MovieChat Forums > Steven Spielberg Discussion > Has he lost his touch?

Has he lost his touch?

posted a year ago by PrimeMinisterX (8290)
29 replies | jump to latest

By my estimation he hasn't made a legitimately great movie since, at best, 2012 with Lincoln. Lincoln arguably doesn't rise to that standard though, and if we go father back I'd say the next film he made that was genuinely great was Munich in 2005.

Some might say, "Well that's pretty good! A lot of directors make NO great films!" And that's true. But Spielberg had a knack for it, making eight of them between 1975 and 2002 (again, by my estimation), which gives us an average of 3.4 movies every 10 years that reached the level of excellence.

This isn't to say, of course, that he hasn't made GOOD movies. Ready Player One, The Post and Bridge of Spies I would say are all "good." They are worthwhile efforts. They are well-made and worthy of a watch. But it seems obvious to me that he has lost a step and just isn't operating at the same level he once did. By this point he is well outside of his prime.

Will we ever get another great movie from Steven Spielberg? I know know. His abilities seem to have diminished and at 75 he's also running out of time. So I doubt it.

What say you?

[–] BillySlater (4096) a year ago

Think I had this convo with you already. I would say yes. I feel like Indy 4 was the very obvious beginning of his decline.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8290) a year ago

I don't recall a previous conversation, but I would say that you may be right about Indy 4. I definitely thought to myself, "Did Spielberg really direct this? How is that even possible?" It just didn't seem that a master director who was responsible for several classics could fumble that badly.

[–] Guitar King (4354) a year ago

I don't think we will ever get another good movie from Spielberg, much less another great one. I don't know what happened to him. I can only pinpoint his use of cinematographer Janusz Kamiński during his streak of lackluster movies. When Spielberg was great, he used various other cinematographers.

[–] pjl69 (2430) a year ago

He should stay away from children's movies, he is too old for that shit. He has managed better in the adult oriented movies, altough hasn't directed a masterpiece since Munich (2005).

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8290) a year ago

Considering his age, it's hard to guess how many more movies he will make at all. I haven't heard him say anything about retirement, but that could be on the horizon, or frankly he could run out of time on this earth.

If he does continue to work for a while, I presume that he will make some films that are good and worth watching, but the odds do seem low that he'll ever give us another classic.

[–] Scape (504) a year ago

I could not agree more with your statement on Kaminski. I so wish Spielberg would use someone else as cinematographer.

I love the look of Spielberg’s older films from 70’s - 90’s. I’m just not a fan of the washed out, over lit look that Kaminski uses on every Spielberg movie. Of course “Schindler’s List” is breathtaking. But other than that I haven’t liked the look of a Spielberg film since before they teamed up.

[–] Guitar King (4354) a year ago

I agree "Schindler's List" is the exception, perhaps Kaminski is only good for black and white movies.

[–] emori (3088) a year ago

I’ve been wondering for years what has happened to Spielberg. Its like he lost his mojo and common sense. I cant explain why he chooses the movie projects he does.

He was the best director and coolest in the world. Along with Cameron. And then its like when athletes get older and cant run and play fast anymore because their body cant. Its like his brain suddenly got older and he cant do movie he used to. Its so weird.

His last truly good and memorable action movie was War of the Worlds in 2005. After that its one forgettable trash after another. He tried to recreate old magic with Ready Player One but the heart was just no there and I never rewatched that movie as it was just boring.

I dont know what he was thinking when he choose to make these movies: The Post, The BFG, Bridge of Spies, War Horse, The Adventures of Tintin. And what the hell is The Fabelmans I dont even know. I couldnt finish even the trailer so boring and nonsense it was.

Even James Cameron returned with Avatar 2. Spielberg needs to do some cool sci fi movie.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8290) a year ago

To be fair, Bridge of Spies was pretty good, and The Post wasn't bad.

But it's obvious that he's not operating on the same level he once did. His run all the way from 1977 to 2005 was pretty epic. He made so many great films during that time period that it's crazy. It seems to me that it was after Munich when things really started to go downhill for him.

[–] emori (3088) a year ago

Its like something happend to all those Hollywood mega-stars of the 80-th and 90-th. Like their brain started working slowly after they reach certain age. I cant explain it.

But its no only Spielberg. I watch what movies Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts choose in the recent years and just wonder "Why?". Its unwatchable boring crap.

And its not like they just cant score decent script. Nicole Kidman manages to appear in watchable things there and there. Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise can star in decent movies. Maryl Streep can find work. Anthony Hopkinns is like 125 years but still can star in Westworld and Thor. And I would like to see Julia Roberts in some decent movie or tv show. But she chooses such unwatchable crap.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8290) a year ago

I think that your earlier analogy about athletes is apt. It really does seem to be like that. Every filmmaker has a prime and it's always when they are relatively young. Directors can still make good films as they age but their later work rarely rivals what they did decades before.

