Top Ten Steven Spielberg Movies 
10. Hook 
09. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 
08. Minority Report 
07. Catch Me If You Can 
06. Schindler's List 
05. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 
04. Raiders of the Lost Ark 
03. Saving Private Ryan 
02. Jurassic Park 
01. 

10. Hook 

Oh, no. To live... to live would be an awfully big adventure. ~ Peter

Released 

1991 

Credits 

Director: Steven Spielberg 

Books: JM Barrie 

Play: JM Barrie 

Cast 

Robin Williams (Peter Banning)

Dustin Hoffman (Captain Hook)

Julia Roberts (Tinkerbell)

Bob Hoskins (Smee)

Maggie Smith (Granny Wendy)

Critical 

6.7/10 (IMDB)

29% (RT Critics)

76% (RT Audience)

Box Office 

Lifetime Gross: $119,654,823 (#16)
Adjusted Gross: $263,355,200 (#13)

At the Oscars 

- Nomination for Best Art Direction 

- Nomination for Best Costume Design 

- Nomination for Best Visual Effects 

- Nomination for Best Makeup 

- Nomination for Best Music , Original Song 

Hook is really a fascinating movie , I loved this movie growing up and it still holds a high enough place in my heart to rank #6 on my list despite probably realizing it's a bit bloated after a few adult viewings. I would of never imagined though , with all the people I know who love this movie that it would of rated so poorly with critics and I still don't get it. It's not a masterpiece , but it's a movie chalk full of awesome performances and memorable moments/characters.

RUFIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOOOOOO was the coolest kid on the planet for a hot minute there when I was younger. All of the stuff with the lost boys is great and once the adventure starts it's an incredibly engaging movie. They could of cut a bunch of the stuff at the beginning and this movie probably would have been better received but it's still not bad enough to get universally panned by critics.

Also never would have guessed , after knowing this movie was hated by critics that it still managed to snap five Oscar nominations. Mostly for set pieces and costumes but still.

It's also about as perfect of a 1991 cast as you could get.

Eww....Hook. It’s an okay kids movie, but not even close to top 10 Spielberg.

Hook?!?!?!

Like this is thirteenth on my list of thirteen Spielberg movies I’ve seen.

Yes! I haven't seen this movie in eons and didn't expect it to make the list, but I am glad my 6th place vote actually helped it to do so.

UT summed it up pretty nicely already. Rufio was awesome. Hoffman Hook was awesome. Robin Williams is always awesome. Really exciting and elaborate movie with a memorable ending I can still visualize clearly.

Granted, I will still feel bad if my vote for this actually made it go over something I rated higher on my list which is certainly possible...

9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 

He says the sun came out last night. He says it sang to him.

Released 

1977 

Credits 

Director: Steven Spielberg 

Writer: Steven Spielberg 

Cast 

Richard Dreyfuss (Roy Neary)

Francois Truffat (Claude Lacombe)

Teri Garr (Ronnie Neary)

Melinda Dillon (Jillian Guiler)

Bob Balaban (David Laughlin)

Critical 

7.7/10 (IMDB)

96% (RT Critics)

85% (RT Audience)

Box Office 

Lifetime Gross: $135,189,114  (#13)

Adjusted Gross: $513,370,800  (#5)

At the Oscars 

- Winner Best Cinematography 

- Winner for Special Achievement Award (Sound Effects)

- Nomination for Best Supporting Actress 

- Nomination for Best Director 

- Nomination for Best Art Direction 

- Nomination for Best Sound 

- Nomination for Best Film Editing 

- Nomination for Best Effects 

- Nomination for Best Music , Original Score 

Close Encounters is one of the few Spielberg holes I have , and probably the only one I really don't plan on visiting. I know it was an incredibly successful and important movie but it just isn't my thing. Perhaps had I seen it as a kid I'd have the connection to it but alas - I don't.

As for Hook , haters be damned! That movies deserves the be on this list - even if it's at #10. And @lionhart - it won in a tiebreaker so your vote did help it make the list. Can't say over what movie though.

Mar 27, 2018 13:05:03 GMT UT said:

Close Encounters is one of the few Spielberg holes I have , and probably the only one I really don't plan on visiting. I know it was an incredibly successful and important movie but it just isn't my thing. Perhaps had I seen it as a kid I'd have the connection to it but alas - I don't.

As for Hook , haters be damned! That movies deserves the be on this list - even if it's at #10. And @lionhart - it won in a tiebreaker so your vote did help it make the list. Can't say over what movie though.

Furthering the theory!

The Hook haters have me even more floored than the Herc haters in the last countdown. WTF, you all serious!?!?

After Peter Pan got screwed in the last countdown, there was no way I was letting the same thing happen to Hook. Had it at #4 on my list, I think. Glad it cracked the overall Top 10. I assure you it would've ranked even higher had Wife submitted a list... Likely would've been her #1 or #2.

Aside from the nostalgia value and providing a fun/new spin on the Peter Pan story, how can you hate on Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman in such fun performances!? Not everything has to be Schindler's List serious. The weakest link, IMO, is maybe Julia Roberts but I don't know who I wouldn't cast as Tinkerbell instead.

