The City That Never Sleeps, The Big Apple, The Melting Pot, call it what you will but the city of New York has been used as a setting in movies since the beginning of film. The bustling streets, iconic landmarks, and diverse cultures provide a perfect backdrop for storytelling while creating a rich setting for unforgettable scenes. From comedies to drama to romance to dystopian visions, NYC has been at the center of cinema dating back to 1901’s What Happened on Twenty-third Street, New York City. Since then we have witnessed some of the greatest films of all time emanate from the city utilizing its five boroughs, dark alleys, and tall skyscrapers to become one of the most polarizing settings of the movie world.
However, this is not a list of the greatest New York movies of all time but a list of my favorite films to be set in the Empire City. My best list would be wildly different. Here, I am going to share the films from New York that I have become instant favorites regardless of their quality or critical acclaim. These are some movies I have rewatched the most and have left an indelible mark on my cinematic heart, each resonating with me in unique ways. From classic tales to contemporary hits, these are some of the most enjoyable movies of mine that are set in New York.
40. Scrooged (1988)
A yearly watch around Christmas time for decades and my favorite Bill Murray movie, Scrooged would be a modern retelling of the classic A Christmas Carol. Murray would essentially play the Ebenezer Scrooge character but this time be the heartless TV exec forcing people to work on a live TV special on Christmas Eve. But the meat and fun of the movie is when goes on trips with his three ghosts most notably the ghost of Christmas present and past. Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present is my favorite with her sweet high-pitched voice who kicks and punches Murray to help get her point across. The Ghost of Christmas Past played by Buster Poindexter is another fun one as the Manic cigar-smoking Taxi cab driver. I love the horror elements that director Richard Donner incorporated into this with some solid practical effects and gags. Murray is at his smart-ass prick self here with him recommending to staple some antlers to a live mouse because the glue wasn’t working still kills me. I don’t know anyone else who could have delivered his long emotional monologue once he realized the jerk he has become and what the season really means to him.
39. Highlander (1986)
“There can be only one!” An interesting premise of immortals battling in sword fights with the only way to win is to chop your opponent’s head with great visuals and a banging soundtrack by Queen makes this one of the most 80s movies ever. Throw in some over-the-top acting by Sean Connery and a personal favorite in Clancy Brown as The Kurgan who is a sadistic barbarian willing to do whatever it takes to win “The Prize”. The movie is a bit of a mess but it’s a favorite nonetheless due to everything I just mentioned. Cool sword fights and a fun badass villain go a long way with me with one of my favorite final fight scenes taking place in a dark warehouse with a cold steel blue light shining on the combatants as sparks fly from the neon sign crashing down. Of course, a rooftop water tower falls to add water into the mix. Just classic 80s. Lastly, “Who Wants to Live Forever” is one of my favorite movie songs of all time. Queen is the best.
38. Sea of Love (1989)
If you are into exotic thrillers from the late 80s/early 90s then Sea of Love is for you. Al Pacino plays a NYC detective trying to hunt down a serial killer who finds their victims from dating ads in the newspaper. Enter the sexy Ellen Barkin as the two begin a love affair against the cop’s better judgment. Barkin and Pacino have some pretty intense chemistry mainly due to the hotness of Barkin. There is some fun suspense about the identity of the killer and some left turns that keep you engaged in the story while also having some solid role players in John Goodman, Richard Jenkins, and Michael Rooker.
37. Cinderella Man (2005)
Based on a true story and set during the great depression, we follow the struggle of former boxer James Braddock losing everything due to a broken hand but then trying to find day work in order to take care of his family much like other New Yorkers hit with hard times in the 1930s. He gets a second chance with the help of his longtime manager and friend, the loudmouth Paul Giamatti. As he begins to win and make some noise, he attracts praise from the people after being dubbed the “Cinderella Man” due to his rags to riches story but also garners a title match against the champ Max Baer who had reportedly killed two men in the ring.
This is one of my favorite boxing movies and one of my favorite Russel Crowe roles. He is believable as the earnest boxer chasing a dream while wanting the best for his family. Ron Howard captures the setting extremely well while having some solid boxing action but Paul Giamatti’s performance is one of the biggest reasons I keep returning to this film as he just knocks it out of the park the fast-talking, quickly angered manager for the humble and quiet boxer. This movie has a lot of heart as a powerful underdog story.
36. Juice (1992)
It’s crazy how great this movie is considering the amount of debuts it has from major players of the film. It was Ernest Dickinson’s directorial debut after working on five movies with Spike Lee. Actors Omar Epps (arguably one of the greatest actor athletes ever), Khalil Kain, and rapper Tu Pac Shakur’s all make their debuts here as well with Tupac’s performance here being criminally underrated. The film touches on the lives of four black youths growing up in Harlem, following their day-to-day activities, their struggles with police harassment, rival neighborhood gangs, and their families.
