Top 15 Movies Filmed in Orlando, Florida, USA by US Box Office

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Lights, Camera, Orlando: Explore the Filming Locations of Your Favorite Movies!

Hey there, fellow movie buff! Feeling a little bored or just craving some on-screen magic? Well, have I got a suggestion for you! Picture this: you, walking the very streets that your favorite actors once graced, visiting the iconic filming locations of some legendary movies right here in Orlando, Florida. It’s like stepping onto a real-life movie set, where you get to play the star of your own adventure!

Key Takeaways:

  • Discover the magic behind the scenes: Visiting movie filming locations is like peeling back the curtain and seeing the wizardry firsthand. Imagine standing on the exact spot where your favorite scenes were shot, feeling the energy and creativity that brought those moments to life. It’s like having a backstage pass to the enchantment!
  • Unleash your inner movie detective: Exploring filming locations is a treasure hunt for the ultimate movie lover. As you wander through the streets of Orlando, you’ll get to retrace the cinematic footprints left by your favorite actors and filmmakers. It’s an exhilarating quest for hidden gems and insider knowledge that only true movie aficionados would appreciate.
  • Experience the power of movie nostalgia: Remember that feeling you get when you watch a beloved movie and it instantly transports you back to a certain time and place? Well, visiting filming locations takes that nostalgia to a whole new level. You become part of the story, immersing yourself in the same surroundings that once embellished the big screen. It’s like stepping into a time machine without all the complicated sci-fi stuff!

Now, let’s talk Orlando! This vibrant city is more than just a theme park paradise. Sure, Orlando has its fair share of roller coasters and entertainment galore, but it also doubles as a bustling movie backdrop.

From action-packed blockbusters to heartwarming family flicks, the “Hollywood of the East Coast” has seen it all. So, why not go beyond the mouse ears and venture into the realm of lights, camera, and lots of action?

Think about it for a second. Picture yourself exploring the cobblestone streets of the historic Church Street, camera in hand, retracing the footsteps of your favorite actors.

Maybe you’ll uncover the exact spot where a thrilling car chase unfolded or stumble upon a quirky little café that once hosted a memorable on-screen love story. The possibilities are as endless as the popcorn at a movie marathon!

But wait, there’s more! If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can even embark on a self-guided tour of Universal Studios, where you’ll discover jaw-dropping sets and backlots that played a starring role in some of your favorite films. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped right into the director’s chair, ready to yell, “Action!”

So, what are you waiting for? Get those movie-loving feet moving, and start exploring the extraordinary filming locations of Orlando, Florida. It’s the perfect mix of movie magic, nostalgia, and the chance to create your very own blockbuster memories.

Lights, camera, adventure awaits!

P.S. Ready to dive into the world of movies filmed in Orlando, Florida? Check out the listicle below and start planning your cinematic exploration! Just remember, take a break from the popcorn every now and then. We hear exploring filming locations can work up quite an appetite. Enjoy!

The Perfect Storm – US Box Office: USD$182,618,434

Director: Wolfgang Petersen

Main Cast: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, John C. Reilly, Diane Lane, William Fichtner, John Hawkes, Allen Payne, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.

Release Date: June 30, 2000

Filming Locations: Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA; Dana Point, California, USA; St. Ann’s Church – 74 Pleasant Street, Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA; Falls Lake, Backlot, Universal Studios – 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA; Fort Square, Fort Point, Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA

Main Plot: In September 1991, the swordfish vessel Andrea Gail returned to port in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with a poor harvest. Desperate for money, Billy Tyne convinces the crew to join him on another late-season fishing expedition. They sailed past the usual fishing grounds and left behind a developing thunderstorm. They first went to the Flemish Cape, where their luck improved. In their peak fishing, the ice machine broke; the only way to keep his catch was to rush back to shore. After debating whether to ride through the building storm or wait for it to end, the crew decided to take a risk. But between Andrea Gale and Gloucester, there is an intersection of 2 severe weather fronts and hurricanes that Andrea Gale’s team underestimated. After repeated warnings from other ships, Andrea Gale lost her antenna, prompting another vessel to call a Mayday. Will they be able to survive?

Famous quotes:

Christina ‘Chris’ Cotter: “[sitting on the dock next to each other looking out at the ocean] I’ll be asleep, and suddenly, there he is, that big smile. You know that smile. And I say, ‘Hey, Bobby – where you been?’ but he won’t tell me. He smiles and says, ‘Remember, Christina: I’ll always love you; I loved you the moment I saw you; I love you now, and I love you forever. There are no goodbyes – there’s only love, Christina, only love. Then he’s gone. But he’s always happy when he goes, so I know he’s got to be okay.”

Ethel Shatford: “[holds her hand] I love your dream.”

