Top 15 Movies Filmed in California, USA by US Box Office

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Lights, Camera, Action! Get Ready to Explore Movie Magic in California

Lights, camera, action! Prepare to be swept away into a world of movie magic as we uncover the captivating filming locations right here in California. If you’re a movie buff or simply seeking an adventure, you’ve come to the right place. Get ready to embark on a cinematic journey like no other!

Key Takeaways:

  • Uncover the hidden gems of California by visiting its iconic filming locations.
  • Immerse yourself in the enchanting movie atmosphere as you explore these spots.
  • Discover the behind-the-scenes magic and gain a new perspective on your favorite films.
  • Capture picture-perfect moments and relive unforgettable scenes from beloved movies.
  • Create your own Hollywood-like experience and bask in the glitz and glamour of California.

Now, hold onto your popcorn, because we’re about to reveal why visiting movie filming locations is more exciting than a blockbuster premiere! Picture this: strolling through the bustling streets where your favorite actors once stood, feeling a sense of connection as you walk in their footsteps. It’s like being a part of the film, but without any auditions or extensive makeup!

Imagine yourself standing on the very beach where Marty McFly surfed his way through time in “Back to the Future,” or gazing up at the towering skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles, which served as the backdrop for the iconic “Blade Runner.” These locations aren’t just plain old sets; they have become woven into the fabric of cinematic history.

California’s diverse landscapes offer a smorgasbord of filming locations. From the breathtaking coastline where “Pirates of the Caribbean” sailed the high seas, to the picturesque vineyards that graced the screen in “Sideways,” you’ll find yourself transported to the heart of your favorite movies. Don’t be surprised if you start humming the theme song to “The Sound of Music” while wandering through the stunning hillsides of Salzburg, oh wait, we mean San Francisco!

Key takeaways:

  • Feel like a true Hollywood insider as you explore the actual locations where movie magic happened.
  • Get your camera ready for some picture-perfect moments to fill your feed with Hollywood-worthy shots.
  • Indulge in nostalgia and relive unforgettable movie moments by visiting these iconic spots.
  • Discover lesser-known filming locations that even the most die-hard movie fans might have missed.
  • Make your trip to California an unforgettable adventure that takes you beyond the typical tourist spots.

So, whether you’re a movie fanatic seeking the ultimate pilgrimage or simply looking for an extraordinary experience, visiting movie filming locations in California is an absolute must.

Grab your map, don your sunglasses, and get ready to dive headfirst into a world where fantasy and reality intertwine. Remember, the magic of movies is waiting for you to discover it in California!

Now, without further ado, it’s time to roll out the red carpet and start exploring the incredible list of movies filmed right here in the Golden State. Just below, you’ll find our carefully curated listicle that will lead you to the lights, camera, and action you’ve been yearning for. Let the cinematic adventure begin!

The Dark Knight Rises – US Box Office: USD$448,149,584

Director: Christopher Nolan

Main Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman 

Release Date: July 20, 2012

Filming Locations: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India; Wollaton Hall, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Chand Baori, Abhaneri, Rajasthan, India; Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK

Main Plot: Gotham City is at peace eight years after The Dark Knight (2008) events. It has to do with Batman falling for Harvey Dent’s murder. Still, a new evil force named Bane has arrived in Gotham. He intends to take over the city, uncovering the truth behind Harvey Dent. Now that Wayne Manor has been completely rebuilt, Bruce Wayne has become almost reclusive and rarely leaves the property. Batman was forced to retreat when Bane took over the city by force. However, his allies are few and far between. An up-and-coming jewel thief named Selene Kyle may be the key to stopping Bane, but whose side is she on?

Famous quotes:

Jim Gordon: “I never cared who you were.”

Batman: “And you were right.”

Jim Gordon: “…but shouldn’t the people know the hero who saved them?”

Batman: “A hero can be anyone. Even a man is doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a young boy’s shoulders to let him know that the world hadn’t ended.”

Bane: “[to Batman] Peace has cost you your strength! Victory has defeated you!”

Sequel: The Dark Knight; Batman Begins

Fun facts about The Dark Knight Rises:

  • In the football stadium sequence, the actors and extras are all dressed in heavy winter clothing, even though the scenes were shot during a massive heat wave on the East Coast in the summer of 2011.
  • During the production, a local man in Pittsburgh was arrested for trying to steal an unmarked police car. He said he was an actor and that his crime was a scene from a movie. 