Close Encounters made the bottom half of my list. Early Spielberg and Richard Dreyfuss just seemed to mesh for me. I fucking HATED E.T. but LOVED this. No idea what the true differentiators were between them. Maybe the music element and the mashed potato sculpting? For what it's worth, the mashed potato scene helped a young picky-eater PI get over his mashed potato aversion.

Originally I planned to have Hook somewhere inside my Top 10, but after the Disney countdown, I felt it was important to play it safe with my list. Hook is a fine movie, but I believe Spielberg has 10 more significant movies to his name.

With that said, I don't understand why Spielberg detests the movie. It's a wonderful production with some amazing sets, fantastic music, good special effects and mostly good performances. Maybe he really hated the lost boys? Or maybe Julia Roberts drove him up the wall? Whatever the case, Spielberg's opinion was a deciding factor for me.

My memory of Close Encounters is foggy and I was considering leaving it off, but it's one of Spielberg's most important movies and a huge follow-up from Jaws. The special effects for their time were something else, and they got Truffaunt who is always fun to watch on-screen.

Close Encounters is one of the Spielberg films I watched just before submitting a list. I found it tedious for the most part. The final scene is by far the best part of the film, but it by no means redeems the two hours of boredom that preceded it. It had me wondering whether Close Encounters invented the image of the grey, hairless, humanoid, big-headed aliens that has survived to this very day. Anyone know the answer?

Close Encounters is one of the single most overrated movies of all-time and didn't come close to making my list. It was slow, tedious, pretentious and the worst sin of all for a sci-fi film it was fucking DULL.

Hook was ok, but there are easily 10 Spielberg movies that are better. So no place on my list for it either.

Close Encounters is truly a classic in my opinion. One of my all-time favorite films. It is far from boring in my opinion.

Well there's my #1, haha

1. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
2.
3.
4.
5. Hook
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Given that Spielberg is an insanely good director, I based my list on re-watchability for the most part. There's about 15 Spielberg movies I absolutely love and could watch any time, so to narrow down a top ten I went with the movies I've seen the most and can watch over and over to figure out the ranking from 1-10.

So while some of Spielberg's finest work made my list, where they ranked will probably be different from most lists.

Steven Spielberg's most divisive films
1. Close Encounters of The Third Kind
2. Hook

I stand with SM and RT.

And agree with Emperor... Had no idea these two movies would be so divisive.

Mar 27, 2018 17:30:38 GMT SM said:

Close Encounters is truly a classic in my opinion. One of my all-time favorite films. It is far from boring in my opinion.

I already said I wasn't going to watch it , this only reinforces the fact that I made the right decision. 

But there's mashed potato sculpting!

Mar 27, 2018 15:19:30 GMT Big Pete said:

Originally I planned to have Hook somewhere inside my Top 10, but after the Disney countdown, I felt it was important to play it safe with my list. Hook is a fine movie, but I believe Spielberg has 10 more significant movies to his name.

With that said, I don't understand why Spielberg detests the movie. It's a wonderful production with some amazing sets, fantastic music, good special effects and mostly good performances. Maybe he really hated the lost boys? Or maybe Julia Roberts drove him up the wall? Whatever the case, Spielberg's opinion was a deciding factor for me.

My memory of Close Encounters is foggy and I was considering leaving it off, but it's one of Spielberg's most important movies and a huge follow-up from Jaws. The special effects for their time were something else, and they got Truffaunt who is always fun to watch on-screen.

I didn't know Spielberg hated the movie , that's interesting and I wonder if that effected the critics takes on it as well. I still think it's way too long and should of been under two hours , he probably wanted it three hours and thus , hated it. 

Interesting that you and 🤯 bring up Roberts. I though she was fine as Tinkerbell at that point in time - not sure who else you could put in that spot. Sandy B. is the default answer but it's a little too early for her there and Roberts was an absolute star at the point. 

Hook - I adored this movie as a child and the fun and nostalgia didn't wear off for me over the years. I watched this movie with my daughter just recently and she really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed watching it with her. Total classic in every sense of the word.

CEOTTK - I'm a sucker for aliens and have been obsessed with the idea ever since I was little. I saw this movie for the first time as a kid after my uncle recommended I watch it. I was blown away. I loved every second, and this was when I was a child. I've watched the movie several times since and I still love it to death, although it's not my favourite alien flick anymore (Fire In The Sky surpassed it when I finally saw it). However it's still my favourite Spielberg film to this day. It's so creative and the imagery is wonderful. I like how Spielberg can take sci-fi and not have to make it violent or action-packed, it can just be something that happens in every day life but is also surreal.

While I have certainly heard the name of the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, it has never been actively on my mind and I didn't even know it was a Spielberg movie. I must have somehow missed it when I was looking at the list of Spielberg movies last week as well.

I really like sci-fi and it has high community and critic ratings and Richard Dreyfuss and apparently even François Truffaut as an actor (he's one of my favorite directors), so I will probably check it out at some point.