Billy’s voice: “The fog’s just lifting. Throw off your bow line; throw off your stern. You head out to South channel, past Rocky Neck, Ten Pound Island. Past Niles Pond, where I skated as a kid. Blow your air horn and throw a wave to the lighthouse keeper’s kid on Thatcher Island. Then the birds show up: blackbacks, herring gulls, big dump ducks. The sun hits you – head North. Open up to 12 – steamin’ now. The guys are busy; you’re in charge. You know what? You’re a goddam swordboat captain! Is there anything better in the world?”

Linda Greenlaw: “[at the services for the crew of the Andrea Gail] I knew Billy Tyne, but I did not know his crew very well, but any man who sailed with him must have been the better for it. Robert Shatford, Dale Murphy, Micheal Moran, David Sullivan, Alfred Pierre… May you rest easy long-liners, in fair winds and calm seas… For those left behind, the vast unmarked grave home for those lost at sea is no consolation. It can’t be visited; there is no headstone on which to rest a bunch of flowers… The only place we can revisit them is in our hearts or in our dreams. They say swordboats suffer from a lack of dreams, which begets their courage… We’ll dream for you: Billy, Bobby, Murph, Bugsy, Sully, and Alfred Pierre… Sleep well… Good Night.”

Bobby Shatford: “[floating in the water during the storm] Christina? Christina, can you hear me? I don’t know if you can, but I’m talking to ya, baby. Do you know how much I love you? I loved you the moment I saw you. I love you now, and I’ll love you forever. No goodbye. There’s only love, Christina. Only love.”

Sequel: Twister; Outbreak

Fun facts about The Perfect Storm:

  • At the film’s beginning, Andrea Gail is shown unloading a meaningless catch, and Billy Tyne is portrayed as having “lost touch”. In fact, Tyne and his crew returned from that trip with abundant prey. 
  • Tyne and Greenlaw barely knew each other in real life.
  • The storm in the film was formed from the remnants of Hurricane Grace between late October and early November 1991.

Jurassic Park III – US Box Office: USD$181,171,875

Director: Joe Johnston

Main Cast: Sam Neill, William H. Macy, Téa Leoni, Alessandro Nivola, Trevor Morgan, Michael Jeter

Release Date: July 18, 2001

Filming Locations: Nevada, USA; Universal Orlando Resort – 1000 Universal Studios Plaza, Orlando, Florida, USA; Jurassic Kahili Ranch, Kilauea, Kaua’i, Hawaii, USA; El Mirage Dry Lake, California, USA; Stage 28, Universal Studios – 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Main Plot: The famous paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant convinced wealthy adventurer Paul Kirby and his wife Amanda to accompany them on an aerial tour of Sona Island. Once the site of InGen’s B, this infamous island has become a pristine breeding ground for John Hammond’s masterpieces. It attracts thrill-seekers who want to check them out. When a tragic accident lands, the group of seven is in trouble. Grant discovers the real reason his scheming master invited him to join. In a dangerous escape attempt, the vulnerable group encounters a terrifying new creature undiscovered by the InGens. Grant is forced to learn firsthand the terrifying consequences of his theory of Raptor intelligence.

Famous quotes:

Amanda: “This is how you make dinosaurs?”

Dr. Grant: “No. This is how you play God.”

Erik: “I read both of your books. I liked the first one more. Before you were on the island. You liked dinosaurs back then.”

Dr. Grant: “Back then, they hadn’t tried to eat me yet.”

Symposium Leader: “[Dr. Grant is giving a lecture] Now, does anyone have a question?”

Dr. Grant: “Fine. Does anyone have a question that does not relate to Jurassic Park?”

Sequel: The Lost World: Jurassic Park

Fun facts about Jurassic Park III:

  • Some action sequences are borrowed from leftover ideas from the first two Jurassic Park films. Some were in the original scripts and made into the storyboard before being scrapped due to time and budget constraints. These scenes include the dinosaur attacks and riverboat sequences.
  • The revelation of the motionless Spinosaurus near the fence is one of Stan Winston’s favorite shots. 

The Waterboy – US Box Office: USD$161,491,646

Director: Frank Coraci

Main Cast: Adam Sandler, Kathy Bates, Henry Winkler, Fairuza Balk, Jerry Reed, Peter Dante, Larry Gilliard Jr

Release Date: November 6, 1998

Filming Locations: Stetson University – 421 N. Woodland Boulevard, DeLand, Florida, USA; Lakeland, Florida, USA; St. Cloud, Florida, USA; Orlando, Florida, USA; DeLand, Florida, USA

Main Plot: Bobby Boucher is a socially unskillful, stuttering, and humble 31-year-old waterboy who lives in Louisiana. He drives a lawnmower to and from work. He has been hiding anger issues due to constant teasing and excessive shelter from his overbearing, bullying mother, Helena. He became the University of Louisiana Cougars waterboy after being told that his father died of dehydration in the Sahara while serving in the Peace Corps. However, the players always harass him. The team manager, Red Beaulieu, eventually fires him for “interrupting” his training sessions. Bobby then approaches coach Klein of South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs and asks him if he wants to work as the team’s waterboy. Coach Klein coached SCLSU unsuccessfully for years after his brilliant script was stolen by Red Beaulieu. Bobby’s mother, Helen, tells Bobby about the evils of soccer and forbids him to play.

