: Since the '80s he's directed Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, and Minority
: Report. You HAVE to have liked one of those, and even if you didn't, one
: of them almost certainly influenced something you did like. He was also
: instrumental in getting Band of Brothers going with Tom Hanks. He's
: doesn't have a 1.000 batting average, but the guy's still got it (I loved
: Lincoln, which granted is about as anti-Halo as a movie can be).

Sorry. :/

I think the last one I really enjoyed was Last Crusade... and that was 1991, so obviously, I was generalizing. :) Jurassic Park wasn't bad, just not my kind of thing. I also forgot about TinTin. That was fun. I still want to see Lincoln, but mostly because the lovely Daniel Day Lewis is in it.

I definitely agree his early stuff has influenced a number of things I enjoy now, but I'm not sure what his later stuff might have influenced that I've enjoyed. I just don't like when he takes his same approach to fun adventure movies (and I wish I could say he can still make those fun adventure movies, but Crystal Skull is a movie I actually regret seeing and having in my memory for when I watch the originals) and applies it to more complex themes, because it never seems to leave an impression on me like I think the subject matter should. Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, and especially A.I. -it's like I'm watching drama 'lite', made for the wide audiences and wrapped up neatly at the end so that people can go home and not think about it more.

The same year that Saving Private Ryan came out, another WWII movie came out called Thin Red Line, a movie that really moved me and has stayed with me to this day. That's the direction I'm coming from. And I'm well aware the rest of the world completely disagrees with me on this one. :)