There are only a couple of filmmakers who are so iconic and widely known that even people with no interest in how movies are made have heard of them.Steven Spielbergis one of those directors and has been since his breakout movieJawsdefied all expectations to become the highest grossing movie ever made – and the first of many high-concept summer blockbusters.
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FromSchindler’s Listto theIndiana Jonesseries, Spielberg has helmed all kinds of movies. While Spielberg’s movies are generally well-received by critics, there are some blind spots on his filmography that the reviews weren’t too kind to.
33Hook (29%)
The idea of casting Robin Williams as an adult Peter Pan was a doozy – and he does give a terrific performance, as does Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook – butHookis let down by a weak script and inconsistent tone.
321941 (42%)
Spielberg has rarely attempted comedy, and the reason for this is the failure of his first foray into the genre,1941, which falls flat despite featuring such greats as John Belushi, John Candy, and Dan Aykroyd.
31The Lost World: Jurassic Park (53%)
After breaking all kinds of new ground withJurassic Park, Spielberg helmed a sequel that set the precedent for the franchise going forward: interminable follow-ups that can’t justify their own existence or come close to matching the greatness of the original.
30Twilight Zone: The Movie (58%)
John Landis, Joe Dante, George Miller, and Steven Spielberg all directed segments ofTwilight Zone: The Movie, but Spielberg’s segment can be seen coming from a mile away, because it’s treacly and sentimental and doesn’t even try to be scary.
29The Terminal (61%)
Due to political tensions in his fictional Eastern European native land, Tom Hanks is stuck living in John F. Kennedy International Airport indefinitely inThe Terminal. The premise is a juicy one, but the movie devolves into a corny love story as he falls for a flight attendant.
28Always (67%)
A forgettable WWII-era romance,Alwaysis a prime example of Spielberg’s incessant sentimentality ruining a movie. Still, the cast includes such greats as Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, and Audrey Hepburn.
27Ready Player One (72%)
Adapted from Ernest Cline’s novel of the same name,Ready Player Oneisa CGI-laden spectacle about a kid traversing a virtual reality, featuring Easter eggs referencing as much of popular culture as possible.
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It’s just as thematically empty and driven by nostalgia as its source material, but the trip intoThe Shiningis a delight for Kubrick fans and horror fans alike.
26A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (74%)
Stanley Kubrick was working on a version of thePinocchiostory about a cyborg boy before he died, at which point Spielberg snapped up the project and finished it for him.A.I.is certainly a Spielberg movie, not a Kubrick movie directed by Spielberg, but it’s one of his best sci-fi works.
25The Adventures Of Tintin (74%)
With cutting-edge motion-capture technology, Spielberg brought Hergé’s iconicTintincomics to life with gusto inThe Adventures of Tintin, a vibrant, colorful big-screen adventure whose sequel is stuck in development hell.
24The BFG (74%)
Adapted from the Roald Dahl book of the same name,The BFGstars a CGI’d-up Mark Rylance as the titular big friendly giant who protects a young girl named Sophie from the other giants who have decided to hunt her down.