Famous quotes:

Bobby Boucher: “My Mama says that alligators are ornery because they got all them teeth and no toothbrush.”

Coach Klein: “Bobby, can you do that for me every game?”

Bobby Boucher: “Coach, not only will I do it for you, I… I… I… yes, yes, I’ll do it for you.”

Bobby Boucher: “So that’s what opening up a can of whoop-ass feels like.”

Coach Klein: “Son, you just opened up a whole case of whoop-ass.”

Mama Boucher: “Bobby, deh ever catch dat gorilla that busted outa da zoo and punched you in da eye?”

Sequel: The Waterboy 2

Fun facts about The Waterboy:

  • The film was the highest-grossing sports comedy of all time. 
  • Sandler asked Winkler if he could read the script for the coach’s role before saying if he would participate. 
  • Winkler took notice and immediately signed on for the film.

Lethal Weapon 3 – US Box Office: USD$144,731,527

Director: Richard Donner

Main Cast: Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, Rene Russo, Stuart Wilson, Steve Kahan, Darlene Love, Ebonie Smith 

Release Date: May 15, 1992 

Filming Locations: Orlando, Florida, USA; Soreno Hotel – 110 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Lancaster, California, USA;  Lancaster, California, USA; Old Orlando City Hall – 400 S. Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida, USA

Main Plot: Sgt. Roger Murtaugh and his partner Sergeant Martin Riggs arrest Billy Phelps for attempting to rob an armored truck just 8 days before Murtaugh’s retirement. In the interrogation room, Billy is murdered by Lieutenant Jack Edward Travis, a vicious former cop who now sells stolen weapons from evidence depots. Travis’ investigation brings Riggs and Murtaugh along with Home Office Sergeant Lorna Cole. Leo Getz, now a legitimate real estate agent, gets involved when he sees Travis’s face on a paused videotape and says he recognizes Travis. Riggs falls in love with Lorna. Later, in a street gang shootout, Murtaugh kills a mobster who turns out to be Darrell Smithers, the best friend of Murtaugh’s son Nick. The culprit, Murtaugh, later tries to get drunk to death, but Riggs helps him realize they must go after Travis. 

Famous quotes:

Riggs: “We can’t shoot a dog. People? Okay, but not dogs.”

Martin Riggs: “After all the shit we’ve been through, don’t you get it? Don’t you get it? When you retire, you’re not just retiring you. You’re retiring us. You’re retiring us.”

Roger Murtaugh: “That’s not my problem. That’s not my problem!”

Martin Riggs: “You’re the only family I’ve got! I’ve got three beautiful kids; I love them; they’re yours. Trish does my laundry; I live in your icebox. I live in your life! What am I gonna do? What am I supposed to do?”

Martin Riggs: “Look, that kid was a killer, alright? That wasn’t a Tinker Toy in his hand. That was a machine pistol with twin carbies and all the trim.”

Sequel: Lethal Weapon 4

Fun facts about Lethal Weapon 3:

  • After the film’s box office success, Warner Bros. gave Mel Gibson, producer Joel Silver and director Richard Downer a brand-new black Range Rover as a thank-you gift. 
  • The studio just ran around LA, constantly buying a new Range Rover for each new lunch guest and presenting them to the happily surprised crowd after the meal.

Dinosaur – US Box Office: USD$137,748,063

Director: Eric Leighton and Ralph Zondag 

Main Cast: Alfre Woodard, Max Casella, D.B. Sweeney, Aladar, Peter Siragusa, Bruton, Joan Plowrigh, Baylene, Matt Adler, Edie Lehmann Boddicker

Release Date: May 19, 2000

Filming Locations: Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona, USA; Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA; Baker, California, USA; Trona Pinnacles – 300 S. Richmond Road, Ridgecrest, California, USA; Dumont Dunes, California, USA

Main Plot: Dinosaurs ruled the planet long before humans appeared on the planet. On an island off the coast, a group of gorillas finds an incubating dinosaur egg. Without their parents, the gorillas look after the newborn Aladar (D.B. Sweeney). Years later, a medium-sized meteorite fell near the island, and the shock wave forced its inhabitants to flee to the mainland. Aradar and his family encounter other dinosaurs and real danger for the first time. Meteor damage also forced a diverse group of herbivores to migrate to a remote valley that could provide food and protect them from future predators. As Aradar grew up with a different understanding of how the world was going, the group initially did not accept his way of helping others. Still, it soon became clear that there might be a better reason than panic.