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – US Box Office: USD$437,141,279

Director: Steven Spielberg

Main Cast: Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, and Drew Barrymore.

Release Date: June 11, 1982

Filming Locations: 7121 Lonzo Street, Tujunga, Los Angeles, California, USA; Northridge, Los Angeles, California, USA; Redwood National Park, Crescent City, California, USA; Porter Ranch, Northridge, Los Angeles, California, USA; Tujunga, Los Angeles, California, USA

Main Plot: While visiting the Earth one night to collect plants, an approaching human task force discovers and disturbs a group of alien botanists. One of them was left behind because he became busy. He is alone on a very strange planet. Fortunately, he soon found a friend and emotional partner, Elliot. It was a lonely 10-year-old boy whose parents had divorced. While E.T. slowly got to know Elliot’s siblings and the customs of Earth, the task force members worked day and night to track his whereabouts from space. He had a strong desire to return home in his heart. After he managed to communicate with Elliot and the others, he made a makeshift device to send messages home for people to retrieve him. But soon after, because of his special relationship with Elliot, he fell seriously ill. He also suffered when the task force finally got involved, and the situation became critical. By then, all help may be too late, and the spacecraft is still nowhere to be seen.

Famous quotes:

Elliott: “He’s a man from outer space, and we’re taking him to his spaceship.”

Greg: “Well, can’t he just beam up?”

Elliott: “This is *reality*, Greg.”

E.T.: “Be good.”

E.T.: “E.T. phone home.”

Michael: “Maybe it was an iguana.”

Elliott: “It was *no* iguana.”

Sequel: The Goonies

Fun fact about E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial:

  • The film ends with one of composer John Williams’ most significant musical adventures. After several attempts to match the soundtrack to the film, Steven Spielberg removed the film from the screen. He encouraged Williams to conduct the orchestra as he would in a concert. He did, and Spielberg slightly re-edited the film to match the music, which is unusual as music is usually edited to match the movie. As a result, Williams won an Academy Award in 1982 for Best Original Score.

Captain Marvel – US Box Office: USD$426,829,839

Director: Anna Boden

Main Cast: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening

Release Date: March 8, 2019 

Filming Locations: Shaver Lake, California, USA; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Oxnard, California, USA; Simi Valley, California, USA

Main Plot: In 1995, the Kree Empire’s capital planet and the Starforce Vers warrior experienced recurring nightmares involving an older woman. Yon-Rogg, her mentor and commander, warns her to control her abilities. While working with Officer Ronan to rescue an undercover spy, Vers is kidnapped. He was subjected to a memory investigation by a group of Skrulls, shape-shifting aliens with whom the Kree Empire is at war. After leaving the Skrull ship in an escape pod, Fresco makes his way to safety and crashes to Earth. His presence attracts the attention of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Fury later meets and agrees to work with Vers, while Commander Skrull Talos disguises himself as S.H.I.E.L.D. operating Keller. Using Fury’s security clearance, Vers discovers that she was a pilot believed to have died six years earlier while testing an experimental light-speed engine designed by scientist Wendy Lawson. The two flee after “Keller” confronts them, with Lawson’s cat Goose taking off and flying a small cargo plane to Louisiana. An encounter with fellow pilot Maria Rambeau and her young daughter Monica reveals that Vers’s real name is Carol Danvers.

Famous quotes:

Maria Rambeau: “You call me ‘young lady’ again. I’ll shove my foot up somewhere it’s not supposed to be.”

Talos: “Am I supposed to guess where that is?”

Nick Fury: “You know anything about a lady blowing up a Blockbuster? Witnesses say she was dressed for laser tag.”

Carol Danvers: “[to Yon-Rogg, refusing to fight him without her full powers] I have nothing to prove to you.”

Nick Fury: “We have no idea what other intergalactic threats are out there. And our one-woman security force had a prior commitment on the other side of the universe. S.H.I.E.L.D. alone can’t protect us. We need to find more.”

