The Most Human Movie Ever Made.

Rating: 10/10 (14 May 2020)

This is simply Steven Spielberg's greatest movie. I dare you to challenge this. Sure, ET is great, and so is Jurassic Park, and so forth. But of all the movies Spielberg has directed, how can any of them top the power and importance of Schindler's List?
Schindler's List is the true story of Oskar Schindler, portrayed wonderfully by Liam Neeson. He is a German who saves the lives of over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust. Schindler does this out of greed, making them low wage workers in his factory for his benefit, but then he does it out of compassion for his fellow man.
That's the theme of the movie that echoes throughout long after the credits roll, and from where the film's power stems. The Nazis considered Jews to be "vermin" and not humans worthy of love, care, or compassion. Oskar Schindler over time sees that they ARE in fact worthy, and uses this basic human value to change the world.
Steven Spielberg waited over a decade to make this movie. He wanted to it after making E.T., but he felt that he wasn't ready to tackle the Holocaust yet. (Note that Spielberg himself is Jewish.) The time he took is well worth it, since he crafted it so well.
The movie won 7 Oscars, including Steven's sole Best Picture win and his first of 2 Best Director wins(the other being for Saving Private Ryan). All 7 are well earned for this fantastic movie.
Spielberg also chose to shoot this in black and white, based on documentaries he saw with actual Holocaust footage. This was done to make the movie seem even more real, and this goal succeeds.
This was also done so a girl with a pink coat can stand out. While she never speaks, she inspires Schindler to have compassion for the Jews, she's a sight that speaks to him louder than words. In addition, the black and white cinematography is glorious to look at.
Since this movie is centered around the greatest tragedy in all of human history, the film gains an R Rating for it's realistic violence. Prepare for Jews to be shot, burned, or gassed for what they believe in. It's hard to watch, but it's the most effective quality. There were people who took pleasure in killing millions of their own kind, and Spielberg exposes this horror to perfection.
I first saw this in 10th grade in History class, so I was 16. I would say 15 or 16 would be the best age to see this, and 13-14 if there is parental supervision since younger teens may have questions about the Holocaust, and for emotional support. I say this because while everyone should see Schindler's List, it is not for the young, and historical prior knowledge is necessary.
Aside from the flaw of crimes against humanity, my only critique of Schindler's List is that the German accents of Non-German actors are so thick that I needed subtitles to follow the dialogue. Apart from this, Schindler's List is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Despite it's grim subject matter, Schindler's List must be seen, even if just once. Seeing it for the 4th time in my life put it in my top 10. Thank you, Oskar Schindler for your heroic act, and thank you Steven Spielberg for telling us his incredible story.
This is a powerful film that will leave a great impact on you. It should never be forgotten. If all but a few movies are wiped away from human memory, let Schindler's List be one that remains.
Note: This ties with Shoah in my top 10. This is a 9.5 hour documentary with real survivors and witnesses to the Holocaust. It's $100 from the Criterion Collection. This is another movie that I consider to be a must see, despite its cost and run-time.