Spielberg by Haskell 2016 was so bad that a Steven Spielberg film bombed. No one much saw “The BFG,” which is a shame because it was lovely — and further proof, if required, that his movies are more than mere cash cows. Further proof still can be found in the new book “Steven Spielberg: A Life in Films,” in which Molly Haskell, god among film critics and author of the groundbreaking “From Reverence to Rape: How Hollywood Treats Women,” trains her uncommonly perceptive gaze on his CV. RELATED: “Twin Peaks” gets a damn fine release date: May 21 Haskell’s tome is reason enough to fire up some Spielbergs. Five of them grace the screens at LES’ Metrograph, and not the obvious faves. They tend to either be a little too young to be considered classics (“Minority Report,” “Catch Me If You Can”) or still awaiting reappraisal. “The Lost World,” his propulsive “Jurassic Park” sequel, was profitable yet maligned, which qualifies it as underrated, while some of us always adored “A.I. Artificial Intelligence.” “Empire of the Sun,” whose Saturday show Haskell will intro, finds the eternal optimist tackling eternal pessimist J.G. Ballard, and revealing Spielberg’s maybe not so sunny after all. “Spielberg by Haskell” runs from Jan. 14 through Jan. 18 at the Metrograph, 7 Ludlow St. Visit the site for showtimes and tickets.
The Metrograph
‘Spielberg by Haskell’ dwells on the director’s underappreciated work
Warner Bros. Pictures/Photofest