Famous quotes:

Plio: “Some things start out big, and some things start out small, very small. But sometimes the smallest thing can make the biggest changes of all.”

Neera: “That, children, is what’s known as a jerkosaurus.”

Zini: “[rehearsing pickup lines alone] “Hey, sweetie. If you are my bride, I’ll groom ya.” That is good. Oh, that’s good. “Girls, I’m known as the ‘professor of love,’ and the school’s in session.” Yeah, I still got it.”

Aladar: “I hope it’s not contagious.”

Zini: “I’m a raging epidemic of romance.”

Bruton: “Why is he doing this? Pushing them on with false hope?”

Plio: “It’s hoped that’s gotten us this far.”

Sequel: Brother Bear

Fun facts about Dinosaur:

  • The film’s backgrounds are overlaid photos of exotic tropical locations like Canaima National Park in Venezuela, while some others are from Tahiti and Hawaii.
  • To differentiate it from the comparable film The Land Before Time (1988), this film had to have no dialogue. Still, Disney boss Michael Eisner insisted on including it.

Minority Report – US Box Office: USD$132,072,926

Director: Steven Spielberg

Main Cast: Tom Cruise, Max von Sydow, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Steve Harris

Release Date: June 21, 2002 

Filming Locations: Butter Island, Penobscot Bay, Maine, USA; Willard InterContinental Hotel – 1401 M Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Ware Neck Marina, Ware Neck, Virginia, USA; Stage 14, 20th Century Fox Studios – 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA; Infinite Horizon Studios, Orlando, Florida, USA

Main Plot: With the extraordinary ability to predict crimes and stop them before they happen, founder Lamar Burgess made an experiment. It is a highly effective and pre-crime division that has managed to bring the homicide rate down to zero. Indeed, with the help of indispensable pre-cognitive, three people with acute extrasensory abilities are now in government custody. There hasn’t been a single crime in Washington, DC, in 2054 in the past six years. However, of all people, Burgess’ right-hand man, Captain John Anderton, appears to be a pre-criminal. Now, on the run from the law for a murder that has less than thirty-six hours to commit, Detective Anderton must use every trick in the book to prove his innocence and clear his name. But in Burgess’s state-of-the-art system, there is no flaw. However, could the psychic triad be wrong?

Famous quotes:

John Anderton: “But it didn’t fall. You caught it. The fact that you prevented it from happening doesn’t change the fact that it was *going* to happen.”

John Anderton: “No doubt the precogs have already seen this.”

Lamar Burgess: “No doubt.”

John Anderton: “You see the dilemma, don’t you. If you don’t kill me, precogs were wrong, and precrime is over. If you do kill me, you go you have to risk the dark to see the light way, but it proves the system works. The precogs were right. So, what are you going to do now? What’s it worth? Just one more murder? You’ll rot in hell with a halo, but people will still believe in precrime. All you have to do is kill me like they said you would. Except you know your own future, which means you can change it if you want to. You still have a choice, Lamar. Like I did.”

Dr. Iris Hineman: “Sometimes, to see the light, you have to risk the dark.”

Sequel: War of the Worlds

Fun facts about Minority Report:

  • For the scene where Anderton catches his breath in the bathtub, Steven Spielberg wanted to use CGI to create the rising air bubble, but Tom Cruise took the time and learned how to do it himself.
  • Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg have agreed to forego their usual salaries to keep the film’s budget under $100 million. They agreed to take 15% of the raw film instead.

2 Fast 2 Furious – US Box Office: USD$127,154,901

Director: John Singleton

Main Cast: Paul Walker, Brian O’Conner, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Monica Fuentes, Cole Hauser, Ludacris Tej James Remar, Amaury Nolasco, Orange Julius, Jin Au-Yeung, Jimmy, Mark Boone Junior, Roberto Sanchez. 

Release Date: June 6, 2003 

Filming Locations:  Weston, Florida, USA; Homestead, Florida, USA; Key West, Florida Keys, Florida, USA; Hollywood, Florida, USA; California City, California, USA

Main Plot: Brian O’Conner left LA due to his illegal actions in the first film and now flies Miami’s streets to earn money through street racing. Watched by Customs Officer Monica Fuentes, Brian was arrested by the police. Officers Markham and Bilkins offered him an undercover deal to try and take out drug lord Carter Verone in exchange for having his record to be deleted. Brian accepts, but only if he gets permission to choose his partner. Brian returns home to Barstow, California, where he recruits an old friend, Roman Pearce, to help him. Pearce agrees, but only for the same contract that Brian offered. With Monica’s help, Brian and Rome team up to defeat Verone.

