The Three Greatest Steven Spielberg Movies

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Steven Spielberg has made a lot of movies. Some of them were mailed-in cash grabs, some of them were impressive pieces of moviemaking, and some were among the greatest movies of all time! Let's take a look at the top 3:

#3 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind

A fantastical sci-fi romp, with all of the touchstones of a Spielberg movie (cute kids, astounding special effects, masterful action sequences, wry sense of humor) but with the added foundation of a note-perfect picture of a modern suburban family, and the effect of such astounding events on it. Dreyfuss has never been better than he is in this, and even little one-off, throwaway lines ("Toby, you are close to death!") become something approaching unforgettable. Pretty much flawless.

#2 - Saving Private Ryan

If you take out the two battle sequences that start and end the movie, you're left with one of the grittiest, best war movies that there is. But those two sequences, which must comprise at least 45 minutes of the movie's total running time, are so indescribably great that I can't even begin to describe them. Until Children of Men came out, I'd say these were the two best battle scenes I'd ever seen. As it is, they're still 2 of the top 3. Which saves us the hassle of doing a Three Greatest Battle Scenes thread.

#1 - Jaws

Created and defined the term "summer blockbuster", but none since has gotten close. Fun, exciting, hilarious, I could watch it a thousand times and never get bored. The first half is a trip, but once the three stars get on the Orca and begin the hunt, it becomes magical, becomes transcendent. Also includes Robert Shaw's U.S.S. Indianapolis monologue, arguably one of the three greatest single scenes ever put to film.

Nobody who reads this will agree with me about any of this.

[AArdvark]

Funny, I agreed with you even before I read that last line of your post. I can see the seams in 'Jaws' because I've seen it so much but there can be no doubt about Spielberg's genius for turning inanimate objects into menacing threats. The outtakes and deleted scenes are just as interesting because you can see how they decided to edit the film.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

I've never seen Schindler's List, but surely that has to be on the list somewhere because JEWS.

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Schindler's List is probably fourth.

I saw it opening night. It was memorable in many ways, but none less than it was the first, last and only movie I'll ever see that as I exited the theater, there were couples sobbing openly in the hallways, crouched over in the corners, holding each other as the tears flowed.

So I guess it's probably kinda good?

OTHER GREAT SPIELBERG MOVIES: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, MUNICH, A.I. Raiders is definitely #4, if not #3.

OTHER GOOD SPIELBERG MOVIES: JURASSIC PARK, TERMINAL, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN.

SPIELBERG MOVIES I REMEMBER LIKING AS A KID WHICH PROBABLY WEREN'T THAT GOOD: ALWAYS, EMPIRE OF THE SUN

SPIELBERG MOVIE WHICH EVERYONE SAYS IS THE BEST AND WHICH SUCKS SO HARD THAT TO EVEN THINK OF IT MAKES ME VOMIT NOT ONLY IN MY OWN MOUTH, BUT IN THE MOUTHS OF THOSE WITHIN A 20 FOOT RADIUS OF MY MOUTH AT THE TIME: E.T.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Yeah, E.T. sucked. I remember being pumped that my parents took me to see it. And they were good to do so.

And I remember, for the first time, seeing a movie and not liking it. It took me years to vocalize that it didn't quite "do it" for me.

And I must have loved it when I was a kid, because my mom got me the 2600 game for my birthday one year.

But, man, fuck E.T.

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Did you feel that it was a good movie for Jewish people?

[AArdvark]

there were couples sobbing openly in the hallways, crouched over in the corners, holding each other as the tears flowed.

Funny, that happened when I went to go see E.T.

I remember an episode of Taxi wherein Judd Hirsch refuses to go see the movie. He ends up seeing it and liking it. This is demonstrated entirely by him wearing an E.T. button on his jacket collar. It was such a weird moment that I will never forget it now. Interesting how far the Spielberg influence can reach. Even if the movies themselves aren't all masterpieces.


THE
SHADOW OF THE
SIX POINTED STAR
AARDVARK

[Ice Cream Jonsey]

Always sounds like a really, really sad movie. Confirm/.deny?

I watched Catch Me If You Can on a plane. You know how people are always talking about their trips to Europe, and you want to hit them? Guess where I saw it?

But CMIYC proved that even with mediocre material, Spielberg can make something very watchable. I'd like to get that good at my own hobby. Well, I'd like to make the IF equivalent of Schindler's List first ('Violence Is Not The Answer To This One,' a WW2-era treasure romp for the silver in Jewish teeth) but then I'd just like to be forever.... competent.

You know?

[Flack]

For someone that considers themselves a "movie guy," I've sadly never seen Schindler's List or Catch Me if You Can. I need to fix that.

Jaws, Close Encounters, Saving Private Ryan: All classics.

I really liked Raiders, too. I actually kind of like the second one more than the first. I haven't watched the third one in years. I only saw the last one once, in the theater. Indiana Jones #4 reminded me of The Matrix #3 -- "we must continue this franchise for the sake of continuing this franchise."

[Tdarcos]

I've never seen Schindler's List, but surely that has to be on the list somewhere because JEWS.

