8 Underappreciated Movies From Great Directors

Empire Of The Sun (dir. Steven Spielberg)

Known for: E.T. (1982), Schindler’s List (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998)

What it’s about: In 1941, Jim Graham (Christian Bale), a young schoolboy, finds his privileged, upper class life turned upside down by the Japanese invasion of Shanghai. Separated from his parents, he’s eventually captured, taken prisoner and sent to live in various confinement camps under Japanese rule. Though there are a few people who try to help the boy, including a swindling American expatriate (John Malkovich), the kid is forced to learn and find unorthodox ways to survive throughout one of China’s darkest hours.

Why it’s worth watching: For the man who went on to make Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, Empire of the Sun looks and feels like a much drabber entry in Spielberg’s repertoire. The film had little star power and though it was nominated for six Academy Awards, it went, for the most part, unnoticed by audiences. But this was his first dramatic war epic, and with a striking 12-year-old Christian Bale playing the lead, John Malkovich at his side, and John Williams amplifying their story, Empire of the Sun is still a trademark Spielberg film.