LChinoz
Super Freak
Hmm. I went to film school, too. But then again... that was 16-20 years ago so I'm sure the quotient of pretentious, post-modern film professors might have been a tad smaller. You have a problem with people overrating Spielberg... I have a problem with people discounting him and his body of work, which is legendary. He's not my all-time favorite filmmaker, though. That'd either be Akira Kurosawa, David Lean, Hitchcock or Chaplin. But I'd certainly put him right up there in that group.
And I would absolutely say and admit that STAR WARS is simple escapism. The only difference is that I'd also admit that it inspired literally a generation of filmmakers, artists, and more. And, to date, there hasn't been anything else to come along and have that same impact.
You're right about pretentious professors. Most of them were barely over 30. I know we're getting off track you have some good filmmakers on that list. My personal favorite is Jean-Luc Godard. Look, I don't hate Spielberg, I just don't think he is a genius like many others do. I am more inclined to favor films that are risky, daring, and make the audience think. Anyway, glad to know someone else went through the roller coaster of fun known as film school I wrote some horrible scripts...one was about a fish's thoughts as he is about to be cut up and made into sushi...