Mar 27, 2018 18:22:03 GMT RT said:

CEOTTK - It's so creative and the imagery is wonderful. I like how Spielberg can take sci-fi and not have to make it violent or action-packed, it can just be something that happens in every day life but is also surreal.

^
This captures the essence of Close Encounters perfectly. It also has a positive message and it was one of the rare movies to depict aliens not as world conquering beings but as curious explorers. Plus Richard Dreyfuss puts in a stellar performance. Number 6 on my list.

I honestly haven't seen Hook since it was released, I remember really enjoying it though and all the performances were fantastic. I couldn't fairly rate it though.

8. Minority Report 

But it didn't fall. You caught it. The fact that you prevented it from happening doesnt change the fact that it was *going* to happen. ~ John Anderton

Released 

2002 

Credits 

Director: Steven Spielberg 

Short Story: Philip K. Dick 

Screenplay: Scott Frank 

Cast 

Tom Cruise (Chief John Anderton)

Colin Farrell (Det. Danny Witwer)

Samantha Morton (Agatha)

Max Von Sydow (Director Lamar Burgess)

Peter Stormare (Dr. Soloman)

Critical 

7.7/10 (IMDB)

91% (RT Critics)

80% (RT Audience)

Box Office 

Lifetime Gross: $132,072,926 (#15)

Adjusted Gross: $208,679,800 (#18)

At the Oscars 

- Nomination for Best Sound Editing 

I love Minority Report , so much so that it made #1 on my personal list. I was worried for most of the tallying process it was going to finish outside the top ten but thanks to a couple late votes (thanks mikec & PB) it solidified it's spot on the list - even if it's only at #8.

Normally futuristic , technological and dystopian type movies don't really reach me but for whatever reason Minority Report came right out and grabbed me from the beginning. It doesn't hurt that IMO it has one of the best opening sequences a movie has ever seen - they don't spend a ton of time beating you over the head with the idea of precognition before you see the idea in motion and them stop a murder in a very Spielbergian way of shooting. And you can go on to say that about the whole movie , the idea of precogs is a great one and one you can debate all day long but the movie itself doesn't spend a ton of time and exposition brow beating the point home and I can appreciate that as an audience member.

Tom Cruise isn't full Cruise in this movie but the movie star is in there and obviously carries the movie a ton , but this is also the greatest thing Collin Farrel has ever done - he is the perfect #2 to Cruise and plays his role perfectly. He's not a villain , he's also technically right and you disagree with him because you want to root for your hero but you don't hate him for doing his job - that's such a tough line to tow in a movie like this and Farrell really nails it and makes the whole thing work.

Overall it's just a fun Action , Sci-Fi thriller that is beautifully written and shot and IMO is one of the more underrated movies of all time. I'm surprised to this day how poorly this did at the box office - a Cruise/Spielberg collaboration in 2002 should of done gangbusters but really it signified the dimming of both their stars a little bit. I don't hold that against the movie though , it's great and one I can rewatch on any lazy Sunday and recommend anyone to do the same if you haven't seen it.

This is a good example of how broad of tastes Spielberg can appeal to. Minority Report wouldn't even make my top 15.

It's not a bad movie, I just didn't think it was that great. Haven't watched it since I saw it in theatres way back and probably never will again.

One of the better sci-fi films out there, but that's coming from someone who generally hates the genre. It's still a 5/10 or maybe 6/10 film in my eyes. Not bad to watch once, but no desire to watch it again.

I forgot it was a Spielberg film until I reviewed his filmography for the countdown. Watched it with the family when it was first released on DVD, didn't really follow what was happening and haven't seen it since.

I really ought to watch it again. If we're talking about 'guilty pleasures' I enjoy a lot of movies Tom Cruise happens to be in and this type of story is right up my alley.

Helps being based on a great Dick story.

While I enjoyed this and would rewatch, it partly only made my list because of Spielberg viewing gaps and by love of Dick.

Wouldn't have guessed this would crack the overall Top 10. Knowing what's left, I'm wondering if other heralded greats that I've never seen like Schindler's List, Color Purple, and Empire in the Sun get gipped?

Figure E.T., Jaws, Jurrasic Park, SPR, and at least one IJ movie fill out 5 of the remaining seven spots.

Now THIS is how you do a sci-fi film. Minority Report came in at #9 on my list.

Mar 28, 2018 16:53:48 GMT 🤯 said:

Helps being based on a great Dick story.

While I enjoyed this and would rewatch, it partly only made my list because of Spielberg viewing gaps and by love of Dick.

Wouldn't have guessed this would crack the overall Top 10. Knowing what's left, I'm wondering if other heralded greats that I've never seen like Schindler's List, Color Purple, and Empire in the Sun get gipped?

Figure E.T., Jaws, Jurrasic Park, SPR, and at least one IJ movie fill out 5 of the remaining seven spots.

Pretty sure you only voted for it so you could make Dick jokes. 

Funnily enough though that from what I've read , people that loved the Dick short ( ) story hated the adaption of it because they did so many different things. I haven't read the stories but people need to back the fuck off because what transpired because of those stories is probably my favorite SciFi film of all time. People who read can be the most pretentious of movie goers. Fucking readers and their fangled paper books.