The latest from Steven Spielberg, a new take on West Side Story, opens on Friday. Spielberg is one of the most prolific directors with a career of hits spanning five decades. His most recent work has offered some interesting films that have a little less renowned. For this week’s Binge Watch I’m taking a look at six Spielberg films from the 2010s for those that want to dive deeper into the director’s catalog! Films appear in chronological order.
War Horse (2011)
About: This one was a Best Picture nominee but is probably one of his least talked about entries. It is based on a stage play and set in World War I, tracing a beloved horse sold to the army and the boy who is committed to finding him. It’s not incredible but I thought it was an interesting film.
Lincoln (2012)
About: Another Best Picture nominee for Spielberg, this one focuses on President Abraham Lincoln. Daniel Day Lewis does a great job in the lead role, winning the Academy Award for his performance, and this was one of the more interesting films the year it was released. I appreciated the craft even if it isn’t my favorite of Spielberg’s films.
Bridge of Spies (2015)
About: Another Spielberg film that earned Academy Award recognition. The film was among the Best Picture nominees but in a surprise the award it won was Best Supporting Actor for Mark Rylance. Some didn’t care for this spy tale, but I enjoyed it for what it was. I don’t think it was among the best of 2015 for me but it’s a solid film with a decent lead performance from Tom Hanks.
The BFG (2016)
About: This reunites Spielberg with Rylance, plying their skills to a very different kind of story. This one is a kid’s tale from author Roald Dahl about a friendly giant, played by Rylance. This had some lofty expectations but it didn’t totally work for me. Of all the films on this list, this is the one I liked the least.
The Post (2017)
About: Spielberg and the Academy Awards feel like they go hand-in-hand sometimes. This was a Best Picture winner with an exceptional cast including Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. I thought this was an engaging story focusing on the Washington Post and its fight to shine a light on the truth. It didn’t win any Oscars but it was one of the better films in the field.
Ready Player One (2018)
About: Another highly anticipated film based on a book, this one the novel from Ernest Cline. I thought Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke were great in the lead roles and I enjoyed the special effects and all the fun easter eggs embedded in this production. While not an award contender, this certainly filled the pop culture and nostalgia void.
Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.
The Music City Drive-In 
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