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- Rebel Without a Cause, 1955. In this beloved classic film starring the iconic James Dean, a rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies alike.
- The Sting, 1974. This American caper film stars two of cinema’s biggest male stars, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, in a twisted plot about the quest of con men.
- The Muppet Movie, 1979. In the original on-screen adventure featuring the Muppets, Kermit and his newfound friends travel across the United States to find success in Hollywood, doing their best to escape a notorious frog legs merchant along the way.
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High, 1984. If there’s one film that put SoCal high school culture on the map it was Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Santa Monica Place, a luxury shopping complex designed by Frank Ghery, was used to stage the Ridgemont Mall where several of the film’s characters hold after-school jobs.
- Forrest Gump, 1994- Santa Monica Pier
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High, 1984- Santa Monica Place
- Lords of Dogtown, 2005- All of Santa Monica
- Speed, 1994- Big Blue Bus
- The Social Network, 2010- The Santa Monica Bay Woman’S Club
- The Sting, 1973- Looff Hippodrome
- Get Shorty, 1995- Aero Theatre
- Rebel Without A Cause, 1955- Santa Monica High School
- The Big Lebowski, 1998- Santa Monica Airport
- Ocean’s Eleven, 2001- Palisades Park
If we’re going to talk ‘American classics’, we have to mention Tom Hanks’ Forrest Gump. Best described as a simple and kind man, Forrest takes us through a crazy journey to show us that life’s unpredictable, but you have to appreciate it for what it is, work with what you got, and never -ever- forget to be a good person. As iconic as this movie is,...
Coming of age films are supposed to remind us of a certain nostalgia associated with youth culture, which is exactly what Fast Times at Ridgemont High does. Get transported straight back in time as a group of teens deal with all the classic high schooler’s dilemmas, like overbearing teachers, awkward crushes, and just plain growing up. Or even work...
It definitely doesn’t get any more Santa Monica than Lords of Dogtown. This movie takes us back to the 1970s to deep dive into the skate and surf trends that forever changed our city’s culture. If you really want to immerse yourself into this film and be in the same environment as the legendary Z-Boys, come visit us at Dogtown Coffee, a Santa Monic...
Ever since 1928, Santa Monicans could count on the Big Blue Busservice system to take them wherever they want to go in the city. But in this 1994 thriller, our reliable bus system, renamed the Santa Monica Intercity Bus Lines, is thrown for a loop when a police officer learns one of the buses is rigged with a bomb that’s set to go off if its speed ...
The Social Network delves into a partly fictionalized telling of Facebook’s origin story. It’s a dramatized account about the challenges of running a new business, both personal and professional. From the beginning, this movie makes it clear that Facebook has New England roots, so where does Santa Monica fit in? At none other than Harvard Universit...
Follow two con men, Johnny Hooker and Henry Gondorff, pull a heist against crime boss Doyle Lonnegan in this caper film classic, The Sting. While this movie takes place in Chicago, most of the shooting happened in LA, which explains why Gondorff works as a carousel operator at a building that looks suspiciously like the Looff Hippodrome. That’s rig...
Get Shorty is a comedy crime film like no other. Follow Miami loan shark Chilli Palmer as he’s sent to Hollywood to collect a debt and realizes being in the film industry isn’t that much different than the mobster life. No movie about Hollywood would be complete without a Santa Monica cameo, which is why Chilli and Karen Flores are seen exiting the...
Rebel Without a Cause is all gas and no brakes from the second troubled Jim Stark arrives in a new town and makes his share of enemies. It’s a commentary about the dark future we’re headed towards unless parents start showing their kids the support they need. But, behind its tension, if you pay close enough attention, you’ll be able to see a little...
All Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski wants is payback for his ruined rug, even if it means doing a millionaire’s dirty work. Since its release, this comedy has captured audiences everywhere for its absurdity, including the famous “bowling dance dream”. Commonly noted as one of the most memorable scenes in cinema, this work of art was filmed at an empty ...
Ever wondered what it takes to rob three of Las Vegas’ richest casinos? Ocean’s Eleven should be right up your alley. Complete with action, high-stakes crime, and money, this thriller is guaranteed to keep anyone on the edge of their seat. But there’s more to Ocean’s Eleven than Vegas. In one scene between Danny Ocean and his right-hand man Rusty R...
Mar 20, 2017 · Discover six iconic movie locations in Santa Monica, California that have appeared in many of your favorite Hollywood Films, from Forrest Gump to The Sting.
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Films set principally in the heart of Santa Monica, California.
Jan 14, 2022 · Highlights include the heartbreaking documentary on Canadian Indigenous children “FOR LOVE;” a unique horror movie called “A Savannah Haunting;” and a feature comedy called “Wing Dad,” which is...
Films officially selected for the 2025 Santa Monica Film Festival may be presented in either Santa Monica, online, or both — depending on emerging circumstances. For online viewing, films will be available exclusively through the XOLO.TV, the # film festival streaming platform.
The San Francisco Examiner called the movie “a vicious Hong Kong dazzler with a great cast.” And the Austin Chronicle added, “'The Heroic Trio' is a live-action comic book and captures the quirky spirit and shrewd logic of the medium better than both 'Batmans' put together.”
