Shark Week is here and while Discovery Channel has a truly Jaws-sized lineup of content scheduled, there are also several films for those fans who need an additional shark fix.
For the past 31 years, Discovery Channel has devoted a week of its programing to the ocean’s most notorious predators during its annual Shark Week celebrations of all things shark. One of the longest-running events in television history, Shark Week draws millions of viewers each year.
Programming for the week begins daily at 8:00 p.m. local time and runs through 11:00 p.m. local time. That might be enough shark content for some folks, but it also leaves more than 20 hours in the day for true shark fans to watch classic movies and newer releases about these fascinating fish.
Jaws
An obvious film to accompany Shark Week’s programming is Jaws, the film that not only made director Steven Spielberg a household name and started the modern trend of summer blockbuster movies, but convinced countless moviegoers to stay on the beach while their friends waded into the ocean. For those few folks unfamiliar with the 1975 hit, it chronicles the terror that a great white shark wreaks upon one New England vacation island during the height of the summer tourist season.
Jaws and its many sequels are currently streaming on the Starz app for subscribers. The film is also available for rent or purchase from Amazon, Google Play and Apple’s movie store.
The Shallows
Released in 2016, this thriller stars Blake Lively as Nancy, who finds herself trapped in the feeding ground of a great white shark. With 200 yards between herself and the safety of shore Nancy has to fight to survive. The film is for rent or purchase from Amazon, Google Play and Apple’s movie store.
Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic/Getty
Open Water
The film that started the franchise, the first Open Water tells the story of a couple, Susan and Daniel, who decide to take a scuba diving trip during their Caribbean vacation. However, like a terrifying Home Alone set in the ocean, the couple gets left behind and has to figure out how to stay safe, especially when sharks appear.Both Open Water and Open Water 2 are currently streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime for subscribers. The films are also available for rent or purchase from Amazon, Google Play and Apple.
The Meg
In The Meg, fictional Naval Captain Jonas Taylor encounters a Megalodon, an extremely large and extinct species of shark. A turn of events leads Taylor to once again possibly come face to face with the beast in what could be a suicide or rescue mission.
HBO Go or HBO Now subscribers can currently stream The Meg online. The films is also available for purchase from Amazon, Google Play and Apple.
Shark Tale
Okay, enough of the horror shark films. It’s time for an uplifting animated tale of Lenny, a misfit shark, and Oscar, a down-on-his-luck fish, working together to prove themselves and achieve fame and fortune.
This movie is currently available for streaming on HBO Go and HBO Now, and available for rent or purchase on Amazon, Google Play and Apple.
The Reef
After a boat capsizes off the coast of Australia, a group of friends tries to swim to shore, finding themselves being hunted by a great white shark. This 2010 Australian thriller is currently streaming on Amazon Prime, and available for rent or purchase from Amazon, Google Play and Apple.
Sharknado
Released in 2013, Sharknado chronicled people in Los Angeles grappling with a waterspout that lifted sharks out of the ocean and dumped them in the city. The film developed a cult following, and five sequels were released after the first film debuted on television.
Amazon Prime members can currently stream Sharknado as part of their subscription. The film is also available for rent or purchase from Amazon, Google Play and Apple.
Deep Blue Sea
In an effort to cure Alzheimer’s disease, a businessman launches a special project that involves enlarging shark brains so the enzymes can be harvested. However, no good deed goes unpunished, and the sharks soon become extremely smart and find a way to break out of the pens where they were being held.
This 1999 thriller, co-starring Samuel L. Jackson and LL Cool J, is available for rent or purchase from Amazon, Google Play and Apple.
Let’s block ads! (Why?)
