70 years of Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg is about as American as American Cinema gets. From teaching us to think twice before going into the water in "Jaws," to depicting the ravages of war in films like "Empire of the Sun and "Saving Private Ryan," Spielberg is an indelible part of film history. 

To celebrate his 70th birthday, let's take a look at some of the highlights and low-lights of a career unlike any other.

Spielberg's third theatrical film is a historical achievement on a number of levels, but it's greatest achievement may be the creation of the blockbuster. "Jaws," a story about a town sheriff faced with a killer shark, broke all manner of records, and made 'Summer Movies' into an official thing.

Much of Spielberg's career is festooned with sci-fi stories of aliens and their various incursions on Earth, for better or worse. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" serves as Spielberg's entry into the genre, and remains his strongest.

Along with sci-fi, Spielberg's other genre fetish has been stories focused on World War II. His first, "1941," was a disappointment on many levels, falling flat at the box office, but from this failure would rise a number of far more successful wartime dramas that would go on to cement his legacy as an American auteur.

The first collaboration between Spielberg and director/producer George Lucas created an icon. "Raiders of the Lost Ark," the first of Indiana Jones' adventures hearkened back to Spielberg and Lucas' love of 1940 serials, and with star in the making Harrison Ford as the irascible archaeologist/adventurer, they created not just a franchise, but an institution.

While some accused "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" of Spielberg's descent into schmaltz, they couldn't be further from the truth about this timeless tale of a boy and his homesick alien friend. Before "E.T.," most stories of alien visits brought with it a sense of ominous horror. Instead, Spielberg crafted a film about friendship without borders, and in the exchange created a popular catchphrase ("E.T. Phone Home") and a love affair with Reece's Pieces.

While the director credit solely belongs to Tobe Hooper, it's widely believed that Spielberg was responsible for directing "Poltergeist," a spook-a-blast film that is arguably the most terrifying film of its kind, a film that still holds up more than 30 years later. Released within weeks of "E.T.," "Poltergeist" is also responsible for one of the biggest catchphrases of the year ("They're here.").

At the time, pairing directors like Spielberg with other industry heavyweights like John Landis and Joe Dante seemed like a good idea, but the result of bringing creator Rod Sterling's beloved "Twilight Zone" to the big screen was nothing short of a disaster. Not only was the film poorly received, it also cost the life of veteran actor Vic Morrow and two children after a stunt went horrifically wrong (although not during the segment directed by Spielberg). A rare misstep, but not his last.

There are many who thought Spielberg wasn't the right man to direct a film about the struggles of African-Americans in the south during the Jazz Age, but his adaptation of Alice Walker's groundbreaking novel is full of heart, sass and tremendous amounts of soul. More importantly, it showcased the talents of standup comic and burgeoning actress Whoopi Goldberg, giving her the role of a lifetime.

By 1989, Spielberg was a bonafide god in Hollywood, with far more great projects than bad, so it was hard to think that "Always," a remake of 1943's "A Guy Named Joe" would be anything but yet another hit. Unfortunately, the film was more sentimental than good, and Spielberg, despite a final film appearance from Audrey Hepburn, had a pure turkey on his hands.

Another huge misfire from Spielberg, "Hook" had all the makings of a sure-fire hit. It had Robin Williams as a grown-up Peter Pan, Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell, and a nearly unlimited effects budget. What he didn't have, however, was anything resembling a coherent script, leaving a film that was grounded by its lofty expectations. A beautiful disaster of sorts, "Hook" has found a new audience that seems to not mind the kitch, turning it into a cult sorta classic.

After a number of genre wins and critical shrugs, Spielberg finally hit his stride dramatically, and the prize for his efforts was his first Oscar win. "Schindler's List" is a film for the ages, delivering equal parts of heartbreak and hope, reminding audiences that when Spielberg is dialed in, few filmmakers can match him.

Unlike it's 1993 predecessor, "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" feels like an exercise in excess. While the achievement of matching practical effects to digital effects was only stronger in this effort, the script certainly needed more work. Many critics look to this film as an example of Spielberg getting too full of himself and not focusing on story over visuals.

Spielberg would find Oscar gold again with this story of a group of soldiers tasked with finding the last brother of a series of fallen soldiers during WWII. Full of action, a little humor and stark drama, "Saving Private Ryan" is Spielberg at his absolute best, delivering a film that directors still try to copy or emulate to this day.

Another example of Spielberg focusing on groundbreaking visuals over a solid script, "AI: Artificial Intelligence" was a project doomed to be remembered as Stanley Kubrick's final project before dying. Spielberg took the reins after Kubrick's death, and it's hard not to wonder how different the film would have been had Kubrick lived long enough to share his vision.

A quaint effort that signaled yet another paring of Spielberg with Tom Hanks, "The Terminal" is pure schmaltz, and while received tepidly by critics, it is a film that is clearly towards the bottom of Spielberg's filmography.

Three words: Nuke. The. Fridge.

While it was nice to see Harrison Ford don the fedora one more time, the result was a film that was a far, far cry from "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and made fans wonder what the point was in the first place. Maybe we'll find out when Spielberg and Ford team up one. more. time. for Indiana Jones 5, scheduled for 2018.

Spielberg's first foray into digital animation was a rousing success. " The Adventures of Tintin," adapted from Herge's iconic Belgian comic, is a globetrotting adventure that recalls many of the feelings from the days of "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Critics and audiences seemed to agree, but for some reason, five years later, we're still waiting for the sequel (to be produced by Spielberg, but directed by Peter Jackson).

Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's biography Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, "Lincoln" is certainly a showcase for heralded actor Daniel Day Lewis, but it's also a deft ensemble piece that shows when he's properly motivated by the material, Spielberg can still manage a surprise or two.

There's plenty of debate as to why a family-friendly film like "The BFG" failed to resonate with filmgoers. While it's not a bad film by definition, it also doesn't feel as if Spielberg is firing on all cylinders here. Mark Rylance, an actor with whom Spielberg helped to an Oscar in their previous film, "Bridge of Spies," has a much larger role here, both figuratively and literally, and yet the whole thing just feels too light to have any meaning.