“Jaws” Indeed!

As we all make our way through this pandemic, I found time to re-visit some of my favorite films.

And a new one too!

Wait, there’s a “Jackass 4?”

Yes there is, and here is the trailer!

As a fan of the first 3 editions of this “anything goes” stunt extravaganza, I can’t wait to see this new one!

And, to celebrate the upcoming release of the latest “Jackass” film, here are nine more great movies that begin with the letter “J”!

Let’s begin with a film that changed the way we went to the movies!

9 – “Jaws”

In 1975, Bruce the Shark terrorized movie audiences in a way that had never happened before: it was the first time in cinema history that a film opened in thousands of theaters across the country on the same day!

Here is the trailer for this timeless shocker:

From the moment crowds lined up across America, movie distribution changed forever…”Jaws” was also a monumental achievement for its young Director, Steven Spielberg.

The movie stands the test of time as well, and 42 years later, people still respond to the shark, the music, and of course, THAT LINE:

“We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

Roy Scheider’s reaction after seeing the shark for the first time is priceless – see more trivia about this great thriller by clicking here:

Tom Cruise has a great film with a classic line as well:

“Show Me The Money!”

8 – “Jerry Maguire”

Cameron Crowe directed this great romantic comedy about a disgraced Sports Agent with one shot at redemption – with an Oscar-winning performance by Cuba Gooding Jr.

Check out the trailer:

Cuba Gooding Jr. won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and Renee Zellwegger has never been better as the only person who supports – and then falls in love – with Jerry Maguire.

A terrific movie with Tom Cruise at the top of his game.

Speaking of that performers at the top of their game, what about Keanu Reeves?

7 – “Pick A Wick”

John Wick that is. This 2014 film stunned audiences with an audacious style and story, and the legend continues to grow. What a great series of action thrillers – 3 have been released, the 4th is filming now – and they are all terrific!

Keanu stars as John Wick, a hitman who wants out of the business and who just wants a quiet life – but then someone made the very stupid mistake of messing with his dog…and from there a franchise was born!

Here is the trailer for the first film:

Reeves is an accomplished martial artist, and the fight scenes in this film are brutal and real – and yes, this is one bloody ride!

The two sequels are equally as entertaining – and bloody – as Keanu and the other creatives on the film are building a fully realized world that John Wick inhabits…really terrific storytelling, so let’s hope the next installment continues this trend..

Reeves has been making a wide range of films lately, so I also want to recommend a film he directed a few years ago:

Click here to see more about this terrific martial arts film that Keanu directed as well as starred in:

Enough fighting – time to eat!

6 – “Julie & Julia”

Meryl Streep’s performance as Chef Julia Child is one f there best ever, and the film “Julie & Julia” tells her fascinating story, intercut with the story of a young Blogger who cooks one of the Chef’s recipes every day for a year!

See the trailer and lots of trivia about his movie by clicking here:

I never got to meet Julia, but I did meet another “J” – the legendary Joan Rivers!

5 – “Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work”

Joan was my friend, so I had to include her on my “J” list! This incredible documentary is honest, candid and of course hilariously funny, because she’s Joan Rivers! Here is the trailer:

My wife and I worked for years with Joan and Melissa, including one year at the Cannes Film Festival, where we shot a “Fashion Review”.

Joan was one of the most compassionate, warm and caring people I’ve ever had the honor to know. Here is a short tribute I posted when she passed away:

The documentary is an amazingly candid look at her life – worth every minute you spend with her.

Next on the “J” list is another Spielberg film that raised the bar on what special effects could accomplish in film:

4 – Jurassic Park!

This 1993 action spectacular imagines a world where dinosaurs exist!

Checkout the trailer here:

The first time you see the Dinosaurs takes your breath away – gorgeous special effects set against a very real story with terrific acting from the entire cast. Oh, and then we meet some of the “less friendly” Dinosaurs as well…

A terrific action thriller with a larger message – and a great thrill ride as well!

Next up on my “J” list is the 2019 Best Picture nominee that they said couldn’t be made:

3 – JoJo Rabbit

The initial reaction to the premise was shock: how could a film tell the story of a friendship between a young boy –

AND HITLER?!?!?!

Well, Writer/Director Taika Waititi, who also starred as Hitler, found a way to tell a compelling and insightful story about the horror of WW2.

Waititi very deservedly won an Oscar for Best Screenplay, and the film is a real masterpiece.

Click here to see the trailer and more about the film:

Another offbeat but compelling film stars an iconic action figure:

2 – JCVD

Jean-Claude Van Damme gives a searing performance – REALLY! He plays himself: an over-the-hill action star trying to make a comeback – and the film includes one of the most honestly compelling scenes I’ve ever seen – check out the trailer for this neglected gem:

Jean-Claude is mesmerizing in the film – a great performance. Click here to see more fun trivia about the film!

Finally, we go from Jean-Claude to the world’s greatest “sushi master”:

1 – “Jiro Dreams Of Sushi”

This Tokyo sushi bar costs hundreds of dollars for a single meal, you are fed in twenty minutes, and the Chef may or may not want you to look at him – and it’s so popular you can’t get in – here is the trailer:

Jiro is a Sushi Master, but this is also a touching and poignant story of an obsessive Chef who doesn’t quite know how to communicate with his young son…a great documentary about food and family – see more here:

There’s a look at ten great movies beginning with “J”, and if you missed any of my previous posts, you didn’t see this classic film – that begins with a “B”:

“Body Heat” is a great cult film noir, and you can see 59 other great movies when you click on my “Movies A-F” list here:

Don’t worry, gangsters haven’t been forgotten, even if Marlon Brando always forgot his lines:

Yep, that’s why Robert Duvall “wore” his lines on set! It’s just one of the great “G” movies, which you can see here:

“The Godfather” is a classic, and so is this:

Before Paddy Cheyefsky wrote the brilliant “Network” he tackled medical malpractice with “The Hospital” – just one of ten great films that begin with “H” – see them all here:

If you missed my list of “I” movies, then you didn’t see this obscure Robert Altman thriller:

See more about “Images” here:

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Let me know what you think of movies with the letter “J” – and here are more as well!

Categories: 70's Cinema, Academy Awards, Action Films, Books / Media, Comedy Movies, Cult Movies, documentary films, Film Fight Club, Great Films, Hollywood, Japan, Movies, Obscure Movies, Pop Culture, Revenge Movies, Talent/Celebrities, TV Show

Tags: best om cruise movies, cult movies, entertainment, jackass, jackass 4 movie trailer, Jaws anniversary trivia, Jaws film, Jaws poster, Jaws trivia, Jerry Maguiire movie, Jerry Maguire, Joan Rivber comedian, Joan Rivers, Joan Rivers anecdotes, John Wick movies, Keanu Reeves, movies, new jackass movie, new jackass movie trailer, new Johnny Knoxville film, Talent/Celebrities, Tom Cruise movies