Buzz
Ah, Los Angeles! The city of stars, once the hub of all things cinema. Known for its cinematic allure, L.A. has captivated filmmakers worldwide for decades. From the enchanting Sunset Boulevard to the enigmatic Mulholland Drive, this city has served as the backdrop for some of the most iconic films in history. Though the golden age of Hollywood may be waning, sparks of brilliance still shine. Enjoy our spoiler-free list!
10. Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood (2019)
Quentin Tarantino's unique retelling of the infamous events surrounding Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate, and the notorious Manson Family.
The story follows Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a famous actor in decline, and his loyal stunt double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). As multiple narratives converge in this modern fairy tale, Tarantino pays homage to the golden age of Hollywood, with an unforgettable finale that will leave audiences stunned.
Richard Brody, a film critic from The New Yorker, praises Tarantino’s portrayal of this critical period. 'The film clearly marks the end of the classic era: set in 1969, a time when the studios were in financial turmoil due to their failure to keep pace with the changing times. The plot revolves around the event often seen as signaling the end of an era—the Manson Family murders of Sharon Tate and four others at the home she shared with her husband, Roman Polanski.'
9. Nightcrawler (2014)
In Dan Gilroy’s neo-noir thriller, Nightcrawler, Jake Gyllenhaal plays Louis Bloom, a narcissistic sociopath who operates as a freelance cameraman, documenting violent incidents that occur late at night in Los Angeles. He sells his footage to news outlets eager to pay top dollar for the most shocking and graphic material. Driven by obsession and void of any ethical standards, Louis will go to any lengths to capture the ultimate 'money shot.' Gilroy earned an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
8. The Neon Demon (2016)
This 2016 psychological horror film from Nicolas Winding Refn centers on Jesse (Elle Fanning), a striking 16-year-old girl who moves to Los Angeles to follow her dreams of becoming a model. Almost immediately, she is hailed as the 'next big thing' and begins to dominate the fashion industry. Her meteoric rise makes her the target of other ruthless industry members who envy her natural beauty and are determined to tear her down. What happens next is far from pretty.
Refn, who described the film as an 'adult fairy tale,' chose to film The Neon Demon in Los Angeles because it was the only city his wife was willing to visit if they had to leave Copenhagen.
7. Lost Highway (1997)
In this 1997 neo-noir thriller from David Lynch, two intertwined stories unfold. Fred (Bill Pullman), a jazz musician living in Los Angeles, receives a chilling message on his home intercom: 'Dick Laurant is dead.' The following day, Fred's wife, Renee (Patricia Arquette), finds a VHS tape on their doorstep. When they watch it, they discover it’s a recording of their own house. Over the coming days, more tapes arrive, eventually showing footage of the couple in bed.
The police are called but offer no assistance. To take their minds off the situation, Fred and Renee attend a party hosted by Renee’s friend, Andy, with whom Fred suspects she’s having an affair. The next day, another tape arrives, but this time Renee is missing, so Fred watches it alone. To his shock, the tape reveals Fred standing over Renee’s lifeless body.
Fred is sentenced to death for his wife’s murder. While awaiting execution on death row, he mysteriously disappears from his cell and is replaced by a young mechanic named Pete (Balthazar Getty), who soon falls for a mysterious woman named Alice, also portrayed by Patricia Arquette.
In her review for The New York Times titled 'Eerie Visions With a Mood of Menace', film critic Janet Maslin observes that '[Lost Highway] weaves a complex riddle from dreamlike logic, provocative sensuality, brutal violence, shifting personas, and ominous hints of doom.'
6. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Sunset Boulevard, the quintessential 1950 film noir directed by Billy Wilder, lives up to its legacy. The story follows an aging silent film star, Norma Desmond (played by Gloria Swanson), who enlists a young screenwriter, Joe Gillis (played by William Holden), to help her craft a screenplay for her supposed return to the silver screen. Struggling financially and seeking shelter, Joe reluctantly accepts, moving into Norma’s grand Hollywood estate. He soon finds himself overwhelmed by the fragility of Norma’s psyche as she descends into madness, clinging to any hope that might restore her former glory.
