5.) Lincoln
Over the years, historians have always had their own idea of what Abraham Lincoln was like in real life. We have images of him. But we don't have any video or radio footage of the famous president. There have been countless films, plays, and TV specials based on the president's life. But none have been as deep, entertaining, or as emotional as Steven Spielberg's most recent film, Lincoln. Lincoln tells the story of Abraham Lincoln (Daniel-Day Lewis) trying to abolish slavery, with the help of Thadeus Stewart (Tommy Lee-Jones). The film is rich with beautiful performances and sharp writing by Tony Kushner. And as I said, the performances are beautiful. Sally Fields is wonderful as Mary Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones is hilarious and irresistible as Congressional leader Thadus Stewart. But the true star of the movie is Daniel Day Lewis. His performance as Abraham Lincoln is up there with Charlton Heston's Moses as one of the greatest portrayals of a historic figure. He plays Honest Abe as a man who loves to communicate with stories and parables. A man with patience, sensitivity, and wisdom. Daniel Day Lewis doesn't play Lincoln as a myth, but as a man. He makes you relate with Lincoln as much as you look up to him. This film is not for everyone though. If you are not a fan of history, you may find the film tedious and boring. But if you are a history enthusiast, Lincoln will hold your attention, and make you love your country all the more. In short, Lincoln is a true American landmark.
4.) Jurassic Park
The film is based on the novel by Michael Crichton. This movie has a very interesting concept. What if we can make dinosaurs come back to life? What if man walked with dinosaurs again? These are the questions that John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) asks. He decides to take dinosaur DNA from mosquitoes, and use the DNA to clone dinosaurs, and open a theme park in a far away island. He invites Dr. Alan Grant (Sam Neil), Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), and Dr. Ian Malcom (Jeff Goldblum), to come inspect his theme park for future guests. At first, things go very well. Until a T-Rex breaks loose from his cage and starts attacking the guests. It's a big race to escape the island from being eaten, and return to society. Jurassic Park is just one big thrill ride from start to finish. I also love it how, even though it's sort of a horror/thriller movie, the characters are not just 1-dimensional idiots who you want to see the dinosaurs eat, like most horror movies. In Jurassic Park, Steven Spielberg does a great job of making you care for the characters, and root for them to get off the island. The script by David Koepp is filled with a lot of humor and heart. And usually, I'm not a huge fan of CGI. I am usually more of a fan of practical effects, like puppets and stop motion. But the CGI on the dinosaurs is some of the best CGI ever used in motion picture. When Jurassic Park first came out in 1993, the special effects were very groundbreaking. It was definitely the Avatar of its day. And to this day, the CGI on the dinosaurs is still very impressive. And who can forget the John Williams music? No Spielberg movie is complete without some John Williams pixie dust. Williams' score really gives the movie a sense of awe. It's as if the dinosaurs actually are back, and are roaming the earth! So, with a great story, amazing visuals, great characters, and a beautiful score, Jurassic Park is good old-fashioned prehistoric fun!
3.) Jaws
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Just two notes, and you have a villain. Based on the book by Peter Benchley, Jaws tells the story of a man eating shark terrorizing the peaceful beach of Amity Island, leading the Mayor to close down the beach. So it's up to Officer Brody (Roy Schneider), Dr. Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and Captain Quint (Robert Shaw) to sail out to the middle of the sea and hunt down the sea beast before he eats another soul. This is a tale that's not for the faint of heart. For almost the entire first half of the movie, you never really see the shark. You only see his victims being eaten, you see blood, and you hear the sinister John Williams music. Even in the scenes where nobody is being killed or eaten, you're still scared. You hear the characters talk about the shark, and it leaves you on the edge of your seat biting your nails. And that right there describes the brilliance of this horror film. Steven Spielberg is very smart to keep his audience guessing, waiting in deep anticipation. The shark doesn't show up until the last 20 minutes of the film. And when he does, the audience jumps out of their seats, spilling their popcorn. And this is just a robot shark that barely worked on set. If Jaws was made today, they would have just used CGI. That would be easy. But too easy. Because the shark was a robot, that makes you appreciate all the hard work and dedication the prop designers put into it. But it's not just the shark that makes this movie work. The cast couldn't have been better. The chemistry between Roy Schneider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw is just perfect. They are not just 1-dimensional characters in a horror movie. They are real, human people that you care for. My favorite scene in the movie, oddly enough doesn't involve the shark. But rather those three characters. It's the Indianapolis speech made by Captain Quint. And the fact that it's based on a true story just makes it more chilling. And the John Williams music. I doubt this movie would be half the classic it is without John Williams chilling score. Even if you've never seen Jaws, you at least recognize the score. If they play that music when you're swimming, you better get out! Many years later, Jaws continues to scare people from going in the water.
