Brilliant Spielberg is a genius in film making and with the camera. No one will be like him.

Prolific, bankable and dedicated to a high level of quality but he hits as often as he misses as far as telling a good story and he falls short when it comes to vision. He's a pretty straight ahead director. His strength is in the big spectacle popcorn movie. Along with George Lucas he is the creator of the modern Blockbuster.

There are his Hollywood misfires. . .his emotional predictability in his movies. . .but we're talking about the mind who gave us "Jaws" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" - for those two alone he gets 5-stars. . .

Too many great movies to mention, he's a genius!

A competent, unimaginative, big budget director. He is not great, his films lose their patina an hour after leaving the theatre, he makes money, but he does not make great film.

Measured by commercial success, Steven Spielberg has few if any peers as a film director; nevertheless, his tendency to over commercialize some of his films (e.g. product placement) has resulted in erosion of some screenplays and the art itself. Spielberg didn't start out with this flaw, as his first major work "Duel" (a 1971 made for TV movie that is a textbook example of getting the most out of very little). "Jaws" (1975) and "Close Encounters" (1977) were both essentially character and circumstance driven notwithstanding the monster in the former and the science fiction theme of the latter. With "E.T." (1982) Spielberg started to meander due to an eye on the dollar. (Oddly, I would say that this film was one of the last "bad government" movies of that period as the Reagan era was then getting in full swing making way for films like "Top Gun".) The first "Indiana Jones" was a great movie and remains one of my personal favorites. One could analyze each of Spielberg's works, but each could probably be categorized into a true attempt at art, commercial success, or fun. It's the middle option that keeps this director from five stars. Steven Allen Spielberg was born December 18, 1946 in Cincinnati.

Simply one of the top 10 directors of all time.

Puts on a great show, even when his material is fluff.

Jaws, Raiders, ET, Saving Private Ryan, Schindlers List. All top shelf movies, all in different genres. That takes a little bit of talent, folks.

The only two films I was impressed with were Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Hadn't seen Jaws yet.

I've been impressed with his work. He definitely is deserving of his role as the standard setter among all other directors throughout the world. Yes, it is true that he uses alot of special effects in some of his movies, but there's still a quality story and quality directing on his part to go along with it. Talk about zillions of dollars huh??? How about 2.7 Billion dollars to be more specific in terms of his worth.

Wow, sure are alot of Spielberg haters. Most people just watch movies for a couple hours of entertainment,not to sit there and try to break down every scene as to what the directors ideologies are. To me he is one of the greatest directors ever.

Some really great stuff like Close Encounters ET and Raiders of the Lost Arc- and even War of the Worlds had a dark and interesting aura- but he has made some lackluster stuff as well.

Each subsequent film becomes increasingly more formulaic than the last. He does have a flair for galvanizing emotion in the audience, but this is offset by his need to appeal to the masses. If he didn't require big budgets for his films, he wouldn't need to focus on box office earnings. Schindler's List (I believe) is his most inspired and greatest film. He has stated in interviews director's need objectivity, but he seems to struggle with this in some films. Like a boy with his visions, but not the visions of reality.

Maker of sugar-coated pap.He's not without talent,but he doesn't get very deep.

On the plus side there is the brillant low budget 'Duel', 'Jaws', 'Close encounters', 'Raiders of the lost ark' and Jurassic park'. On the downside we have interminable borefests such as 'A.I', 'Empire of the sun','Hook' , Amistad' and 'Saving Private Ryan' (wake up America, you lot were'nt at the Normandy landings on your own, though from this film you'd think it)

The best of the best! Update: If you need more information well he has directed the Indiana Jones series, E.T., Jurassic Park, Close Encounter, and Jaws. Need I say more?

More popular rather than talented. His vision (like most good directors) is borrowed from the greats at times. I wish he would let go of the Hollywood ego and just blow us away. He has come so close. One of the only celebrity directors that I would consider capable of doing something great.

