Steven Spielberg is among the greatest directors working today. He's been making films for over 50 years at this point, with his latest film, The Fabelmans, being a semi-autobiographical movie that celebrates filmmaking whilst also telling a story that reflects Spielberg's childhood. And with the 75-year-old director getting nostalgic and introspective, now's as good a time as any to look back on his massive (and generally high-quality) filmography.

Spielberg has made some of the most beloved American films of all time, with many of them - like Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, to name a few - getting the praise they deserve and then some. However, there are also Spielberg films that don't quite get the attention they deserve, and are somewhat overlooked. In the interest of celebrating the filmmaker's more underrated films, here are 10 Spielberg-directed films that deserve a little more love.

Updated May 10, 2023, by Jeremy Urquhart:

Though Spielberg isn't directing this time around, there's a fifth Indiana Jones film scheduled to come out in 2023, continuing the series Spielberg kicked off by directing the original four movies. It's one clear example of how his influence continues to this day, and will likely continue to shape the filmmaking world long after he stops making films. And when it comes to his own directing, The Fabelmans was a clear example of how even in his 70s, Spielberg is still at the top of his game, pushing the art form forward with every movie he makes, with some films becoming instant hits, and others being underrated, and taking a little longer to build up a fan base.

13 'Hook' (1991)

Captain Hook yelling at Peter Pan

Admittedly, Hook probably isn't for everyone. It's an unusual update/sequel film to the well-known original story of Peter Pan, finding an adult version of the titular character returning to Neverland because Captain Hook kidnaps his children. It ends up being a sometimes silly and sometimes sentimental family-friendly Spielberg film, with an impressive cast and a somewhat bloated runtime of 142 minutes.

It's easy to see why it has a cult following, and is probably best enjoyed by people who have memories of watching it while growing up. As a kid's movie, it works, and there are things within the film that adults will be able to appreciate, too. It doesn't appeal to both demographics as well as something like E.T., but as far as family movies go, there are much worse out there.

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12 'Duel' (1971)

Dennis Weaver as David Mann in Duel
Image via Universal Television

Duel was Steven Spielberg's first feature-length film, and represents a strong start for the then-24-year-old director. It was a movie made for TV, but quality-wise, it's far above what you'd expect from a "TV movie," with top-notch direction and suspense pulled off with a relatively small budget, and some technical limitations.

It helps that the plot of Duel is so straightforward. It follows a man driving through the desert who finds himself targeted by a truck driver, which leads to a battle of wits and endurance, as the truck driver seems determined to run the man off the road... and that's essentially the whole 90-minute movie. It's simple but effective, and does for traveling on a deserted highway what Jaws would later do to swimming at the beach, four years later.

11 'The Sugarland Express' (1974)

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Image via Universal Pictures

Spielberg's first theatrically-released feature film came out one year before Jaws, and was called The Sugarland Express. While it's understandable why it didn't have the same impact as his 1975 giant shark movie, The Sugarland Express is very good in its own right, and is the first clear example of just how great Spielberg could be as a director.

It's a significant improvement visually and stylistically over the satisfying (and simple) Duel, with the increased budget likely helping in that regard, too. While it's not a perfectly paced film, its story about an outlaw couple on the run from the law while doing all they can to regain custody of their child is a compelling one, and there are numerous expertly directed sequences that serve as a perfect showcase for Spielberg's talent. Also worth mentioning: it's the first time (of many) that the great John Williams scored one of Spielberg's movies.

10 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence' (2001)

An android talking to David in A.I. Artificial Intelligence.
Image via Warner Bros.

The backstory of A.I. Artificial Intelligence is arguably more interesting than the movie's story itself. It was a film that Stanley Kubrick had long wanted to make, and had held the rights to the story since the 1970s. Kubrick passed it along to Spielberg in the mid-1990s, and then after he passed away in 1999, Spielberg set about making the film, which then came out in 2001.

It's ironic that Spielberg made a Kubrick-style science-fiction film in the same year that Kubrick's own 2001: A Space Odyssey was set. The film explores the life of a robotic boy who's adopted by a couple, with this narrative being used to explore sci-fi themes around humanity, technology, and, of course, A.I. That last aspect of the film might be particularly interesting to viewers nowadays, given all the recent advancements when it comes to A.I. in real life...

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9 'Lincoln' (2012)

Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln looking intently at something off-camera in Lincoln.
Image via DreamWorks SKG

A fairly straightforward biographical film from a narrative perspective, Lincoln unsurprisingly follows President Abraham Lincoln for the final months of his life, showing the final stages of the American Civil War from his perspective, and ultimately culminating with his assassination in 1865.

It's a sometimes dry film that's admittedly not one of Spielberg's very best, but it doesn't deserve to be overlooked (and since 2012's award season, it really hasn't been discussed much, or left much of a cultural footprint). Daniel Day-Lewis is fantastic in the lead role, and is backed up by a strong supporting cast, with the film itself also looking and sounding pretty great, from a technical perspective. History fans or those interested in the Civil War certainly shouldn't skip over it.

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8 'Munich' (2005)

Abner and another man inside a car looking intently at something off-camera in Munich.

