In honour of the June/July issue, we’re doing 10 films that begin with the letter J. We definitely haven’t run out of themes and categories though. Nope.
JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE – Amazon Prime Video.
Those of a certain age will remember the release of the original and recall how much joy it bought to families and young audiences. This sequel, released 22 years (!) later, was not only better than perhaps everyone expected, but also the exact kind of film that the same kind of audiences will love watching over and over again, just like the original.
JOKER – Netflix.
JOKER earned over $1billion at the global box office, making it the first 18 rated film to do so. Its success was driven, in part, by the divisive nature of it driving people to go and see the film more than once. At face value, Phoenix’s Oscar winning performance and the superb art direction make for a compelling and committed tale that treats the adult audience with a respect that few other comic book films ever have. However, it’s also true that the film seemingly sympathises with the protagonist and excuses his awful behaviour because of his treatment by others. Regardless of your opinion, it’s a surprisingly well-made film from the writer/director of The Hangover films.
JAWS – Netflix.
What else is there to say about JAWS that hasn’t already been said? In this instance, not much. Instead, a reminder of just how wonderful it is, both as the first summer blockbuster but also just as a brilliant film in its own right. If you’ve seen before, watch again and remind yourself how scary it can be. Seen it loads before? Watch in black and white and/or with the sound off-it’s remarkable how easy it is to watch and for it to make sense, as well as how enjoyable it still is.
JOHN WICK – Amazon Prime Video.
We’ve all seen this by now right? If you haven’t, it does feel like every other action film director/producer in the last 5 years has and is desperately trying to copy it. Of course, there are numerous other films that John Wick itself borrows its style from, but for the sake of brevity let’s remind ourselves just how exciting, fresh and innovative this film felt when first released. It’s the kind of role that Keane Reeves was born to play: limited emotional range, action-orientated and full of stunts with a hint of dry comedy in there too, and the film makes the most of his talents. The sequels may have been larger in scale and lore, but the original is still the most interesting and effective.
JURASSIC PARK – Netflix.
Everything we said about JAWS? You could argue that the same thing can be said for the original JURASSIC PARK. So why include it here, aside from maybe running out of films starting with J? One, the latest in the franchise, DOMINION is on Netflix and it highlights just how perfect the original is, and two, much like JAWS, if you’ve seen this a bunch of times, Spielberg is such a tremendous director that you can watch this in black and white and without sound and it still looks incredible and makes perfect sense…
JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION – Amazon Prime Video.
…whereas the same can’t be said for JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION. It’s bloated and full of huge ideas that mean too much time is spent away from actual dinosaurs, but having said that, it’s nowhere near as bad as the reviews and critics made out. If nothing else, the special effects are incredibly impressive and the set pieces mix tension with action in a way that shows how well director Colin Trevorrow
understands and loves the original films. Ultimately though, it’s an enjoyable entry into the series and a welcome addition to the Netflix catalogue.
JACKIE – Disney+
As the saying goes: and now for something completely different. Jackie was arguably the best film of 2016, but it was also fairly divisive; after all, not everyone wants to watch one of the most famous people of the 60s wandering around her house, suffering from intense grief for 90 minutes. If you’re unfamiliar, the film focuses on Jackie Kennedy in the immediate aftermath of her husband’s assassination. It’s a deeply intense film with an astonishing lead performance from Natalie Portman and incredible soundtrack, but not for everyone.
JUNO – Disney+
A coming of age film like no other-a hilarious, modern take on teenage pregnancy with a razor-sharp script, a flawless cast and an ending that’s both at once intensely sad and profoundly uplifting. Just a great, great film.
JACK REACHER – Amazon Prime Video
Tom Cruise might have been badly miscast for this film but it’s still a great procedural investigation film in its own right. The recent TV series of Jack Reacher is closer to the book and a more authentic take on the character, but with a significantly longer time frame that doesn’t always feel like it needs it.
JACKAL (THE) – iPlayer
Unlike a lot of films, this has been on iPlayer for years. It’s great though. You should watch it. Assuming you like hitman/assassin films made in the 90s that you only ever watched because there was nothing else to rent on VHS at the local newsagent.
Ian Moreno-Melgar is an educational consultant to the British Film Institute, is a published author of film education textbooks and has seen THE OTHER GUYS at least 20 times now.
