There are many lists of films to see before you die. Some consist of 10, while there are others that can go as high as 1,000. Jennifer L. Jacobson, PR and Social Media Representative for Retrevo.com, created her own list of films to see before you die that are “nerd-approved.” But she did something different. For her list, she left out the films that many have seen before, including “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “Avatar” and “The Matrix.”
Along with being the site’s PR and Social Media Representative, Jacobson is also Retrevo.com’s resident film buff. She obtained her undergraduate and master’s degree in broadcast and electronics communication arts from San Francisco State University. She also minored in cinema while attending SFSU. She is also the author of “42 Rules of Social Media for Small Business.”
Her list, titled “Epic Nerd-Approved Movies to See Before You Die – That Aren’t ‘Avatar,’ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Star Trek,’ ‘The Matrix,’ ‘Indiana Jones,’ ‘Back to the Future’ or ‘LOTR,’” features some films I have seen and some I haven’t seen. It’s a very unique list, and I’ve actually decided to make a challenge for myself after reading it.
My challenge: I will watch (or rewatch) all of these films and do reviews of them. These probably won’t be like my normal film reviews. I might include some discussion questions at the end or some interesting trivia or something.
The full list can be viewed by clicking here. Below is the interview I had with her:
David Wangberg: What prompted you to create this list?
Jennifer L. Jacobson: I’ve always loved offbeat, nerdy things (ask any of my childhood friends about my annual “‘The Last Unicorn’ Fest” parties). In college, I began studying filmmaking and eventually graduated with a masters degree in broadcast communications. I’ve seen a lot of amazing films, but when it came to nerd-friendly lists that went beyond the classic blockbusters like “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and “The Lord of the Rings,” I realized there needed to be a list of slightly lesser-known, must-see films. This list was created out of the idea that no one is born a nerd, but that we become nerds over the course of our lives and movies play a big part in shaping one’s worldview.
David Wangberg: What made you do multiple categories with many films instead of a top 10 or 20?
Jennifer L. Jacobson It’s easy to say what the top sci-fi, fantasy, etc. films are, and many people have done that. I wanted to develop a new criteria; a list of films to see after you’ve seen the most obvious films. It’s like gaming. After you get past level one, you can go to other, more varied levels and trust me, nerd-friendly media categories split into many different directions very quickly.
When I started this list, it was just going to be ten great nerd-approved films that weren’t as well known as “Star Wars.” Once I started writing it, however, I kept encountering films like “The Secret of NIMH,” that may not appeal to absolutely every nerd, but that would definitely appeal to nerd-children. There were also films like “Let the Right One In,” that a lot of nerds might not like if they don’t appreciate long, drawn-out stories about the subtle and complex relationships between children and child vampires. It quickly became apparent that categories would point specific nerd types toward films that they would actually like.
David Wangberg: Out of all the nerd films on your list, why no “Tremors” or “2001: A Space Odyssey?”
Jennifer L. Jacobson: Phew! Here, I thought I was going to be asked about “Aliens.” “2001: A Space Odyssey” is an epic, must see, nerd-friendly film that I think everyone should see. However, I have a feeling that everyone has seen the film, and I wanted to celebrate the slightly less well-known films out there. As for “Tremors,” I’ve probably seen it about six times, but it just didn’t feel right for this list. That said, I’m hoping to publish a “Part II” to this list at some point that includes titles like “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Ghost World,” “Clerks,” “Fight Club,” and “Amadeus.”
David Wangberg: Was this a list you put together by yourself, or were there many people who helped out?
Jennifer L. Jacobson: This is my own personal list that I created and yes, most of these films can be found on either Blu-ray or DVD in my home (there may even be a couple on HD DVD). I have to thank my husband for introducing me to some of the best films of all time. Many of these films we’ve seen together in the theater. My final list has over seventy hand picked films.
David Wangberg: How long did it take to put together this list?
Jennifer L. Jacobson: Once I started working on it, this list took about a week and a half to produce (this is, of course, a week and a half while multitasking). Writing the initial list was easy, but as it grew, I kept finding more films that just made sense to add. Finding the best movie trailers on YouTube for each film was time consuming. Not every trailer out there does a good job of conveying what a movie is about and I wanted to give my readers, who hadn’t seen these films, a chance to see each film’s potential. I also debated writing a full description of each film but opted instead to link directly to the IMDb, where they can read as much as they want about each film.
