Best Steven Spielberg Movies, Ranked (2026)
December 6, 2021 | Film Chop
Steven Spielberg is one of, if not, the most well-known and successful directors of all time. He has revolutionized cinema multiple times and inspired millions of people around the world with his work. Although Steven Spielberg began his filmmaking journey at 19 years old in 1963, at 74 years old, he has shown no signs of slowing down. In fact, we’re just days out from the release of the new adaptation of West Side Story directed and produced by Steven Spielberg. The musical already has rave reviews, with some saying that it is Spielberg’s best movie in years. In honor of Spielberg’s new release, we have created a list of the 10 best Steven Spielberg movies, ranked.
10 Best Spielberg Movies
10. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
The Indiana Jones original trilogy was a cultural phenomenon when it was released in the 1980s. The movies were known for their fun, adventure-filled spectacles, and the third installment, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, is often considered one of the best ends to any trilogy. The movie follows Professor Henry “Indiana” Jones as he searches for his father and attempts to stop Nazis from obtaining The Holy Grail. Sean Connery stars as Indiana Jones’ father and has remarkable chemistry with Harrison Ford all-throughout. Overall, The Last Crusade is a wildly entertaining finale that gives a wonderful sendoff to a legendary character.
Where To Watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
9. Minority Report
Steven Spielberg is no stranger to creating a grand scale adventure and Minority Report is no exception. The science-fiction movie deals with the age-old philosophical question: Does free will exist? Starring Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell, Minority Report centers around a future police unit that is able to arrest murderers before they commit their crimes, and an officer from that unit who is himself accused of a future murder. Minority Report is a stylish, ferociously intense, and energetic neo-noir that proves to also be deeply philosophical. It’s one of Spielberg’s more dreary blockbusters that is well worth your time.
Where To Watch Minority Report
8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind was one of the instrumental science fiction movies that inspired the genre as we know it today. Released in the same year as Star Wars, Spielberg decided to take a more grounded approach to the topic of extraterrestrials. Close Encounters of the Third Kind tells the story of an Indiana electric lineman (Richard Dreyfus), who finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches. Spielberg succeeds in creating a film that elicits both fear and awe out of viewers because of its enigmatic extraterrestrial elements.
Where To Watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind
7. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
One of Spielberg’s skills is capturing the imagination and wonder of a child on film in a way that isn’t exclusively for children. E.T. is a children’s movie but it is also so much more. The film is filled with comedy, drama, and a whole lot of heart. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is about a troubled child who summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape Earth and return to his homeworld. Spielberg’s sci-fi was an instant classic on release and has only gotten a stronger reputation through the test of time.
Where To Watch E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
6. Munich
Along with War of the Worlds, Munich was one of Spielberg’s films that was created in response to 9/11. The movie is dark, political, intense, and incredibly violent. Munich is about 5 men who are chosen to eliminate the people responsible for the Black September capture and massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. Revenge is often played for thrills and Munich may seem like a revenge story, but Spielberg instead manages to create a thought-provoking and powerful study on the cost of taking lives.
Where To Watch Munich
5. Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park was a significant film in cinema history for several reasons. Most notably, the VFX was genuinely convincing and it paved the way for future CGI-heavy films. The film was based on a 1983 novel of the same name written by Michael Crichton. It follows a pragmatic paleontologist who is touring an almost complete theme park on an island in Central America and is tasked with protecting two kids after a power failure causes the park’s cloned dinosaurs to run loose. Jurassic Park captured a duality among viewers. The story was a child’s fantasy and an adult’s nightmare.
Where To Watch Jurassic Park
4. Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan has one of the most brutal and merciless opening sequences of all time. The sequence quickly distinguishes itself from other war movies and gives viewers unfamiliar with combat a harsh reality check. The film is based on the real-life story of the Niland brothers and follows Captain Miller with a group of US soldiers who travel behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action. Spielberg flexes his filmmaking muscle with Saving Private Ryan and proves that he has a range that continues to grow. Tom Hanks similarly flexes his acting skills and gives a powerhouse performance as Captain Miller. Saving Private Ryan is largely regarded as one of the best war movies of all time, and likely only captures only a glimpse of the horrors soldiers had to endure.
Where To Watch Saving Private Ryan
Saving Private Ryan is also one of the best movies to watch on Memorial Day. Check out that list here.
