10. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Based on a short story by Brian Aldiss,A.I. Artificial Intelligencefollows a young android named David (played by Haley Joel Osment) who’s programming with the ability to feel love.
However, his identity as an A.I. makes him an outsider and leads him on a life-changing journey to find his purpose.
Originally, Stanley Kubrick was assigned to direct this sci-fi film—but due to his death, Steven Spielberg decided to honor Kubrick and finish what he started. And despite the final movie’s flaws, it’s an amazing futuristic take onPinocchiothat fuses Kubrick and Spielberg’s styles.
9. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Despite his oft-fantastical vision, Steven Spielberg always stays down-to-Earth when it comes to real-life stories. He did that withMunich,Lincoln, andBridge of Spies. But his best biographical movie?Catch Me If You Can, a caper film about conman Frank Abagnale.
Leonardo DiCaprio works wonders as Abagnale, who’s shown to be desperate to honor his father Frank Sr. (played by Christopher Walken).
His cat-and-mouse chase with FBI agent Carl Hanratty (played by Tom Hanks) is the reason to watch this. That and the elaborate details of Frank’s crimes will keep you entertained.
8. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Need I say that this is the bestIndiana Jonessequel?Indiana Jones and the Last Crusadefollows Indy (played by Harrison Ford) on a rescue mission to save his father Henry Sr. (played by Sean Connery) from Nazis who are on the search for the Holy Grail.
IfTemple of Doomrubs you the wrong way, thenLast Crusadeis a good palate cleanser. At its heart is the chemistry between Ford and Connery, who work together with witty banter and shared thirsts for adventure. Action-packed and fun,Last Crusadeis a true winner.
Related:How to Watch Indiana Jones in Chronological Order (And Why)
7. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Close Encounters of the Third Kindis Steven Spielberg’s first feature-length sci-fi movie. He had longingly cherished the idea of a story about UFOs after he and his father watched a meteor shower.
The movie centers on two humans who are lured by visions to eventually encounter extraterrestrials. This project contains most of Spielberg’s usual movie tropes: broken families, alien sightings, iconic shots, and lens flares.
And it’s the closest Spielberg ever came to copying Kubrick’s2001: A Space Odysseywith its deep themes, amazing shots, thought-provoking vibe, and elaborate use of sound.
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
One of the best war films ever made,Saving Private Ryanfollows a small unit of American soldiers during WWII who are assigned to rescue a young paratrooper and bring him back home.
Along the way, the unit meets several obstacles and must defend themselves against Nazi soldiers, which all comes to a head and causes the soldiers to have doubts.
The most notable thing aboutSaving Private Ryanis the opening D-Day landing scene. The realistic and graphic depiction of war violence remains shocking to this day.
5. Jurassic Park (1993)
There seems to be a pattern with Steven Spielberg and his sci-fi blockbusters: they tend to be cautionary tales of humanity’s manipulation of science. AndJurassic Parkis no exception.
Based on the Michael Crichton novel, this franchise starter follows a group of scientists and benefactors as they’re brought to an island full of resurrected dinosaurs—and everything goes wrong.
To this day,Jurassic Parkremains a technical achievement for its use of CGI and animatronics. The dinosaurs in this movie look as real today as they did when the movie came out 1993, beating out a lot of modern-day cinema special effects.
Related:The Most Iconic Scenes in Sci-Fi Movies
4. Jaws (1975)
This is the film that pioneered and defined the “summer blockbuster.“Jawsis a straightforward story about a great white shark that terrorizes a resort town. Its concept and its iconic movie poster drew people to the theaters, and it’s still talked about today.
Released in 1974,Jawslacked the special effects technology to support its mechanical sharks, which were prone to malfunctions.
As a result, Spielberg relied on several clever yet minimalist filmmaking techniques to create suspense. The end result is a beloved thrill ride that instilled the fear of sharks into millions.
Related:The Best Man vs. Animal Movies, Ranked
3. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arksolidified Steven Spielberg as the director who can create escapist blockbusters suitable for any audience.
This movie introduced the world to the swashbuckling, fedora-wearing, whip-wielding archaeologist Indiana Jones—and his debut placed him on a journey to find the Ark of the Covenant.
There’s simply no understating how great this film is. Just watch the iconic opening scene where Indy replaces the idol with a bag of sand, the rolling boulder, and the “Why did it have to be snakes?” line.Raidersis a true cinematic staple of fun.
2. Schindler’s List (1993)
Schindler’s Listis Steven Spielberg’s most important film—and it also happens to be the one that has none of his signature tropes.
At its core,Schindler’s Listis a horror story about one of the darkest chapters in human history: the Holocaust. Spielberg pulls no punches when it comes to showing the harshest of realities.
The film chronicles the exploits of German businessman Oskar Schindler and how he saved hundreds of Polish-Jewish refugees from certain death. It’s Spielberg at his most urgent and most masterful. You’ll surely be left moved.
1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
We come full circle to Steven Spielberg’s best film of all time, where all of his most well-known clichés are on full display. It’s the movie that made Spielberg into the director he is today.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrialis the story of a curious boy, a stranded alien, and their friendship. When the alien attracts the attention of authorities, they work together to find a way to send him back home.
This is a must-see film if you want to see quintessential Spielbergian filmmaking. It blends science fiction and fantasy into a heartwarming coming-of-age tale, with one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history where E.T. flies over the moon.
Read next:The Best Steven Spielberg TV Shows