Fun fact about Captain Marvel:

  • Stan Lee died during the editing of the film. As such, Marvel Studios created a special unveiling sign in his honor. When Stan Lee joined, he was seen reading the script for Kevin Smith’s Mallrats (1995) and reciting the line “Believe My True Believer.” As Smith’s YouTube page revealed, Stan’s health was failing, and he couldn’t use his trademark enthusiasm. Hence, the producers created Lee’s unused Mallrats audio.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – US Box Office: USD$424,668,047

Director: Francis Lawrence

Main Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright 

Release Date: November 22, 2013

Filming Locations: Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Swan House – 3101 Andrews Drive Northwest, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; O’ahu, Hawaii, USA; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Oakland, New Jersey, USA

Main Plot:

Katniss and Peeta won at the 74th Hunger Games when the rebellion started. President Snow meets with Katniss and threatens the lives of everyone she knows and her loved ones. He will kill them if she doesn’t do everything to end the unrest.

When all his efforts fail, Plutarch Hensby (a former Games Master, now returned) meets Snow and advances to the quarterfinals. He overtakes the previous winners of the Hunger Games and kills them. Katniss and Peeta find themselves in the Quarter Quell but must ally to survive. However, these Katniss should appear for emotional reasons but not tactical ones. Will they be able to win?

Famous quotes:

Peeta Mellark: “Katniss, I don’t… I don’t know what kind of deals you made with Haymitch, but he made me promises too.”

Peeta Mellark: “If you die, and I live, I’d have nothing. Nobody else that I care about.”

Peeta Mellark: “It’s different for you. Your family needs you.”

Peeta Mellark: “You have to live. For them.”

Peeta Mellark: “Nobody needs me.”

Sequel: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1; The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2

Fun fact about The Hunger Games: Catching Fire:

  • Jena Malone said her undressing scene was filmed in the hotel’s glass elevator. It was not closed for production and could be viewed by guests. Although she was not shown naked on screen, she stripped in front of Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, and Jennifer Lawrence during filming. While she was surprised that the scene wasn’t shot in a studio or studio, she let it go. Then, just as she was naked, the door opened, and a hotel employee appeared with a coffee cup holder. He was shocked to see her naked. Malone tried to keep her cool, but she just started laughing.

Furious 7 – US Box Office: USD$353,007,020

Director: James Wan

Main Cast: Vin Diesel,  Paul Walker, Jason Statham, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster,  Dwayne Johnson, Lucas Black, Luke Evans.

Release Date: April 3, 2015

Filming Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Bloor St, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Woodland Park, Colorado, USA; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Santa Clarita, California, USA

Main Plot: Dominic and his crew believe they have given up the mercenary life of crime. They defeated international terrorist Owen Shaw and broke up. But now Shaw’s brother, Deckard Shaw, wants revenge by killing the crew one by one. To make matters worse, Somali terrorist Jacarde and a shadowy government official named “Mr.Nobody” race to steal a computer terrorist program called “God’s Eye.” This God’s Eye can turn any technological device into a weapon. Toretto calls back his team to stop Shaw and restore the God’s Eye program. But, while doing it, they were caught in a power struggle between the terrorists and the US government.

Famous quotes:

Dominic Toretto: “[remembering the time he had with Brian] I used to say I live my life a quarter mile at a time, and I think that’s why we were brothers – because you did too. No matter where you are, whether a quarter mile away or halfway across the world, you’ll always be with me. And you’ll always be my brother.”

Dominic Toretto: “I don’t have friends. I got family.”

Dominic Toretto: “How ’bout you tell us where that device is?”

Ramsey: “I mailed it to a friend. In Abu Dhabi.”

Brian O’Conner: “That was pretty easy. That other team wanted to torture you for that information.”

Ramsey: “I didn’t trust them. I trust you.”

Sequel: The Fate of the Furious

Fun fact about Furious 7:

  • Some of Paul Walker’s dialogue and shots are taken from previous Fast and Furious films. For example, Brian’s conversation with Mia in a garage in the Dominican Republic is a scene cut from Fast Five (2011). Likewise, every shot of Walker talking to Dom and Brian on the plane is taken from a conversation with Dom about their father in the same movie.

