And the letter that is "J" (Epinions Film Dictionary W/O)
Apr 11 '03
The Bottom Line Homer Jay Simpson
The significance of the letter “J” has been prominent throughout history, from the influential Christian religious figure Jesus to his traitor Judas Iscariot to Julius Caesar to Thomas Jefferson to the modern day misguidance of the Jihad to Randall J. Leong. By no means is this article all-inclusive of the “J”-related film elements that have occurred throughout this history. That’s undoubtedly impossible. Instead view this is as a decently substantial film reference for the Epinions world, which is certainly the purpose Chris (our host Simply_Crispy) intended upon, that and for it to be a grueling, numbingly fun exercise.
I’d also like to add that this omits the listing of any actors or celebrities considered to be actors. Not that I have anything against them but to be honest I felt that the list would be too exhausting, and the mentioning of only a few wouldn’t quite be fair. Instead I’ve included a few directors. My four star rating scale is included with the films I’ve seen in entirety as well, though I found to my surprise that I haven’t seen nearly as many “J” films as I ought to. In fact please don't misinterpret this as comprised of all of the "J" films I've ever seen, the information provided for the unseen films was done through research and my own interpretations of the researched summaries. But without further ado here’s the letter that is “J.”
J’ai Été au Bal (1990) – Les Blank documentary translated as I Went to the Dance.
Jack (1996) – Francis Ford Coppola film about idiot man-child (Robin Williams) aging ten times faster than average kids. Occasionally entertaining but mostly horrible, depressing and stomach-turning. *1/2
Jabberwocky (1977) – Terry Gilliam-directed fantasy comedy about a monster terrorizing a village.
Jack & Sarah (1995) – Tim Sullivan romance about American nanny and British widower.
Jack the Bear (1993) – Drama-comedy about Danny DeVito’s late night TV movie horror host raising his sons alone.
Jack the Giant Killer (1962) – Fantasy fable about farm boy-turned-knight protecting princess from an evil wizard.
Jack’s Back (1988) – Rowdy Harrington’s film about serial killer channeling Jack the Ripper on his 100th birthday in Los Angeles.
Jackal, The (1997) – Tepid Michael Caton-Jones remake of The Day of the Jackal in which ambiguously gay mute of an assassin (Bruce Willis) travels endlessly to kill thinly-disguised Hilary Clinton-esque First Lady, pursued by IRA con (Richard Gere) and Sidney Poitier. **
Jackals, The (1967) – Vincent Price western.
Jackals (1986) – Cops on Mexican border and illegal alien smuggling schemes.
Jackass Mail (1942) – Wallace Beery western.
Jackass: The Movie (2002) – Gives guilty-pleasures a bad name and rightfully so, the MTV troupe bring their scatological humor and sociologically-probing antics to a feature length docu-comedy-like film. Hilariously disturbing. ***
Jack Frost (1998) – Terrible Troy Miller family film about neglectful small-time rocker patriarch (Michael Keaton) dieing in auto accident and manifesting as crude snowman. Really awful stuff. *
Jackie Brown (1997) – Tarantino’s much anticipated follow-up to Pulp Fiction, centering on similar fiends and cons, complete with superb cast, visuals, writing, and soundtrack. ****
Jackie Chan’s First Strike (1996) – Occasionally above par Chan actioner (actually 4th in his Police Story series) pitting the virtuoso martial arts hero against many a foe as usual and sending him around the world. ***
Jackie Chan’s Who Am I? (1998) – Average Chan thriller complete with exhausted fights and stunts. **1/2
Jackie Robinson Story, The (1950) – Biopic about the famed baseball player.
Jacknife (1989) – Vietnam vet drama with Robert De Niro and Ed Harris, that I’ve yet to see.
Jacko and Lise (1979) – Walter Bal film with Annie Girardot.
Jacob’s Ladder (1990) – Interesting if bizarre and disposable Adrian Lyne film about traumatized Vietnam vet (Tim Robbins) suffering hallucinations. **
Jacquot (1991) – Agnès Varda coming-of-age drama about her own late husband’s (director Jacques Demy) childhood in the 1930s.
Jade (1995) –Joe Eszerthas-penned and William Friedkin-directed drama-thriller erotica with Linda Fiorentino and David Caruso.
Jagged Edge (1985) – Murder mystery crime thing with Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges.
