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LOG IN Forgot Login? Register General Discussion • Trading Post • Non-Film Score Discussion  Profile • Preferences • Community Rules • Help/Contact • Search Board Search Terms:  Search Within:  topics posts since 2019 2018 posts 2017 posts 2016 posts 2015 posts 2014 posts 2013 posts 2012 posts 2011 posts 2010 posts 2009 posts 2008 posts 2007 posts 2006 posts 2005 posts 2004 posts 2003 posts 2002 posts 2001 posts 2000 posts users  search tips  You must log in or register to post.   Go to page:  1 2 3 4      Non-Film Score Discussion: Spielberg's most underrated film?    FIRST   PRIOR   1 2 3 4    NEXT   LAST   Last Post   Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 5:09 AM     By:   Tall Guy   (Member) War Of The Worlds. The film sadly got chewed up in the wake of Tom Cruise's couch-jumping antics and idiotic complaints about how "the son should have died!", and yet it's filled with spellbinding passages, genuine terror and some of the best sound design of the last decade. And Cruise delivers one of his best performances. Watch it again...it's a lot better than people give it credit for. I agree with this as well. Not sure it's Spielberg's most underrated film but (while recognising its flaws) I enjoy it very much. On the other hand, when I finally saw 1941 a couple of months ago I was staggered by its ineptitude or at best pedestrianism in every department save the score. Sorry to all who like it, but whatever floats your boat.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 5:48 AM     By:   Timmer   (Member) I'm with TG on 1941. Also like TG I only got to see it in more recent years, the film was heavy handed and, IMO, completely un-funny. Spielberg can't do comedy*. *I'm not talking comedic moments in his straight movies.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 5:55 AM     By:   Heath   (Member) Without question, and by a long mile: A.I. - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Not only is it the most underrated Spielberg film, but IMO one of the most underrated films of all time. Fortunately, it has grown a bit in people's minds since it came out 13 years ago, so it's closer to the appreciation as the masterpiece that it is. Completely agree with that. AI's time will come.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 7:33 AM     By:   Ado   (Member) I would say 1941, and I think War Horse was rather under rated, some critics liked it, but it did not get that much attention. I think it was perfectly crafted and emotional and terrific, and a rare American picture that is not a genre action movie.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 7:33 AM     By:   LeHah   (Member) War Of The Worlds. The film sadly got chewed up in the wake of Tom Cruise's couch-jumping antics and idiotic complaints about how "the son should have died!", and yet it's filled with spellbinding passages, genuine terror and some of the best sound design of the last decade. And Cruise delivers one of his best performances. Watch it again...it's a lot better than people give it credit for. I think the movie is very flawed (the second half bucks like a bronco) but there are some VERY strong sequences in the film. The whole thing from the bodies in the river through the ferry sequence is some of Spielberg's best later work. (That said, the movie is harmed in its visceral power by having his son - the most horrible teen ever put in cinema - miraculously alive in the final shot. Ugh.) Without question, and by a long mile: A.I. - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Other underrated Spielberg films are HOOK and INDY IV, which -- despite some warts -- have many redeeming qualities that go unnoticed. This is quite possibly the ONLY time I've ever completely agreed with Thor on something. Yes on all these accounts. Though the films are certainly flawed and can be picked on, it does not ruin the "enthusiasm" or "spirit of intent" in the end result.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 8:11 AM     By:   Ado   (Member) Hook is underrated for sure. Indy 4 - sorry it remains a wretched piece of trash made solely for money. War of the Worlds has decent parts in it, but a lot of unnecessary drivel, like the whole Tim Robbins segment, totally irrelevant, and the shooting style was that awful desaturated period, just totally unappealing to watch. I am also really tired of hearing the serious tones of Morgan Freeman.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 8:22 AM     By:   Solium   (Member) Spielberg is everything great and everything bad about Hollywood productions. A masterful filmmaker who knows how to deliver an audio/video experience, and captivate an audience, but his scripts (plots) are dreadful. I would say Jaws is his only perfect film. (Though I haven't seen many of his later films.) Oh and he should be banned from directing kids!    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 8:44 AM     By:   Ado   (Member) Spielberg is everything great and everything bad about Hollywood productions. A masterful filmmaker who knows how to deliver and audio/video experience, and captivate an audience, but his scripts (plots) are dreadful. I would say Jaws is his only perfect film. (Though I haven't seen many of his later films.) Oh and he should be banned from directing kids! Largely agree, some of the most successful directors are terrible writers, and hire terrible writers. All of these mega directors have made lots of really poorly written movies, and most of them made lots of money. Fortunately for them the movie going public is not really that picky. Ridley Scott James Cameron Steven Spielberg Michael Bay George Lucas    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 11:38 AM     By:   Thor   (Member) Spielberg is everything great and everything bad about Hollywood productions. A masterful filmmaker who knows how to deliver an audio/video experience, and captivate an audience, but his scripts (plots) are dreadful. I would say Jaws is his only perfect film. (Though I haven't seen many of his later films.) Oh and he should be banned from directing kids! Wow. Cynic much?    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 1:36 PM     By:   LeHah   (Member) Spielberg is everything great and everything bad about Hollywood productions. A masterful filmmaker who knows how to deliver an audio/video experience, and captivate an audience, but his scripts (plots) are dreadful. Well, lets not throw out the baby with the bath water. The man has worked with some immense talents (Lawrence Kasdan, Jeffrey Boam) along with some dreadfully untalented types (David Koepp). I would say its a mixed bag.