Munich is another historical film from Spielberg, which focuses on a real-life hostage crisis/terrorist act during the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich that resulted in the deaths of 11 athletes. In the violent event's wake, a group of agents is assigned with tracking down and assassinating those responsible for the executions.

It's a dark and intense film, and far more hard-hitting than the average Spielberg movie. In many ways, it doesn't feel like it comes from the same director who helped invent the idea of a modern, crowd-pleasing blockbuster, but for what it's going for, it's quite successful. Munich emerges as a bleak and not always easy-to-watch film, but it's as well-made and engaging as you'd expect from Spielberg.

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7 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (1977)

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Image via 

Another Spielberg science-fiction film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a well-known movie, but popularity-wise, it pales in comparison to Spielberg's somewhat comparable 1982 film, E.T. As both are equally compelling sci-fi films about making contact with aliens, Close Encounters of the Third Kind deserves to have the same kind of appreciation as Spielberg's more family-friendly sci-fi movie.

It's rare to have a movie about aliens feel grounded and realistic, but that's exactly what this 1977 film manages to do. As much a family drama as it is a science-fiction film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind holds up well today as a unique alien "invasion" movie, and while it's well-liked, it deserves more credit than it tends to get.

6 'War of the Worlds' (2005)

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Image via Amblin Entertainment

With two movies about relatively friendly aliens under his belt, Spielberg took the opportunity in 2005 to show that he could make a more straightforward, exciting, and terrifying alien-themed movie, too. Enter War of the Worlds, which is a surprisingly tense and harrowing film, at least by American blockbuster standards.

In Spielberg's hands, the famous alien invasion story becomes a borderline horror film, with the initial alien attack being particularly tense and shocking. Furthermore, it taps into the idea that "maybe humans are the real monsters," as the fight to survive in a post-invasion world is shown to be a difficult and dangerous one. 2005's War of the Worlds shows a classic story updated to the 21st century in a nerve-racking, surprisingly intense fashion.

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5 'The Lost World: Jurassic Park' (1997)

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Image via Universal Pictures

The first sequel to the classic original Jurassic Park is unfairly criticized. Sure, it's not as good as the 1993 original, but given it's still a Spielberg movie, and you can tell he's still giving it his all, it emerges as the second-best Jurassic Park film overall, even with some of its more divisive elements.

In attempting to up the ante when it comes to action and dinosaur spectacle, The Lost World: Jurassic Park may go a little far for some viewers, and it's fair to say it lacks the same sense of wonder and heart the original had. But... it's still tremendously entertaining, most of the effects still hold up, and many of the dinosaur scenes are just a whole lot of fun, making it easily the best Jurassic Park movie that didn't come out in 1993.

4 'Ready Player One' (2018)

Ready Player One final battle

Better to be filed under over-hated than underrated, Ready Player One is a mindless but fun movie, and shows Spielberg still has it in him to make enjoyable escapist entertainment. That it's arguably an improvement on its source material helps, too.

It's a film that is unabashedly about nostalgia, and unafraid about beating its audience over the head with references to old movies and IPs, but it's a good "turn your brain off" and watch kind of movie. There are criticisms to be had when it comes to the story and some character arcs, but when viewed in the right mindset, it's a good time, and the technical skill behind making something so effects-heavy work means it shouldn't be dismissed entirely.

3 'The Color Purple' (1985)

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An acclaimed and emotional 1985 release, The Color Purple is heralded for being one of Spielberg's first straightforward dramas, being the most serious entry in his filmography at that point in his career. It centers on a Black woman named Celie, and follows her difficult life over several decades, with the film beginning in 1909 and ending near the middle of the 20th century.

It's based on the novel of the same name, and while it has some difficult subject matter, it certainly tones down certain elements of the original story. This sense of sanitizing things can be seen as a shortcoming of the film, and something the new 2023 adaptation may do better. However, it still remains a strong film overall, with it featuring some great performances and the kind of impressive visuals you'd expect from a Spielberg movie.

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2 'Empire of the Sun' (1987)

Christian Bale saluting in Empire of the Sun
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Featuring a very young Christian Bale in one of his first great performances (of many), Empire of the Sun follows a young boy living in Shanghai who ends up in a prison camp, after the Japanese Army invades during World War Two.

The film is about his attempts to survive and maintain a sense of hope during an incredibly difficult experience, with the fact he's a child separated from his parents making the drama even more hard-hitting. While it's not as well-known as other WW2-focused Spielberg movies, like Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List, it's still worth a watch.

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1 '1941' (1979)

John Belushi as Captain Wild Bill Kelso in 1941
Image via Universal Pictures

Sure, 1941 is a weird film. It's a comedic war/action movie set during the early stages of WW2, with a plot about the state of California being thrown into chaos and panic when a Japanese submarine surfaces off the coast.

There are many things about 1941 that don't work, and as a result, it's likely not for everyone. But other parts of it work surprisingly well. John Belushi is a fantastic part of the ensemble cast, and the aerial combat scenes are surprisingly excellent, with fantastic special effects and action being contained in an otherwise goofy war movie. For its bizarre nature, it's worth at least one watch, if only to see why it's attained cult movie status.

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