If there are any exceptions to this rule, they may be Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood. Both have made some really good films in the later stages of their careers.

Ridley Scott is a mixed bag these days, but he always has been. He continues to make good films from time to time.

[–] emori (3088) a year ago

Yeah, I forgot about Ridley Scott. Damn that man is 85 years old. And he still works. Amazing.

Some directors liker Spielberg, Scott should only do those epic big budget adventurous movies. Because thats where they are good at. When they try to do arty-fartsy movies for awards season - it usually end up just being boring and unwatchable. Like Spielberg does.

They will put him into nominations again with that Fablemans nonsense like they did with Westside Story. And no one will watch it again.

[–] Kowalski (57900) a year ago

Some directors liker Spielberg, Scott should only do those epic big budget adventurous movies.

YOU KNOW...IF YOU GREW UP A BIT...YOU COULD APPRECIATE SOMETHING OTHER THAN INDIANA JONES. NOEMOJI

[–] pjl69 (2430) a year ago

Heh, true. Temple of Doom and The Last Crusade were epic big budget adventurous films and neither were that great, and don't get me started about Crystal skull. I'd rather take something like Munich any day.

I believe Spielberg still has it, but it only requires motivation and right subject matter, like Schindler's List or Munich.

[–] emori (3088) a year ago

For some reason Spielberg cant chose good script.

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8290) a year ago

The Last Crusade is not only the best of the Indy trilogy, but it's also just an amazing film period. I've always loved it. I will never understand the Last Crusade detractors.

[–] emori (3088) a year ago

I DONT EVEN LIKE INDIANA JONES MOVIES. NOEMOJI

MY FAVORITE SPIELBERG MOVIES ARE:

JAWS. NOEMOJI
ET. NOEMOJI
JURASSIC PARK. NOEMOJI
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. NOEMOJI
A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. NOEMOJI
MINORITY REPORT. NOEMOJI
WAR OF THE WORLDS NOEMOJI
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. NOEMOJI

MY FAVORITE RIDLEY SCOTT MOVIE ARE:
ALIEN. NOEMOJI
BLADE RUNNER. NOEMOJI
THELMA & LOUISE. NOEMOJI
WHITE SQUALL. NOEMOJI
GLADIATOR. NOEMOJI
BLACK HAWK DOWN. NOEMOJI
PROMETHEUS. NOEMOJI
THE MARTIAN. NOEMOJI
ALIEN: COVENANT. NOEMOJI

[–] Kowalski (57900) a year ago

THOSE ARE ALL EXCELLENT FILMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE MUSHY ALIEN:COVENANT...HOWEVER HALF OF YOUR LIST BETRAYS YOUR ORIGINAL POINT. NOEMOJI

[–] [deleted] a year ago

[deleted]

[–] Kowalski (57900) a year ago

I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN AN ALTERNATE VERSION...I DIDN'T HATE THE MOVIE...I JUST DIDN'T LOVE IT. NOEMOJI

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8290) a year ago

I actually didn't realize Scott was even that old. I thought had was right around 80. That's incredible longevity. Like, Clint Eastwood kind of shit. He looks really good for his age.

At 85, Scott has five projects that are either in production or development, including a Napoleon epic and a sequel to Gladiator. Amazing. I hope he lives long enough to make them all.

[–] papamihel (1574) a year ago

Yes.
And I don't think Munich was great.

[–] ebhaynz (3525) a year ago

Yes, he's made those good movies you mentioned..which in today's world is a remarkable achievement. At least Spielberg kept on churning movies out, he never quit. Compare him to James Cameron who just now came out with his 2nd Avatar movie, he skipped an entire decade!

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8290) a year ago

Cameron's career has been very weird. As a director, there's also a huge gap between Titanic and Avatar.

And then Avatar sucks, in my opinion, so that's not much of a contribution.

[–] ebhaynz (3525) a year ago

Yes, I thought it completely sucked as well. So did The Abyss and True Lies. I think his ego is so large and fragile he refuses to make a movie unless it's a huge event. He's always loved underwater crap so this Avatar fills that void. He made 4 movies in the 80's, 3 in the 90's. 1 in the 00's, 0 in the 10's, and I guess we'll get 2 Avatars this decade then he'll retire. His ego won't get destroyed he'll go down as one of the most successful directors ever.

[–] alexjohans0n (2094) a year ago

He never had ny "touch"

[–] pjl69 (2430) a year ago

Jaws
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Schindler's List
Munich

That's more great movies than many directors can dream of.

[–] AmericaILoveU (916) a year ago

Nah bro

[–] MoviesSuck (964) a year ago

I would also agree that Munich was his last great film. The man has clearly lost both his edge and cultural importance.