Jail Bait (1954) – Yet another infamous Ed Wood film, this time about criminals.
Jailhouse Rock (1957) – Elvis goes to jail for manslaughter and becomes teen rock star.
Jakob the Liar (1999) – Robin Williams as Roberto Begnini in this Holocaust film.
Jamaica Inn (1939) – Hitchcock film about a gang of criminals who arrange shipwrecks.
James and the Giant Peach (1996) – Amazing Henry Selick clay/live action hybrid adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book. ***1/2
James Dean (2001) – TV version of Dean’s life to launch Dean-reincarnation’s career, James Franco.
James Dean Story, The (1957) – Robert Altman co-directed documentary about the tragic actor using outtakes from East of Eden set, Giant premiere, etc.
James Joyce’s Women (1986) – The dramatic adaptation of Joyce’s novel.
Jamon Jamon (1992) – Spanish drama-comedy with Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.
Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980) – Merchant-Ivory drama-comedy about teachers staging play version of an early Austen work.
Jane Austen’s Mafia (1998) – Inexplicably credited to Austen, this ridiculous Jim Abrahams’ Mafia spoof comedy offers disposable laughs and Lloyd Bridges’ career end. **
Jane Eyre (1944) – A Robert Stevenson version of the much-adapted novel with Orson Welles.
Jane Eyre (1983) – Another adaptation in miniseries form, with Timothy Dalton.
Jancsó, Miklós (1921- ) – Prolific Hungarian director of many unseen films.
January Man, The (1989) – Comedy-thriller with cops Kevin Klein and Harvey Keitel, ensuing scandals, serial killers and large casts.
Jargon – Most political action or adventure films afford filler scenes redolent with this bureaucratic or technologic language too unintelligible to act as anything significant other than a device.
Jarman, Derek (1942-1994) – Controversial and provocative gay British director who made such films as Caravaggio, Edward II, War Requiem, Jubilee, etc. and who later passed from AIDS.
Jarmusch, Jim (1954- ) – Highly original, low-key and independent American auteur, with white pompadour trademark, and of films like Stranger Than Paradise, Down By Law, Mystery Train, Ghost Dog, etc.
Jason and the Argonauts (1963) – The epic Greek yarn about legendary hero, Jason, and co. searching for the golden fleece, complete with classic skeleton scene and chimeras.
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) – Supernatural exercise of infamous Jason Vorhees.
Jason X (2002) – Worthless parody of the horror genre and the tenth entry into the Friday the 13th series about Jason in space; a boondoggle one half a step above Leprechaun 4: In Space. *
Jason’s Lyric (1994) – Slice of life about TV shop employee and his relationships with friends and family.
Jawbreaker (1999) – Demon Goddess Rose McGowan is centerpiece to trite story of high school superficiality and death, though I’ve yet to see this in its entirety.
Jaws (1975) – Steven Spielberg’s excellent thriller classic with sheriff Roy Scheider hunting the massive shark stalking his town’s beach. ***1/2
Jaws 2 (1978) – Sequel to the above.
Jaws 3 (1983) – Yet another to the above.
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) – Kevin Smith’s perverse, onanistic exercise in self-reference and toilet bowl relief, with cameos galore. Occasionally funny and temporary. **
Jazz Singer, The (1927) – Al Jolson stars in the first “talkie” about a Jewish boy striving to be a jazz singer despite his father’s wishes.
Jazz Singer, The (1980) – Neil Diamond as Al Jolson and Laurence Olivier as Warner Oland.
Jazzman (1983) – Russian musical comedy about expelled music student for liking Jazz and his quest for fame.
Je, tu, il, elle (1974) – Chantal Akerman’s story of one distraught, alienated girl’s journey.
Jean de Florette (1986) – Popular Claude Berri film about two relatives and Gerard Depardieu.
Jeepers Creepers (2001) – Convicted pedophile director Victor Salva’s foray of the horror genre.
Jefferson in Paris (1995) – Merchant-Ivory epic tracing Thomas Jefferson’s (Nick Nolte) trek to Paris and supposed affair with his young slave (Thandie Newton).
Jeffrey (1995) – Drama-comedy in which gay man Steven Weber becomes celibate but meets the man of his dreams, also with Patrick Stewart.
Jejune – Anything of or pertaining to Tim “Dick” Allen.
