10 Steven Spielberg Movies Everyone Should See

The latest entry in this ongoing series focuses on Steven Spielberg, one of cinema's most famous Directors. As always, rather than a "Best of" or "Top 10" this is more of an overview highlighting some of the notable movies of a person's career. Also, at the bottom of this post I'll leave a link to all of the other '10 Movies Everyone Should See' posts.


#10 Bridge of Spies (2015)

This is the 4^th pairing of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks (the previous three films being ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘Catch Me If You Can’ and ‘The Terminal’) I wasn't sure about this one going in but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a pretty outstanding Cold War, espionage movie.

#9 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Well acted, engaging story, great musical score, and massive success at the box-office.
This big hit (along with Jaws) helped catapult Spielberg to top of every studio's Director list.

#8 Lincoln (2012)

When you pair up an all-time great actor in Daniel Day-Lewis with an all-time Director you can even turn a film about Abe Lincoln into not only a financial success but also a multiple (2) Oscar winning film.

#7 Saving Private Ryan (1998)

There are a ton of WWII movies for anyone looking to watch one. The fact that this one often rises towards the top for a lot of people says a lot. It's a really solid film.

#6 E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982)

I've seen this one multiple times over the years and there's no way it should be as good as it is. Kids fly on bicycles, the alien is basically a bumbling child, none of the acting is amazing... In the hands of a lesser filmmaker this is a crappy movie, but Spielberg made it a classic.

#5 Schindler's List (1993)

This period-drama about the Holocaust won 7 Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director, and it's easily one of Spielberg's most critically acclaimed films.

#4 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

The film that launched one of cinemas most beloved characters, Indiana Jones, still holds up pretty well. While it's not my favorite Indiana Jones movie (that distinction belongs to 1989's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) it's impact is undeniable.

#3 Jaws (1975)

It's one of cinema's greatest summer blockbusters and one of the only legitimately good shark movies ever made. All you have to do is say the word "Jaws" and most people will immediately think of this early Spielberg classic.

#2 Minority Report (2002)

This one also appeared on my list of '10 Tom Cruise Movies Everyone Should See' (which you can check out by clicking here) and while it's not as famous as a film like  "Jaws" or  "E.T.", I think it's a great, tension-filled movie that is definitely worth checking out if you've never seen it.

#1 Jurassic Park (1993)

Early on as I started rewatching a bunch of these films for this list, this one jumped to #1. Everything I like about different Spielberg's films come together in this one. You get adventure, memorable characters, great special effects that still hold up, and an interesting story that's easy to get fully invested in.

Have a suggestion for a '10 Movies Everyone Should See' list?

Leave it in the comments below, and if you want to check out the other other entries in this series you can find them all by clicking Here.

The Founder (2016)

I had been meaning to watch and review this movie for a while now, and I finally took the time tonight to check it out. 

While I am a big fan of Michael Keaton, I wasn't sure if a movie about how McDonald's came about would really be something I'd find all that entertaining. To my surprise, the story was pretty interesting and I was into it from start to finish. The acting, particularly Keaton as Ray Kroc as well as John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman as the McDonald brother, was really solid and the whole thing clicks along at a fairly decent pace.

The film, as you may expect, is about how Ray Kroc saw the potential in a small burger joint owned and operated by the McDonald brothers. Kroc, a very determined businessman, realizes that the efficient McDonald's system could be a major franchise with locations all over the United States, and his big picture way of thinking often doesn't gel with what the brothers see as the best way to protect their brand. The McDonald brothers are nervous about rapid expansion and they don't want to sacrifice quality just to save a few bucks. Of course Kroc on the other hand wants to go big and get rich, resulting in mounting tensions over the course the film between his vision for McDonald's and theirs.

Overall, I think this film is entertaining enough to watch at least once. There are a couple parts that drag a little and 10-15 minutes could've easily been shaved off the runtime, but it's a decent movie.

I give this one a 3.5 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a review?

Leave it in the comments below.

Movie Review: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

About a month ago I added to my ongoing '10 Movies Everyone Should See' series with a look at 10 Tom Cruise movies (you can check out that blog entry by clicking the link here: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2017/07/10-tom-cruise-movies-everyone-should-see.html). 

However, as always when I make those lists, there are films that are deserving but get left off for one reason or another. One of the films I just didn't have a place for on the list was 2014's 'Edge of Tomorrow', but that's not to say I don't enjoy it. It's a really cool sci-fi/action movie that I found entertaining it when I saw it in the theaters and have since rewatched a few times. Interestingly, despite a 91% critic rating and a 90% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film wasn't a box-office hit and a lot of people I know haven't seen it. Also, for some reason, after originally being titled 'Edge of Tomorrow' for the theatrical release when it was released on DVD and Blu-ray it was retitled 'Live. Die. Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow'. 

The film stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt and takes place during an alien invasion. Cruise plays Bill Cage, an Army officer that reluctantly gets sent to fight on the front line. After killing one of the aliens, some of the blood gets on Cage and he ends up stuck in a time loop, leaving him to fight and die over and over again while he tries to find a way win the battle and break the cycle. Think of it like an action-packed "Groundhog's Day". There are some great action scenes, and just about all of the comedy that's sprinkled in hits the mark. Additionally, the chemistry between Cruise and Blunt is pretty good and the plot moves along a brisk, entertaining pace during a runtime just shy of 2 hours.

Overall, if you haven't seen this one then I recommend giving it a try.
I give this one a 4.5 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.