Famous quotes:

Brian O’Connor: “So, Dunn, looks like we’re gonna be partners, bro. Could you tell me quickly what would be a better motor for my Skyline, a Gallo 12 or a Gallo 24?”

Brian O’Connor: “I didn’t know pizza places made motors.”

Brian O’Connor: “Pockets ain’t empty, cuz.”

Roman Pearce: “And we ain’t hungry no more either, brah.”

Brian O’Connor: “Now put your blouse back on.”

Fun facts about 2 Fast 2 Furious:

  • Universal Studios commissioned two different scripts. The first script featured the character of Vin Diesel, while the second did not, in case he decided not to return.
  • So much neon lighting was used in the cars that a technical specialist always checked in shooting neon on the set.

Van Helsing – US Box Office: USD$120,177,084

Director:  Stephen Sommers

Main Cast: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Elena Anaya, Will Kemp

Release Date: May 7, 2004

Filming Locations: Prague, Czech Republic; Rome, Lazio, Italy; Frazier Park, California, USA; Paris, France; Universal Studios Florida, Universal Orlando Resort – 1000 Universal Studios Plaza, Orlando, Florida, USA

Main Plot: In search of redemption, fearless monster hunter Abraham Van Helsing, along with his eccentric companion, the wise monk Carl, travels into the depths of the late 19th century. They went to Transylvania to track down and destroy the ultimate monster and enemy of man: Count Dracula. The professional demon slayer teams up with the remaining ancient Romanian clan. There is the fearless vampire slayer, Ana Valeria – until she defeats the count once and for all and can find peace. But there is an unstoppable army of undead minions. In the Abominable Creation of Victor Frankenstein, Dracula’s horrific bride and monstrous werewolves stand in the way of the team’s high ambitions. Can they stop the Count’s terrible plan to rule the world?

Famous quotes:

Aleera: “Anna, my love. It is your blood that shall keep me beautiful. What do you think of that?”

Anna Valerious: “I think if you’re going to kill somebody, kill them! Don’t stand around talking about it!”

Van Helsing: “There’s something down here; it’s carnivorous. Whatever it is, it appears to be… human. I’d say it’s a size 17, about 360 pounds, 8 and a half to 9 feet tall, and he has a bad limp in his right leg and, ah, 3 copper teeth.”

Anna Valerious: “How do you know he has copper teeth?”

Van Helsing: “‘Cause he’s standing right behind you.”

Fun facts about Van Helsing:

  • Stephen Sommers has deliberately avoided the transformation style of other werewolf films, where characters often regrow their hair as part of their transformation. Instead, it was decided to have the character rip off his skin to reveal the werewolf form underneath, keeping with the idea that the beast “comes from within.”

Parenthood – US Box Office: USD$100,047,830

Director: Ron Howard

Main Cast: Steve Martin, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards, Rick Moranis, Tom Hulce, Martha Plimpton, Keanu Reeves, Harley Jane Kozak, Dennis Dugan, Joaquin Phoenix, Helen Shaw

Release Date: August 2, 1989 

Filming Locations: Orlando, Florida, USA; University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA; Universal Studios Florida, Universal Orlando Resort – 1000 Universal Studios Plaza, Orlando, Florida, USA; Tinker Field – 287 S. Tampa Ave., Orlando, Florida, USA;  Florida, USA

Main Plot: Gil Buckman is a 35-year-old father of three living in suburban St. Louis. He works as a sales manager while his wife, Karen, is a stay-at-home mom, caring for their eldest son Kevin, daughter Taylor and young son Justin. Gil constantly struggles to find a balance between his family and his career, and often resolves issues with both. At work, his ethics are often overlooked, and internal office politics seem to favor those with playboy personalities over those who work hard. At home, he struggles to cope with the pressures of parenthood and often sees himself as a failure of a father when observing his son Kevin’s insecurity. The obvious issues plaguing Taylor and Justin, who seems to like banging things with his head, don’t ease Gil’s anxiety. He desperately tries to avoid being the kind of father his old Mr. Frank was; distant and insensitive. Karen, meanwhile, tries to stay calm and supportive.

Famous quotes:

Helen: “It sounds like a boy Garry’s age needs a man around the house.”

Tod: “Well, it depends on the man. I had a man around. He woke me up every morning by flicking lit cigarettes at my head. He’d say, “Hey, asshole, get up and make me breakfast.” You know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog or drive a car. Hell, you need a license to catch a fish! But they’ll let any butt-reaming asshole be a father.”

