Take 227: Close Encounters of the Third Kind & Ready Player One - Spielberg In Review

🎬 Mostly Film — Spielberg Series: Wonder, Obsession & EscapismThis week, Jonathan and J.P. dive into two wildly different eras of Steven Spielberg with Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and Ready Player One (2018). One is pure cinematic wonder — an original sci-fi obsession story built on curiosity, light, and the unknown. The other is a massive digital adventure about nostalgia, escapism, and pop culture overload.We break down both films from top to bottom: Spielberg’s career at each stage, the crews and collaborators behind the movies, box office and awards context, and the themes driving each story. Along the way, we debate whether Close Encounters is the most “Spielberg” movie ever made, whether Ready Player One is celebrating or critiquing nostalgia culture, and how Spielberg’s idea of “wonder” has changed over the decades.Has Spielberg gone from creating wonder… to reflecting on it? And which of these films truly represents the heart of his filmmaking legacy?