Spielberg's still has it!

Rating: 9/10 (4 April 2018)

At the age of 71, Spielberg still has the energy and creative juices he did in his heyday on rolling out his latest work, "Ready Player One." He has been quoted as saying this movie was the toughest work he has expended making a film since the production of "Saving Pvt. Ryan." Whatever sweat Spielberg had perspired in creating this soon-to-be classic was well worth it.
"Ready" is more than a simple comic book-based picture. Ernest Cline, who wrote the book "Ready" is based on, expands his screenplay on the underlying theme of the movie with a message today's obsessive video gamers should learn from and adopt.
Spielberg himself is an avid gamer, as detailed in the book "The 15 Geniuses Behind the Lens." The director's pastime, which he incorporates visually and rhythmically-paced in all his action films, serves as an ideal template in "Ready." His selection of the New York Times bestseller of the same name is a natural for Spielberg and his mastery of the incredible interchange between reality and virtual reality is breathtaking.
As others have noted, the episode of "The Shining" is the highlight of "Ready." To incorporate all the memorable moments of the Stanley Kubrick classic was seamlessly integrated into the film.
The only nit-pick I have in not giving a full 10 stars was the drawn-out Godzilla battle that resembled more of a Marvel Comic sequence than the brilliance Spielberg exhibited in the rest of his film.
It is rare an audience breaks out in applause at the end of a movie. But the showing I attended the place erupted in spontaneous clapping, appreciating a well done and well-deserve recognition of approval. This film is not to be missed, especially on a big screen.