Grandma: “When I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.”

Grandma: “Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!”

Grandma: “I always wanted to go again. It was just so interesting that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn’t like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.”

Sequel:  Roxanne; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Fun fact about Parenthood:

  • During filming, the actors got into playing assassinations (where the killer has to find a subtle way to kill other players just by looking at them without revealing himself as the killer). This is clear in the dinner scene where everyone sits around the table. If you look at each eye’s movements, it is obvious that they are playing a game.

The Mask of Zorro – US Box Office: USD$94,095,523

Director: Martin Campbell

Main Cast: Antonio Banderas. Alejandro Murrieta, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Elena Montero, Elena Murrieta, Stuart Wilson, Matt Letscher, Maury Chaykin, Tony Amendola, Pedro Armendáriz Jr.

Release Date: July 17, 1998

Filming Locations: Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico; Durango, Mexico; San Blas hacienda, Lopez Mateos, Tlaxcala, Mexico; Orlando, Florida, USA; Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico

Main Plot: In the early 1800s in California, the masked swordsman Zorro was a popular champion against the tyranny of Spanish rule. He is represented by the ruthless governor Montero. Unfortunately, Montero discovers  Zorro’s secret identity as Don Diego de la Vega on the eve of his greatest triumph, the liberation of California. He leaves him imprisoned, his wife dead, and his daughter dead. 20 years later, Montero returns to California with an evil plan to bring him under his complete control. When Don Diego hears of his return, he escapes his long imprisonment and prepares for revenge. Part of this is the training of an orphan (Antonio Banderas), who helped him and became his successor. Together, the two must prepare to take on Montero and his American henchman to save California and reunite with Diego’s lost daughter.

Famous quotes:

Elena: “[in a confessional, Alejandro posing as a priest] I have broken the fourth commandment, padre.”

Alejandro Murrieta: “You killed somebody?”

Elena: “No, that is not the fourth commandment.”

Alejandro Murrieta: “[pause] Of course not. Tell me, in what way did you break the most sacred of commandments.”

Elena: “I dishonored my father.”

Alejandro Murrieta: “That is not so bad. Maybe your father deserved it.”

Alejandro Murrieta: “I said tell me more, my child.”

Sequel: The Legend of Zorro

Fun facts about The Mask of Zorro:

  • Finally, when Zoro confronts Captain Law, he draws his sword, and the sun shines from the blade. It’s not CGI; it’s Antonio Banderas. He had to lower his sword to catch the sun without breaking eye contact with Matt Leschel. Shot only three times. Antonio Banderas is very determined to perform many of his stunts for authenticity.

The Haunting – US Box Office: USD$91,411,151

Director: Jan de Bont

Main Cast: Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson, and Lili Taylor, with Marian Seldes, Bruce Dern, Todd Field, and Virginia Madsen 

Release Date: July 23, 1999 

Filming Locations: Harlaxton Manor, Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, England, UK; Belvoir Castle, Belvoir, Leicestershire, England, UK; Grantham, Lincolnshire, England, UK; Belvoir, Leicestershire, England, UK; Orlando, Florida, USA

Main Plot: Eleanor Lance and three others investigate Dr. Marrow’s sleep disorder facility called Hill House. The first evening, everyone sits down and talks. Eleanor tells them that her sleep disorder is different because she can still sleep. She only wakes up because she thinks her dead mother is still alive with her. Well, that’s not the case now because one night in Hill House’s bedroom, she is awakened by children’s voices asking her for help. Initially frightened by the voice, she learns to avoid them. Later, the group discovers that Dr. Marrow does not use them for sleep disorders but for an anxiety test. Fear is initially thought to be false but eventually becomes real when loud noises are heard and objects begin to move. Now they must try to escape the house before they are all killed.

Famous quotes:

Luke: “Hey, you guys wanna hear something really scary? I just found this out. It turns out there’s a darker chapter in the Hugh Crain fairytale. Remember his lovely wife, Renee? Well, Renee, the town beauty, didn’t just die. She killed herself.”

Theo: “Really? He just told you that?”

Luke: “Yes, but you can’t say anything because he swore me to secrecy.”

Eleanor “Nell” Vance: “Why did she kill herself?”

Luke: “The stillborn children’s story is more sinister, and maybe Hugh Crain was a horrible monster that drove her to it.”

Eleanor “Nell” Vance: “Monster? But he built this house with the woman he loved like the Taj Mahal.”

Theo: “The Taj Mahal wasn’t a palace; it was a tomb. And equally overdone.”

Sequel: House on Haunted Hill

Fun facts about The Haunting:

  • Stephen King wrote the first draft of the script. When that failed, he converted it to Rose Red.
  • The house used in the film is located in Grantham, England, and is owned by the University of Evansville, Indiana. It is used by students studying abroad.

