Will Christopher Nolan Surpass Steven Spielberg?

@muyjingo:

OK, but why?

I found the three films I mentioned to be much more engaging. Empire of The Sun had a strong emotional core; Schindler's List definitely packed an emotional punch and Saving Private Ryan's hard-hitting brutality was powerful. I was detached from Lincoln, there wasn't much of an experience and dare I say, it was boring.

I found it intense because it's a true story. Had the subject matter been fictional, I'd find it less intense. The Holocaust was a tragedy, and Schindler's List certainly made me feel that. Anyway I see your point though, some people probably do find it overdone or overly-sentimental.

My favorite aside from Schindler's List is either Jaws or Raiders of the Lost Ark. Close Encounters of The Third Kind is a third place for me. I agree that Minority Report was his best post-2000 movie.

@frozen: So it was more a lack of interest on your part than anything against the film itself?

And A.I. > Minority Report IMO.

Yes, I would agree with that. It is somewhat similar to Gandhi (1982), many people found it boring, but due to my ancestry/ethnicity, I found it very interesting and engaging.

I cannot remember A.I that much; other than thinking it was too sentimental, but then again it has been years since I have seen it. How was A.I?

@frozen: Fair enough. Sorry to keep bugging you to get to the point why you disliked it, but I'm always very interested in trying to root out the subjective from the objective in film, where possible. Film, unlike many other things seems to suffer from people insisting their subjective take as objective.

A.I. I think was fantastic. Much as minority report could be said to have explored the concept of fate, A.I. explored the concept of humanity.

@muyjingo: You're not bugging me, it's a fair question and subjectivity has broad reasons. Just curious but what is your favorite Spielberg / Nolan film and why?

I have been meaning to re-watch A.I. The kid from it was actually very convincing in The Sixth Sense.

In my opinion, no, I only liked on of Nolan's films and was disappointed in the rest.

@frozen: Favorite Nolan Film is The Prestige, or maybe Inception. Probably inception as I get more rewatch value out of it. The Prestige is an amazing character drama subtly incorporating the concept of quantum suicide - something i find fascinating. Inception just just a fantastic Sci-Fi film to me in all respects, on par with the greats.

Favorite Spielberg film is likely his later stuff, A.I. and MR, again, just fantastic Sci-Fi films in all respects. I also have a soft spot for Hook, as it's a fantastic modern sequel to a very old story.

No. Nolan has great films but until he proves to have good consistency with more films I can't put him at or above Spielberg's level. IMO Interstellar wasn't the BESHHT MOVIE OF TEH YEEEEAARR

Dude, c'mon. I'd have to ask you to please avoid with instigating anything.

I personally thought The Prestige was one of his weaker films, but I agree on Inception. That was definitely a thought-provoking yet fun film - I don't know if it's just me but Nolan's action-scenes were seemingly much better in that film than any other he's made.

I'll definitely be checking out A.I - Minority Report was fantastic, I think it's withstood the test of time because that is an interesting film.

On the subject of A.I, Neill Blomkamp's upcoming film 'Chappie' seems to be taking some influence.

@frozen: Huh, I hadn't heard of Chappie. D9 was great, Elysium was pretty bad IMO. Why did you think the Prestige was weaker? I loved the character themes it played with, and the setting/atmosphere.

Spielberg used to make really, really excellent pictures.

It looks somewhat similar to A.I in it's themes. Elysium was certainly a step down from D9 - that I agree upon.

I thought The Prestige was weaker as it felt somewhat pretentious at times. The concept of an intense, obsessive rivalry in the Victorian era could have been conveyed better - at times I didn't really engage with the dynamic. The more I think of it, the less I like the twist because it seems like a cop out.

Thank you for appropriately dealing with this good sir.

You are an exemplary mod.

@deranged_midget: I thought it was pretty harmless considering this is a Nolan thread and I'm aware he's also a Nolan fan, and I didn't directly tag him.

But I suppose when in doubt, posting is out...

...of the question.

OK that was dumb. ._.

@frozen: Disagree with you about The Prestige...agree to disagree on the dynamic, but strongly disagree on the ending being a copout....I don't see how anyone could think that..., it's what makes the film. It shows the lengths he went to and the cost to himself due to his obsessiveness...the method of which contrasts amazingly with the simplicity of his opponents.

@jaken7: Yo, I really don't want to make a scene in the forums regarding this topic. So if you have any concerns whatsoever, please feel free to PM me at anytime.

In this day and age, no-one gives a crap about schmaltze seen through rose coloured glasses at the 1950's with the forgiveness of 2 AM closing time beer goggles. Suck it and swallow, Schmaltzeberg, it's salty, it's got protein, it's good for you.

Both of them pale in comparison to Stanley Kubrick

2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clock Work Orange, The Shining, Spartacus, Lolita, and Full Metal Jacket.....blow both wannabes out the water....jk Steven is great but Nolan is meh.

@okayalright_44: How is Nolan meh?

