Spielberg Challenge: 32 Movies, plus 1971’s DUEL, ranked Best to Good, Your Turn?

by Screenmancer

West Side Story marks Director Steven Spielberg’s latest Academy Award nomination bonanza at 7 noms, but the real record-holding stat is that he has been nominated in various categories for say (first at Cannes) 47 years? But wait, there’s more, and more specific stats, to amaze. Which is why we are throwing down the Spielberg Challenge to rank his films.

According to (everyone in Show Business)  The-Numbers for research, Spielberg is (still) the #1 Top Grossing Director for Domestic Box Office at about $4.7 BN USD (rounding up) and Top Grossing Worldwide Director at roughly $10.6 BN USD  to date. Since Screenmancer is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2022, we thought we’d have some fun.

So, when we saw that  Group Nine Media’s Thrillist put Spielberg’s “32” on-the-books movies from 1974 to 2021 on notice with a ranking from Worst to Best? (Hint: there are no Worst Spielberg movies.) Screenmancer decided to rank a 32+ Best to Good list.

Thus we added “Duel” from 1971 to the list, daring to say 33-ish movies, as  it was his feature-film debut as far as length. Plus, Duel stars Dennis Weaver, who crushes it in the role of the hunted driver.

We’ve annotated our choices with (possibly useless and distracting) notes and key star cast plus release dates.

Enjoy!

Spielberg Challenge, Rank All His Films

Screenmancer’s List

1. Schindler’s List [1993] – Liam Neeson, Sir Ben Kingsley, and more, the masterpiece.

2. Jaws [1975] – Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Vaughn, evergreen Summer hit.

3. The Color Purple[1985] – Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, still resonates.

4. Raiders of the Lost Ark [1981] – Harrison Ford, let the worldwide hits begin.

5. TIE – The Sugarland Express [1974] – Goldie Hawn, a timeless classic for women and prisoners.

           – Duel [1971], stars Dennis Weaver, and is technically Spielberg’s feature-film debut (ABC TV).

6. Close Encounters of the Third Kind [1977] – Richard Dreyfuss, welcome to iconic alien movies, “disclosure” fever.

7. Jurassic Park [1993] – Dinosaur technology breakthrough is the star, awes the world.

8. Saving Private Ryan [1998] – Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, more than about the war, but families.

9. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial [1982] – Drew Barrymore, Puppet is the star, but no one minds, smash hit.

10. Minority Report [2002] – Tom Cruise, technology is the co-star, fast-forward to surveillance today.

11. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade [1989] – Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, what a pair, Pére.

12. A.I. Artificial Intelligence [2001] – Haley Joel Osmet, biotechnology is the star, underrated film.

13. Ready Player One [2018] – Tye Sheridan, gaming technology is the co-star, important issues.

14. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom[1984] – Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw is the focus?

15. Catch Me If You Can[2002] – Leonardo DiCaprio, criminal love-story with his crimes, but fun.

16. HOOK [1991] – Julia Roberts, tinker hell, she’s tiny and Dustin Hoffman has a huge mustache.

17. West Side Story [2021] – love letter to Stephen Sondheim, remake is the star; Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, noms.

18. Lincoln [2012] – Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, making history for DLL and Mrs. Lincoln.

19. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [2008] – Harrison Ford, but Shia LaBeouf and Spielberg clash?

20. The Lost World: Jurassic Park [1997] – Julianne Moore in Laura Dern role from 1st in franchise, gloomy?

21. War of the Worlds [2005] – Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, apocalyptic future is co-star, grim.

22. War Horse [2011] – Tobey Maguire (enough said, angry horse too).

23. Empire of the Sun [1987] – boy is Christian Bale then a child actor, came a long way!

24. Munich [2005] – Eric Bana, in a role that is layered and grueling.

25. Amistad [1997] – Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou is rising star here.

26. Bridge of Spies [2015] – Tom Hanks, and Spielberg’s other fave, Mark Rylance.

27. The Terminal [2004] – Tom Hanks, and more Tom Hanks in transit… for ever.

28. The Adventures of Tintin [2011] – Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, and more, but co-star is Animation technology.

29. The BFG [2016] – Mark Rylance, animated, but maybe too big or odd a storyline?

30. The Post [2017] – Meryl Streep as publishing legend Katharine Graham with Tom Hanks; good idea labored?

31. Always [1989] – Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, even Audrey Hepburn; TCM likes it, hmm, Good.

32. 1941 [1979] – madman John Belushi teamed up with wacko Dan Aykroyd, and Treat Williams; goofy but still Good.

Consider this your Spielberg Challenge, inviting all to re-rank our list in your own Best to Good, or whatever parameters you choose, and leave it in the Comments or email news@screenmancer.tv.

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