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 1:39 PM     By:   Francis   (Member) I would have to agree with War of the worlds, flaws and all, when it's on, I can't stop watching it. Temple of doom is underrated perhaps within the trilogy, but the movie still has its following. My vote would have to go to the short movie he did "A Burns for All Seasons".    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 1:42 PM     By:   Thor   (Member) I would have to agree with War of the worlds, flaws and all, when it's on, I can't stop watching it. Temple of doom is underrated perhaps within the trilogy, but the movie still has its following. My vote would have to go to the short movie he did "A Burns for All Seasons". WTF is that?!? I count myself a Spielberg fan, but don't know that. Or is it some internal joke I'm not getting?    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 1:53 PM     By:   Grecchus   (Member) I wouldn't say I disliked WOTW. It's just that Spielberg uprooted the story and transplanted it to home turf in the wake of Lockerbie and 9-11. I think I can understand the underlying reasons for it. But that's not the story as it was written even though he worked very hard to cleverly underpin it with structural elements left over from the original. As for War Horse - what a valiant effort. It's one of the few dramas for which I've read the book, seen the film and experienced it in the theatre. The film has added storyline - for instance, the two german brothers is not a feature of the book or the play - yet Spielberg included it because WWI is reknown for all those who were shot as deserters. I think he wanted to amplify the injustices with a well placed and integrated embellishment. The book only has a passing reference to Friedrich thinking on what would happen to him were he to desert. The sequence where Joey takes flight from the madness is superb. How on earth did they film that horse in those circumstances and make it look like it was done in one take? My admiration for the film grows and grows.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 1:56 PM     By:   Francis   (Member) My vote would have to go to the short movie he did "A Burns for All Seasons". WTF is that?!? I count myself a Spielberg fan, but don't know that. Or is it some internal joke I'm not getting? It's a Mexican thing Thor. Also, it was entered into the Springfield film festival.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 2:48 PM     By:   Thor   (Member) It's a Mexican thing Thor. Also, it was entered into the Springfield film festival. Ah, The Simpsons! The "Burns" part should have tipped me off.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 2:49 PM     By:   Matt S.   (Member) My vote would have to go to the short movie he did "A Burns for All Seasons". WTF is that?!? I count myself a Spielberg fan, but don't know that. Or is it some internal joke I'm not getting? It's a Mexican thing Thor. Also, it was entered into the Springfield film festival. Boo-urns!!! Boo-urns!!!    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 5:30 PM     By:   Morricone   (Member) I guess DUEL. It was released here as a TV movie but got him hired for all those bigger early films. Hardly ever mentioned or shown when his career bests are brought up.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 5:31 PM     By:   TominAtl   (Member) Munich While the film got nominated for several Oscars including Best Picture, it was really overlooked by nearly everyone. To me it's his unsung masterpiece. Williams dark score, a fantastic cast, and one of the best scripts Spielberg has had the honor of directing. To me it's his best film since Schindlers List. Followed closely by A.I. He was unfairly roasted by many for this movie. Yet the entire script and story was by Kubrick and yet he was accused of adding too much "Spielberg" moments into the film. But looking at it again, it's one of his most dark and depressing movies he's ever done.    Posted:   May 28, 2014 - 6:17 PM     By:   nuts_score   (Member) My case in mentioning Minority Report being "rated just fine" amongst cinephiles is that it always is brought up in conversation like this. Thusly, it is talked about and argued amongst almost as much as A.I. or War of the Worlds when considering Spielberg's late-period attempts at another masterpiece. Minority Report is still justly admired by those who care to know, and still seems apparent in a general public knowledge. Hell, it has even pre-cog'd some modern tech and culture like intuitive touch screens, subliminal advertisements, eye prosthesis, drug-addled cops, and -- most importantly -- jetpacks. Minority Report marks another event of Spielberg working as a go-for-broke sensationalist and dramatist. It sags a bit in its conclusion (and none of the stupid fan theories can make up for it), and the jetpack action is a little goofy, but Minority Report still satisfies. A great script by Scott Frank too, Spielberg always excels with screenwriters who are not David Koepp. In War of the Worlds, Spielberg really delivers as a whopper of sensationalism, but it doesn't have a lick of brains or even guts. And A.I. is perhaps too hampered by its brains and guts to deliver any kind of thrill or indulgence for anyone in the audience NOT trying to connect with its abstract ending. That's why I settle on Munich: thrills, brains, and balls. It's got it all(s).    Posted:   May 29, 2014 - 2:06 AM     By:   Thor   (Member) I've never heard of MUNICH being underrated before. Almost everywhere I go, it seems to be appreciated -- especially by those who aren't too keen on Spielberg's more popcorn-oriented fare. An example is this incredible visual analysis by a colleague of mine at Montages. It's in Norwegian, however, so you need to channel it through Google Translate: http://montages.no/2013/06/munchen-2005/     Non-Film Score Discussion: Spielberg's most underrated film?    << < 1 2 3 4  > >>  Go to page:  1 2 3 4   First Post    General Discussion • Trading Post • Non-Film Score Discussion  Profile • Preferences • Community Rules • Help/Contact • Search Board You must log in or register to post.   Go to page:  1 2 3 4

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