Cloverfield”). He’s a force of nature. And today’s his birthday! So we thought we’d rundown all of his big screen directorial efforts, mystery boxes and all.

5. ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ (2013)

Truth be told, “Benedict Cumberbatch played iconic ‘Trek’ baddie Khan. (I still don’t understand it.) Adding insult to injury was the prolonged delay in between movies; they waited four years for a follow-up and this is what they came up with? All that hope, all that promise … and after one more, slightly livelier sequel, the big screen franchise is all but kaput. Abrams’ direction remained strong but his grip on storytelling and character faltered.

4. ‘Mission: Impossible III’ (2006)

The story goes that Mission: Impossible III,” most notably the set piece at the Vatican, which remains a highlight of the entire franchise, but compared to the other films in the series, it feels somewhat safe and predictable, although it has informed all of the films that followed (JJ has remained a producer on the subsequent installments).

3. ‘Super 8’ (2011)

Abrams loves the art of surprise, so he launched “E.T.”-style chum. (It also feels oddly rushed, with scenes not aligning properly.) This was a movie that I wanted to love so badly. Instead, it’s an object of mild curiosity instead, both personal (it’s the only movie Abrams has written and directed by himself) and removed (it’s very pastiche-y).

2. ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ (2015)

People like to knock “The Last Jedi.” We’ll see if Abrams can wrap everything up as nicely as he began it.

1. ‘Star Trek’ (2009)

It’s telling that Abrams has remade “Star Wars” twice and his actual “Star Wars” movie is the second-best one. 2009’s “Eric Bana’s Nero is terrific – wry and scary). After the promise of “Mission: Impossible III,” Abrams showed himself to be an honest-to-goodness filmmaker, able to improbably invigorating moribund franchises with vitality, humor and boundless energy. It feels like I’ve watched “Star Trek” a thousand times and it also feels like I could watch it a thousand more.