I put the [toilet] seat down on the counter, and walked out [of the store], letting the phones ring and leaving a line of angry customers that stretched so long that people at the end of the line (two miles away) thought it was the ticket line for Michael Chrichton, M.D.'s Jurassic Park, which was still playing to packed audiences, fourteen years after its release. That movie was doing almost as well as the one across the street that had been running for 13 years, which coincidentally was also produced by Steven Spielberg, his monster hit Used Cars. His movie Schindler's List, wasn't received all that well. People said he was a little unkind to the Germans shown in the film.
-- Paul Robinson, "I think... about the place I worked before... the 'job from hell'." May 24, 2007

[Tdarcos]

Steven Spielberg has made a lot of movies. [DELETED] Let's take a look at the top 3:

#3 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind
#2 - Saving Private Ryan
Until Children of Men came out, I'd say these were the two best battle scenes I'd ever seen. As it is, they're still 2 of the top 3. Which saves us the hassle of doing a Three Greatest Battle Scenes thread.

There's a saying, Truffaut Was Right in which director Francois Truffaut said they'll never make an anti-war film because war will always look exciting on screen.

#1 - Jaws
Also includes Robert Shaw's U.S.S. Indianapolis monologue, arguably one of the three greatest single scenes ever put to film.

Nobody who reads this will agree with me about any of this.

Well, I disagree with the last sentence.

Not sure about Ryan but it's quite a film. The History Channel did a special about Jaws and that scene. The Indianapolis waited so long for rescue because it had been on a secret mission, returning from delivering the atomic bomb to Tinian Island. Men who were there and rescued from the Indianapolis said they cried when they heard the story, because it was basically spot-on-right in so many ways.

[Tdarcos]

Interesting how far the Spielberg influence can reach. Even if the movies themselves aren't all masterpieces.

Not one peep of public protest over Poltergeist, despite one of the opening scenes being ordinary wife and mother Jo Beth Williams calmly rolling and smoking a joint.

----
Definitions:
"Joint User": Shared user of telephone service
- Verizon Communications 7th Revised Virginia Telephone Service Tariff #18

"Joint User": Someone who smokes marijuana
- Robinson Telephone Company of the National Capitol Area Virginia Telephone Service Tariff #1

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Interesting how far the Spielberg influence can reach. Even if the movies themselves aren't all masterpieces.

Not one peep of public protest over Poltergeist, despite one of the opening scenes being ordinary wife and mother Jo Beth Williams calmly rolling and smoking a joint.

MOVIES THAT WERE NOT DIRECTED BY SPIELBERG:

1. Poltergeist

[Tdarcos]

MOVIES THAT WERE NOT DIRECTED BY SPIELBERG:

1. Poltergeist

I understand why I made the mistake; while Poltergeist was directed by Toby Hooper, it was written by Spielberg, which he is not well known for.

Bonus: Name a movie Spielberg acted in.

[Flack]

Blues Brothers. And no, I didn't look it up.

My dad grew up on the south side of Chicago and I've been to many of the locations in that movie.

And also, Goldmember (at the beginning).

[Guest]

Interesting how far the Spielberg influence can reach. Even if the movies themselves aren't all masterpieces.

Not one peep of public protest over Poltergeist, despite one of the opening scenes being ordinary wife and mother Jo Beth Williams calmly rolling and smoking a joint.

MOVIES THAT WERE NOT DIRECTED BY SPIELBERG:

1. Poltergeist

Actually, the rumor is (or was, seeing as probably no one cares anymore) that Tobe got himself in such trouble with Poltergeist that Spielberg did step in and pretty much direct it.

I don't know, but compare it to the rest of Hooper's and Spielberg's stuff. And no one ever, ever accused Tobe Hooper of being a decent director.

[Tdarcos]

Blues Brothers. And no, I didn't look it up.

And what character did Spielberg play in the movie?

My dad grew up on the south side of Chicago and I've been to many of the locations in that movie.

Jake: But what are you going to do when the cops come to look for you?
Elwood: Uh, no, I falsified my address, I put down 1060 West Addison
Jake:(puzzled) 1060 W. Addison... that's Wrigley Field!

I used to live in Arlington, Virginia. I wonder how many people would get it if I had falsified my address to 48 S. Rotary Road. Anyone care to guess what is located at 48 S. Rotary Road in Arlington, Virginia?

Stupid Questions:
1. This Las Vegas Television station is located on Channel 8 Drive. Which station is it?
2. Henderson, Nevada is the processing center for The J.C. Penney National Bank. What major department store chain owns this bank?
3. Washington, D.C. based "19th Street Baptist Church" is located near the intersection of Buchanan Street NW and on which numeric street in Washington, DC?

[Flack]

And what character did Spielberg play in the movie?

Please. Somewhere I have pictures of me standing outside the county clerk's office.

I used to live in Arlington, Virginia. I wonder how many people would get it if I had falsified my address to 48 S. Rotary Road. Anyone care to guess what is located at 48 S. Rotary Road in Arlington, Virginia?

Isn't it N. Rotary Road? I'll tell you why I know if you confirm that it's north and not south.

Back in the BBS days, I used to give my address as 8900 NW 23rd in OKC, which is smack dab in the middle of Lake Overholser.

[Bugs]

The other great thing about Jaws is that it actually made people scared to go in the ocean that summer. You know a movie is good when it scares stupid people into not doing things. ET was like that too, it made everyone scared to let astronauts build habitrails around their houses.

[Flack]

Then you should add Saving Private Ryan (which made me scared to get shot) and Schindler's List (which made me scared to become Jewish).

Also ... I am aware of Saving Ryan's Privates, but what other Spielberg films have inspired porn films?