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Movies about Los Angeles > Movies about New York

phongonephongone 1,652 Posts
edited March 2010 in Strut Central
Collectively, I think movies about LA are better than movies about NY. Discuss.Good movies about LA (in which LA plays a prominent role or is critical to the movie)- LA Confidential- Heat- Chinatown- Boyz in the Hood- Training Day- L.A. Story- Magnolia- Beverly Hills CopGood movies about LA - Taxi Driver- Manhattan- Escape from New York- Do the Right Thing- Wall Street- The Godfather- French Connection- Big- Saturday Night Fever
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  Comments

  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,905 Posts
    Not to take anything away from LA. Since there are some amazing films about it.

    But IMO NYC

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_set_in_New_York_City
  • chrisflyerchrisflyer 275 Posts
    Heat is better than any movie ever.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    Heat is better than any movie ever.

    Can you explain why you like this movie?

    I wanted to like it, but found it a struggle to sit through.
  • MjukisMjukis 1,675 Posts
    Big Lebowski is a heavy fruit in the LA basket for sure.
  • phongonephongone 1,652 Posts
    Heat is better than any movie ever.

    Can you explain why you like this movie?

    I wanted to like it, but found it a struggle to sit through.

    Heat is the pinnacle of the crime thriller genre. Why do you persist in hating everything West Coast, Faux Rilla?
  • chrisflyerchrisflyer 275 Posts
    Heat is better than any movie ever.

    Can you explain why you like this movie?

    I wanted to like it, but found it a struggle to sit through.


    Outside of citing specific actors and performances, not really. There's just something about the tone or whatever that I really get into.


    edit:

    Heat is the pinnacle of the crime thriller genre.

    yeah, that too.
  • phongonephongone 1,652 Posts
    Not to take anything away from LA. Since there are some amazing films about it.

    But IMO NYC

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_set_in_New_York_City

    This is a decent list of all of the films ever shot in NYC, but doesn't really advance the argument that NY has more amazing flicks. You mean to tell me that "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "CHUD" and "Rumble in the Bronx" enhance NYC's movie canon?

    b/w - I bet you haven't seen 90% of the flicks on that list.
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    Heat is better than any movie ever.

    Can you explain why you like this movie?

    I wanted to like it, but found it a struggle to sit through.

    Heat is the pinnacle of the crime thriller genre.

    That's quite a claim. How familiar are you with the history of film?
  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    I might need to revisit it (only saw the movie when I was a young teen) but the fact that L.A. Story is included in the list pretty much deads the argument. Maybe throw The Player on there instead?

    New York forever.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Heat is better than any movie ever.

    Can you explain why you like this movie?

    I wanted to like it, but found it a struggle to sit through.

    The only truly great thing I remember about "Heat" is Al Pacino's (apparently
    ad-libbed) line "Because she's got a GREAT ASS - and you've got your head -
    all the way up it!"

    As for being the "pinnacle of the crime thriller genre," that statement is laughably false.

    See Huston's "Asphalt Jungle" or Kubrick's "The Killing" for examples of crime
    thrillers that schitt on "Heat" from dizzying heights.
  • deathvalley90210deathvalley90210 398 Posts
    "rumble in the bronx" should get some sort of special award for having bronx street scenes with snow-capped mountains in the background.
  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    Heat is better than any movie ever.

    Can you explain why you like this movie?

    I wanted to like it, but found it a struggle to sit through.

    Heat is the pinnacle of the crime thriller genre.

    That's quite a claim. How familiar are you with the history of film?

    i also don;t get why heat is so highly rated by some. felt it was a major drag and the performances (especially pacino v deniro which some had been waiting a generation for)were flat out disappointing. that movie is at best merely competent hollywood boiler-plate.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    Or Mulholland Drive? Or Sunset Boulevard or Decline of Western Civilization?
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    Well New York does have Rumble in the bronx, Citizen Kane, Superfly, Serpico, Warriors, Ghostbusters, Coming to America. Pretty impressive.

    LA got Die Hard, Blazing saddles, Dolemite, Cheech and chong's up in smoke, Friday, Blade runner, Barton Fink, and Reservoir dogs.

    Pretty close call.

    I'mma give New york the edge, because movie New york is much more intimidating then movie LA, and also I really f*cking hate the movie CRASH.

    - spidey
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    Or Mulholland Drive?

    I still hate that movie.

    - spidey
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    i also don;t get why heat is so highly rated by some. felt it was a major drag and the performances (especially pacino v deniro which some had been waiting a generation for)were flat out disappointing. that movie is at best merely competent hollywood boiler-plate.

