'Jaws'

Jaws is probably one of the top 100 films on the 1,001 list.

Why?

It's not because it's a particularly good film in the strictest of senses. The acting isn't great, the shots aren't just awesome. It's not really breathtakingly good or anything.

But it scared the shit out of everyone. Still does. And that makes it one of the top 100 films ever made.

When that book and film came out, people were terrified to ever go in the water. Bath tubs and pools feel weird after you've seen it.

One day, my kid's going to watch Jaws and she, too, will be scared shitless. Other films try to make you sad, mad, happy or pensive. It changed one's demeanor.

Jaws changed your behavior. That's filmmaking.

Also wanted to point out Roy Scheider's portrayal of the Amity sheriff Brody. We always think that somehow he's some kind of a badass.

In fact, Scheider does a really good job at making Brody one of the most inept law enforcement officers in film history. Look at one of the opening scenes.

The girl goes out swimming at night and goes missing. The girl's boyfriend and Brody go to the beach to check things out. Brody's wearing this wind breaker, carrying and fumbling around with a bunch of crap and he's running clumsily in the sand toward the remains of the girl.

Not exactly Clint Eastwood or John Wayne.

Work in the fact that he hates the water, can't shoot, has no real control over his jurisdiction and really has no idea what he's doing except in the final 10 minutes of the film when he suddenly gets the brilliant idea to stuff an oxygen tank into a shark and take 20 shots to blow it up.