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J.J. Abrams Lists His 5 Favorite Films for Rotten Tomatoes

by Alex Billington
April 28, 2009
Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Sadly, J.J. Abrams is not doing any online press for Star Trek, so I have to resort to pulling his best quotes from other non-online press outlets. This selection today comes from Rotten Tomatoes (they got away with this by recording it early in London), where they have a video interview with Abrams that is fairly fascinating to watch. If any of you have seen Abrams' talk at TED (if not, watch it here), you'll remember that he talks about one of his all-time favorite films, Jaws, at one point in his presentation. Well near the end of this interview, Abrams talks about his own five favorite films - one of which, of course, is Jaws.

In case you might've missed those five, here they are again: Jaws, Philadelphia Story, Star Wars, Tootsie (what the?), and Rear Window. One of my other favorite parts of the interview is how Abrams mentions that he's "still learning" as he goes and that he uses the phrase "in my limited experience." That's a very humbling statement, especially coming from someone who just finished directing a $150 million reboot of a beloved sci-fi franchise. Even at this point (this is only his second film), Abrams still says he's a director who is constantly learning from his mistakes and improving every single day. He certainly has my respect.

Explore tags: Hype, Opinions, To Watch

http://manxome.tumblr.com/ manxome

two jimmy stewart movies! havent seen tootsie or the philadelphia story...i'll have to get on that.
Trip

I feel old now, but Tootsie is a great movie... kind of groundbreaking at the time, all-time great director and fantastic cast. I can see why it is on his list.
http://entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com entertainmenttodayandbeyond.com

Tootsie is easily one of the best comedies ever made. Screenwriters wish they could come up with screenplays like that one nowadays. chuck
adam

Why isn't he doing online press interviews?
Dolly Dahmer

Add Tootsie to the list of "what-the's," along with that weird Rebel without a Cause movie.
captain subtext

J.J. Abrams, Liz Lemon,... I guess I have to check out Tootsie...
brian

i want to see the girl that was asking the questions, abrams was trying his best to be charming. hope you nailed her J.J.!
Kristina

Tootsie is a great movie and is actually on a few well respected director's favorite films lists.
http://www.theaterhopper.com Tom Brazelton

Rear Window - great call. In my Top 5 for sure. But instead of Philadelphia Story, I'd throw a different Jimmy Stewart movie in the mix. Vertigo.
Fisherr

J.J. Abhrams got my respect he is a very humble person.
Hey Ya

Either he's humble or smart enough to act it. I'm going have to say the latter. I know he's talented but you know he has an ego. People wouldn't like that though so, what else would you say?
WingcommanderIV

"He certainly has my respect." That and a buck fifty will get him a coffee at Tim Hortens.
harrison

i would subscribe to the jaws network, and i cant wait much longer for star trek...which is strange because i am pretty much the furthest thing from a trekkie
M

I always loved J.J. Abrams because he created my favourite tv show - LOST I am not a trekkie so don't think i will watch Star Trek but I hope it does well for him.
http://www.popcorntaxi.tv Popcorn Taxi

Watch this video where JJ Abrams speaks to Popcorn Taxi about Star Trek: http://tr.im/jYxV
avoidz

Tootsie is one of the greatest comedies in cinema history for good reason. I would easily rate it above the crusty comedy favorite Some Like It Hot.
Conrad

#6 - 30 Rock rules and Tina Fey is a goddess!! Yeah Tootsie is great, I saw it for the first time recently. I was blown away how good it was. R.I.P. Sydney Pollack. J.J. Abrams is good in an interview, that's for sure. But he's still a mediocre producer and filmmaker. Cause I thought MI:3 was shit.
Nikhil Hariharan

Rear Window, omg one of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock films ever. The cinematography and the use of light made the movie that much better!! Good choice JJ
Tom

I like JJ so much more than Zack Snyder, he sounds so much more competent.