If he can keep innovating and pushing boundaries while making quality movies for another 10-15 years I will say yes. Spielberg to me peaked during the 80's and hasn't released many quality movies since then imo with the exception of Schindler's list. Nolan has about 10 solid years behind him so 10 more and I will prob be willing to say he surpassed or equaled him.

@tomlikesfries: Because of his redundant puzzle, quizzical, and "realistic" like stories with a twist, are starting become frail and repetitive: with out a grander scale of meaning, dept or emotion. Prestige, Inception and Memento are all the same damn concepts, except the first is about the magic, the second about dreams (similar to the matrix), and the latter about amnesia. Sure they're unique but similar and forgettable. The greatest thing he ever did with a lasting effect and showing of cinematic gran dos,and appeal was his rendition of the Batman mythos other wise known as the Dark Knight Trilogy.

And I've not seen Interstellar but I heard it was poor rip off 2001: A Space Odyssey

lol

he has by far. Stephen Spielberg makes entertainment, Nolan makes art.

Man people get so upset when it comes to Nolan. Half the time I feel like its just another Marvel vs DC in disguise.

Discussion about Nolan will NEVER move away from his Batman films, unfortunately. I actually thought Interstellar was better than Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises, yet people discuss The Dark Knight films more.

Though yes, the bolded is very true.

Surpass? I can't really say. Spielberg has made some of the most amazing movies of all time, but his recent ones haven't been as good with Tintin, Lincoln and War Horse being enjoyable (and Daniel Day Lewis was AMAZING as Lincoln) but not really outstanding (kinda like Dark Knight Rises). Plus, there was also the new Indiana Jones movie which was pretty mediocre.

Anyway this is my ranking for both Nolan and Spielberg:

Nolan:

1. The Dark Knight
2. Interstellar
3. Memento
4. The Dark Knight Rises
5. Inception
6. Batman Begins
7. The Prestige
8. Insomnia

Spielberg:

1. Schindler's List
2. Jaws
3. Raiders of The Lost Ark
4. Close Encounters of The Third Kind
5. E.T
6. The Last Crusade
7. Empire of The Sun
8. Minority Report

Christopher Nolan's films are better than current Spielberg's films, however, Spielberg's earlier films such as Schindler's List were very well done and I would rank them higher than pretty much all of Nolan's films but Spielberg's recent films tend to bring him down a bit so I'll go with a stalemate here.

Steven Spielberg did not make Independence Day. Independence Day was also considered to be quite a bad film, I don't know how that is anywhere near Indiana Jones or Jurassic Park.

Nolan is good. Spielberg is a legend.

Not sure of the relevance, but hopefully it'll break up any tension in here:

Maybe with prep, Nolan can take this...

Never been much of a Nolan fan to begin with.

Oh ya. That was Emmerich.

I definitely don't consider Independence Day a bad film at all. Basically everyone and their mother went to see that when it came out. It was so ahead of it's time in special effects, and one of the greats as far as dog fight combat in movies. At least everyone I've ever talked to it about loved it.

Maybe where you're from or your age group (assuming it's different then mine), people have a different opinion, but the general consensus of pretty much everyone I knew when that movie came out was that it was one of the best movies of it's time. It made some serious dough too.

Not saying your opinion is wrong, it's just quite a bit different then what I've experienced.

@tparks: I was 7 when it was released, I definitely preferred it when I was younger than I do now, it's not aged as well as a film like Contact has. When it was released, many people did go to watch it, but the same holds true for The Dark Knight films (the last two, atleast). It did make a lot of money but I don't think the reception was that great, the Rotten / Metascore is pretty lackluster and the IMDb rating is relatively lukewarm.

Now Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park are great adventure films.

@frozen: I get your point now. It definitely hasn't aged as well as Indy or Jurassic Park. I do agree that at least the second Dark Knight will be pretty timeless.

I can't honestly compare the two. Two very different styles, and Speilberg is a legend. If Nolan continues his track record, he could very well be as well.

No he won't.

Agreed.

I rewatched the Indiana Jones trilogy yesterday, I didn't like the second film but the first and third were very good. The first (Raiders) is still a fantastic piece of entertainment.

I agree.

@silkyballfro94: Nah, Stanley Kubrick is the greatest director in history. Nolan won't be equivalent to him...

idk why we are comparing Nolan to Spielberg...they are both great, but they are making diffrent kinds of movies. As for me Nolan won't surpass Spielberg, In terms of quality. Spielberg movies like : "Schindler's list", "Saving private Ryan", "Close encounters of the third kind", "Minority Report", "Jurassic Park" or "Hook", made me love him, and for forever put him in my top ten directors list. Nolan's movies are great, and i really enjoy them. But he is not a genius on Kubrick's, Coppola's, Scorsese's, Coens's or Spielberg's level.

"But that's just like, my opinion man..."

Well that was a close encounter of the turd kind, and half his millions should have gone to John Williams...

I guess this depends on what exactly we're talkin' here. In terms of sci-fi story telling, I personal think Nolan is at least Spielbergs equal in that area.

In terms of accolades, I don't think he'll catch Steven.