2.) Raiders of the Lost Ark
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Who doesn't love Indiana Jones? (Well, besides Nazis.) Indiana Jones is in many ways the ultimate action hero. He's got it all: the hat, the whip, the gun, the ladies, a phobia (snakes), the awesome theme song, etc. His first big screen adventure was in the 1981 classic, Raiders of the Lost Ark. The story follows Dr. Jones (Harrison Ford) on a quest for the legendary lost Ark of the Covenant, before the Nazis get to it. He is joined by his ex-girlfriend Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), and his close friend Sallah (John Rhys-Davies). Indiana Jones and his friends have to fight nazis, snakes, and escape booby traps at every turn. Can Indy and co. make it to the Ark on time before the Nazis? And will they be able to handle its mysterious powers? As you can see, Raiders of the Lost Ark is the kind of film that grabs you by the arm the second it starts, and it never lets go. You are on the edge of your seat 98% of the time. The characters are all lovable and unforgettable. Harrison Ford gives probably his best performance of his career. He's not just playing Han Solo again. He's playing Indiana Jones, and entirely different character. And he plays him with wit, and heart. Karen Allen is very hot and very feisty as Marion Ravenwood. The action scenes are well done. The opening scene with the booby traps is the greatest opening scene in an action/adventure film. The music by John Williams is great as always. Why his "Raiders of the Lost Ark" score lost an Oscar to Chariots of Fire is a mystery to me. So many years later, Raiders of the Lost Ark holds up very well. With great performances, a great score, unforgettable characters, and a great story, Raiders of the Lost Ark is a true treasure to behold.
1.) E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
Out of all the films on this list, E.T. is probably the closest to Steven Spielberg's heart. Steven Spielberg's parents in real life were divorced, and so are Elliot's. So in some ways, this movie is a biopic of the director. The story centers around a boy named Elliot (Henry Thomas) and his suburban family. He feels very lonely and friendless. But one night, Elliot comes across a strange alien creature who he adopts into his house. His sister (Drew Barrymore) calls him "E.T.", which means "Extra Terrestrial". The kids later find out that he is from outer space, and is trying to get back to his home. The kids do their best to hide him from their mom, and the authorities, and help him get back to his home planet. But, as the film progresses, Elliot and E.T. develop a personal relationship, which makes it harder and harder for Elliot to let E.T. go. But E.T. teaches Elliot that friends never leave you as long as you keep them in your heart. As you can see, E.T. is a heart warming story about childhood, loyalty, friendship, and never letting go. It's the kind of tale that can make a grown man almost cry. The ending scene is one of the most tear jerking in any film. It's up there with Toy Story 3. But the film is filled with a lot of great comedy as well. The scenes where E.T. is discovering the world around him are very charming and very funny. It's strange how the character, E.T., is an alien from outer space. When you first see him, he looks bizarre. But when he first eats those Reecess pieces, you start to fall in love with him. Much like Jaws, if E.T. was made today, the alien would be CGI. But this was made in the 80s, so he is a puppet. And I think that makes him even more adorable, and more real. The performances in the film are all beautiful. Henry Thomas is brilliant as Elliot. He gives, what I think is, the best performance by a child actor ever. The way he cares for E.T. is just so heart warming. He's the most relatable character in the movie. Another performance I love is Drew Barrymore as Gertie. She is the 2nd cutest thing in this movie, behind E.T. And then there's the music by John Williams. You've heard me gush over John Williams enough. But I just want to say that I think E.T. The Extra Terrestrial is his best score ever! Yes, I think it's better than Star Wars! And given his career, that is saying a lot! I always get chills at the back of my neck when I hear Williams' score. I could go on and on about this film. All I want to say is that E.T. The Extra Terrestrial is out of this world! (Sorry about the pun.)
And those are my top 5 favorite Steven Spielberg movies. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. God bless!
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