There’s no doubt about it:Steven Spielbergis one of the greatest filmmakers ever. He’s directed some of the most beloved and highest-grossing films of all time, includingJaws,E.T.,Jurassic Park,Schindler’s List, andSaving Private Ryan. Spielberg’s influence has gotten to the point where the term “Spielbergian” is now commonly used in film circles to describe films that evoke his themes and approach.
Many things can make a film Spielbergian: ordinary people discovering something extraordinary, broken family dynamics, children in thrilling and suspenseful situations, references to World War II, and, of course, aliens. Most of all, the Academy Award-winning director is best known for instilling a sense of sentimental childlike wonder into his films. Many films over the years have adopted these traits, whether intentionally or not.These are some films that fans of Steven Spielberg will surely love, making for excellent companions to many of the director’s most acclaimed pictures.
10’Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (2001)
Directed by Chris Columbus
Spielberg was interested in directing the firstHarry Potterfilm when it first went into development; he originally envisioned it as ananimated feature withHaley Joel Osmentas the voice of the titular boy wizard and would use elements from multiple books. Obviously, it never came to fruition asChris Columbustook over directing, and the rest is history. Nevertheless,Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone(titledThe Sorcerer’s Stonein the U.S.) still has that familiar Spielbergian feel.
Since Columbus wrote the Spielberg-producedGremlinsandThe Goonies, it made sense for him to approach the direction ofThe Philosopher’s Stonelike an ‘80s family adventure film for the early 2000s. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends come across spellbinding witches and wizards, extraordinary creatures, and perilous situations, all while the film remains whimsical and imaginative. Thanks to the Spielbergian influence, the series has captured the imagination of millions of young fans worldwide.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
9’The Vast of Night' (2020)
Directed by Andrew Patterson
The Vast of Nightis an incredible directorial debut from independent writer/directorAndrew Patterson. Set in New Mexico in the 1950s, radio DJ Everett (Jake Horowitz) and switchboard operator Fay (Sierra McCormick) discover a strange frequency on air and believe it could be of alien origin. The film premiered at the 2019 Slamdance Film Festival, then acquired by Amazon Studios and released on Prime in 2020 to positive reviews.
The film feels like early Spielberg, with a big comparison beingClose Encounters of the Third Kind. However, Patterson still crafts a compelling story with a limited budget, taking place all in one night with great performances and amazing camera work, especially in the long tracking shots. Hebrilliantly mixes sci-fi with mystery, as his characters are put through a suspenseful state of urgency, leading to an ending that might yield mixed reactions. Still,The Vast of Nightdeserves recognitionas an underrated sci-fi indie gem.
The Vast of Night
8’Real Steel' (2011)
Directed by Shawn Levy
It’sRocky, but with Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots! With Spielberg actually serving as an executive producer,Real Steeltakes place in a world where human fighters have been replaced with robots. At the center, a former boxer named Charlie Keaton (Hugh Jackman) and his estranged son Max (Dakota Gayo) put together a new robot and trained it to become a champion. Directed byShawn Levy,Real Steelis based on an episode ofThe Twilight ZonebyRichard Mathesonandwas a moderate success with a familiar but entertaining story.
One of themost common Spielberg tropes is troubling father-son relationships, and that’s at the core ofReal Steel; in order for the boxing robot to work, the relationship between Keaton and his son must be mended. The heart of the story also lies within their relationship with the robot, which they call Atom. Along with a mix of animatronics and CGI to create the robots and fights,Real Steelalso feels nostalgic and exciting, like an old Spielberg film.
Real Steel
7’Flight of the Navigator' (1986)
Directed by Randal Kleiser
Often considered an underrated classic from the ’80s,Flight of the Navigatortells the story of a 12-year-old boy named David (Joey Kramer) in 1978 who somehow travels eight years into the future. Considered a missing person, he goes on an adventure with an alien spacecraft to get back to his time. FromGreasedirectorRandal Klesierand co-starringSarah Jessica Parkerin one of her earliest film roles, plus the latePaul Ruebensas the voice of the ship’s robotic computer guide, the film was a moderate success for the Walt Disney Company.
Flight of the Navigatorhas some similarities withE.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, like with the young boy befriending an alien and going on the run from the government.
It can easily be argued thatFlight of the Navigatorwould not exist without the influence of Spielberg, as it was released at a time when manyfamily films were inspired by Spielberg’sE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. This one has some similarities, like with the young boy befriending an alien and going on the run from the government, butthe time travel element makes the moviestand on its own. In some ways, it adds an eeriness to the story while still maintaining its adventurous tone.
Watch on Disney+
6’Nope' (2022)
Directed by Jordan Peele
The third film by writer-directorJordan Peeleis, by far, his most ambitious one to date.NopestarsDaniel KaluuyaandKeke Palmeras siblings who discover an unidentified flying object over their California ranch and attempt to capture evidence of it on camera. With plenty of scary moments,Nopewas highly praised for its ending, Peele’s direction, and its themes centering aroundthe dangers of spectacle and exploitation, specifically when it comes to handling animals and otherworldly creatures.