David Wangberg: Do you identify yourself as a nerd, and what do you feel defines the nerd culture?
Jennifer L. Jacobson: Yes. There are gamer nerds, math nerds, movie nerds, Trekkies and more. I’m probably more of a movie nerd myself, but I could also be described as a nerd because I love gadgets, puppet history, singing in small ensemble choirs (no, not like “Glee”) and I’ve been writing short stories, novels and novellas since I was in elementary school.
The meaning of the term “nerd” has grown in recent years to accommodate a wider-world view, outside the tried-and-true pocket protector, scientific calculator crowd it used to solely represent. “Nerd” is not a dirty word; it’s a positive word, an intellectual word and even a compliment. I think my current definition is something like, “A term that describes intellectual people who don’t exactly fit into mainstream culture, but have their own niche societies.”
With the liberation of individuals voices over Facebook and Twitter, I think we are living in an excellent time for nerd-kind. We have scientific superstars like Neil deGrasse Tyson in the news. There are TV shows that reveal the behind-the-scenes of nerd life, like “The Big Bang Theory.” “Attack of the Show” brings you nerd-friendly news on TV. We have wildly popular nerd-friendly shows like “MythBusters,” which encourages people to question popular myths and explore the world with science and creativity. “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” features Geoff, who is a robot. We have George Takei calling openly for a peace between “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” fans to unite against “Twilight” – which he says offers, “No great stories, or profound life lessons to be had.” This is a great time for nerds.
David Wangberg: How has the response been for this article since it's been published?
Jennifer L. Jacobson: So far, the response to my list has been overwhelmingly positive and even mixed with a little nostalgia. People like validation that their favorite nerd-friendly films really were good, or at least, enjoyable and others are enjoying finding something new, based on what they already like.
I was able to reconnect one woman with “Mac and Me,” when all these years she had people mistakenly thinking she had seen “E.T..” That was particularly gratifying, though the film really isn't as good as “E.T.” At the Apple store the other day, I was talking to someone about their favorite geeky films and they blurted out “Dark City.” This is a time of year when a lot of people spend more time indoors at home, and I think it's a perfect time for people to reconnect with the films that helped make them who they are and find films they haven't seen, that will make their winters a little warmer.
David Wangberg: What is it about these movies that you think makes them appealing to the nerd culture?
Jennifer L. Jacobson: Nerds in real life are typically familiar with adversity, with pushing the envelope of science, humanity or social acceptance and these films represent a triumph of the downtrodden and unlikely hero. They challenge the norm, whether it’s the norm of a society or of a character’s existence.
The exact formula for my list was loosely: “If you’re a nerd, chances are, this film either has changed, or will change the way you look at the world.” In looking over the final list, you’ll find that none of these films end up being about regular people, just doing regular things. They’re all windows in to epic stories that appeal to people’s inner nerd.
David Wangberg: Out of all of these, which one is your absolute favorite?
Jennifer L. Jacobson: I dearly love almost each and every one of these films, but if I have to pick one that is my absolute favorite, I pick “Blade Runner” (the director’s cut). The book is haunting and it’s a shame Philip K. Dick didn’t live to see this work on the big screen. This film raises the question, “Does empathy make us human?” and if so, “What happens when we finally create machines that have empathy?” On a side note, as PR Director for Retrevo.com, it’s interesting to me that Retrevo uses Artificial Intelligence to review gadgets and help people shop. Maybe someday that kind of A.I., that Watson-like intelligence, will feel empathy, but we have a long way to go.
My close seconds would be films like “Dark City,” “Princess Mononoke,” “Empire of the Sun,” “Being John Malkovich” and “Brazil.”
This concludes my interview with Jennifer L. Jacobson. I would like to thank her for sending me the link to her column and taking the time to talk to me about it. My challenge will begin shortly, fellow readers. Stay tuned.
All the films on Jennifer’s list can be found at any All the Best Video, Blockbuster or Redbox in Chico. They can also be found on Netflix.
David also writes as the Chico Events Examiner, National Boardwalk Empire Examiner and for We Got This Covered.
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