American Sniper – US Box Office: USD$350,159,020

Director: Clint Eastwood

Main Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes, Jake McDorman, Cory Hardrict, Kevin “Dauber” Lacz, Navid Negahban, Keir O’Donnell 

Release Date: January 16, 2015

Filming Locations: Northridge, Los Angeles, California, USA; O’Malleys Pub, Seal Beach, California, USA; Salé, Morroco; Marina del Rey, California, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA

Main Plot: In the opening scene, US Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle sits on a roof as he scans the path of an American military convoy with his sniper rifle. He sees a man on a rooftop talking on a cell phone and appears to be watching the convoy, which Kyle reports through his headphones. He is told that if the man says troop movements, he has the green light to shoot him, but Kyle isn’t sure. But later on, the man disappears from the roof, and a  woman and a boy appear on the threshold of the same building and walk toward the convoy. Kyle reports the woman and the boy, noting that she does not swing her arms as she walks and appears to be carrying something. No one in the convoy can see it to confirm. He watches through the scope as the woman removes part of her cape and hands it to the boy, realizing it’s a grenade. He gets the green light to shoot again, but his naval guard warns him that he will go to jail for shooting a child if he is wrong. 

Famous quotes:

Wayne Kyle: “[to his sons] There are three types of people in this world: sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs. Some people prefer to believe that evil doesn’t exist in the world, and if it ever darkened their doorstep, they wouldn’t know how to protect themselves. Those are the sheep.”

Wayne Kyle: “Then you’ve got predators who use violence to prey on the weak. They’re the wolves.”

Wayne Kyle: “And then there are those blessed with the gift of aggression, an overpowering need to protect the flock. These men are the rare breed who live to confront the wolf. They are the sheepdog.”

Tony: “Squirrel! Where’d you hide your nuts?”

‘Squirrel: “Nuts crawled up inside, sir. Those little shits are gone. They’re nice and warm though now, sir.”

Chris Kyle: “I wanted to be a cowboy, but I did that and felt I needed something more.”

Sequel: Lone Survivor. Fury

Fun fact about American Sniper:

  • To gain over 40 pounds, Bradley Cooper ate around 6,000 calories daily, equating to one meal every 55 minutes. Cooper added that eating those calories was no fun because his meals usually came in bland protein shakes that he had to gulp down between weights. He trained four hours a day with his trainer for several months. Cooper also took lessons from a voice coach twice daily and spent many hours studying Chris Kyle’s footage. 

Alice in Wonderland – US Box Office: USD$334,191,110

Director: Tim Burton

Main Cast: Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry.

Release Date: March 5, 2010 

Filming Locations:  Antony House, Torpoint, Cornwall, England, UK; Stage 11, Culver Studios – 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA; Culver Studios – 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cornwall, England, UK

Main Plot: Alice Kingsleigh is the daughter of Charles Kingsleigh. In the 19th century, she began to find profitable sea routes around the world. However, Charles dies, and Alice misses his playful nature. Now trapped in a world of customs suitable for people like her, Alice finds herself at a garden party where she is expected to accept Hamish’s marriage proposal. Moreover,  Alice is quickly distracted when she sees a rabbit in a vest nearby and rushes toward the strange creature. The hole leads her to an unknown room. She finds a key, a potion that makes her smaller. There’s also a cake that makes her bigger.  Shortly after that, she meets the White Rabbit, the Dormouse, a Dodo bird, and the Tweedles. The White Rabbit explains that this time he is sure he has found the right Alice, while the Dormouse thinks he is wrong. Alice explains that her name is Alice but hears they are looking for another “Alice.” They take her to Absolem the Caterpillar, who consults a scroll detailing the history of Wonderland from her birth. 

Famous quotes:

Alice Kingsley: “Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

The Mad Hatter: “That is an excellent practice.”

Alice Kingsley: “Do you think I’ve gone ’round the bend?”

Charles Kingsleigh: “I’m afraid so… you’re mad. Bonkers. Off your head… but I’ll tell you a secret… all of the best people are.”

The Mad Hatter: “[to Alice] You used to be much more…”muchier.” You’ve lost your muchness.”

Sequel: Alice Through the Looking Glass

Fun fact about Alice in Wonderland:

  • Alan Rickman was originally to compose his face on the Caterpillar Absolem animation. He was filmed recording his vocals in the studio, but the idea was eventually scrapped. However, the animators attempted to make Absolem’s facial features similar to Rickman’s.