Sisters – US Box Office: USD$87,044,645

Director: Jason Moore

Main Cast: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ike Barinholtz, James Brolin, John Cena, John Leguizamo, Dianne Wiest.

Release Date: December 18, 2015

Filming Locations: Dix Hills, Long Island, New York, USA;  International Drive, Orlando, Florida, USA;  Orlando International Airport – 1 Airport Boulevard, Orlando, Florida, USA; Hicksville, New York City, New York, USA; Pearl River, New York, USA

Main Plot: Maura, a recently divorced nurse, always tries to help people. While a disorganized and careless stylist, Kate lives in her friend’s home. When Maura contacts Kate to break the news, she does not inform her that their childhood house is being sold. She instead persuades her to visit Orlando temporarily because Kate has recently been evicted from her apartment. When Kate and Maura first meet, they are at the airport. On their way home, they make out with James (Ike Barinholtz), who is working in his yard. When they return to their childhood home, they find that it has been sold and that all of the family’s belongings—aside from those in the sisters’ room—have been packed up and sold by their parents. Maura and Kate track out their parents and confront them out of rage. The sisters are informed that the deal is finalized and that they must vacate the residence by the end of the weekend with all of their belongings packed up. Kate persuades Maura to throw one last party in their childhood home as they are about to go to sleep.

Famous quotes:

Azuzu: “I’ve been ready. My safe word is “keep going.”

Maura Ellis: “[the sisters are clothes shopping for the party] We need a little less Forever 21 and a little more Suddenly 42.”

Kate Ellis: “Do you have any kids?”

Kate Ellis: “We are looking for… to buy drugs.”

Pazuzu: “What’chu want? I got ketamine, MDMA, Adderall, Bromo-Dragonfly, heroin, coke, crack, codeine, oxys, percs, vikes, PCP, LSD, Dilaudid, mescaline, mushrooms, bath salts, cortisone, Toradol. I got molly. I got her sister Sandra. I got big Frank. I got birth control, and I got Plan B. I got that morphine from China they took it off the market. Shit to make your dick hard, shit to make your dick soft, shit’ll find your dick. That shit there’s from Kenya, supposed to be a scurvy cure for silverback gorillas but for humans, it just makes them violently masturbate. Did I say crack? because I got more of that, too. I got some Ibuprofen, Aspirin. I got Flintstone Gummies if you want.”

Fun facts about Sisters:

  • Pazuzu, the name of the hulking drug dealer played by John Cena, is also the name of the demon who possessed the young girl (Regan MacNeil, played by Linda Blair) in The Exorcist (1973).
  • In their previous film together, Baby Mama (2008), Amy Poehler played the “bad girl,” and Tina Fey played the “good girl.” In this film, the roles are reversed.

Fried Green Tomatoes – US Box Office: USD$82,418,501

Director:  Jon Avnet

Main Cast: Kathy Bates, Mary Stuart Masterson,  Nancy Moore Atchison, Mary-Louise Parker, Jessica Tandy, Cicely Tyson, Chris O’Donnell, Stan Shaw 

Release Date: January 24, 1992

Filming Locations: Senoia, Georgia, USA; Juliette, Georgia, USA; Newnan, Georgia, USA; Whitesburg, Georgia, USA; Orlando, Florida, USA

Main Plot: Evelyn Couch, a shy housewife in her forties, meets elderly Ninny Threadgoode at a nursing home in Alabama. Evelyn’s husband, Ed, has an aunt who lives there. Over several encounters, Ninny tells Evelyn about the long-abandoned town of Whistle Stop and its people. The film’s subplot deals with Evelyn’s dissatisfaction with her marriage, her life, her growing self-confidence, and her growing friendship with Ninny. The story alternates several times between Ninny’s story, set between World War I and World War II, and Evelyn’s life in 1980s Birmingham. Ninny’s story begins with tomboy Idgie Threadgoode, the youngest member of her family who would later become Ninny’s step-sister. Young Idgie is devastated when her beloved older brother, Buddy, is killed. She remains socially withdrawn into her teens. At the request of the Threadgoode family, Buddy’s close-knit ex-girlfriend Ruth Jamison steps in.

Famous quotes:

Evelyn Couch: “Face it, girls, I’m older, and I have more insurance.”

Sipsey: “Oh, it doesn’t make no kind of sense. Big ol’ ox like Grady won’t sit next to a colored child. But he eats eggs- shoots right outta chicken’s ass!”

Ninny Threadgoode: “A heart can be broken, but it will keep beating just the same.”

Sipsey: “It’s all right, honey. Let her go. Let her go. You know, Miss Ruth was a lady. And a lady always knows when to leave.”