3. Schindler’s List
Schindler’s List stands as a testament to the horrors of genocide. The film is almost completely shot in black and white along with the color red to emphasize the blood that was shed during the Holocaust. The story is a historical recount of the life of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who became concerned for Jewish workers after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis in WWII. Liam Neeson is stunning in the lead role of Oskar Schindler and Ralph Fiennes gives a chilling performance as Amon Goeth.
Where To Watch Schindler’s List
2. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas collaborated to make one of the most iconic franchises and characters of all time, Indiana Jones. Raiders of the Lost Ark is, in many ways, an example of pure entertainment. Indiana Jones, played by Harrison Ford, is charismatic and embodies the classic hero traits. The humor is tongue-in-cheek and sly. The action is adventure-filled and thrilling. The first installment of Indiana Jones has all of the elements needed to create an enjoyable experience, making it an instant classic.
Where To Watch Raiders of the Lost Ark
1. Jaws
Jaws is at the top of our list of Steven Spielberg’s movies. The writing, acting, directing, and SFX, all came together flawlessly to create a spectacle like no other. The film single-handedly created a cultural fear of sharks that still exists in people today. The SFX of the shark that Spielberg used was years ahead of their time and created the new genre of the underwater menace. The film is about a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer who team up to hunt down a killer shark that unleashes chaos on a beach community off Long Island. Jaws may not be as terrifying as it was when it first came out, but it could be seen as one of the most effective horror movies ever released.
Where To Watch Jaws
Prime Video
YouTube
Vudu
Apple TV
Google Play Movies & TV
The Theme In All Steven Spielberg Movies
Steven Spielberg has had a long and successful career since 1963. He has demonstrated an incredible amount of range and continues to expand it even today with the release of West Side Story. Through all 30+ of his films there is a constant underlying theme of the strength of humanity and the ability to overcome anything. We hope you enjoyed this list as much as you’ll enjoy each one of these movies.
Steven Spielberg’s Directorial Legacy
Few filmmakers in history have shaped popular cinema the way Steven Spielberg has. Over a career spanning more than 60 years, Spielberg has defined what a blockbuster is, invented the summer tentpole film (Jaws, 1975), created some of the most beloved children’s adventures ever made, and delivered devastating dramatic films that challenged audiences to confront history’s darkest chapters. He is, by virtually any measure, the most commercially successful filmmaker who has ever lived — his films have grossed over $10 billion worldwide at the box office.
What separates Spielberg from other commercially successful directors is his technical mastery combined with an innate ability to connect with audiences emotionally. His camera work in Saving Private Ryan redefined how war was depicted on film. His staging of the shower scene in Psycho… wait, that’s Hitchcock. But Spielberg learned from Hitchcock, and from John Ford, and from every great director who came before him — and synthesized those influences into something distinctly his own: a cinema of wonder, threat, and emotional catharsis.
Spielberg Films That Just Missed the List
Schindler’s List (1993) — The Argument for #1
Make no mistake: Schindler’s List is widely considered Spielberg’s greatest achievement and one of the greatest films ever made. The black-and-white Holocaust drama about German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who saved over 1,100 Jewish lives during World War II, is a devastating and essential piece of cinema. It won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. The reason it doesn’t appear on our ranked list is that it’s in a different category entirely — it transcends “best Spielberg movies” and belongs in the conversation for best films ever made.
Duel (1971)
Spielberg’s made-for-TV thriller about a traveling businessman terrorized by an unseen truck driver on a desert highway is a masterclass in sustained tension built with minimal resources. Made when Spielberg was only 24 years old, Duel demonstrates every tool he would use to terrifying effect in Jaws just four years later. It’s essential viewing for understanding how Spielberg developed his craft.
West Side Story (2021)
Spielberg’s late-career remake of the classic musical received ecstatic reviews and won Rachel Zegler the Golden Globe for Best Actress. The film proved that even at 75, Spielberg remained a vital, innovative filmmaker willing to take on new challenges. The production design, choreography, and cinematography by Janusz Kamiński are extraordinary.
Spielberg’s Signature Directorial Techniques
Cinema scholars and film students have analyzed Spielberg’s technique for decades. Several recurring elements define his visual style:
- The “Spielberg face”: A slow push-in on a character’s face as they see something awe-inspiring or terrifying off-screen. The audience sees the reaction before they see the object of that reaction. Used in Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, and dozens of other films.
