Top 10 Steven Spielberg Films

By Rachel West. 18 Dec 2021 8:00 AM

Steven Spielberg has been making movie magic for years. In honour of the director’s milestone 75th birthday on Dec. 18, we’re looking back at some of his best and most-beloved films.

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Photo: Universal/courtesy Everett Collection

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10. 'Munich' (2005)
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Spielberg took an earnest look at the five men who took retaliation against the Black September massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. With a government set on "eye for an eye" retribution, the director takes a look at how we deal with terrorism.
9. 'Minority Report' (2002)
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Based on a story by Phillip K. Dick, 2002's "Minority Report" blends gritty film noir with futuristic sci-fi and then-cutting edge visual effects. Spielberg's cat-and-mouse game pits Tom Cruise against Colin Farrell and a ticking clock for a non-stop action ride in a movie about fate, reconciliation and managing the inevitable.
8. 'West Side Story' (2021)
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for 20th Century Studios
Spielberg's reimagined version of "West Side Story" might have just hit theatres, but the film is already creating a ton of Oscar buzz thanks to outstanding performances from cast members including Ariana DeBose and newcomer Rachel Zegler.
7. 'Empire Of The Sun'
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At age 13, Christian Bale delivers a commanding lead performance as a young expat lost in China during World War II. Despite the tragedy of war and some harrowing moments, Spielberg manages to make "Empire Of The Sun" an uplifting film about the loss of innocence.
6. 'Saving Private Ryan' (1998)
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The incredible 24-minute opening scene depicting the storming of the beaches of Normandy in "Saving Private Ryan" is one of cinema's most-riveting battle sequences. Spielberg manages to balance the anonymity of battle with the heart-achingly personal story of one family's tragedy.
5. 'Jurassic Park' (1993)
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Chaos and dinosaurs come together in the action-packed "Jurassic Park". With its ground-breaking special effects, the epic adventure topped the box office in 1993 with characters, a story and terrifying dinosaurs that still seems as fresh and exciting as it did back then.
4. 'Jaws' (1975)
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It's the film that launched a thousand summer blockbusters – all the more astonishing that this was only Spielberg's second feature film. "Jaws" was the first modern movie blockbuster that made summer cinema-going an event. More than 45 years later, one bar of the "Jaws" score instantly makes us afraid to go back into the water.
3. 'Schindler's List' (1993)
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It's incredible to believe that Spielberg directed both "Schindler's List" and "Jurassic Park" in the same year. His unflinching and ambitious look at the Holocaust blends the melodrama of his earlier works with a slow-building script and incredible performances from Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and a tremendously terrifying turn by Ralph Fiennes to become one of the greatest films ever made about the atrocities of war.
1. 'E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial' (1982)
Photo: Universal/courtesy Everett Collection
Universal Pictures
Sci-meets meets warm and fuzzy feelings in Spielberg's 1982 classic "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial". The director wraps the story of a boy coming to terms with his parents' divorce in a tale of dreams, friendship and growing up.

Top 10 Steven Spielberg Films

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