Ninny Threadgoode: “All these people live as long as you remember ’em.”

Sequel:  Fried Green Tomorrows: Juliette, GA Lives

Fun fact about Fried Green Tomatoes:

  • There really is a Whistle Stop cafe that serves fried green tomatoes (among other southern dishes) just north of Macon, Georgia. It is in the area where many scenes were shot. After the film became a huge hit, the Whistle Stop Cafe set was transformed into a proper restaurant and its surroundings into a tourist attraction. Although they may have filmed in Georgia, the real Whistle Stop Cafe is in Irondale, Alabama (a suburb of Birmingham where author Fannie Flagg grew up).

The Final Destination – US Box Office: USD$66,477,700

Director: David R. Ellis

Main Cast: Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, Kristen Cloke, Daniel Roebuck, Roger Guenveur Smith, Chad E. Donella, Seann William Scott 

Release Date: August 28, 2009 

Filming Locations: Orlando, Florida, USA; Springfield Centre Mall, McKinley, Pennsylvania, USA; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Harahan, Louisiana, USA; Mobile, Alabama, USA

Main Plot: Nick O’Bannon experiences a terrifying premonition ten years after Flight 180 explodes. A bizarre chain of events leads to numerous race cars colliding at the McKinley Speedway race track. There is igniting debris in the stands, brutally killing his friends, and the upper deck of the shelves collapsing on him. When Nick awakens from this horrific experience, he panics and convinces Lori, their friends Janet and Hunt to leave. They escape preventing Nick’s terrifying vision from becoming a dreadful reality. The group gets a new lease on life and believes they have dodged death, but sadly for Nick and Lori, this is just the beginning.

Famous quotes:

Hunt Wynorski: “We just lost a hot MILF.”

Nick: “There’s going to be a huge crash.

Hunt Wynorski: Of course, there’s a crash. There’s always a fucking crash.”

Mechanic’s Girlfriend: “Have you all lost your fucking mind?”

Janet: “No. Don’t you see? This is where I was supposed to be in the first place, not that stupid race. I was meant to see this movie.”

Theatre Manager: “Find the way to the exit. Remain calm. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Sequel: Final Destination 5

Fun fact about The Final Destination:

  • The film’s McKinley Speedway crash resembles a real-life disaster: the 1955 LeMans Speedway disaster, in which an engine block, bonnet, and other debris were thrown into a crowded grandstand in a multi-car collision, killing a total of 84 people. Fatalities included spectators cut in half by the flying cowl “like a guillotine” and the engine block crushing a band through the crowd; An explosion and fire also occurred, adding to the death toll.

Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo – US Box Office: USD$65,538,755

Director: Mike Mitchell

Main Cast: Rob Schneider, William Forsythe, Eddie Griffin, Arija Bareikis, Oded Fehr, Gail O’Grady, Richard Riehle, Jacqueline Obradors

Release Date: December 10, 1999 

Filming Locations: 4342 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City, California, USA; E. Omega Ave. & S. Carl St. Anaheim, California, USA; Angel Stadium of Anaheim – 2000 Gene Autry Way, Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles, California, USA;  Orlando, Florida, USA

Main Plot: A serial killer is terrorizing goblins in Europe. Deuce Bigalow is invited to Malibu by his former pimp friend T.J. after losing his wife Kate in a shark attack (he keeps her prosthetic leg with him as a reminder). After Deuce accidentally starts a situation involving crazy dolphins, Hicks travels to Amsterdam. Deuce leaves to divert his attention from Kate. When T.J. shows Deuce his “float crib,” they visit a coffee shop where they get wasted and run into a German gigolo named Heinz Hummer. Deuce discovers Hummer dead in an alley after leaving the coffee shop, but he believes he is just stoned, so he brings the dead gigolo to T.J.’s floating crib.

Famous quotes:

Kate: “I don’t see how it could be pleasurable for a woman. I don’t think it’s natural. You’re not supposed to go up there. I don’t know how men do it either.”

Deuce Bigalow: “You’re not curious, just to try something new?”

Kate: “I’m just not into it.”

Deuce Bigalow: “So space exploration is out for you?”

Kate: “Definitely. I mean, more power to any woman who wants to be an astronaut. I wouldn’t do it. Frankly, I’d rather take it up the butt.”

Sequel: Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo

Fun facts about Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo: 

  • The person who played Cookie Girl was Rob Schneider’s daughter, Allie Kim. Later, she performed “Ex’s and Oh’s,” a song that received moderate airplay. She was then called Elle Tanner Schneider.
  • In the scene where Deuce walks with the tall woman and yells the word “freak,” the line is spoken by Adam Sandler. Besides being a producer, this is his only “credit” for the film.

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