5 Good Spielberg Films

I may not have particularly enjoyed War of the Worlds, but Spielberg has had his fair share of good movies. More recently he delved into less accessible subject matter. While this may have turned much of his audience off, I found some of these newer films to be among his most enjoyable. And of course, he still has a hefty back-catalogue of remarkable films that continue to inspire filmmakers worldwide. Everyone has the capacity to make something truly astounding. Just to let you know that I have no real bent against this guy’s work, here are five of my personal favorite Spielberg films.

Catch Me If You Can: Spielberg’s definitive capper movie. Based off the real life story of con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., this film tracks the manhunt for Abagnale from two opposing points of view: Abagnale’s own and that of his hell-bent pursuer, Carl Hanratty. With a sharp sense of humor and a clipped pace, “Catch Me If You Can” is not particularly stunning or epic, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s merely an exercise in both tone and pace.

Jaws: Spielberg did manage to deliver a film that was told through the eyes of intriguing and engaging characters. His finest hour at this form of storytelling was Jaws. Known as the film that revolutionized his career, Jaws works on so many levels. But what remains most impressive about it is its strong cast of characters. We’ve got the smarmy marine biologist, the guilt-ridden police chief and a crusty old seaman. These three characters, strongly opposed in background, morality and personality, pushed the film forward towards a remarkable climax. Even if Spielberg could have gotten the mechanical shark to work, it wouldn’t have given this film the same brilliance.

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark: George Lucas may have initially conceptualized this story, but the actual direction of the piece owes its significance to Spielberg. Much like a Lucas film, Raiders of the Lost Ark places its focus on the cornball theatrics of pulp comic heroes and adventurous escapes of daring do. The film’s hero Indiana Jones finally gave Spielberg an outlet to discard all his ideas he had in homage of James Bond. What’s more, it gave him his own franchise of films to successfully capitalize off of.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Brilliantly understated in its execution, Close Encounters of the Third Kind succeeded in giving us an alien film that hinged on the miraculous wonder of Spielberg’s very active imagination. Told in part by the frantic performance of Richard Dreyfus, and the oddly detached narrative of the U.S. Military, Close Encounters used a drawling pace to gradually reveal the alien beings to us. To this day it remains timely and tasteful.

Minority Report: Minority Report was a film that was lifted off a story by Philip K. Dick and retold in film noir perspective. Featuring Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell in what may be his only tongue-in-cheek performance; Minority Report toyed with the idea of what it would mean to give up your privacy in return for a guaranteed kind of safety. Although Spielberg may not have pushed this concept as strongly as he could have, the film still features a tight narrative plus several interesting plot devices. Its vision of the future is also delightfully dark; abound with dancing cereal boxes, convicts stored away in tombstone like chambers, and police nightsticks that induce vomiting.