Speilberg is one of the definitive diretor's of this century. To those who say he is a just a big budget, special effects director look at schindler's list, and catch me if you can. It is true though that his best films are the big budget special effects movie's

Good director. I liked most of his movies. He's a genius.

He is part of a larger Zionist agenda to twist the minds of Gentiles. He has proved that he is an anti-Christian Jewish bigot bent on promulgating social conditioning. (See my comments under Amistad, Spirit, and AI). He is the biggest promulgator of anti-Aryan hate-speech to date. If he died and went to Hell, the devil would welcome him home. I wrote this over 2 years ago, but it is still true today.

Glad he likes to honor the WWII Generation. But he is not their only spokesman.

Steven Spielberg is a big-name director who makes films which more often than not fetch millions at the box office just because he made them. Granted, some of his films are top-notch (e.g, ET) but others are just plain uncreative and far-fetched (e.g, AI, Hook). His directing is OK but not great.

I love Steven Spielberg's work because he is so adept at creating these worlds that just take you in. He is the king of fantasy and happy endings and yet has a real, touching view with history in such masterpieces as Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. He is truly one of America's most beloved and innovative directors.

Just go watch the movie titled, E.T. One of the biggest blockbusters of the 80's, and the movie proves just how great of a director Steven Spielberg really is. I love almost all of his movies, and the ones I don't like have nothing to do with his direction whatsoever.

Steven always has made the most genius blockbusters and the best of films. No other director could be quite like him. He's made so many good movies and he's one of the most recognizable, renoun, and respected directors today. From "Empire Of The Sun" to "Jaws", He knows his audience. Talented and intelligent. A good mix.

Spielberg is one of my least favourite directors. Everything he produces seems scientifically calculated to have the widest possible demographic appeal, and his foreshadowing and moralizing are about as subtle as a brick to the face. He also seems to hate German people. I'm not German, but I'm getting a little sick of seeing them portrayed as the sum of all evil. Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List would be the most obvious. I know that Germany was the enemy at the time but those movies depicted ordinary Germans as sadistic and without any redeeming qualities. Not every citizen was a hardcore anti-semitic nazi murderer, you know. The Germans were also villains in the Indiana Jones movies, and even in Jurassic Park II: The Lost World, the most evil character in the movie was named Dieter. WWII is over, Steven, can you possibly think of another large subsection of humanity to completely villify? With that off my chest, his films otherwise bore me, so that is another strike against him. Is it too much to ask for a film that allows the viewer to do some thinking on their own? Or does every message have to be pounded into us? His films are insulting on so many levels. I wish he'd retire, he's already worth zillions of dollars.

This man has a lot of talent in directing his movies. whether it's suspense, action, or emotion, Spielberg knows how to make good movies. A few of my favorites are E.T. and Jaws. I agree with Molfan that he really should have won oscars for his movies. A great director.

He has immense talent. Some of the movies i have liked best are done from him. He has a wonderful imagination. I loved E.T., The Color Purple, Jaws, Close Encounters of the third kind, and Schindlers list won him his well deserved Oscar. He should have won one before that. It seems he had a lot of years being snubbed by the often snobby Hollywood. I expect he will continue to direct some more great movies for years to come.

The most overrated film director of all time. When you look at his movies today, letting the passage of time filter their qualities and put them in a relative perspective, you have a lot of trivial populist pap and kidstuff. "ET" was a ridiculous, maudlin bit of nonsense; "The Color Purple" was one of the most boring and adrift films I've ever seen; "Jurassic Park" was just another special effects film with a $29.95 script supporting it; "Jaws," with that totally unrealistic shark, was the most unfrightening thriller ever made; "Close Encounters" was a tepid and tentative effort that really didn't know what it was after, so it never found it; "Saving Private Ryan" was totally ludicrous. All of these films were based on ridiculous or relatively inconsequential premises, so as a result, none of them rang true. Spielberg's magnus opus, his one film irrefutably aimed at an adult audience, "Schindler's List" has the look and feel of a made-for-TV movie. He has a very heavy-handed storytelling style, and visually, there's nothing particularly compelling here. He gets allright performances out of his actors, but nothing special. These films have not aged well already, so they are likely to look totally bush league 20 years from now.

