I'll admit that a large problem I have with his work is ideological and sort of relates to my personal philosophy on what film "should" and "shouldn't" do. Speaking on technique, I know Spielberg is gifted.

Mainly I get sick of his mainstream cred as this "pre-eminent" director, when there's lots of similarly talented people working and making movies, they just don't go for the American tear jerker in order to get audiences to go gaga.

If I can suffer through the graveyard bookend again, I might give it another shot ... I just remember being impressed, but not completely blown away.

Thin Red Line, as an example, is a war film that I say ultimately mops the floor with Private Ryan and shows why Malick is an infinitely more gifted director than Spielberg.