Iron Man 2 – US Box Office: USD$312,433,331

Director: Jon Favreau

Main Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Tony Stark, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Sam Rockwell, Justin Hammer, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson, Nick Fury, John Slattery, Howard Stark, Garry Shandling, Paul Bettany

Release Date: May 7, 2010

Filming Locations: Monaco; Randy’s Donuts – 805 W. Manchester Avenue, Inglewood, California, USA; SpaceX – Rocket Road, Hawthorne, California, USA; Shepperton Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK; New York City, New York, USA

Main Plot: Now that Tony Stark has revealed to the world that he is Iron Man, the world is eager to get his hands on his hot tech.  The other was Ivan Vanke – the son of Howard Stark’s former partner Anton Vanke. Stark sent Vanka to Russia to plot treason against America. Now Ivan wants revenge on Tony – and he’s willing to do anything to get it. But after being humiliated before the Senate Armed Services Committee, rival arms contractor Justin Hammer sees Ivan as key to cementing his position at Stark Enterprises after the Monaco 500 attack. But sick Tony must figure out a way to save himself, find Vanke and find the hammer before the government shows up and takes his beloved suit. Can he learn that a mysterious figure named Nick Fury wants to be with him?

Famous quotes:

Senator Stern: “My priority is to get the Iron Man weapon turned over to the people of the United States of America.”

Tony Stark: “Well, you can forget it. I am Iron Man. The suit and I are one. To turn over the Iron Man suit would be to turn me over, which is tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution, depending on your state. You can’t have it.”

Senator Stern: “Look, I’m no expert.”

Tony Stark: “In prostitution? Of course not. You’re a senator. Come on!”

Agent Coulson: “[holding up the Captain America shield] Where did you get this? Do you have any idea what this is?”

Sequel: Iron Man 3

Fun fact about Iron Man 2:

  • Director Jon Favreau said that this film portrays technology as more futuristic: “After the first film, several tech companies talked about the weirdness of many of our depictions of technology and the number of movies and different video games that ended up being inspired by the imagery that we used. It required us to go a little further into the future and try to change the nature of that technology. If we had replicated what happened in the first one, we’d have been late. Now we’re looking at the holograms, the interface in the suit, and the lawsuit, which is also updated.

Inception – US Box Office: USD$292,587,330

Director: Christopher Nolan

Main Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt,  Ariadne,  Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Robert Fischer, Tom Berenger, Marion Cotillard, Michael Caine,  Lukas Haas, Tai-Li Lee

Release Date: July 16, 2010 

Filming Locations: Fortress Mountain, Kananaskis Country, Alberta, Canada; Tangier, Morocco; Shizuoka, Japan; Tokyo, Japan; Alberta, Canada

Main Plot: Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, absolutely the best in the dangerous art of mining. He steals precious secrets from the depths of the subconscious mind during the dream state when the reason is most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability made him a coveted actor in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage. Still, it also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he ever loved. Now Cobb has a chance at redemption. One last job can give him back his life, but only if he manages to reach the impossible, the beginning. Instead of the perfect hit, Cobb and his team of specialists must do the opposite: their job is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it will be a direct violation. But no amount of careful planning or experience can prepare a team for a dangerous opponent who can anticipate their every move. An enemy, only Cobb, could see.

Famous quotes:

Cobb: “What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient… highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain, it’s almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed – fully understood – that sticks; right in there somewhere.”

Cobb: “I need to get home. That’s all I care about right now.”

Ariadne: “Why can’t you go home?”

Cobb: “Because they think I killed her.”

Cobb: “For not asking whether I did.”

Eames: “[Shows up while Arthur is in a gunfight] You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.”

Sequel: Interstellar

Fun fact about Inception:

  • Despite this film’s many surreal effects sequences, most visual effects, such as the Penrose staircase, the rotating corridor, the mountain avalanche, and the weightless lines, were created by practical methods rather than infographics pictures. This movie only has about five hundred visual effects shots, unlike most other visual effects epics, which can have over two thousand visual effects shots.

