Let's being with a 90s teen classic. If you ever wondered where the phrase "as if!" came from, it's from this fan-favourite from 1995, "Clueless." What many people actually don't know is that the plot was inspired by a Jane Austen novel, "Emma." And who knew that any work from this legendary author would work so well within the 90s teenage pop culture? Here, 'Emma' takes the form of 'Cher Horowitz,' a rich and popular girl who's the daughter of a very successful lawyer. Ass he reigns in as the hometown it-girl in her school, she takes it upon herself to play matchmaker with the people around her. However, not all of her conquests turn out to be good matches!
Source: Netflix
You can't say that you're a movie lover if you haven't seen Quentin Tarantino's cult classic, "Pulp Fiction." It was one of those rare films that practically changed the game for a certain genre of filmmaking. Led by a cast starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman, the movie is what skyrocketed the "weirdo director" into worldwide fame. With it, Tarantino revolutionized the film noir genre, giving it a slightly comical twist that's all his own. The gist of the movie is simple: two brooding hitmen—Travolta and Jackson—are tasked to deliver a suitcase and protect a girl. Famous speeches and iconic dance routines later, it became a hit!
Source: Netflix
Many will argue that the most noteworthy thing about Sofia Copolla's 2010 film, "Somewhere," is that they were allowed to shoot at the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel. In fact, the famous "castle on a hill" even makes an appearance on the poster itself. But what many people are missing about this movie is that it's an extremely different look at Hollywood life. Stephen Dorff stars as Johnny Marco, a top-notch actor in his prime. Though he's at the top of his game, he feels empty most of the time. But that changes when his daughter Cleo, played by Elle Fanning, pays him a long visit.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Speaking of movies about Hollywood life, there's practically none more iconic than the 1950 classic, "Sunset Boulevard." If there's ever a cautionary tale of how Hollywood superstardom can mess you up, it's this one! The legendary Gloria Swanson plays Norma Desmond, a washed-up silent film star intent on recapturing her glory days on the screen. In the movie, she befriends and takes on as her lover Joe Gillis, a screenplay writer who's down on his luck. The two bond over their love and hatred for the industry, seeing as their both victims of the system. But when Desmond's delusions get the best of her, their "friendship" goes south!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
You can say that "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" is also a film about show business but it takes on a particular part of it: the animated world. In this movie, your favourite cartoon characters are just like Hollywood celebrities, flighty and theatrical in their own right. When a big Hollywood studio head is found dead, all fingers point to Roger Rabbit. However, the big-eyes bunny pleads that he didn't do it, and it's up to the detective that he hired. Eddie Valiant, to clear his name. Eddie, who is a real-live human in this combined world of animation and live-action, interviews countless iconic cartoon characters, all in his mission to indicate Roger rabbit.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Though nowadays, Hollywood may seem like a place where rules don't apply, it was never the case back in the day. During the "Golden Age of Hollywood," actors were under extremely strict contracts, at times, even bordering on into their own personal lives. The 2016 film, "Rules Don't Apply," touch on that. Lilly Collins plays Maria, a young actress hired by the great Howard Hughes (played by the similarly legendary Warren Beatty). Hughes wants Maria to be a star, signing her own with a contract in his movie studio. However, in the said contract, she is barred from dating her fellow employees, including Hughes' own driver Frank Forbes, whom Maria falls in love with.
Source: Netflix
Finally, no list that contains movies set in or are about Hollywood isn't complete without mentioning "La La Land." Save for the viral mistake that happened during the 2016 Academy Awards, there are a lot of other reasons why this film made headlines. For one thing, it was one of the most successful movie musicals in a long time. Its most famous track, "City of Stars" even won the Oscar for Best Original Song. The movie is about two upcoming artists in LA, played by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone respectively, and their struggle to balance both their careers and relationship within the glimmering world of show business.
Source: Netflix
"La La Land," however, wasn't the first time Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone got together on-screen. Their first co-starring feature together was back in 2011 with the rom-com hit, "Crazy, Stupid, Love." And while they were in some of the most memorable moments of that movie, they both weren't the leads. That went to Steve Carrell who played Cal, a middle-aged man who's broken-hearted after his wife left him. Upon the insistence of his new young friend, Jacob (Gosling), he tries to pick up girls in the beautiful city of LA. And as the movie progresses, both men realize that maybe being the ladies' man isn't really "the life" after all!
Source: Netflix
They don't call LA the "city of dreams" for nothing. Apart from it being the place where people get to realize their lifelong dreams in show business, the city has often been a great setting for a few amazing films. Here are some worth watching and you can do so now on Netflix!
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