Film critics are unanimous in their praise for how the film poignantly exposes the reality behind the glittering facade of Hollywood:
'Sunset Boulevard is not just Billy Wilder's crowning achievement; it stands as the most insightful exploration of Hollywood ever put to film.' – Danielle Solzman, Solzy at the Movies
'Sunset Boulevard, the darkest self-reflection of Hollywood, is like an old haunted house, a ghostly narrative filled with the living specters of forgotten stars.' – Sean Axmaker, Seanax.com
'Rarely does fiction sparkle so vividly with the essence of real life.' – Marc Lee, Daily Telegraph
'One of Wilder’s greatest works, and undeniably the most unsettling of all Hollywood’s raw, unflinching reflections of itself.' – Geoff Andrew, Time Out
'Still the most outstanding film ever made about Hollywood, portraying the industry with unparalleled clarity.' – Andrew Sarris, Observer
5. La La Land (2016)
Though somewhat eclipsed by the notorious mix-up at the 2017 Academy Awards, when it was mistakenly given the Oscar for Best Picture instead of Moonlight, La La Land remains one of the most celebrated movie musicals of the 21st century. Written and directed by Damien Chazelle, this romantic comedy follows a jazz musician (Ryan Gosling) and an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) who fall in love while chasing their dreams in Los Angeles, a city known for shaping the destinies of artists.
Despite not winning the Best Picture Oscar, La La Land amassed an impressive number of awards and nominations. The film triumphed in all seven of its Golden Globe nominations, secured five British Academy Film Awards (including Best Film), and won six out of fourteen Academy Awards nominations, including Best Director for Chazelle and Best Actress for Stone.
4. Under The Silver Lake (2018)
Under The Silver Lake defies easy classification. This 2018 neo-noir, black comedy, conspiracy thriller, and mystery film was written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, following the success of his acclaimed horror film, It Follows. The movie stars Andrew Garfield as Sam, an unemployed, disillusioned man living in the Silver Lake area of Los Angeles. Sam spends his days smoking, reading underground comics, and spying on his neighbors as they swim in their pools.
Sam eventually strikes up a conversation with one of his poolside neighbors, Sarah (Riley Keough), who invites him in. They quickly bond and plan to meet again. However, when Sam returns to her apartment the next day, he finds it empty—Sarah has mysteriously disappeared. This sends him on a puzzling journey through Los Angeles, piecing together clues that suggest her disappearance is linked to a comic he has been reading, Under The Silver Lake.
In his review for Variety, Owen Gleiberman discusses the film’s 'Old Los Angeles' perspective, drawing comparisons to the noir fiction masters Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, stating, 'from Chinatown and Altman’s The Long Goodbye, to Mulholland Drive and Kiss Me Deadly and Inherent Vice.'
3. Mulholland Drive (2001)
David Lynch’s 2001 masterpiece, Mulholland Drive, is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. In 2016, a global poll of film critics conducted by the BBC named it the best film of the new millennium. This surreal neo-noir mystery introduces us to a brunette amnesiac (Laura Harring) who, after a car accident on Mulholland Drive, finds refuge in an apartment on Sunset Boulevard.
There, she meets Betty (Naomi Watts), a wholesome blonde woman staying at her aunt’s apartment and aspiring to become an actress. The amnesiac, who adopts the name Rita, can’t recall her identity. Together, the two women try to unravel the mystery of her past, but the story becomes increasingly enigmatic, leaving the audience to question what is dream and what is reality.
'Like many critics who cherish this film, none of us understood it the first time,' says Justin Chang, film critic for the Los Angeles Times. 'Anyone who claims they did is lying.' Reflecting on the film’s enduring appeal, Chang adds, 'It lovingly recreates the golden age of Hollywood, yet it’s a film that reveals the sinister truths lurking beneath the surface of the industry, particularly how it affects actresses and women striving for success. It’s a tale of both the seduction and the dangerous underside of the dream factory.'
2. Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Tom Ford’s talents extend far beyond his mastery of fashion. Seven years after his stunning directorial debut with A Single Man, Ford captivated audiences again in 2016 with the neo-noir psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals.
Nocturnal Animals tells the story of Susan (Amy Adams), a successful Los Angeles art gallery owner who receives a manuscript from her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal), whom she hasn’t seen in years. The narrative unfolds in three parts: flashbacks to Susan’s past with her ex-husband, her present life with her new husband, and the chilling, twisted world of the story her ex-husband wrote, which forces Susan to confront how it mirrors her own experiences and choices.
At RogerEbert.com, critic Glenn Kenny lauds a sequence as 'one of the most discomfortingly suspenseful in a Hollywood film since, maybe, Blue Velvet.' While Adams and Gyllenhaal deliver stellar performances, it’s Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson who will truly astonish you.
1. Drive (2011)
Drive is one of writer/director Nicolas Winding Refn’s most celebrated films. Adapted from James Sallis's 2005 novel, this 2011 neo-noir action thriller takes place in Los Angeles. It follows an unnamed Hollywood stuntman (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. After forming a bond with his neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and her son, the driver agrees to help with a heist planned by her husband, recently released from prison.
The heist goes disastrously wrong, forcing the driver to put his life on the line to protect his neighbors. Rotten Tomatoes rates this R-rated film at 92%, but be warned: the violence is intense and graphic!