Meet the Fockers – US Box Office: USD$279,261,160

Director: Jay Roach

Main Cast: Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Dustin Hoffman

Release Date: December 22, 2004  

Filming Locations: Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden – 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA; Miami, Florida, USA; New York City, New York, USA; Pasadena, California, USA

Main Plot: Greg’s quirky but sweet and generous father, Bernie Focker, is a former lawyer who is now staying at home. While his mother, Roz, is a couple of sex therapists. Greg welcomes his parents with Pam when they arrive in Miami. Due to their different personalities, Jack and the Fockers begin to develop small cracks as Dina grows towards them. The encounter starts badly when Moses, the Focker dog, and Jinx, the Byrnes cat, begin to chase each other. And it ends with Jinx dumping Moses in the RV toilet, forcing Bernie to take him down to save Moses. Later, Bernie accidentally injures Jack’s back during a touch football game. Will they reconcile after all? 

Famous quotes:

Bernie Focker: “Hello, you’ve reached the Fockers. We’re not around, so leave us a message. Goodbye. Roz, how the hell do you shut this thing off?”

Roz Focker: “I have no idea. Just press a button.”

Bernie Focker: “All right, I’m pretty sure it’s off. Honey, you want a chimichanga?”

Roz Focker: “I thought they gave you gas.”

Bernie Focker: “A little bit, but it’s worth it.”

Roz Focker: “Yeah, worth it for you, but I’m the one that gets the fumes.”

Sequel: Little Fockers

Fun facts about Meet the Fockers:

  • It was the highest-grossing film Robert De Niro appeared in until Joker passed him in 2019.
  • James Brolin was first approached for the role of Bernie but turned it down. When director Jay Roach hired Dustin Hoffman for the part, Hoffman was nonstop, even flippant, making him an instant fit for Bernie.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas – US Box Office: USD$260,715,005

Director: Ron Howard

Main Cast: Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, Molly Shannon, Clint Howard, Taylor Momsen, Anthony Hopkins

Release Date: November 17, 2000

Filming Locations: Stage 16, Universal Studios – 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA; Stage 31, Universal Studios – 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA; Stage 12, Universal Studios – 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA; Stage 29, Universal Studios – 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA; Utah, USA

Main Plot: On the outskirts of Whoville, a green recluse named Grinch lives in Mount Crumpit with his only friend and dog, Max. It is soon revealed that the Grinch was expelled for his hatred of Christmas and was bullied by his former classmates after trying to impress his childhood crush and only friend, Martha May Vowell. But it’s a shame for the Grinch after August May (the corrupt mayor of Kuvil) begins to humiliate him even more. However, Cindy Lou Who, Betty’s daughter, thinks the Grinch is good. At the same time, Cindy realizes that Christmas is about being with loved ones and shouldn’t be about materialism. The Grinch hatches a plot to ruin Christmas by dressing up as Santa Claus in revenge for being mocked and the citizens’ endless greed for presents. Will Cindy be able to change the Grinch’s attitude?

Famous quotes:

The Grinch: “All right, you’re a reindeer. Here’s your motivation: Your name is Rudolph, you’re a freak with a red nose, and no one likes you. Then, one day, Santa picks you, and you save Christmas.” The Grinch: “No, forget that part. We’ll improvise… keep it loosey-goosey. You HATE Christmas! You’re going to steal it. Saving Christmas is a lousy ending. Way too commercial. ACTION!”

The Grinch: “BRILLIANT! You reject your nose because it represents the glitter of commercialism. Why didn’t I think of that? Cut, print, check the gate, move on.”

The Grinch: “The nerve of those Whose. She was inviting me down there – on such short notice! Even if I wanted to go, my schedule wouldn’t allow it. 4:00, wallow in self-pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one; 5:30, jazzercise; 6:30, dinner with me – I can’t cancel that again; 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing… I’m booked.” 

The Grinch: “Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?”

Sequel: Elf

Fun fact about How the Grinch Stole Christmas:

  • The scene where the Grinch directs his dog Max (Kelley) before stealing Christmas shows Jim Carrey mocking producer and director Ron Howard and mimicking his directing style. Howard thought the scene was hilarious and decided to include it in this film.

