One of the most accomplished and defining filmmakers in cinematic history, Steven Spielberg has established himself as arguably the greatest visual storyteller film has ever seen through his consistent brilliance and his ability to excel in any genre. He stands as a rare director capable of taking on entirely different stories and embracing a wide variety of tones without fault or flounder. His greatest movies in the eyes of IMDb users reflect that, with everything from harrowing war dramas to action adventures, sci-fi thrillers, and even timeless horrors included.

This, perhaps, shouldn’t come as a surprise to movie lovers, with Spielberg famous for delivering landmark blockbuster spectacles that evoke strong feelings from viewers and feature heavily at the Academy Awards. Throughout a career that spans across six decades, consisting of 34 feature films (and counting) and many astonishing forays into television, Steven Spielberg has immortalized himself as an immortal icon of the screen. It is the ultimate testament to his excellence that a list of 15 of his best movies still excludes some terrific movies.

15 ‘The Fabelmans’ (2022)

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

A semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama that also serves as an affectionate ode to the power of movies, The Fabelmans marked a rousing and re-affirming return to form from Spielberg, one that stands among the best films released so far this decade. It follows Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), a teenager growing up in post-World War II America who develops a love for movies and begins making his own. While his family experiences some tumultuous times, Sammy tries to maintain a good relationship with each of his parents as he pursues his dream of becoming a filmmaker.

Imbued with Spielberg’s trademark warmth and a host of heartfelt and earnest performances, The Fabelmans quickly rose to acclaim, being nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It is undeniably Spielberg’s most personal film, one that thrives as both a poignant look at a dysfunctional though loving family and a beautiful nod to cinematic craft and expression. While it isn’t his masterpiece, it does offer an intrinsic look at the inspirations behind one of the best filmmakers the medium will ever see.

14 ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ (1977)

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

A core element of Spielberg’s DNA as a filmmaker, one that was present in The Fabelmans, stems from his parents, with his father a computer scientist and his mother a musician (something that made for a wholesome moment in a now famous interview moment with Spielberg).That blending of art and science has never been more apparent in his filmography than it was in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The film follows Indiana-based electrician Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) and several others as aliens begin to make their presence known on Earth.

An engrossing story about obsession, cosmic intrigue, and, to a lesser extent, the disparity between what governments know and what the people learn about, the film has become a lasting and ever-relevant success. The 1977 picture also stands as one of the best UFO movies ever made, with the relationship between humanity and the extra-terrestrial presence one of curiosity and wonder. It pushed the boundaries of what was possible with special effects at the time, and delivered the unforgettable sequence where humans and the aliens interact through music.

13 ‘Duel’ (1971)

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

Marking Spielberg’s directorial debut in feature-length film-making, Duel was initially a TV film created for the ABC Movie of the Week series. However, it became such a hit that it received an international theatrical release soon after, and has endured as a cult classic that, while imperfect, showcases Spielberg’s talent in its raw infancy. Based on the 1971 short story by Richard Matheson, the simple story follows a traveling salesman as he finds himself being relentlessly pursued by a truck driver as he makes his way through the Mojave Desert.

The plot is, admittedly, quite sparse, but one thing it did result in was an astonishing exhibition of Spielberg’s technical mastery even as an inexperienced and young director. While its premise makes its 90-minute runtime sound like a stretch, Duel fills the hour-and-a-half with an engrossing intensity that makes it an incredible made-for-TV thriller. It’s the kind of movie all aspiring filmmakers should actively seek out, as it is a perfect example of what is possible when limited resources meet an innovative and creative vision.

12 ‘Bridge of Spies’ (2015)

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

A historical drama written for the screen by the Coen Brothers and featuring an all-star cast, Bridge of Spies is an underrated modern gem from Spielberg that functions as a compact spy thriller with idealistic and inspirational values. Set during the early stages of the Cold War, it follows American lawyer James B. Donovan (Tom Hanks) as he defends an alleged KGB spy, Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), in court. Later, Donovan is enlisted by the CIA to help facilitate a prisoner exchange involving the Soviet.

With its political and societal lens, Bridge of Spies successfully depicts many of the anxieties, fears, and extensive distrust that became common in America during the Cold War. The excellent execution of this setting enables Hanks’ powerful performance to drive the film as he portrays a good man torn between serving his country and following what he believes to be right. Spielberg’s storytelling skills and magnificent character work are on full display, with everything from minor character moments to the heart-pounding climax realized to sensational effect.

11 ‘Minority Report’ (2002)

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

Loosely based on the 1956 short story by Philip K. Dick, Minority Report excels as an engrossing sci-fi action-thriller set in a futuristic world where all crimes can be prevented due to the premonitions of the “PreCogs” and the work of the PreCrime police unit. However, when one of the squad’s officers, John Anderton (Tom Cruise), is framed as a soon-to-be murderer, the lawman must go rogue to prove his innocence, and uncovers a shocking secret surrounding the PreCogs in the process.