- Backlighting: Spielberg frequently silhouettes characters against bright light sources — windows, doors, the opening of a cave. It creates mystery and mythological scale.
- Children’s eye level: His camera often positions itself at the height of a child, creating a sense of wonder that aligns the audience with the most vulnerable characters.
- The “oner”: Long, complex single takes that build tension through continuous action. The opening of Saving Private Ryan is the most famous example.
- Collaborating with John Williams: Spielberg and composer John Williams have worked together for over 50 years. Williams’ scores are inseparable from the emotional impact of Spielberg’s films — try to imagine Jaws, E.T., or Schindler’s List without their iconic scores.
Related reading: 11 Best Christopher Nolan Movies, Ranked | Best Sports Movies of All Time
Frequently Asked Questions: Spielberg Movies
What is Steven Spielberg’s best movie?
Schindler’s List (1993) is widely considered Spielberg’s greatest artistic achievement. The Holocaust drama won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director and is consistently ranked among the greatest films ever made. For pure entertainment and cultural impact, Jaws (1975) — which invented the summer blockbuster — and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) make equally strong cases. Spielberg himself has cited Schindler’s List as his most personally meaningful work.
How many Oscar nominations has Spielberg received?
Steven Spielberg has received 19 Academy Award nominations across various categories and has won 3 Oscars for Best Director (Schindler’s List in 1994, Saving Private Ryan in 1999, and he received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1987). His films have collectively received over 150 Academy Award nominations, making his body of work the most Oscar-recognized in Hollywood history.
What was Spielberg’s first movie?
Spielberg’s first professional feature film was Duel (1971), a made-for-television thriller about a businessman terrorized by a truck driver on a desert highway. His first theatrical feature was The Sugarland Express (1974), followed immediately by Jaws (1975), which launched his career into the stratosphere. As a teenager, Spielberg made amateur films including Firelight (1964), a 140-minute science fiction film screened at a local Phoenix cinema.
Is Spielberg still making movies?
Yes — Spielberg remains one of Hollywood’s most active directors. His recent work includes West Side Story (2021), which received widespread acclaim, and The Fabelmans (2022), a semi-autobiographical film about his childhood that won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama. He also produces extensively through Amblin Entertainment, the production company he founded, which has produced hundreds of films and television series.
What is the Spielberg face?
The “Spielberg face” is a shot type Spielberg uses repeatedly across his films: a slow push-in on a character’s face as they witness something awe-inspiring or terrifying off-screen. The audience sees the character’s reaction — wonder, fear, disbelief — before they see the object causing that reaction. This technique builds suspense and primes the audience emotionally. Famous examples include the first reveal of the shark in Jaws, the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, and the aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
What movies did Spielberg make with Tom Hanks?
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks have collaborated on five films: Saving Private Ryan (1998), Catch Me If You Can (2002), The Terminal (2004), Bridge of Spies (2015), and the miniseries Band of Brothers (2001, produced by both). Their partnership is one of the most successful director-actor collaborations in modern Hollywood, built on mutual respect and a shared sensibility for emotionally grounded storytelling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Steven Spielberg Filmography Deep Dive
Steven Spielberg has directed over 30 feature films across five decades, revolutionizing cinema multiple times. From inventing the modern blockbuster with Jaws to redefining historical drama with Schindler’s List, his influence is immeasurable. This ranking focuses on his 10 greatest achievements, but his complete filmography includes beloved films like Catch Me If You Can, The Color Purple, and Lincoln.
Spielberg Movies by Rotten Tomatoes Score
- Schindler’s List – 98% Certified Fresh
- Raiders of the Lost Ark – 96% Certified Fresh
- Jaws – 97% Certified Fresh
- Saving Private Ryan – 94% Certified Fresh
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – 98% Certified Fresh
- Jurassic Park – 91% Certified Fresh
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind – 94% Certified Fresh
- Minority Report – 90% Certified Fresh
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – 88% Certified Fresh
- Munich – 78% Certified Fresh
Where to Stream Spielberg Movies
- Netflix: The Lost World: Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds, The BFG
- Paramount+: Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones films, Saving Private Ryan
- HBO Max: Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List
- Hulu: Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can
- Disney+: Indiana Jones series, West Side Story
- Amazon Prime: Munich, Lincoln, Bridge of Spies
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