Jennifer 8 (1992) – Bruce Robinson cop thriller about LA detective joining small force and tracking a serial killer.
Jeremiah Johnson (1972) – Sidney Pollack epic about mountain man (Robert Redford) and his conflict with the Indians.
Jerk, The (1979) – Hilarious Carl Reiner-Steve Martin comedy about white boy from black family going from rags to riches that I haven’t seen the entire thing of.
Jerky Boys, The (1995) – Ludicrous screen adventure featuring the antics of prank phone calling pioneers for whom the film is named. The albums are great, but the novelty of seeing the guys in action quickly wears off in this trite exercise. *1/2
Jerry Maguire (1996) – Cameron Crowe’s entertaining and light-weight comedy-drama-romance-sports film with Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr. **1/2
Jerusalem (1996) – Swedish period piece by Bille August.
Jesse James (1939) – Tyrone Power and Henry Fonda as the infamous Western outlaw brethren.
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) - Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s album concept adapted into a rock opera as directed by Norman Jewison.
Jesus Christ Superstar (2000) – Another version of the aforementioned production.
Jesus of Montreal (1990) – French-Canadian film about actors putting on heterodox play of the Passion and the heated discouragement they encounter. Haven’t seen it in its entirety.
Jesus’ Son (2000) – Alison Maclean’s adaptation of stories by Denis Johnson with Billy Crudup as FH and his adventures in drug addiction, crime and redemption.
Jeunet, Jean-Pierre (1953- ) – Imaginative French director of fantastic surreal visual projects like Delicatessen, City of Lost Children, Amelie, etc. and one bad one Alien Resurrection.
Jew-Boy Levi (1998) – German production about Bavarian farmer and his dilemmas.
Jewel of the Nile, The (1985) – Sequel to Romancing the Stone with Michael Douglas rescuing Kathleen Turner once again.
Jezebel (1938) – Southern romantic drama with Bette Davis and her relationship with her fiancé.
JFK (1991) – Oliver Stone’s ever-fascinating conspiracy-theory dissertation on the convoluted nature of Kennedy’s 1963 assassination with an enormous cast and featuring one of Kevin Costner’s best roles. ****
Jigsaw Man, The (1984) – Cold War spy artifact with Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine.
Jimmy Hollywood (1994) – Hollywood-set Barry Levinson comedy with Joe Pesci and Christian Slater.
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) – Computer animated family film about intellectually enhanced adolescent and evil space monsters.
Jingle All the Way (1996) – Arnold journeys to find a copy of this year’s Christmas’s most coveted homoerotic superhero toy for his son in this lightweight if entertaining comedy. **1/2
Joan of Arc (1948) – Victor Fleming directed film of famed French woman warrior with Ingrid Bergman as title character.
Jodorowsky, Alexandro (1930- ) – Surrealism-influenced filmmaker/comic book artist of eccentric cult classics that seem induced by inordinate amounts of illegal substances, such as Fando Y Lis, El Topo, The Holy Mountain, Santa Sangre, etc.
Joe Dirt (2001) – Sophmoric David Spade comedy about a smart-alecky redneck (kind of an oxymoron isn't that?) and his odyssey, which we own on DVD for some reason. **
Joe Somebody (2001) – Tim “Dick” Allen comedy that I have no intention of witnessing.
Joe the King (1999) – Coming-of-age as viewed by Frank Whaley.
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) – Tom Hanks romantic comedy about an average Joe learning life lessons when attempting to throw himself into a volcano.
Joe’s Apartment (1996) – MTV’s first movie outing is the occasionally humorous and wishfully innocent but ultimately ineffectual comedy about a filthy apartment and Busby Berkeley-inspired talking roaches. **
Joe’s Bed-Stuy Barbershop (1983) – Spike Lee’s thesis project about managing a barbershop.
John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998) – Campy, repulsive vampire epic starring James Woods, the Vampire Slayer. **
Johnny Apollo (1940) – Crime drama with the son (Tyrone Power) of a crooked Wall Street broker going into crime to earn money for his father’s prison release.
Johnny Be Good (1988) – 㣴s teen comedy about cocky football jock.
Johnny Got His Gun (1971) – WWI film in which a young American soldier is severely wounded in battle.