    Well said. There are literally dozens of classic crime dramas/films noir that I would rather watch.
  • GrandfatherGrandfather 2,303 Posts
    Boulevard Knights, The Duke of Earl, Mi Vida Loca, Menace 2 Society
  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    Heat did not age that well (I bought it on Blu-ray several months ago). I still think it's a great film, with the downtown shootout obviously a highlight. But it's really all style -- slick suits, slick guns and lonely L.A. nights and Pacino's hoo-hahing at a near-apex.
  • DORDOR Two Ron Toe 9,905 Posts
    Not to take anything away from LA. Since there are some amazing films about it.

    But IMO NYC

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_set_in_New_York_City

    This is a decent list of all of the films ever shot in NYC, but doesn't really advance the argument that NY has more amazing flicks. You mean to tell me that "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "CHUD" and "Rumble in the Bronx" enhance NYC's movie canon?

    b/w - I bet you haven't seen 90% of the flicks on that list.


    I'd put TMNT against say something like Bill & Ted's... And hate on Rumble all you want. but some of the stunts in that film are very next level.

    And you're right, I haven't seen 90%. But if you are going to take all the strong films from each city. NYC IMO wins.
  • fishmongerfunkfishmongerfunk 4,154 Posts
    a lot of movie's tend to galmourize and romanticize NY (ie. manhattan, saturday night fever, bright lights big city, etc) whereas LA is almost always portrayed as a sleazy den of inequity where the glossy surfaces mask hypocrisy and corruption (chinatown, la confidential, et al).

    maybe that's a false generalization but name one movie that romanticizes or glamourizes the city of angels?
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    Or Mulholland Drive?

    I still hate that movie.

    - spidey

    It's no fan of yours either!






















  • phongonephongone 1,652 Posts


    As for being the "pinnacle of the crime thriller genre," that statement is laughably false.

    See Huston's "Asphalt Jungle" or Kubrick's "The Killing" for examples of crime
    thrillers that schitt on "Heat" from dizzying heights.

    I am certainly no expert on the genre, and my statement was overly hyperbolic for sure. It's just weird how polarizing any discussion about "Heat" is - I know there's other SS threads devoted on the subject on why it's great/why it sucks -- so won't get into that here.

    Y'all dudes just hate the genius that is Michael Mann.
  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts
    Y'all dudes just hate the genius that is Michael Mann.

    Not really. When it comes down to it, Mann's made more bad movies that he's made good ones. I hate to say it, especially when he's one of the best directors ever to come out of the other second city, Chicago.

    B/W:

    --Thief
    --Blues Brothers
    --Ferris Bueler's Day Off
    --Medium Cool (worth a watch if only for the footage from DNC '68)
    --Untouchables
    --Dark Knight
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    I don't see it as polarizing at all - only when people start
    claiming it's "the greatest whatever since whatever" ... "Heat"
    is a good film, a very watchable crime thriller, but hardly a
    masterpiece. Most people tend to agree, as far as I have seen.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts

    --Dark Knight

    Doesn't this take place in Gotham City??
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    maybe that's a false generalization but name one movie that romanticizes or glamourizes the city of angels?





    - spidey
  • white_teawhite_tea 3,262 Posts

    --Dark Knight

    Doesn't this take place in Gotham City??

    I think you may be right. It's been a while since I saw it;
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    Or Mulholland Drive?

    I still hate that movie.

    - spidey

    It's no fan of yours either!























    Don't get me wrong. I'll still give it up for Naomi Watts, who I thought was a thug, and the dude behind the trashcan, but f that movie. You suck David lynch, damn you.

    - spidey
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    It's the last movie I was happy to see her in, then it was all Naomi, all the time. Overkill.
    Her switch-a-roo in the audition scene is still steamy imo. It all fell apart at the Chinese puzzle box, but up to then, I think it's a terrific movie, totally entertaining.
  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts


    As for being the "pinnacle of the crime thriller genre," that statement is laughably false.

    See Huston's "Asphalt Jungle" or Kubrick's "The Killing" for examples of crime
    thrillers that schitt on "Heat" from dizzying heights.

    I am certainly no expert on the genre, and my statement was overly hyperbolic for sure. It's just weird how polarizing any discussion about "Heat" is - I know there's other SS threads devoted on the subject on why it's great/why it sucks -- so won't get into that here.

    Y'all dudes just hate the genius that is Michael Mann.

    I don't hate it--I just think it drags on for about an hour longer than necessary. I'm mystified by people who ride so hard for it.

    And this is coming form someone who thinks Mann's Miami Vice film is an under-recognized classic.
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