Andre Benjamin as Jimi Hendrix in the drama/biopic “Jimi: All Is By My Side.” Credit: Patrick Redmond

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The shortest distance between Hollywood and Wisconsin ends at a multiplex or art-house screen near you.

In 2014, Wisconsin became lodged in the frontal lobe of studios and filmmakers. Perhaps it was the nexus of sports and politics that often put the state on the front pages. Some of it also likely was due to the creative minds involved in them with state ties.

Whatever the reason, there have been numerous references to Wisconsin in films, big and small, this year. These are a few of them, with their local opening dates.

'Foxcatcher' (Dec. 19)

What: Tale of two brothers who were Olympic wrestlers and their eccentric millionaire sponsor with mental health issues

Local references: One of the wrestlers, Dave Schultz, a former assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin, is played by Kenosha native Mark Ruffalo.

'The Judge' (Oct. 10)

What: A lawyer estranged from his jurist father must defend him in court.

Local references: Robert Downey Jr.'s lawyer also defended the "son of a Milwaukee beer baron"; Eau Claire-rooted Bon Iver's song "Holocene" takes a sad film and makes it sadder.

'Jimi: All Is by My Side' (Oct. 4 at Milwaukee Film Festival; theatrical run, Oct. 10)

What: The year guitarist Jimi Hendrix spent in England before stardom

Local references: Writer-director John Ridley, Oscar winner for his "12 Years a Slave" screenplay, is a Mequon native. The film also includes a groupie who, when asked where her accent is from, says "Milwaukee."

'Jersey Boys' (June 20)

What: Clint Eastwood film based on the Broadway musical about the Four Seasons

Local reference: Mention of Frankie Valli playing Victor's Cabaret ("Milwaukee's hotspot," the sign says) when his career is on the downward slide. (Note: The club is a sub-street level bistro, nothing like the real-life Victor's, the longtime Milwaukee night spot.)

'Godzilla' (May 16)

What: Digitally enhanced remake of classic Japanese creature movie

Local reference: Effects supervised by Kenosha native and "Lord of the Rings" Oscar winner Jim Rygiel. Was the Universal Western Mining company name in the film a reference to UW-Milwaukee? It was a coincidence, he wrote. "But if everyone wants to read into it, sure!"

'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' (May 2)

What: Second movie in the trilogy in rebooted Marvel Comics superhero franchise

Local reference: Director Marc Webb is a Madison native.

'Boyhood' (Aug. 1)

What: The story of a boy and his family, filmed over 12 years in real time.

Local reference: When the father takes his children to a Houston Astros baseball game, he advises them: "The Milwaukee Brewers. Get to know them. Learn to hate them."

'The Grand Budapest Hotel' (March 21)

What: Archly comic tale set against an Old World confectionery artifice

Local references: Director Wes Anderson and co-screenwriter Roman Coppola visited Ten Chimneys, the former estate of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in Genesee Depot, after a screening in Chicago. Anderson has cited the architecture at Ten Chimneys as an inspiration. Also: The film co-stars Appleton native Willem Dafoe.

'The Boxtrolls' (Sept. 26)

What: Stop-action animated tale about impish creatures that live beneath cobblestone streets and only come out at night

Local reference: Art director Curt Enderle grew up in West Bend, attended Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School in Jackson and UW-Madison.

'Begin Again' (July 11)

What: A jaded producer rediscovers the joy of music working with a young singer-songwriter.

Local reference: Drunken record label producer played by Ruffalo.

'Citizenfour' (Nov. 7)

What: Documentary about government surveillance as revealed by whistle-blower Edward Snowden

Local reference: Brief appearance by investigative journalist and Wauwatosa native Jeremy Scahill

'The Surface' (Oct. 9 at Milwaukee Film Festival; theatrical run, Oct. 31)

What: Story of two men afloat on Lake Michigan

Local reference: Filmed in Milwaukee by local production team, including cinematographer Jimmy Sammarco. Written and produced by Milwaukee native Jeff Gendelman.

'The Theory of Everything' (Nov. 21)

What: Drama about physicist Stephen Hawking's battle with ALS

Local reference: Director James Marsh previously directed "Wisconsin Death Trip," based on Joseph Lesy's 1973 collection of photos and newspaper items chronicling suffering, murder and insanity at the end of the 19th century in Black River Falls.

'Into the Storm' (Aug. 8)

What: Effects-driven film about characters caught up in tornadoes.

Local reference: Director Steven Quale grew up in Madison. "We didn't have a lot of tornadoes," he told Collider.com, "but there were plenty of tornado warnings and sirens. So I remember being in the basement of my house as a kid watching the TV set and (learning) that a tornado touched down nearby and thinking, 'Oh my God, what would it be like to actually be in'" one.

'Gone Girl' (Oct. 3)

What: Based on bestseller about a husband, played by Ben Affleck, who is suspected in the murder of his wife

Local reference: Carrie Coon, who plays Affleck's sister, is an alumna of UW-Madison, American Players Theatre and Renaissance Theaterworks.

'No God, No Master' (2012 Milwaukee Film Festival; theatrical run, May 1)

What: Story about anarchist bombings in 1919 that led to a crackdown on immigrants, including the arrest of Sacco and Vanzetti.

Local reference: Filmed in Milwaukee, whose Cream City architecture stands in for early 20th-century New York City. One week before production began in 2009, the state withdrew a $500,000 incentive to film here.

'Fort McCoy' (Sept. 5 in Wisconsin; never made it to Milwaukee screens)

What: Story of family who lived and worked in the POW camp housing German and Japanese prisoners, now an Army training center in Monroe County.

Local reference: Portions of the film were shot in La Crosse.

'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' (Aug. 8)

What: Reboot of film based on the cartoon and comic-book characters of four anthropomorphic turtles.

Local reference: Green Bay native Tony Shalhoub provides the voice for Splinter, the rat that trained them in the martial arts.

'A Most Wanted Man' (July 25)

What: Cat-and-mouse tale about an extralegal hunt for terrorists in Germany

Local reference: Appleton native Dafoe co-stars. (It was a busy year for Dafoe: He also appeared in smaller roles in "The Fault in Our Stars" and "John Wick.")

'Laggies' (Nov. 7)

What: An aimless twentysomething bonds with a teenage girl and her father.

Local reference: Line producer Mel Eslyn grew up in the Milwaukee area, graduated from Pewaukee High School and lived in Madison. She also produced "The One I Love," available on DVD and for streaming.