View Poll Results: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
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Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
12-06-08, 08:37 AM
#102
DVD Talk Legend
Even a crappy Spielberg movie can be better than some directors best efforts. But he did have some mediocre-at-best films; Indy 2 and Jurassic Park 2 come to mind. Of course Indy 2 was really Lucas' vision, I remember seeing a documentary where Spielberg tried to talk him out out of the dark subject but George insisted. JP 2 was all Steven's, he wanted to switch from the island to the mainland in a take on the old Japanese monster movies. He left the other material for someone else to do a 3rd installment.
08-28-10, 02:19 PM
#104
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
Just got done watching E.T for the first time in a while, and it confirmed what I suspected the last time I saw it, probably 8 years ago: I can't watch this movie anymore.
I find it extremely trite now. I liked it as a kid but wasn't gaga over it. I still love all of Spielberg's other stuff from the era, and CE3K is still an all-time favorite of mine. Glad to see it's the winner of the poll - I thought I was losing my sentimentality.
I find it extremely trite now. I liked it as a kid but wasn't gaga over it. I still love all of Spielberg's other stuff from the era, and CE3K is still an all-time favorite of mine. Glad to see it's the winner of the poll - I thought I was losing my sentimentality.
08-28-10, 03:47 PM
#106
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Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
What about when Tom Hanks told Matt Damon that he should invent a longer lasting light bulb or something...no tears?
08-28-10, 03:52 PM
#107
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Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
I wouldn't say it's overrated, but "Saving Private Ryan" didn't do much for me. However, I still think there's enough greatness in it that I don't regret watching it.
"Empire of the Sun" is his best film, in my unusual opinion. I watch it about once a year and it never fails to entertain me and move me. I consider myself a Spielberg fan, but it's the only of his films that would rank among my all-time favorites (though I like "AI" and "Minority Report" a little more each time I watch them.)
"Empire of the Sun" is his best film, in my unusual opinion. I watch it about once a year and it never fails to entertain me and move me. I consider myself a Spielberg fan, but it's the only of his films that would rank among my all-time favorites (though I like "AI" and "Minority Report" a little more each time I watch them.)
08-28-10, 05:15 PM
#109
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
08-28-10, 05:20 PM
#110
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
I tried watching that twice and fell asleep both times in the middle of the afternoon. SPR is one of my favorites. Indy 2 is horrible but I don't think anyone rates it too highly so I don't kinow if it qualifies as overrated
08-28-10, 05:25 PM
#112
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
08-28-10, 06:15 PM
#113
Banned by request
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
Let's go for a four way tie between Close Encounters, ET, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan.
Close Encounters: Boring. Who wants to see a movie about aliens that don't burst out of your chest or blow up the white house? If you're going to do that, at least cast David Bowie as the alien.
ET: Not exactly boring, but trite, overly sentimental, and noxiously manipulative.
Schindler's List: More manipulation, except this time it's about a serious subject instead of an alien, so it wins best picture and everyone praises it automatically. No dice. Give me Europa Europa or The Pianist over this any day.
Saving Private Ryan: Great opening. Notice how little dialogue there is in it? Once everyone starts talking, I was hoping a Nazi would sneak up on me and stab me in the chest just to get me away from it.
Close Encounters: Boring. Who wants to see a movie about aliens that don't burst out of your chest or blow up the white house? If you're going to do that, at least cast David Bowie as the alien.
ET: Not exactly boring, but trite, overly sentimental, and noxiously manipulative.
Schindler's List: More manipulation, except this time it's about a serious subject instead of an alien, so it wins best picture and everyone praises it automatically. No dice. Give me Europa Europa or The Pianist over this any day.
Saving Private Ryan: Great opening. Notice how little dialogue there is in it? Once everyone starts talking, I was hoping a Nazi would sneak up on me and stab me in the chest just to get me away from it.
Last edited by Supermallet; 08-29-10 at 12:55 PM.
08-28-10, 07:11 PM
#114
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Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
SPR by far. I don't like ET but I understand why people would like it. SPR is Hollywood schlock and one of his very few films that I can't even sit through its so bad.
08-28-10, 07:15 PM
#115
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
Let's go for a four way tie between Close Encounters, ET, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan.
Close Encounters: Boring. Who wants to see a movie about aliens that don't burst out of your chest or blow up the white house? If you're going to do that, at least cast David Bowie as the alien.
ET: Not exactly boring, but trite, overly sentimental, and noxiously manipulative.
Schindler's List: More manipulation, except this time it's about a series subject instead of an alien, so it wins best picture and everyone praises it automatically. No dice. Give me Europa Europa or The Pianist over this any day.
Saving Private Ryan: Great opening. Notice how little dialogue there is in it? Once everyone starts talking, I was hoping a Nazi would sneak up on me and stab me in the chest just to get me away from it.
Close Encounters: Boring. Who wants to see a movie about aliens that don't burst out of your chest or blow up the white house? If you're going to do that, at least cast David Bowie as the alien.
ET: Not exactly boring, but trite, overly sentimental, and noxiously manipulative.
