Happy 60th, Steven Spielberg!

Director Steven Spielberg turns 60 today.

Stevie was my gateway drug into the world of movie obsessing. Much like the venerable Dawson Leery of Creek infamy, I was a teenage Spielberg fanatic. I saw Jurassic Park in the theater 10 times. I saw it three times opening weekend. My life sort of falls into pre- and post-Jurassic Park periods. I was a geek with no outlet before it, and afterwards, well, the dominos just kept a fallin' until I became the compulsive who types before you today.

Spielberg's been on a roll in this new century, crafting some of his finest, most interesting films - Munich, War of the Worlds, Minority Report, A.I. - love them or hate them I don't really think anyone can argue that this man makes, at the very least, the most technically dazzling popcorn entertainment around, though I'd argue much more than that - I'd actually argue that he's the most successful (from a quality-standpoint, I mean; finanically I don't think there's the slightest question there) American populist filmmaker since Hitchcock. I mean, we can't forget that Hitch's main priority was being the showman, and like Hitch, Spielberg is the star of his movies. His name sells the thing. And he almost always delivers the goods.

We're in a bit of a lull right now, between Spielberg films; it's been a fertile period the past few years, but it looks like it'll be a couple of years before we see his next product. Will it be the Lincoln biopic probably starring Liam Neeson? Or will George Lucas stop ruining everything associated with his poisonous name and let Indy 4 happen?
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