Empire of the Sun

Pros: This underrated and underappreciated film foreshadows Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan's greatness.
Cons: Darker, starker than average Spielberg film. E.T. this ain't.

In the behind-the-scenes featurette for Saving Private Ryan, director Steven Spielberg admits he has an "obsession" with World War II. More than half his movies - ranging from the comedy 1941 to the Oscar-winning Schindler's List - are set in the dark ...

Pros: Uniformly superb and emotional filmmaking.
Cons: May be too overly long for some tastes.

Imagine the way war looks from the eyes of a child. To a child, the politics don't matter. What matters simply is that big men with guns are killing people all around you and the ones you love are the ones in the crossfire. To paraphrase a line from ...

Pros: Brilliant visuals, literate script, stunning juvenile performance by Christian Bale.
Cons: Overlong and drags in parts. Underdeveloped supporting characters.

I am still incredibly upset over the indefinite postponement of my Kabuki stage musical spectacular. Margo Channing sent me a lovely condolence bouquet with a somewhat sarcastic note attached about how her Kabuki musical version of Stephen King's...

Pros: Spielberg sheds pure light onto the Japanese role in China during WWII...
Cons: Why don't they make them like this anymore...

Steven Spielberg, the greatest living director of our time, has attempted to take on the most formidable projects in cinema history throughout his career and, by and large, has succeeded. Only Oliver Stone has enjoyed a comparable track record,...

Pros: The story, the cinematography, Christian Bale, the film editing, the direction.
Cons: None.

In his most under appreciated gem, Empire of the Sun, based off the semi-autobiographical novel by J.G. Ballard, is filled with the fingerprints of the then boy wonder, Steven Spielberg. Empire of the Sun will eventually launch Spielberg’s ...

Pros: Excellent performances by Bale, Malkovich; overall a compelling film
Cons: Very, very "Spielberg-ish"; gets to be a bit much at times

Although Schindler's List is generally thought to be Steven Spielberg's most personal film (it is his most accomplished), his 1987 epic Empire of the Sun is without a doubt the most "Spielberg-ish" of his catalog. Unlike...

Pros: John Malkovich, set design, cinematography.
Cons: Melodramatic, underdeveloped supporting roles, emotionally hollow.

The waves carrying coffins of men & women float serenely in the Bay of Shang-Hi, suddenly a gigantic English steamboat roars past, forcing the coffins under water. So begins “Empire of the Sun”, uber-director Steven Spielburg’s World War...

Pros: well-made
Cons: slow, agonizingly slow

Summary: Jim (Christian Bale), a young boy (around 12 or so) is living in Shanghai, China with his wealthy parents as World War II breaks out and China becomes involved. Raised with a silver spoon in his mouth, Jim has never really had to take care of ...

Pros: Wonderful actors, beautiful story, history
Cons: Length

Empire of the Sun is an UNBELIEVABLY good movie. I saw it about a week ago, and I just can't get it out of my head. I've always heard about it, but I thought it would be a movie about the war, and I'm not much into war flicks. Boy, was I...

Pros: Keeps you interested at all time
Cons: Not on DVD yet

Now Im a guy who like Animal House, Slapshot, Caddy Shack, but I have to say that Empire of the Sun is one of my all time favorite movies. I originally saw this movie while I was in the hospital with a broken leg and saw it on cable. I thought it was an...

Pros: It's Spielberg's best kept secret
Cons: It IS a war picture so if you don't want to here about WW2 again, skip it

I saw this film when I was rather young. The first time around I didn't understand everything in it, but it still caught my attention. It made me curious about World War II and was one of the films that got me interested in seeing GOOD films.
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Pros: Brilliant movie!
Cons: None!

Released in 1988, Empire of the Sun is a brilliant epic movie set during the second world war. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the movie introduced a very young Christian Bale to the silver screen, who we all know by now has gone on to become a household ...

Pros: all
Cons: none

This movie appealed to me becuase it is set in history, but when i got round to watching it, i was caught in it, and i could not turn it off, it moved me sooo much, that i can watch it all day and not get bored, it grabs your heart and scences, it is...

Pros: It made me cry because it is so beautiful!
Cons: The beginning gets a bit boring

Empire of the Sun is a brilliant film! i loved it and it was the first film ever to make me cry (Titanic didnt even make me cry). It is about a boy called James (Jim) Graham and he lives in Shang Hai during the 2nd world war. It starts off when Jamie is...

Pros: Christian Bale's Acting, Music, Cinematography
Cons: Lack of Plot

Steven Spielberg's best film, Empire of the Sun, is a masterful movie. The cinematography and attention to details in each scene is a joy to watch. The film doesn't settle for casual ways to portray an event, but through a young boy's eyes we see them....