Top 5 Steven Spielberg Films
Directed by Spielberg only, so no Poltergeist. We agreed on the top two, just not the order.
Hear it on episode 3 at 49:57 →
Jeff's picks
№ 1
Jurassic Park (1993)Steven Spielberg
You know what's coming and it still builds so much tension. It makes you feel like you're really in the park.
№ 2
Schindler's List (1993)Steven Spielberg
Heavy and hard to watch, but beautiful in how it honors what Schindler did. A classic for a reason.
№ 3
Hook (1991)Steven Spielberg
Maybe a minor Spielberg, but he's a huge Robin Williams fan and loves the big action scenes. Rufio!
№ 4
Lincoln (2012)Steven Spielberg
Daniel Day-Lewis is incredible, and it feels like a real insight into who Lincoln was.
№ 5
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)Steven Spielberg
Standing in for all three original Indiana Jones films. Great action with a little absurdity, and it leaves him tense and smiling at the same time.
Matt's picks
№ 1
Schindler's List (1993)Steven Spielberg
The girl in red, Ralph Fiennes' haunting performance, and images that stay with you. An important film.
№ 2
Saving Private Ryan (1998)Steven Spielberg
The D-Day opening dispelled the myth of war movies before it. Band of Brothers is still his favorite, though.
№ 3
Jurassic Park (1993)Steven Spielberg
John Williams' score, Jeff Goldblum's Ian Malcolm, and effects that still look amazing more than thirty years later.
№ 4
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)Steven Spielberg
Nonstop adventure grounded in just enough history to feel possible. Last Crusade nearly made it too.
№ 5
Jaws (1975)Steven Spielberg
Only really sat down with it in the past few years. Great character study of the three men on the boat.
Two films made both lists: Jurassic Park and Schindler's List. They were Jeff's top two and Matt's number one and number three. Honorable mentions came up for Last Crusade, and Matt had to rule out Poltergeist because Spielberg wrote and produced it but didn't direct it.