Film Shapes

I just watched A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) for the first time and was on the negative side of ambivalent by the end. It starts well enough and sets up a promising outcome but the second half plays out like a solemn episode of Futurama . And it was boring. And that's the crux of the problem - Spielberg and boredom. I've had a glance over his body of work (as director) and I can safely say only Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark were any good. Some of the others may have had their moments ( Close Encounters , Duel , Minority Report ) but they don't deliver the complete package. I think Spielberg's attempts to make 'worthy' films ( Schindler's List, The Color Purple, Amistad, Munich ) have led him to cut back on the excitement levels in these and even in his 'entertainments'. He's a very talented technician but he doesn't hold a candle to creative film-makers like Christopher Nolan, the Coens or even Scorsese, just to mention a few. An...