Schindler's List: More manipulation, except this time it's about a series subject instead of an alien, so it wins best picture and everyone praises it automatically. No dice. Give me Europa Europa or The Pianist over this any day.
Saving Private Ryan: Great opening. Notice how little dialogue there is in it? Once everyone starts talking, I was hoping a Nazi would sneak up on me and stab me in the chest just to get me away from it.
I agree with all of this though I voted E.T. as the most overrated.
08-28-10, 10:59 PM
#116
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
I voted for Close Encounters. I was never a fan of this film - I never thought there was much to it. It almost plays as a parody of Spielberg's style - the shots of people staring, the schmaltzy music and a cutesy kid. It was very much a movie of its time, and just seems horribly dated now.
08-29-10, 01:48 AM
#117
En vacance
08-29-10, 09:11 AM
#118
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
Let's go for a four way tie between Close Encounters, ET, Schindler's List, and Saving Private Ryan.
Close Encounters: Boring. Who wants to see a movie about aliens that don't burst out of your chest or blow up the white house? If you're going to do that, at least cast David Bowie as the alien.
ET: Not exactly boring, but trite, overly sentimental, and noxiously manipulative.
Schindler's List: More manipulation, except this time it's about a series subject instead of an alien, so it wins best picture and everyone praises it automatically. No dice. Give me Europa Europa or The Pianist over this any day.
Saving Private Ryan: Great opening. Notice how little dialogue there is in it? Once everyone starts talking, I was hoping a Nazi would sneak up on me and stab me in the chest just to get me away from it.
Close Encounters: Boring. Who wants to see a movie about aliens that don't burst out of your chest or blow up the white house? If you're going to do that, at least cast David Bowie as the alien.
ET: Not exactly boring, but trite, overly sentimental, and noxiously manipulative.
Schindler's List: More manipulation, except this time it's about a series subject instead of an alien, so it wins best picture and everyone praises it automatically. No dice. Give me Europa Europa or The Pianist over this any day.
Saving Private Ryan: Great opening. Notice how little dialogue there is in it? Once everyone starts talking, I was hoping a Nazi would sneak up on me and stab me in the chest just to get me away from it.
08-29-10, 10:27 AM
#120
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
I said Raiders of the Lost Arc. I just didn't think it was great...I ended up watching it again about a year ago, and I thought it was just "ok"...but overrated.
08-29-10, 11:24 AM
#121
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Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
It's about a guy who abandons his wife and kids without any kind of financial support.
08-29-10, 12:57 PM
#122
Banned by request
Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
Not true. I love Jaws, Indy, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can. Heck, even though it exemplifies everything that is wrong with Spielberg, I even like Hook! 
Feel-good movies should make you feel good. ET just made me feel used.
08-30-10, 11:24 AM
#123
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Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
I'd probably vote for ET as most overrated. Didn't really like it as a kid when it came out, and haven't watched it since. Actually, maybe I should give it another shot.
Close Encounters is my favorite Spielberg movie, and for me, it completely captures that sense of wonder and mystery, with almost none of the schmaltzy sentimentality. I love the fact that the aliens aren't evil, conquering villains, nor are they unambiguously friendly to mankind. Also, They're simply unknown, powerful and mysterious for most of the movie. And I appreciated that the government/army weren't evil---their attempt to conceal the alien contact was fairly reasonable and not motivated by cartoonish villainy. Combined with the rural/suburban 70's Americana setting, I just love the vibe this movie captures.
Also, I'm not much of one for watching extras, maybe Spielberg has discussed this in depth--but I assume the whole movie is supposed to represent filmmaking in general. Dreyfuss stands in for a director, a guy who's become totally obsessed with strange lights and music, to the point that he can't get the images out of his mind, and he has to pursue them even to the point of abandoning his family.
Close Encounters is my favorite Spielberg movie, and for me, it completely captures that sense of wonder and mystery, with almost none of the schmaltzy sentimentality. I love the fact that the aliens aren't evil, conquering villains, nor are they unambiguously friendly to mankind. Also, They're simply unknown, powerful and mysterious for most of the movie. And I appreciated that the government/army weren't evil---their attempt to conceal the alien contact was fairly reasonable and not motivated by cartoonish villainy. Combined with the rural/suburban 70's Americana setting, I just love the vibe this movie captures.
Spoiler:
Also, I'm not much of one for watching extras, maybe Spielberg has discussed this in depth--but I assume the whole movie is supposed to represent filmmaking in general. Dreyfuss stands in for a director, a guy who's become totally obsessed with strange lights and music, to the point that he can't get the images out of his mind, and he has to pursue them even to the point of abandoning his family.
08-30-10, 12:09 PM
#124
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Re: Most Overrated Steven Spielberg Movie
I voted for Close Encounters. I was never a fan of this film - I never thought there was much to it. It almost plays as a parody of Spielberg's style - the shots of people staring, the schmaltzy music and a cutesy kid. It was very much a movie of its time, and just seems horribly dated now.
E.T. on the other hand needs to stay in my childhood, can't take it now.
Raiders and Jaws will always be epic.
