Sharks are awesome unless you encounter one in a movie.
While sitting on your couch and watching Shark Week might not give you any sort of frights, coming face-to-face with a big, hungry set of jaws is the stuff that movies are for.
Whether you want to watch a movie about a shark attack or just see a big, cartoon shark talk with an Australian accent, there are plenty of options out there for you to check out that will get you in a shark-y mood.
However, don’t settle for one of those subpar Sharknado movies. We’ve picked out five movies with sharks in them that won’t make you feel like you’re artistically compromising your evening movie time.
Just, y’know, make sure you’ve got plenty of shark repellant while you read this, and make sure you’ve got a big-enough boat.
Jaws (1975)
Jaws is the pinnacle of shark movies, one of the greatest films ever made and still as wholly terrifying and relentlessly fun as it was when it came out in 1975.
Some people still regard this as Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, and the main shark in question is as ferocious and memorable as any movie monster ever.
If you want a template on how to make a shark movie, watch Jaws.
The Shallows (2016)
Blake Lively starred in this excellent survival flick where a stranded surfer must escape shallow water while being hunted by a hungry shark.
If you want a movie where a normal person must defy the odds and stay alive while a shark lurks in the water, this is absolutely the movie for you.
Filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra never fails with these mid-budget thrillers, and this might be his strongest film to date.
Finding Nemo (2003)
While Finding Nemo might be an unorthodox inclusion on this list, it’s got one of the most memorable scenes involving sharks ever made.
Outside of being one of the greatest animated films of its generation, it’s got a delightful sense of humor. It’s never exemplified more than with Bruce the shark’s hilariously ironic friendly fish support group for fellow dwellers of the deep.
If you want a shark movie that’s limited on scares, this is definitely the one.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
Wes Anderson took on the sharks with The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, which pits Bill Murray’s Zissou against the fearsome (and fictional) Jaguar Shark.
This is primarily a quirky comedy, but it’s got all seafaring and shark-hunting you could hope for. It’s also a great movie in its own right.
The Meg (2018)
If you just want a big, dumb movie about a giant shark terrorizing a group of ocean-bound scientists and Jason Statham, you could do a lot worse than The Meg.
This is not an amazing movie by any means, but it is a deliriously stupid popcorn movie that is a breeze to get through. Plus, there’s enough shark action to keep you chummy for days.