Mr. Spielberg is one of the most talented and influential moviemakers of our times. Film after film, his directing talents have made him the standard by which most of today's directors are judged. He has redefined the entertainment industry, there's no doubt about that. Let's review the masterpieces that he has produced throughout his careers that I have seen: "The Indiana Jones Series", "ET", "Jaws", "Schindler's List", "Poltergeist", "The Color Purple", "Jurassic Park", "Saving Private Ryan"... the list goes on and on. Each of his movies are different (see Wiggum's comment for a detailed analysis). Horror, drama, science fiction, you name it, and Steven Spielberg has done it. It saddens me, however, that Steven Spielberg seems to be losing his touch. I wasn't too big a fan of "AI" or "Minority Report". He really hasn't produced anything of his normal caliber since "Saving Private Ryan". However, even his few recent stinkers cannot ruin his firmly established place in the annals of the entertainment industry.

If i was not influenced by Speilbergs movies at such a young age, i wouldn't be the thriving young director if am today. He has influenced me and many other directors in the feild all over the world. His movies are insperational and fun to watch. He is great in every aspect imagionable. From Cinimotagraphy to CGI. I love to watch Spielberg movies because i know every movie will be fun to watch.

Ok--I am so sick of Hollywood getting exactly what they want alllll the time and the commoners and blue-collar workers get their social views. Yes, Spielberg has made some incredible films...but as a person I think he sucks. Like all Hollywood people, he's not faithful to anyone but a material item called money. Religion is only a means to create an identity. I think he is a bad man inside and because he's the at the top of his game no-one will ever know it until he's dead. What's he done for humanity besides create some good 2 hour zone-out experiences. Thank God for freedom of speech because I don't want any of his followers--his die-hard imitators to come after me...after all I am just little 'ol me. Hollywood creates low-self esteem in women--women who have to be perfect to get anywhere (and a slut for that matter)...Spielberg is the complete epitome of current day hollywood, should we be thankful for anything he has done?

ALL directors manipulate the audience, but few show it as shamelessly as Spielberg. He loves his work, though, and is probably a good husband (WTF? Caffeine...) and father, so he gets a 3.

Was the director when it came to movies. Nowadays has slipped off the deep end. Needs to do something quickly to regain my "5worthy" respect

Considering he was actually a movie school dropout, he's given us many great movies. Of course, he's had a few stinkers (A.I., Amistad), but he's given us plenty of movies that has sparked the imagination of many moviegoers, even myself.

Made some great movies, no doubt. However, he continually gets credit for Raiders of the Lost Ark when it was George Lucas who created the character. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CHARACTER, YOU CAN'T DIRECT IT!!!!!Also, most of his movies, at least the early ones, were special effects driven, and who do you think he should thank for that???Why, Mr. Lucas of course. If George hadn't brought forth the amazing technology used in Star Wars, Mr. Spielberg might not have ever reached the level he has. I'm not against Spielberg, I just want George Lucas to be given his proper credit.

Creative, and keeps tackling new things, his films are almost always enjoyable

What can I say? It's Spielberg!

Ok, so I can't stand the hype.Let's look at some of his movies: Amistad, Jurasic Park, The Indiana Jones series, ET, Shindler's list, Saving Private Ryan...they are all about good vs evil, adventures and special efects. Are they all made by a teenager??.... When he is serious he is very serious (you know, the holocaust... 2 movies about the holocaust!!!!....didn't we know who the bad people were to make the movie, on top of that, in black and white ....didn't we know the "message" prior to see it??). That's his "complexity" ...and in the rest just take away the fx and what's left: nice music (John Williams should be killed!!!), smart money-making story choices that people like. Where's the risk, the boldness???...

Over-rated. Read Julia.

