Most underrated and most overrated movie by Steven Spielberg and why?
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rascal67 — 10 years ago(August 10, 2015 04:21 AM)
Incidentally, what are your thoughts on the original topic at hand?
MOST UNDERRATED:
1941-
79'. I realize this is probably a minority opinion; but I loved it when I first saw it at the cinema in 1980, I was 12 and talked my older sister into seeing it, when I went the second time. Have also throughly enjoyed, on subsequent viewings.
I can understand audiences not liking it, due to some of the broad, zany and slapsticky comedy; but the whole presentation has epic written all over it and visually, I find it astonishingjust as much as CLOSE ENCOUNTERS-77'. Spielberg took an important and historical time in US history, that was cause for severe paranoia and turned it around full swing, on it's head. It becam16d0e something riotous, loud, noisy, crazy, stupid, absurd and full of pandemoniumwasn't WWII like this also?and he also brushed it, with his usual warm pang of nostalgia for an era too.
Also
underrated:
MUNICH-
05'. Have only viewed once and it knocked me for a six. Afraid if I see it again, I may not feel the same way, so have held off. The most controversial film of 05', even over BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and CRASH and the academy had to take the easy way out, by awarding CRASH best picture, which had a trite and worn presentation, of it's racism themes. MUNICH, was so well honed and balanced with it's story and own prejudice themes, that I think it's main point about vengeance and revenge, taking most of it's toll on those desperate to inflict it and a government that is willing to engage in criminal terrorist acts themselves, blurred some lines for many viewers and it challenged their own perspective and fixed stance.
MOST OVERRATED:
JURASSIC PARK-
93'. While there are some good and exciting sequences, I find it all plays out pretty routine and there is kind of flatness to it, that I can't quite put my finger on. The Denis character was a caricature and as soon as he appeared, I started to think
wtf
, is this supposed to be a stupid comedy, or a suspenseful creature feature, ala Jaws. It was a bit of a mish mash and I think it was only made to showcase what they had achieved with CGI. Spielberg, was probably too preoccupied with SCHINDLER'S LIST-93' at the timea film that I find quite bland as welland didn't have his whole heart and soul invested in the presentation. Not a fan of Sam Neil at the best of times, or Jeff Goldblum for that matter. Laura Dern, is a good\fine actress and she deserved better material. -
makaroney — 10 years ago(July 08, 2015 09:19 AM)
OVERRATED:
Schindler's List(3/10), Saving Private Ryan(4/10) - manipulative hollywood movies
Raiders of the Lost Arc(6/10) - nice silly adventure and that's it.
Color of Purple(3/10) - might be his worst film. Sappy hollywood melodrama.
UNDERRATED: Munich(9/10) - for me it's his best and most mature film, A.I(8/10), Duel(7/10)(pure cinema). I used to like Empire of the Sun.
MY GUILTY PLEASURE: Hook:) -
rascal67 — 10 years ago(August 07, 2015 03:38 AM)
Saving Private Ryan (one of the most over patriotic, flag-waving and morally simplistic war films I've ever seen)
I think you missed the point of the film. Just because the film opens and closes on an image of the American flag, you think that this makes it flag waving? More than anything and like poster
TheLoneStranger
has commented, I really don't feel there is all that much patriot to be read into this. The irony here, is the horror and atrocities that Ryan was recollecting and embroiled in, has nothing to do with how he is feeling as an American; but as a human being and a soldier who was sent off to fight for a cause, that really only became a game of personal survival and keeping his hide intact. Same for all the others. This was also something that involved the whole world, not just Americans and was total pandemonium; something that Spielberg proved to us, in his loud, rambunctious and awesome
1941
-79'.
Any emotional confusion and guilt, that Ryan felt over his involvement and actions, overshadowed anything that could be perceived as courageous and brave, that he was doing for his country. The same goes for all nationalities involved in t5b4he combat. Ryan, didn't even have to be involved in the final battle, as he had a choice to go home. He didn't and this would have only compounded his grief and sorrow, over his experience. The paradox here, is that if he did choose to go home, he may have still felt the same way, for deserting his buddies. There is NO out, when it comes down to conflict, violence and suffering. -
toursiveu — 10 years ago(August 09, 2015 05:38 PM)
MOST UNDERRATED
: "
Always
"
Because it's such a nice little, humble feel-good film. The tone, between pure comedy and melodrama is reminiscent of those great films from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Richard Dreyfuss is irresistible. John Goodman too. Holly Hunter is adorable. The photography is sublime I just don't understand how anyone with a beating heart could not love this film.
Honorable mentions : Munich, Catch Me if You Can, 1941, The Terminal, The Adventures of Tintin
MOST OVERRATED
: "
Lincoln
"
Well acted. Well written. Well cast Boring! I've tried to see it for a third time but there's no denying that it's a very boring film.