Fed up with the daily harassment by the police and a Peurto Rican gang, Bishop wants to make some noise to earn respect but Q isn’t so sure he wants to lead a life of crime as he has his sights on being a DJ. The growing friction between Bishop and Q is so thick the viewer can almost feel it. Epps and Shakur play their parts so well while Dickerson allows the authentic feel to enhance everything we are witnessing on screen including some intense situations. There are a number of great role players and cameos starting with the lovely Cindy Herron of En Vogue, Doctor Dre, Ed Lover, Fab 5 Freddy, Donald Faison, and of course, the majestic Samuel L. Jackson. Add the fashion style and some sizzilin tunes by the likes of Naughty by Nature, Salt N Pepa, and Cypress Hill all make for a classic in Kane’s book. “Snappy Nappy Dugout!”
35. Maniac Cop 2 (1990)
A Jason Voorhees-like killer who dresses up as a New York City police officer to kill unsuspecting victims and seeks revenge on the people who wrong him. These movies were the quintessential VHS box cover rentals based on the title and premise alone. It had everything a young horror fiend needed: violence, gore, William Lustig, Larry Cohen, Tom Atkins, and Bruce Campbell among others in the sequels but unfortunately the gratuitous nudity was absent. These aren’t good but Maniac Cop 2 stands out above the rest by delivering better action and some style seemingly leaning more into the quirkiness of the whole thing. Even director William Lustig considered Part 2 his best film calling it “a terrific B-movie” and I tend to agree.
34. The Great Gatsby (2013)
If you asked for a prototypical example of style over substance type of movie, Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 remake would be at the top of the list. And let me tell you what, the style of this movie just slapped me in the face and became an instant favorite even though the film overall falls flat missing the heart it needs to be great. I am not usually a fan of the roaring 20s style but hot damn does the clothes, cars, music, accents etc. work for me here. The party scenes made me wish I had a Last Action Hero ticket to be able to join in on the festivities. Leonardo DiCaprio was a perfect fit for Gatsby and played the mysterious handsome millionaire until a certain point of the film where it just seemingly fell off a cliff. Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire played their parts well enough. It’s just always weird to see Tobey not in a Spider-Man movie. Joel Edgerton pretty much stole the show as this was the period where he was quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. Another fantastic soundtrack on this list and some of the best use of colors in film. I just wish they could have nailed the entire film because it could have been a classic.
33. The Fisher King (1991)
How is a movie that has Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges, and Terry Gilliam all working on it not get talked about enough? Not to mention some incredible role players in Mercedes Ruehl, Amanda Plummer, and Michael Jeter. It’s criminal how underrated this film is as we follow an alcoholic and suicidal former shock jock whose insensitive words indirectly lead to a mass murder. While dealing with the aftermath, he is saved one night from a group of punks by the most charismatic homeless person of all time who claims to be on a mission for the Holy Grail. Here you get the frenetic energy of Good Morning Vietnam Robin Williams while also showing his dramatic acting chops people would fall in love with in some of his films later in the 90s. Terry Gilliam is able to combine drama, comedy, and romance in such a touching and heartfelt/breaking way. Oh and some fantastic imagery. Gilliam always brings the heat with imagery.
32. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
This is one of the few entries on this list that I wasn’t that big of a fan the first time I watched this but it has continued to grow on me with each rewatch over the years. I’m not that big of a Cruise or Kidman fan so I mainly just saw this because of Stanley Kubrick. He had never let me down. I left the theater confused and uncomfortable. It was marketed as an erotic thriller. I got the erotic part but the thriller aspect wasn’t there for me during the first watch but after revisiting it later in life, I began to understand what Kubrick was going for. It was gorgeously shot of course but Kubrick’s brilliant execution of certain one-take scenes was meant to be hypnotic and uncomfortable to create an underlying thriller to the events of the film. Learning more about the history of Kubrick, I have discovered that this was a common theme with his films where they are misunderstood upon initial release but are ultimately realized for the masterpieces they are years later.
31. King of New York (1990)
Back in my New Jack City entry, I mentioned Nino Brown as being one of the first hip-hop characters who wasn’t a comedy act or just a thug but I believe Jimmy Jump played by Laurence Fishburne paved the way for serious hip-hop characters in film. He plays the trigger-happy right-hand man to drug kingpin Christopher Walken with some incredible style inspired by the likes of Run DMC and other hip-hop artists of the time. He was able to combine charm and a volatile nature to make for a fun and memorable character.
Abel Ferrara allowed his talented cast to cook which is easy to do when you are working with exceptional talent like Walken, Fishburne, Victor Argo, David Caruso, Wesley Snipes, Steve Buscemi, and Giancarlo Esposito among others. I mean what a cast but it is also a gripping neo-noir crime thriller with a violent and dark tone.
50-41 | 30-21
What are your thoughts on these New York movies?