Star Trek – US Box Office: USD$257,730,019

Director: J.J. Abrams

Main Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Ben Cross, Winona Ryder

Release Date: May 8, 2009

Filming Locations: Budweiser Brewery/Anheuser-Busch Inc, Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, USA; Bakersfield, California, USA; San Rafael Swell, Utah, USA; California State University Northridge – 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, Los Angeles, California, USA; Paramount Studios – 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Main Plot: On the day James T. Kirk was born, his father died on his damaged starship in the final battle with the Romulan Minecraft in search of Spock’s ambassador while he was in Warwick. Growing up on Ken Island, he was scorned by his neighbors because of his half-human ancestry. Twenty-five years later, James T. Kirk has become a rebellious young troublemaker. Challenged by Captain Christopher Pike about his potential in Starfleet, he angered academy instructors such as Commander Spock. Suddenly, there’s an emergency on Vulcan. The commissioned USS Enterprise has promising cadets like Nyota Uhura, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, and even Kirk, thanks to Leonard McCoy’s medical trickery. This team will go together to the final frontier, and as a new version of the teachings begins, the old instructions will change forever.

Famous quotes:

Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy: “Are you actually from the future?”

Spock: “If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”

Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy: “Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy: “Do you? OK, then. Are you out of your Vulcan mind? Are you making a logical choice, sending Kirk away? Probably. But, the right one? Back home, we have a saying: “If you’re gonna ride in the Kentucky Derby, you don’t leave your prize stallion in the stable.”

Spock: “A curious metaphor, doctor, as a stallion must first be broken before it can reach its potential.”

Sequel: Star Trek Into Darkness

Fun facts about Star Trek:

  • A healthy business with automatic door opening in the United States is flushing Russian train toilets.
  • Korean-American actor John Cho was initially unsure whether to play Japanese-American officer Hikaru Sulu. Still, George Takei, who played Sulu in Star Trek: The Original Series (1966), encouraged him to play the role because Sulu was a character represented. All of Asia.

Oz the Great and Powerful – US Box Office: USD$234,911,825

Director: Sam Raimi

Main Cast: James Franco, Oscar Diggs, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Bill Cobbs, Joey King, Tony Cox

Release Date: March 8, 2013

Filming Locations: Michigan Motion Picture Studios, 1999 Centerpoint Parkway, Pontiac, Michigan USA; 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA;

Main Plot: In 1905, little circus magician Oscar “Oz” Diggs was a weak, greedy, selfish, and characterless womanizer in Kansas. He gives music boxes to women he seduces.  When a strong performer discovers that his wife has a box in his possession, he chases Oz through the circus. Oz escapes in a hot air balloon, but a tornado hits his hot air balloon and lands in the Land of Oz. Oscar meets the beautiful Theodora, and she believes he is the mighty wizard of an ancient prophecy who will free her land from the evil witch. Theodora says that she and her sister are good witches but that the wicked witch killed the king. Now people are waiting for the wizard to become their new king after defeating the witch. Theodora is seduced by Oz, who takes him to the Emerald City.  Oz meets Glinda, believed to be the wicked witch. Soon she discovers that Theodora’s sister, Evanora, is evil.

Famous quotes:

Oz: “You can have a nice pile of bananas!”

Finley: “Oh, I see. Because I’m a monkey, I must love bananas. That is a vicious stereotype!”

Oz: “You don’t like bananas?”

Finley: “Of course I love bananas. I’m a monkey! Don’t be ridiculous! I don’t like YOU saying it.”

Oz: “Does this thing have any brakes? I’m going too fast! I’m going to die!”

Glinda: “You needn’t worry, Wizard. It’s a magic wall. And all good-hearted souls get to pass through.”

Sequel: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Fun facts about Oz the Great and Powerful:

  • The Tin Man is one of only three companions of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939), not directly mentioned in the film. The Tinkers is a loose reference to The Tin Man and was written for this adaptation. 
  • After the tornado, just before Oz loses control of the balloon, a wicked witch is seen on a broomstick on a nearby mountaintop.

Beverly Hills Cop – US Box Office: USD$234,760,478

Director: Martin Brest

Main Cast: Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher, Steven Berkoff, Ronny Cox, Jonathan Banks, James Russo

Release Date: December 5, 1984

Filming Locations: 609 E Channel Rd, Santa Monica, California, USA; 6704 W. Jefferson Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, USA; Castillo del Lago – 6342 Mulholland Highway, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA; 30th Street, Detroit, Michigan, USA; Michigan Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, USA