Minority Report is a breathtaking example of establishing a story world through narrative, with every single element introduced in the expansive sci-fi setting having a direct and meaningful impact on the plot. Its thematic focus is razor sharp as well, exploring the disastrous consequences of clashes in determinism and law enforcement in a manner that raises thought-provoking questions about free will. Visually stunning, entirely compelling, and grounded by an underrated dramatic performance from Cruise, Minority Report is one of sci-fi cinema’s greatest achievements of the 21st century even if it doesn’t quite make the top 10 Steven Spielberg movies on IMDb.

10 ‘Empire of the Sun’ (1987)

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

A biographical war drama that also serves as a powerful coming-of-age story, Empire of the Sun tells the story of a young English boy from a privileged background as he is caught up in Japan’s invasion of China during WWII and sent to a PoW camp. Struggling to accept his harsh reality, he makes attempts to reconstruct the life he remembers and yearns to return to, while other prisoners in the camp try to look out for him.

Headed by a young Christian Bale, who is truly exceptional in the starring role, Empire of the Sun offers a poignant look at war through the perspective of a child who knows very little about the world. Every beat of the evocative story is underlined by the work of Spielberg’s frequent collaborator, John Williams, whose beautiful score left a lasting impression on many viewers. Conscious of how the war impacted both sides, the thought-provoking drama was nominated for six Academy Awards and stands as one of Spielberg’s most underrated films as well as one of his most ambitious projects of the 1980s.

Rent on Apple TV

9 ‘The Color Purple’ (1985)

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, The Color Purple is an award-winning period drama centered on Whoopi Goldberg‘s outstanding performance as Celie Harris Johnson, a young Black woman enduring heinous abuse in rural Georgia during the 20th century. With social bigotry, her repulsive father, and even her husband contributing to her arduous life, the film follows Celie over the span of 40 years as she clings to the hope of being reunited with her sister in Africa.

While it is rated PG-13, the film doesn’t shy away from any of the abuse that Celie faces in her life, nor the heartbreaking impact it has on her. In this regard, The Color Purple is as powerful as it is unflinching, with Spielberg’s talent for assembling confronting sequences from relatively mild imagery on full display. A purposeful pivot away from the escapist summer blockbusters he was known for at the time, the harrowing drama still stands as a painful and raw story of heartache and woe bolstered by a sublime cast.

Watch on Max

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

The 1980s was the golden age of kid-friendly summer blockbusters rife with adventure, wonder, excitement, and glee, but no film embodied the era like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. It famously follows the friendship that blooms between an alien left behind on Earth and the children who discover and care for him. However, when E.T. falls ill and the government begin to get involved, the kids are placed in the middle of a dire situation they may not be able to navigate out of.

A riveting science-fiction adventure that is also the ultimate display of childhood effervescence ever put to screen, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a timeless pop-culture phenomenon that continues to influence film and television to this day. Its iconic imagery immediately fills millions around the world with the warmth and the irresistible sense of movie magic that the hit film exuded in abundance. The endlessly rewatchable classic saw Spielberg break his own box office record for most weeks at #1, while it also eclipsed Star Wars as the highest-grossing movie ever to that point in time.

7 ‘Jaws’ (1975)

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

The film that served as Spielberg’s major breakthrough to superstardom, Jaws is a legendary monster movie that stands as potentially the greatest horror film ever made, an incredible achievement considering it was just Spielberg’s third movie. The summer stunner transpires as a bloodthirsty great white shark feasts on tourists at the coastal holiday town of Amity Island. Desperate to neutralize the threat before more people are killed, it follows the town’s sheriff, a marine biologist, and a veteran seafarer as they venture out to sea to exterminate the shark.

Despite having to overcome a troubled production, one that included feuding actors as well as scheduling woes and budget disasters, Spielberg still managed to create an arresting and terrifying adventure film that has aged magnificently over 50 years. It is regarded by many to be a technically perfect movie, with its concentrated screenplay, its lingering dread, and the mortifying glimpses of the titular shark all working flawlessly. Quentin Tarantino even described it as “the greatest movie ever made.”

6 ‘Catch Me If You Can’ (2002)

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Cheeky, extravagant, and strangely enviable, con artists make for captivating protagonists when executed well, and few con job movies have dazzled audiences quite like Catch Me If You Can. Based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), it follows a young con man as he poses in multiple professions and makes a fortune from forging cheques all while staying one step ahead of FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks).

An absolute riot of a film that thrives with its intoxicating and thrillingly fun allure, Catch Me If You Can coasts off the star power and charisma of its two lead actors and its stranger-than-fiction story. It is perhaps the single most fun and wickedly entertaining film Spielberg has ever made, which, in itself, makes it an impressive accomplishment. While breezy and inconsequential compared to the director’s other films, it does have a crowd-pleasing slickness that has endeared it to millions and seen it secure a noteworthy IMDb rating.