The greatest film director of all time, and that's a fact!

Spielberg is more or less responsible for creating a culture of emptiness and shallowness. His movies plunged America (and the world) into a society of moronic drones. Speilberg was on the path of greatness with the extraordinary thriller Jaws. But hasnt done anything since his tender age of 27, perhaps his first large paycheck numbed his sense of greatness. The decline of a great American culture started with ET winning the Oscars back in 1985 (or wheneve it was) Doubly responsible for his support of the unfathomable syrupy acting of Tom Hanks. Spielberg has done more damage to America than I care to think.

Steven Spielberg is without a doubt the greatest movie director of all time. He has created the best films ever, including Jurassic Park, Lost World, Jaws, Indiana Jones, E.T., and Back To The Future.(Some of which he produced).

A director of the highest caliber. I think Steven Spielberg is probably the only director that can be compared to a wizard, based both on his films on his physical apearance! He is the master of our fantasies and our dreams and on rare occasions does he deal in the dark side of human nature. (SCHINDLER'S LIST, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN) Although some of his films are horribly cliched (JURASSIC PARK, THE LOST WORLD JURASSIC PARK) every Spielberg film, whether good or bad is immensly entertaining. Truly modern cinema's answer to Alfred Hitchcock.

Regardless of the criteria you use to judge a movie director, it would be extremely difficult to claim that Spielberg is any less than "great." Do you need a masterpiece to be considered great? Spielberg has several movies that might qualify, but I'd point to "Schindler's List." Do you need a large body of quality work? Few other directors match Spielberg's resume. Do you need to prove that you can direct movies in different genres? Spielberg gave us a horror movie (Jaws), a sci-fi movie, (E.T.), a war movie (Saving Private Ryan), a special-effects action movie (Jurassic Park), and a serious, powerful drama (Schindler's List). Maybe you can make a case that Spielberg hasn't done anything truly ground-breaking, but that argument is questionable and not nearly strong enough to prevent him from earning five stars. I agree with CastleBee - Spielberg is one of the most talented and prolific directors of our time.

This guy is INCREDIBLE!!! There isn't one movie that he has directed, and I have seen, that I haven't liked.

It's impossible to deny that Spielberg has been effective in tapping into the pulse of the American public with inventive pictures that probably seemed ridiculous before they became huge hits (I'm especially thinking of "Jaws" in 1975, Close Encounters in 1977, and then the Indiana Jones series circa 1980 or so). I think some of his more "serious" films have been rather flawed, so I'll leave him at a 4 but his overall talent is undeniable.

"Amistad" is Spielberg's best film (it's a true masterpiece about a part of the American history the Americans have no right to be proud of), but The Colour Purple" is also a vieweble movie (with both Operah Winfrey & Whoopie Goldberg as actresses)! :-) The coolest though with Spielberg is that out of seven children, two of them are adopted Afro-Americans! Who can not like such a great legend?

One of the most talented and prolific movie directors of our time - who obviously has the Midas Touch to a degree most directors have only dreamed of having. It would be an understatement to say that the silver screen would have been much dimmer and duller over the past 25 years had it not been for the input and undeniable talents of Mr. Spielberg. ET, The Color Purple, Jurassic Park, Jaws, Schindler’s List, Close Encounters, Poltergeist - the list goes on and on and reads like a two semester study in cinema classics. The fact that he was actually turned down both times he applied to film school should be an inspiration to anyone who has ever had an unrealized dream. His work to help Holocaust victims reunite with their families reveals the perceptive humanitarian behind this gifted filmmaker. The fact that he considers Warner Brothers’ “One Froggy Evening” (starring Michigan J. Frog) to be the best animated cartoon ever produced gives us a bit more insight into the youthful sense of humor, excellent taste, and ability to spot a true classic that has no doubt influenced his own selection of films. I have been one of his most avid fans since the ‘70’s and I don’t have to use much of my own imagination to believe that I will continue to be gleefully entertained by his movies for many years to come.