Honorable mentions : The Color Purple, Amistad -
rascal67 — 10 years ago(August 09, 2015 06:41 PM)
MOST UNDERRATED : "Always"
Because it's such a nice little, humble feel-good film. The tone, between pure comedy and melodrama is reminiscent of those great films from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
I think that is what Spielberg was trying to capture. Yes, the cinematography is superb, however, I just don't warm or connect to this sentimental, manipulative, heterosexual relationship mush. It was also, sort of phoney. I think that is part of the reason, why it failed. Does it even have much of a following, or gets mentioned as being a forgotten gem? I find it incredibly un-involving and yes, boring; way more than LINCOLN, could ever be. Watching for the first time, I thought I was going to be 'always' watching and couldn't wait for it to finish. Along with HOOK-91' and WAR OF THE WORLDS-05', they are my least favorite Spielberg films. I don't even rate SCHINDLER'S LIST, that highly. Need to see THE TERMINAL and TIN TIN, before I pass judgement on them; but they don't appear to hold much appeal for me.
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McJerginz — 10 years ago(August 12, 2015 07:04 PM)
MOST UNDERRATED: The Adventures of Tintin
I Feel like most people forgot about this film and why it was so great. For one thing, the animation in this is fantastic. Also, Andy Serkis is great in it as the captain. It is a fun, light-hearted adventure film that is probably the best adventure film since Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Honorable Mentions: War of the Worlds, Duel, Catch me if you can, Empire of the Sun.
MOST OVERRATED: Lincoln
I can't believe that this was nominated TWELVE academy awards. It's a boring, Almost 3 hour movie, about Abraham Lincoln talking to people. THAT IS IT! I can't believe I waited for this in theaters, hoping it would be good.
Honorable Mentions: Close Encounters of the Third kind and Minority Report
Guilty Pleasure: Hook
The only thing separates me from a homeless man is this job. -
alejandrodeleon559 — 10 years ago(September 03, 2015 11:00 AM)
I won't insult you. I'll give you a chance. Watch the film again. It's a classic, and quite frankly one of the best films ever made. Every scene is exactly right, and there is so much meaning behind even the simplest scene. It's subtle and often times you'd miss it if you weren't paying attention. Schindler definitely transforms, as people do. I think it's a realistic transformation.
He has no overrated work.
-Jaws
-Schindler's List
-E.T.
Underrated would be
-War Horse
-Munich
I think Lincoln was appreciated by most people.
Watch Schindlers List again. Maybe you've grown a little more. To here it described as overrated is surprising. I would question the person that declared that. How little do they know about film? -
catmydogs — 10 years ago(September 03, 2015 03:32 PM)
UNDERRATED: I, for one, LOVE A.I. I think it is a beautiful and haunting film, albeit rather depressing by the end. It is one of the few films I've seen twice in movie theater. It is certainly a far more intelligent sci-fi film than most of the disappointments being released in theaters now.
OVERRATED: I happen to like Saving Private Ryan a lot. But, only during the action sequences. When the soldiers start talking, the film starts to drag and become rather stupid. Compare to The Thin Red Line, by Terrence Malick, also released around the same time; TRL was a far superior film and a true work of art and poetry, not just a commercial venture. -
Ehrgeiz — 10 years ago(September 08, 2015 11:23 AM)
Overrated:
Saving private Ryan: in every rating of war movies this seems to be in the Top 10, but I watched a lot war movies and I think there are a lot better, older and newer ones. This goes for the famous initial scene also: Yes, its truly great, but it is often described so huge as if there was never any realistic fight scene in a war movie ever before.
Underrated:
War of the Worlds: I know many who dislike it. But I thought the early invasion scenes are very good. Mostly I like that Tom Cruise is a depicted as a real loser dad, and in a very convincing way contrary to the image Cruise cultivated in his movies. I love that scene, when he throws the bread against the window. -
axlkenobi — 10 years ago(September 16, 2015 06:03 PM)
Spielberg has a lots of underrated and overrated stuffs:
UNDERRATED
Always
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
War of the Worlds
Munich
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
OVERRATED
The Color Purple
Schindler's List
Amistad
Saving Private Ryan
Lincoln -
degree7 — 10 years ago(September 18, 2015 06:47 PM)
The OP's entire criticism of Schindler's List was plagiarized from another website. It's the exact same written complaints that have cropped up on other websites, like Roger Ebert.com or Rotten Tomatoes, word for word. Either it's the same guy spamming this paragraph of guff, or the OP is just copy pasting.
~ I'm a 21st century man and I don't wanna be here. -
horrorules — 10 years ago(November 14, 2015 10:26 AM)
most underrated: MUNICH
Very great movie, so intense and so brutal, Eric Banda and Daniel Craig was amazing, this movie deserves more attenction
most overrated: ET
one of the wrost movie ever, so sloppy, so rhetorical, with terrible characters, the alien and the children was boring
ehy H2 haters, look this
http://i486.photobucket.com/albums/rr226/zombiezombie/suck.jpg -
mattiasflgrtll6 — 10 years ago(March 09, 2016 07:02 PM)
Saving Private Ryan is EXTREMELY overrated. I thought Ryan himself was an unlikeable character and the clichd dialogue got a little too much. It's not too bad though, so I gave it a 7.
The Terminal is a real gem, very underrated. -
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mattiasflgrtll6 — 10 years ago(March 11, 2016 07:11 AM)
Jaws is pretty much my favorite Spielberg movie
Duel looks like it could be awesome, I have it on my watchlist. Richard Matheson is a great author and Spielberg's directing is probably great there too.
