1970s?
1980s?
1990s?
2000?

1970s Spielberg was the most fun.

2000s Spielberg is the most interesting.

1. 1980s
2. 1970s
3. 1990s
4. 2000s

Spielberg does much better with light-hearted films. His darker toned films are overly serious and stale such as AI and Minority Report

Munich?

I prefer newer Spielberg I suppose, but I still think he is the most overrated director of all time, not because he's a hack, he's anything but. Simply because he is regarded as some genius of modern film, and he simply isn't.

Because he's in a powerful enough position to be less afraid of taking risks. The Spielberg of the 1970s-1990s would never have made a film like Munich. Schindler's List was risky in the sense that it covered territory he had never broached before, but the theme, subject matter, sappy ending, etc. are not too far removed from the other Spielberg films.

Never seen, but I can say I am not interested. I am interested in seeing Schindler's List whihc looks to be along with Amistad his only good dramatic pieces.

Spielberg anymore seems to be going the way of Clint Eastwood with the gritty serious approach, where as his signature had always been with fresh characters and light-hearted magic. Now his characters are just copies of other characters. Yes that is how life is more, simple characters but dramatically driven, but yet to me a film works best when it trancends the real and is full of character. Spielberg use to be the master of that, but is starting to lose his touch in my opinion. His last great film was Catch Me if You Can, which I love very much.

Who cares if it risky? Spielberg still does best with films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, Jurrasic Park, The Last Crusade, and Catch Me If You Can.

spielberg is amazing no matter what period of time we're looking at.

No matter what decade you look at he has made some duds.

Spielberg is a great director, and he has made some of my favorite films, but he isn't the best. David Lean could cook his ass in a directing conest.

Hmmm going off of Magnus

1. 1980s

Good: Indiana Jones series, ET

Bad: The Color Purple

2. 1970s

Good: Jaws

Bad: Nothing

3. 1990s

Good: Amistad, Jurrasic Park, Hook

Bad: The Lost World

4. 2000s

Good: Catch Me if You Can

Bad: Minority Report, AI, WotW

You have the nerve to put The Color Purple and Minority Report among the bad, and Hook, fucking Hook, among the good?

The one that makes films I like.

IMO, he's the greatest director.

I would say he's gotten better with age, i pick the 2000s spielberg.

His misses are 1941, always, hook and amistad IMO.

Jaws, E.T., and Raiders of the Lost Ark are perfect movies, and Empire of the Sun was truly a breakthrough, I found a lot of Spielberg's failures during this period weren't even interesting ones. (And then there's 1941 and Always) Savin Private Ryan and Schindler's List are good, but almost feel like obligations. However, in the 2000's, with the exception of The Terminal, his films, even his imperfect ones, feel like breaths of fresh air. A.I. was recieved rather hostiley when it came out, but there are times when I miss movies like it. It was still one of the best wide releases that summer, after The Others and Mouin Rouge! And if it were released last summer, it would have been, by and far, that best movie released.

2000s. Easily.

Minority Report and Artificial Intelligence: AI are his best movies.

Agreed. Though I would say the 2000s have been his weakest decade thus far. He's made some good ones but nothing on the level of Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, or Schindler's List. (though I probably should see Munich before I say that)

Agreed.

I think I'd get more mileage from 2000s Spielberg.

I like 1981 Steven Spielberg. As good as it gets.

the good husband !!!

Hook was good, a childhood favorite, it wasn't his best, but it is what he does best, fun films.

I will be honest on the Color Purple, I saw it years ago, so it really isn't a honest grading of the film.

But I have seen Minority Report twice and it stands as a C+. Spielberg just doesn't do serious films that well. This film had great potiential, and is most interesting pure storyline, but the execution is poor, and Cruise's character seemed cliche' no matter what people might say.

Pretty much a continuous downward spiral...