Johnny Guitar (1954) – Sterling Hayden is Johnny Guitar and Joan Crawford is Vienna in Nicholas Ray’s cult western.
Johnny Handsome (1989) – Deformed career criminal (Mickey Rourke) is given a new face by a surgeon and gets released from prison only hunt his father figure’s killer, directed by Walter Hill.
Johnny Mnemonic (1995) – Woah, a pre-Matrix film also starring Keanu Reeves about cyberpunk landscape, culture and a misbegotten virus plot. **
Johnny 100 Pesos (1993) – Chilean action drama about four students robbing a bank and the media frenzy that ensues.
Johnny Skidmarks (1998) – Mystery about photographer (Peter Gallagher) who works for blackmailers and the one assignment that goes awry.
Johnny Stecchino (1991) – A Roberto Begnini comedy in which he plays dual roles as Dante the kind driver of the bus for the mentally handicapped and Johnny Stecchino a gangster stool-pigeon.
Johnny Suede (1991) – Jarmusch’s former protégé Tom DiCillo makes his directorial debut with this romantic comedy, Brad Pitt as the title character.
Johns (1996) – Drama with David Arquette and Lukas Haas about male prostitutes.
Joke of Destiny, A (1984) – Italian comedy, natch.
Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000 (1976) – Thirtysomethings are connected by their pasts in 㣠s sexual revolution and a child who will be 25 in the year 2000.
Jones, Chuck (1912-2002) – Honored animation pioneer of prolific cartoon character episodes such as involving Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1999) - Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical is adapted with Donnie Osmond as Joseph.
Josie and the Pussycats (2001) – Doubly directed satire of music industry and product placement about girl rock band, materialized in the Rachel Leigh-Cook, Tara Reid and Rosario Dawson molds from the cartoon.
Jour de Fête (1948) – The fair comes into town and the bumbling postman Francois (Jacques Tati) is taunted by his townspeople.
Journey of August King, The (1995) – Jason Patric is August King, a widower in 1815 in North Carolina, who has to decide to either help or return a runaway slave (Thandie Newton).
Journey of Hope (1990) – A poor Turkish family immigrate to Switzerland illegally.
Journey of Natty Gann, The (1985) – Period piece with John Cusack about title character’s journey.
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) – An expedition through a quiescent Icelandic volcano to the center of the earth.
Joy House (1964) – Cult classic with Alain Delon and Jane Fonda and directed by René Clément.
Joy Luck Club, The (1993) – Wayne Wang epic about the lives of Chinese women from their pasts in China to their American-raised daughters based on Amy Tan’s novel.
Joy Ride (2001) – Intricate and meticulous is this second entry into John Dahl’s nu-western expeditions in which well-paced thrills ensue amidst a serial killer/road kill game. ***
Joyless Street, The (1925) – Greta Garbo and a depression in Vienna after WWI.
Ju Dou (1990) – Often considered Yimou Zhang’s masterpiece this banned in China love story tells of a mill owner’s wife (Gong Li) and her affair with his nephew.
Juarez (1939) – Paul Muni and Bette Davis in a political drama.
Jubilee (1977) – Derek Jarman’s post-apocalyptic skewering of wasted youth as viewed through early British punk that’s both beautiful and stark in a furious flood of bizarre imagery, featuring Adam Ant and early Brian Eno soundtrack. ****
Judas Kiss (1999) – From the sound of it this Carla Gugino crime thriller is pure Tarantino rip-off.
Jude (1996) – Michael Winterbottom’s adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s “Jude the Obscure” with Christopher Eccleston in the lead.
Judex (1963) – Crime drama in which a baker gets involved with business he shouldn’t.
Judge and the Assassin, The (1976) – Period piece in 1893 France with Philippe Noiret and Isabelle Huppert.
Judge Dredd (1995) – Irritating comic book antihero adaptation with Stallone embodying its title character and Rob Schneider embodying its downfall. **
Judgment Night (1993) – Weak and awkward action picture with Emilio Estevez surviving a virtually abandoned Urban hell when pursued by an angry Denis Leary. **
Juggernaut (1974) Action thriller about terrorist plot to blow up a luxury transatlantic with Richard Harris, Omar Sharif, Anthony Hopkins, and Ian Holm.
Juice (1992) – Ernest R. Dickerson Harlem ghetto drama with Omar Epps and Tupac Shakur.