Spielberg himself has built a career on characters witnessing spectacles, many of them being alien-related; they have that Spielbergian gaze when seeing something extraordinary off-screen. Peele captures a similar gaze when the main characters ofNopelook up in the sky at their alien visitor—although it’s learned they need to look down to be safe from it, adding to the horror of the story. Regardless,Nopeis still a great Spielbergian-esque filmthat mixes suspense with wonder.
5’Jumanji' (1995)
Directed by Joe Johnston
The late and greatRobin Williamsleft behinda legacy of beloved films, andJumanjiis no exception. Based on the book byChris Van Allsburg, it tells the story of a sister and brother (Kirsten DunstandBradley Pierce) who discover a magical jungle-themed board game that comes to life when played and end up freeing a man (Williams) who has been trapped in it for decades. It was also directed by someone quite familiar with the works of Spielberg:Joe Johnston, whowon an Academy Award for Best Visual EffectsforRaiders of the Lost Ark.
Jumanjifeatures a common Spielbergian theme withthe troubled father-son relationshipbetween Williams’s Alan Parrish and his father, played byJonathan Hyde. Additionally, it bears similar comparisons toJurassic Park:characters are constantly on the run from dangerous creatures, with many of these amazing scenes featuring both animatronics and CGI. While not as groundbreaking as Spielberg’s dinosaur epic,Jumanjiis still a beloved modern classicthat dares to be wild.
4’Alien' (1979)
Directed by Ridley Scott
New life has been breathed into theAlienfranchise thanks to the recent release ofAlien: Romulus. The success of the classic horror/sci-fi series goes all the way back to the 1970s, when writersDan O’BannonandRonald Shusettused a simple but effective pitch to get the first film into orbit: “Jawsin space.” Since then, those three words have become the benchmark for how to pitch films, and it could not have happened without Spielberg.
SinceJawswas a massive hit in 1975, it was inevitable that other films would follow its formula. But directorRidley ScotttookAlienand its simple premise of a spacecraft crew—with a star-making turn forSigourney Weaver—encountering a deadly alien life form and made it stand out on its own as a horror classic. He used the technique ofshowing less to make a scarier viewing experience, letting the fear and anticipation build up to horrifying spectacles, like the infamous chest-burster scene. LikeJaws,Alienelevated the idea of what monster movies could be.
Watch on Netflix
3’Hugo' (2011)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorseseis one of the most acclaimed filmmakers of all time. He and Spielberg were among the many filmmakers of the New Hollywood era that began in the late ‘60s and rose to success in the ‘70s. Scorsese is best known for making violent R-rated films centered around corrupt protagonists and gangsters, so who would have thought he’d ever make a 3-D family picture?Hugowas released todisappointing box officeresults but a strongly positive reception, with many considering it to beone of Scorese’s best and most poignant works.
Based on the bookThe Invention of Hugo CabretbyBrian Selznick, Hugo (Asa Butterfield) is a young orphan living in a Paris train station in the 1930s who gets involved in a mystery surrounding a gift from his late father (Jude Law) and the reclusive filmmakerGeorges Méliès(Sir Ben Kingsley). It would be no surprise to think the film would feel more suited for Spielberg to direct, but Scorsese knew what needed to be brought here. Allowing him to diversify his filmography,Hugois Scorsese’s love letter to the history of filmmakinganda call for stronger film preservation.
2’The Iron Giant' (1999)
Before bringing us such beloved hits such asThe IncrediblesandRatatouilleat Pixar,Brad Birdand Warner Bros. Animationgave the worldThe Iron Giant. The now-modern classic is set in the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War, where a young boy named Hogarth (Eli Marienthal)befriends a giant alien robot (Vin Diesel) that’s being tracked down by the U.S. government. Despite a mixed contemporary reception, it grew in popularity over the years and is now regarded asone of the best non-Disney/Pixar animated films.
It’s obvious that the one filmThe Iron Giantgets compared to the most isE.T.: both center around a young boy and his alien best friend that the government is looking for.The Iron Giantleans more into itssocial commentary surrounding Cold War paranoia, but no one would argue that it’s an unflattering comparison. In fact, Spielberg even granted the Iron Giant a cameo appearance in his filmReady Player One. For a film that came and went in 1999 and took years to build a following, it’s an accomplishment for it to be honored by the director it paid homage to.
The Iron Giant
1’Super 8' (2011)
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Super 8has often been described as “Stranger ThingsbeforeStranger Things.” The 2011 film by writer/directorJ.J. Abramshits several of the familiar Spielbergian hallmarks: ordinary children making an extraordinary discovery, a troubled father/son relationship, and, once again, aliens. Furthermore,Spielberg himself was a producer, strengthening the connection between the movie and the director’s style.
Abrams essentially combined two different story ideas: there’s the plotline about a group of kids in 1979 making a short film, which is reminiscent of both Abrams and Spielberg’s childhoods, and adding an alien invasion story is the icing on the cake.Super 8is the quintessential homage film, and likeHugo, which was also released the same year,it’s another love letter to filmmaking. While the ending is famously divisive,Super 8remains an entertaining and imaginative film that also manages to be endearing and even funny at times, and the best example of a non-Spielberg film to watch if you like Steven Spielberg.
