Marathon Man - 3/5

This movie is a capable thriller, but some of the tense scenes have cheap, underwhelming reversals. The setup is great and much of the runtime is devoted to dwelling in the uncertainty of the protagonist’s position. There’s a torture scene that seemed mostly pointless to dwell on in retrospect, and the ending is downright out of character. But for a tense, paranoid conspiracy thriller you could do a lot worse.

Closest comparison: It’s like Enemy of the State by way of Three Days of the Condor.

Setting: Espionage
Plot: Espionage
Tone: Thriller

The French Connection (1971) - 4/5

This is a long, slow stake out movie that opts for realism over thrills. It’s a much more palatable entry to the Unhinged Cop genre than most, choosing to making its point more with racial slurs and questionable shakedowns instead of with rape and addiction. There are more stakeouts than chases, more chases than gunfights, and its own ‘70s realism style to tie it all together. The ending leaves something to be desired, but overall it holds up very well.

Closest comparison: It’s like Training Day by way of Taxi Driver.

Setting: Crime
Plot: Buddy Cop
Tone: Crime

Jaws (1975) - 5/5

This film is so classic it has become background noise in the world of cinema, but it’s still as thrilling as ever. Spielberg’s cinematography is on full master class display to conduct the audience’s emotions, including one of — if not THE — most famous shots of all time. Its light horror vibes suggest an older audience, but it somehow manages to maintain a Spielbergian mostly family-friendly demeanor. It’s much more slow-paced than its reputation may suggest, though fans of Spielberg’s other works will feel right at home.

Content warning: brief female nudity

Closest comparison: It’s like Alien by way of E.T.

Setting: Vacation
Plot: Adventure
Tone: Thriller