Movies love to romanticize big cities, especially when it comes to LA. Not everything is as glamorous as movies put it, but there are some movies that remind us why LA is a unique landmark to visit. I don’t mind the dramatization when depicting the city, so here are my pick of movies that capture the essence of the city and its people in no particular order.

1.) Valentine’s Day (2010)

This movie takes you through a tour of the city. From the flower district to the Venice canals, it reminds you of what places to revisit.

2.) Clueless (1995)

Clueless is set in the lavish city of Beverly Hills, where one is posh and a socialite. This movie perfectly captures the stereotypical valley girl jargon, and why you get annoyed when you hear a girl with this accent.

3.) Drive (2011)

Los Angeles captured in a dark, haunting, and yet beautiful manner. Those shots of Ryan Gosling driving through the city makes it look majestic, and it inspires you to take a midnight drive with music blasting through the speakers.

4.) Boyz n the Hood (1991)

Let’s be real, mainstream movies love to capture cities as a happy-go-lucky places to live. Boyz n the Hood captures the rawness of South Central and the struggles when living in a suppressed city.

5.) Pretty Woman (1990)

This movie shows the clash of two worlds set in the same city. During an accidental detour to Beverly Hills, Richard Gere’s character finds himself in Hollywood Boulevard hiring a sex-worker to be his escort to his company gatherings.

6.) Straight Outta Compton (2015)

Straight Outta Compton reminds Angelenos about the historical events that occurred in Los Angeles in the early 90’s, such as riots and police brutality, a topic that is still eminent today.

7.) Comet (2014)

A love story set in LA, specifically the Hollywood Cemetery. It’s a movie that shows the irony of falling in love in the city of Los Angeles. Both characters meet in a comet showing at the Hollywood Cemetery, in which (*spoiler*) foreshadows the timeline of their relationship.

8.) The Bling Ring (2013)

Based on a true story, young elites manage their way to steal from celebrities, such as Paris Hilton and Kristen Dunst. It captures the modern living of today’s celebrities and the lifestyle many aspire to achieve.

9.) Entourage (2015)

A movie about Hollywood stars and filmmakers. So meta right? The film captures the dramatization of working in Hollywood and the luxury when it comes to being a star.

10.) 500 Days of Summer (2009)

This isn’t just a love story between two people. It’s a love story with the city of Los Angeles. The city is an essential part of the storytelling in this movie. It brought back the rawness and uniqueness that LA has to offer. Joseph Gordon Levitt’s character, Tom, says it best when it come to Los Angeles, “There’s so much beauty here. Sure the street level isn’t much to look at, but if you look up, there’s some exciting stuff going on. If it were up to me, I’d get people to notice!”

These are my favorite movies when it comes to depicting LA. What are yours?