) The Breakfast Club (1985)
The Brat Pack get sentenced to a Saturday morning detention -- and all five of them bond in the process. And how do they bond? By spending nearly two hours moaning about their awful parents as if that's the only thing to blame for their failures in life. It's teen angst that isn't really fleshed out or interesting and, as a result, the characters just come off as irritating.

2) Avatar (2009)
An overrated blockbuster that was, essentially, just a re-hash of Pocahontas and Dances with Wolves. The CGI wasn't particularly earth-shattering and the performances and dialogue were pretty cringe-worthy. Made me long for the days when Titanic (1997) was still the highest grossing film of all time.

3) Crash (2004)
Just about as mediocre as movies come. The fact that this won Best Picture (over Brokeback Mountain!!) ruined the Academy Awards for me, forever. Granted, the Oscars have made mistakes in the past but this one is unforgivable and doesn't make any sense. Why it was even nominated in the first place is a mystery in and of itself. A huge cast of so-so actors go through the motions of showing why racism is bad without offering anything new to the discussion. Been there, done that.

4) Pretty Woman (1990)
I saw this for the first time ever earlier this year. I'm already not a fan of Julia Roberts, so I tend to avoid her films. Roberts plays a prostitute hired by a businessman to be his escort for the weekend. While the two fall in love (!!) she proceeds to spend his money, revel in all the jewels he gives her and tells off a saleswoman for thinking she had no money (even though it isn't actually her money). All women apparently only like shiny things and ultimately want to get married to boring businessmen who stay in nice hotels. I know some critics have defended the film, calling it fantasy, but I'm still not buying what its selling.

Jerry Maguire

5) Jerry Maguire (1996)
It's too cute for its own good. I'm not a fan of Cameron Crowe, in general, but this one is my least favourite of his films. It's cute quirk factor is overwhelming and Cuba Gooding Jr. is too much to handle.

6) The Matrix (1999)
I never got all the fuss with this franchise. In fact, I only saw the first one all the way through and remember very little of it, other than that it bored me to tears and had way too many slow-mo gun battles.

7) Garden State (2004)
I know so many people who love, love, love this film. It was fine. Like Jerry Maguire, the characters are too unnaturally quirky to the point of distraction. I've only seen this movie once and it made me want to explain to star and writer Zach Braff why ripping off the vastly superior The Graduate will never work in your favour.

8) Sex and the City (2008)
I should have passed this one over. What was I thinking? What was once a charming and funny show has become a shallow, empty, fashion-obsessed bore where women only talk about men, sex, men, sex, weddings and shoes. *snore* It was borderline offensive at some points. No thanks, ladies. It's time to retire those Jimmy Choos.

9) Superbad (2007)
A whole bunch of swearing and a couple of guys wandering around looking for places to get drunk and laid. That's all I remember. No thanks.

Saving Private Ryan

10) Saving Private Ryan (1998)
I feel like this one is likely going to get me into the most "trouble" but I need to admit my dislike of this film. I liked it when I was younger but when I watched it again as an adult I was bored and not the least bit interested in any of the characters. The fact that it also has Ed Burns and Tom Sizemore in the cast doesn't help matters either. Sure, those opening 20 minutes are incredible, but nothing else in the film even comes close to that emotional first scene. For a genuinely fantastic look at the Second World War, check out the Steven Spielberg-produced Band of Brothers instead. Powerful story, great script and a perfect, A+ cast. 

Question: What films would make it on your own list?