Last Christmas I was high out of my mind hosting a party in my home and for reasons I do not remember or understand, my friends started jokingly chanting “Demi’s never seen Jaws.” This was not true. I was being framed. I pulled up my last Letterboxd logging to prove it– I saw Jaws sometime in September of 2013. Since that time, every time I hear about Jaws I think of that moment and then remember the now-forcibly-crucial memory of I Last Saw Jaws In September of 2013. My high mind made permanent space in the forefront of my brain for this information by pushing out something else (couldn’t name one president now) as a defense mechanism out of preservation…

Imagine standing in line. A warm day in June, basking in the glory of a sunny afternoon, with your stomach full after a late lunch (probably pizza) and your excitement reaching a pinnacle that is consistent with every other teenager and 20 year old in line. The trailer and the posters were enough, as everyone is out and ready to see this movie. It's about a giant shark, and It's directed by a guy that hasn't done much. You go in, buy a massive bucket of salty and dangerously buttery popcorn, and you race to find the best seat that you can manage.

And then the movie starts. It's the equivalent of stepping into a hurricane with a cheap umbrella,…

100

To talk about Jaws eventually just turns into a list of superlative elements, working harmoniously in pursuit of particular tones and genres. It's a vicious horror film, a daring adventure, a portrait of masculine roles, as well as a vision of a small community unsettled by a natural force. Funny, scary, genuinely dramatic, edited to perfection etc, it's all there. It's a defining 'movie', motion picture, film, yes to whatever you call these things. But the devil is in the details, and with each re-watch, Jaws finds a new way to impress me. On this viewing, it struck me as an essential text of man vs. nature, with the Orca and the water surrounding them being the stage for…

We should always be weary of when a passion for a movie/art/skincare brand borders on unfounded obsession and becomes performative, I.E. that one summer in Chicago I had a Jaws themed bathroom. That being said, this movie really is as good as that shark-themed bathroom was sexless.

When people hear how old Spielberg was when he made this movie, their reaction is something along the lines of, “25!? Christ, when I was 25, I barely had a well aestheticized bathroom!” — But no duh! the first modern blockbuster was made by a 25 year old little shit. Spielberg does not fully know who he is yet, and he uses every movie magic moment he can think of to make us think the opposite.…

The perfect blockbuster.

I saw this video somewhere of a guy petting a great white shark. While watching it I was filled with utter dread. Sharks scare me. I guess it's the teeth. I assume you can imagine what spurred me on to rewatch Spielberg's masterpiece.

And a masterpiece it is. Now, before I continue, I hate people who use the ‘omg the shark looks sooo fake' argument to criticize this film. Yes, the shark shows its age and had the shark looked fake at the time it was created as well it would be a fair criticism. Looking at the rest of the film, I'd say it's easy to step over its dated look.

Pacing is paramount in most…

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Metacritic Metascore: 87
IMDB: 8.0

95/100

Release Date: 20 June 1975
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Budget: $7M
Worldwide Gross: $471.2M
OSCAR Wins: 3
OSCAR Nominations: 4
Total Film Awards: 14

Shark Week

Hooper: "Well, this is not a boat accident! It wasn't any propeller, it wasn't any coral reef, and it wasn't Jack the Ripper! ... It was a shark."

SYNOPSIS: When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.

'Jaws' is the original summer blockbuster, setting the standard by which all others are measured. It's the Michael Jordan of cinema: there will never be another 'Jaws,' simply because…

The best creature feature ever made, no doubt about it. Always get ecstatic every time I put this film on, it's hands down the finest film that was done by Steven Spielberg personally out of the other multitude amounts of timeless classics that he's made over the years, and this one still maintains its leading position as not just my favorite horror/thriller film of all time, but my second favorite film ever on top of that.

Its substantial sentimental essence within the family members, a masterfully gripping theme from the everlasting John Williams, an enthralling ensemble of established characters to root for, and as might be expected, the notorious aquatic antagonist "Bruce" all make for a certifiably impeccable film for…

Yes, the shark looks a bit fakey in some shots BUT...

This is one of the most perfect entertainment narratives committed to film. For a nearly 50 year old movie, the pacing is remarkably fast but never at the sake of character or emotional depth.

The suspense set pieces are terrific and the John Williams music is a character in itself bringing SO MUCH to the entire thing, not only the famous shark theme itself.

I was pretty astonished when I realised Robert Shaw was not nominated for an Oscar for his role in this film. The whole leading trio are terrific but Shaw really stands out and is given the most meaty dramatic material and absolutely nails it.

Schneider…