Main Plot: Brutal but talented Detroit cop Axel Foley uses a truckload of cigarettes for an illegal stabbing while trying to catch two thugs. Two patrolmen interrupted the scene, resulting in one criminal fleeing on foot and the other in a truck, with Axel trapped behind. After an extensive search that caused extensive damage, the car crashed. Another man fled, leaving Axel empty-handed. At the police station, he receives a serious lecture from his boss, Inspector Todd. His boss tells her he will be fired and charged if he does any more illegal things. Axel returns home to find his ex-convict’s best friend, Mitch Tandino, in his apartment. Mikey showed off some German bearer bonds he had “borrowed” from his employer, which worried Axel for a while. Still, he was more interested in catching up with his old friend. After a night of drinking, Axel and Mickey return home. Zack confronted Mikey on top of the starter and shot him twice in the head. After the police responded, Axel asked Detective Todd to intervene, but Todd refused. Axel decided to sneak in another direction and asked for a two-week vacation to look for Zack.

Famous quotes:

Axel Foley: “Did you see that shit? I can describe all of them.”

Beverly Hills Cop #1: “Please move to the side of the car, and put your hands on the hood!”

Beverly Hills Cop #2: “You heard what he said, sir. Do it right now, please!”

Axel Foley: “What kind of shit is this, man? Hold up, wait for a second! Are you guys arresting me for getting thrown out of a fucking window? I got thrown out of a window, man!”

Beverly Hills Cop #1: “Sir, you are under arrest; you are to remain silent. Anything you say CAN and will be against you in a court of law! You have a right to have an attorney present during questioning.”

Sequel: Beverly Hills Cop II

Fun fact about Beverly Hills Cop:

  • To play the roles of Rosewood and Taggart, the director paired several finalists and asked them to improvise a bit to get a feel for their chemistry. He paired Judge Reinhold and John Ashton and gave them the following clue: “You’re a middle-aged couple, married for years. You have a conversation on a normal evening.” Reinhold immediately grabbed a nearby magazine, and the two improvised the “five pounds of red meat in his gut,” as it appeared in the film.

War of the Worlds – US Box Office: USD$234,280,354

Director: Steven Spielberg

Main Cast: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins, Rick Gonzalez, Yul Vázquez

Release Date: June 29, 2005

Filming Locations: JF Kennedy Blvd., Bayonne, New Jersey, USA; Ferry Street, Newark, New Jersey, USA; Howell, New Jersey, USA; Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA; Athens, New York, USA

Main Plot: Based on the classic H.G. Wells story, a normal man must protect his children from alien invaders. Ray Ferrier is an anticipated worker in New Jersey. He was divorced from his first wife, Mary Ann. He visited his two children, Rachel and Robbie, and took them over the weekend. During one such visit, caring for the children becomes even more difficult when Ray discovers a fleet of death ray robotic spaceships appearing nearby. As part of the first wave after a series of strange lightning storms hit his neighborhood, aliens have invaded Earth. Finding safety at Marianne’s parents’ home, Ray moves his children from New Jersey to Boston. It is where he must learn to be a protector and provider for the woman he never married.

Famous quotes:

Narrator: “From when the invaders arrived, breathed our air, ate, and drank, they were doomed. They were undone, destroyed, after all of man’s weapons and devices had failed by the tiniest creatures, God, in his wisdom, put upon this earth. By the toll of a billion deaths, a man had earned immunity and the right to survive among this planet’s infinite organisms. And that right is ours against all challenges. For neither do men live nor die in vain.”

Ray Ferrier: “Lightning never strikes in the same place twice.”

Narrator: “No one would have believed in the early years of the 21st century that our world was being watched by an intelligence greater than our own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns, *they* observed and studied, the way a man with a microscope might scrutinize the creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. With infinite complacency, men went to and fro about the globe, confident of our empire over this world. Yet across the gulf of space, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic regarded our planet with envious eyes and slowly, and surely, drew their plans against us.”

Ray Ferrier: “[playing catch with Robbie] Mom says you got a report due on Monday, so you’re going to work on that when you’re done here.”

Robbie Ferrier: “Yeah, I’m almost finished. I gotta type it up.”

Sequel: Minority Report

Fun fact about War of the Worlds:

  • As the aliens examine the scrap metal in the basement, one of them plays with a bicycle wheel. This is a reference to the original book; The main character notes that despite all the advanced technology they possess, aliens don’t use wheels and wonders if the alien life form skipped the invention of the wheel.

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