Jules and Jim (1962) – French New Wave marker centering on a love triangle by François Truffaut.
Julia Has Two Lovers (1991) – Romance with an early David Duchovny.
Julian Po (1997) – Comedy drama in which a frustrated Christian Slater announces he’s going to kill himself to the denizens of a small town. Anyone want to stop him?
Julien Donkey-Boy (1999) – Harmony Korine’s second absorbing procession of the geeks and freaks is alarmingly emotional and haunting; portraying a schizophrenic and his family, and paying extensive homage as usual to Werner Herzog (not to mention co-starring him). ***1/2
Juliet of the Spirits (1965) – Federico Fellini collaborates once again with Giulietta Masina in this Technicolor dream fantasy.
Jumanji (1995) – Often entertaining if bland adventure fluff adapted from Chris Van Allsburg’s book about all-powerful, time altering board game with Robin Williams as centerpiece. **1/2
Jumpin’ at the Boneyard (1992) – Drug-addiction drama with Tim Roth.
Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986) – Penny Marshall directed and Whoopi Goldberg starring vehicle about a bank employee’s adventures.
June Bride (1948) – Bette Davis comedy about bickering ex-lovers on a magazine’s staff.
Jungle Book, The (1967) – The ever entertaining Disney animated romp through savagery, music and Rudyard Kipling. ***
Jungle Book 2, The (2003) – Sequel to that ever entertaining Disney adaptation.
Jungle Fever (1991) – Fascinating Spike Lee Joint about the effects of interracial relationships and the societal perceptions and misconceptions caused by it. ***1/2
Jungle 2 Jungle (1997) – Horrendously inebriating Tim “Dick” Allen fare about ridiculously (but typically) self-absorbed Tim Dick introducing his recently discovered illegitimate jungle son into civilization. Destroy every copy you come across. *
Junior (1994) – Twins Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito are fertility research scientists in this Ivan Reitman comedy in which Arnold gets knocked up.
Jupiter’s Thigh (1981) – Comedy with Annie Girardot and Philippe Noiret.
Jupiter’s Wife (1994) – Documentary filmmaker meets a woman in Central Park claiming to be the wife of the mythic Greek God Jupiter.
Jurassic Park (1993) – Amazing and exhilarating Spielberg adventure on the infamous dinosaur island. ***1/2
Jurassic Park III (2000) – Hopefully the final chapter in the series as butchered by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor whose attempts at a parody of some kind are drowned by the droning, nondescript nature of the project. **
Juror, The (1996) – Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin in a movie.
Jury Duty (1995) – Disturbing Pauly Shore thing with his usual amount of nothingness and insult. *
Just Another Pretty Face (1958) – Comedy with Jean-Paul Belmondo about beautiful orphan escaping her reformatory and meeting up with jewel smugglers.
Just Between Friends (1986) – Drama with Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Danson about the importance of friends amid tragedy.
Just Cause (1995) – Drama-thriller with Sean Connery and Laurence Fishburne about murders and such.
Just Like a Woman (1992) – Drama comedy about transvestite’s misadventures.
Just Married (2003) – Haven’t seen it yet and probably don’t want to. Buffoonish Ashton Kutcher gets Brittany Murphy and I don’t, enough said.
Just Tell Me What You Want (1980) – Sidney Lumet comedy with Ali MacGraw and Alan King and their sexual politics.
Justine (1969) – George Cukor’s visual adaptation of Lawrence Durrell’s “Alexandria Quartet.”
Juvenile – Anything of or pertaining to Pauly Shore.
Juwanna Man (2002) – Cross-dressing basketball playing.
The rest of the alphabet:
Artbyjude - B
cripper - F
dedemw - Y
d_fienberg - O
DrDevience - A
food_critic - M
JackSommersby - T
lemon_lime - R
Lynus -K
MACRESARF1 - I
mfunk75 - U
millinocket - C and Q
Pffrdfdus7 - J
Psychovant - D
Simply_Crispy– N and X
Skbreese – G
sleeper54 – P
SusiDee34 – Z
Vormancian - L and V
Weirdo87 - W
Wokelstein - S
xxxxer - E
Youngchinq – H
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Epinions.com ID:
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Member: Randall Leong
Location: Sunnydale, CA
Reviews written: 56
Trusted by: 180 members
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