5 ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ (1989)

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

Following two installments, Steven Spielberg rounded out what was initially set to be the Indiana Jones trilogy in style with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade re-capturing the adventure fun that made the first film a genre-defining masterpiece. When an art collector convinces Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) to seek out the Holy Grail, he learns that his father, fellow archaeologist Dr. Henry Jones (Sir Sean Connery), has gone missing while also searching for the precious goblet. When the two are united, they struggle to set aside their differences as they hope to beat the Nazis to acquire the valuable artifact.

The adventure thrills and energetic pacing are as good as they ever have been in the Indiana Jones series, but what the third film truly hangs its hat on is the chemistry between Ford and Connery. Their dysfunctional father-son relationship was the perfect addition to the film to add in an engaging new dynamic that complements the action excitement quite beautifully. Furthermore, the 1989 film is the funniest and, at times, most somber entry in the franchise, making it distinct from both of its predecessors and, in the eyes of many, the best film in the Indiana Jones saga.

4 ‘Jurassic Park’ (1993)

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

It is perhaps the greatest testament to Steven Spielberg’s talent as a director that, prior to CGI being a common tool for filmmakers, he brought dinosaurs back to life, capturing both the wonder of the majestic creatures and the sheer terror of facing off against a T-Rex. Based on Michael Crichton‘s novel of the same name, the 1993 blockbuster follows a select group of visitors to a soon-to-be-unveiled theme park where scientists have used DNA to bring dinosaurs back to life. When the facility’s security systems fail, however, the guests find themselves in a desperate fight for survival.

Its balance of high-stakes action with well-developed characters who provide an engrossing emotional core to the story is nothing short of true perfection. The incredible cast, including the likes of Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough, are all impeccable as their charming and slightly offbeat characters. With its soaring, triumphant story and its spellbinding visual effects, Jurassic Park has become enshrined in cinematic legend that paved the way for the modern age of filmmaking.

3 ‘Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)

IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Steven Spielberg has always been a director with a knack for creating the iconic. From lines of dialogue to unforgettable images, he has been responsible for conjuring cinematic legend that has stood the test of time. There is perhaps no greater example of that than his most famous hero, Indiana Jones. Released in 1981, Raiders of the Lost Ark follows the whip-cracking, fedora-wearing explorer as he races against the Nazis to find the Ark of the Covenant, embarking on a globe-trotting journey in the process.

With its wry humor, astonishing sets, grounded characters, and scintillating action sequences, Raiders of the Lost Ark is one of the most consuming and enjoyable films ever made. Over 40 years have passed since its release and there has not been a movie in that time that has come close to dethroning it as the quintessential action-adventure blockbuster. While the Indiana Jones sequels have varied in quality, ranging from the incredible to the underwhelming, Raiders of the Lost Ark remains a true, unhindered masterpiece and one of the greatest achievements of Spielberg’s career.

2 ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998)

IMDb Rating: 8.6/10

Viewed not only as one of Spielberg’s best movies, but as one of the greatest depictions of war ever put to screen as well, Saving Private Ryan is as harrowing and powerful as it is phenomenal. Following the D-Day invasion of Normandy, the renowned World War II movie follows a squad of American soldiers tasked with finding a young Private James Ryan (Matt Damon) and bringing him to safety so he can be sent home after all his brothers have been killed in combat. The soldiers must push through a war-torn Europe to complete their mission.

It is famous for its unforgettable opening that displays the D-Day invasion with confronting realism and violence. While that sequence rightfully stands as the film’s most brilliant moment, Saving Private Ryan still fills out the remainder of its 169-minute runtime with a poignant story of soldiers struggling to maintain their morality amid the chaos of war. It won five Academy Awards, including Best Director for Spielberg, while its emotional and action-packed script has seen it endure as one of the director’s finest works.

1 ‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)

IMDb Rating: 9.0/10

Viewed even by Spielberg himself as his greatest picture, Schindler’s List is universally regarded as being the quintessential depiction of the horrors of the Holocaust. Realized in striking black-and-white cinematography, the biographical war drama focuses on the efforts of Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a successful businessman and a member of the Nazi Party, who uses his influence to spare as many Jewish lives as possible. While he recruits prisoners to work in his factories to spare them from being killed by the Nazis, he soon faces a threat in the form of the sadistic Nazi, Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes).

While it is a film renowned for its brutal violence and terrible subject matter, Schindler’s List benefits greatly from Spielberg’s trademark warmth that imbues it with a sense of hope and ensures many of its characters are defined by their personalities more so than by their struggles. It is a difficult viewing experience, but that doesn’t prevent it from being a vitally important one. Neeson, Fiennes, and Sir Ben Kingsley all give excellent performances, boosted by the excellent direction and honesty of Spielberg’s camera. Spielberg won Best Director and Best Picture for the film.

NEXT: The Best Movies Produced But Not Directed By Steven Spielberg, Ranked