5. Stranger than Fiction
Some people may find this a surprising appearance on this list -- in truth, many may not realize it's a Chicago film at all. But the truth is: the film not only 1) employs a variety of the city's locations, but 2) features the Chicago Transit Authority in a particularly funny scene. Oh yeah, it's a good movie with a great cast, too.
To those who haven't seen it: don't watch the trailer. If you've seen the trailer, ignore it. It's misleading. Stranger than Fiction is not a typical slapstick, Will Ferrell-genre movie; it's much more intellectual and rewarding.
4. Adventures in Babysitting
To those who haven't seen it: don't watch the trailer. If you've seen the trailer, ignore it. It's misleading. Stranger than Fiction is not a typical slapstick, Will Ferrell-genre movie; it's much more intellectual and rewarding.
4. Adventures in BabysittingThis is a no-brainer. From the blues house to dangling perilously from a skyline-defining building, this movie is Chicago. Unfortunately, it's just not as good of a movie as the top three.
3. The Untouchables
Set in 1920s-30s gangland Chicago, this film featured not only an impressive cast (Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia [Ocean's 11-13], and Sean Connery -- who received an Oscar for his role), but it also possessed an exciting, enticing script with plenty of action and even some tear-jerking drama. Oh yeah, and it's basically about the coolest part of Chicago's history -- fedora-wearing gangs. Now everyone's got gold teeth and internet schemes.
2. The Blues Brothers
Come on. This is a blues town. You can be certain of that because the Blues Brothers took the time to lead a massive manhunt right through the center of this town, in what will likely be the greatest and most catastrophic car/foot chase scene in cinematic history. If for nothing else, this movie makes the list on the sheer, over-budget beauty of that penultimate scene. Oh yeah, and Nazis in Pintos. That too.
...Aaaaand, the Top Chicago Movie goes tooooooooo:
1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Product of the late, great John Hughes, Ferris pretty much presented the Second City better than any tourist video or Travel Channel special could. Beyond the fact that everyone has seen this movie, which makes its marketing even more effective, the movie itself enjoys such a light-hearted disposition that I would have felt like a jerk to put this movie any lower than number one.
In every good movie, there always must be a conflict. What's interesting about Ferris is the dual-fold conflict -- the obvious conflict being their flight from Principle Rooney, but also there exists this more pressing, troubling and innate desire to capture their fleeting youths. Ferris admits at one point that all three compatriots are aimed in different directions, implying the whole adventure was an effort to forestall that impending separation. This, perhaps, is the brilliance of John Hughes, who -- throughout his various 80s hits -- always found a way to interweave the adventure and comedy with the appropriate measure of teen-angst that every adult viewer could see their own youth unfold through. And that's why it's my Top of Chicago Movies.
In an effort to cut off what I imagine will be some serious fallout, allow me now to explain why National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is not on this list. First, it is a suburbs movie. The truth is, most viewers fail to realize it's a Chicagoland movie at all, unless they are familiar with the Chicago Blackhawk's logo or are otherwise perceptive. Secondly, the movie fails to feature the city prominently in its one scene within the city, rather, it focuses on the lewd humor of bra shopping. Simply put, Christmas Vacation, though the greatest Christmas movie ever, is not a top-5 Chicago movie. Sorry.
The List!**:
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Adventures in Babysitting
Stranger than Fiction
The Untouchables (filmed partly at my school!)
The Sting
High Fidelity
Uncle Buck
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
What Women Want
Blues Brothers
Blues Brothers 20003. The Untouchables
Set in 1920s-30s gangland Chicago, this film featured not only an impressive cast (Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia [Ocean's 11-13], and Sean Connery -- who received an Oscar for his role), but it also possessed an exciting, enticing script with plenty of action and even some tear-jerking drama. Oh yeah, and it's basically about the coolest part of Chicago's history -- fedora-wearing gangs. Now everyone's got gold teeth and internet schemes.
2. The Blues BrothersCome on. This is a blues town. You can be certain of that because the Blues Brothers took the time to lead a massive manhunt right through the center of this town, in what will likely be the greatest and most catastrophic car/foot chase scene in cinematic history. If for nothing else, this movie makes the list on the sheer, over-budget beauty of that penultimate scene. Oh yeah, and Nazis in Pintos. That too.
...Aaaaand, the Top Chicago Movie goes tooooooooo:
1. Ferris Bueller's Day OffProduct of the late, great John Hughes, Ferris pretty much presented the Second City better than any tourist video or Travel Channel special could. Beyond the fact that everyone has seen this movie, which makes its marketing even more effective, the movie itself enjoys such a light-hearted disposition that I would have felt like a jerk to put this movie any lower than number one.
In every good movie, there always must be a conflict. What's interesting about Ferris is the dual-fold conflict -- the obvious conflict being their flight from Principle Rooney, but also there exists this more pressing, troubling and innate desire to capture their fleeting youths. Ferris admits at one point that all three compatriots are aimed in different directions, implying the whole adventure was an effort to forestall that impending separation. This, perhaps, is the brilliance of John Hughes, who -- throughout his various 80s hits -- always found a way to interweave the adventure and comedy with the appropriate measure of teen-angst that every adult viewer could see their own youth unfold through. And that's why it's my Top of Chicago Movies.
In an effort to cut off what I imagine will be some serious fallout, allow me now to explain why National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is not on this list. First, it is a suburbs movie. The truth is, most viewers fail to realize it's a Chicagoland movie at all, unless they are familiar with the Chicago Blackhawk's logo or are otherwise perceptive. Secondly, the movie fails to feature the city prominently in its one scene within the city, rather, it focuses on the lewd humor of bra shopping. Simply put, Christmas Vacation, though the greatest Christmas movie ever, is not a top-5 Chicago movie. Sorry.
The List!**:
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Adventures in Babysitting
Stranger than Fiction
The Untouchables (filmed partly at my school!)
The Sting
High Fidelity
Uncle Buck
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
What Women Want
Blues Brothers
Code of Silence (Chuck Norris)
Road to Perdition
The Fugitive
The Breakfast Club
Backdraft
Risky Business
A League of Their Own
Wayne's World
Rookie of the Year (not sure about this one)
The Informant!
Return to Me
Home Alone (h/t to Patty-Lu)
*For a film to qualify, it must take place in Chicagoland -- i.e., the suburbs are included -- and I have to have seen it all the way through (my apologies to the first half of High Fidelity and the majority of The Sting). Other films earn consideration if a large amount of action occurs within downtown Chicago or portions of the city are featured prominently (see: The Informant! and High Fidelity). Gothom City does not count as Chicagoland, partly because the two films you're thinking of are too good for this list.
**In no order, whatsoever.
