One of the best things about living in New York is watching movies filmed in New York. There’s just something about seeing the familiar buildings and streets you see every day on the silver screen that makes one feel lucky to live in such an amazing, vibrant city. From the tough guys of Goodfellas to the romantic trysts atop the Empire State Building, here are some highly recommended movies featuring one of film history’s most popular stars: NYC.
The city has a huge indie film scene, and you can argue with me all you want, but I’m convinced it’s got the best chances for independent film-watching you’ll find anywhere. And that’s thanks in part to the loads of great theaters that play first-rate independent and alternative films. Here’s a list of some of the top independent film houses around the city, and be sure to check out the new map feature in the right-hand sidebar to some of these great spots!
The Angelika showcases off-beat and hip films. It includes a cafe; with gourmet foods. The cafe is worth a trip, even if you’re not there to catch a show.
BAM Rose Cinemas30 Lafayette Avenue between Ashland Place and St. Felix Street, Brooklyn. (718) 636-4157
This theater features independent, classic American and foreign films, documentaries, retrospectives, festivals and sneak previews and even Q&As with filmmakers.
This East Village screening room has become one of the hottest spots in the city. Known for its offbeat screenings of the best foreign, cult, contemporary independent and classic Hollywood films, Cinema Classics shows a different film every 2-3 days for only $5.50.
Film Forum 209 West Houston, 727-8110
Film Forum shows eclectic political and artistic movies. Cappuccino is available in the lobby, and the seats are ultra-comfortable.
The Kitchen 512 W. 19th St. bet. 10th and 11th Aves. (212) 255-5793
The Kitchen shows avant-garde films as well as more traditional theater and concert performances. They have special events that combine dinner and a movie. A lot of the shows feature New York artists. Check out the ticket prices before you go, as prices may vary for feature films.
The NYFA hosts regular film festivals in their 200 seat auditorium. Big-name guests are known to appear, including filmmakers such as Peter Bogdonavich and Al Pacino.
Ocularis at Galapagos 70 North 6th Street, between Wythe & Kent Avenues in historical Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Ocularis provides classic, international, and repertory cinema, with independent, experimental and documentary filmmakers. Screenings are Sunday nights at 7pm and 9:30pm and Monday nights at 8:30pm.
Public Theater425 Lafayette St. near Astor Place. (212) 260-2400
The Public shows a quirky selection of old movies, especially “art” classics and history of filmmaking breakthrough pictures.
The Screening Room has a 131-seat movie theater, a restaurant and bar, a lounge, and a private dining/screening room known as the i-room. Both the restaurant and movie theater have the feel of a 1940’s movie palace.
With all of the Twilight buzz swirling around the blogosphere (and pre-teens’ Facebook pages), it seems this would be the perfect time to remind everyone of the fun that can be had from “real” vampires. Remember them? You know, scary, immortal, damned to drink human blood for all eternity and generally skulk around with all of the other creepy creatures that go bump in the night? These days, poor Dracula’s fangs have been filed down to kitten-like points, and his biggest concerns have become raging hormones, high school crushes, and *gasp* homework! No wonder he can’t face the light of day!
If you’re like me and missing the days when the bad guys and evil creatures were actually bad and evil, here are a few must-have classic and contemporary vampire movies to sink your teeth into:
It seems that Christmas keeps coming earlier and earlier every year. And not in the where-does-the-time-go, I’m-always-playing-catchup-with-my-holiday-shopping kind of way. I mean that Christmas decorations are going up right at the same time that I get my sweaters out of storage and start planning my Halloween costume. By the time Christmas rolls around, a part of me is burnt out on Christmas, and partially convinced that it already came and went back in early November when everyone got their lights up.
I’m trying to stay optimistic and chalk it up to the warm and fuzzy idea that it’s just one way for us to make the Christmas spirit last all year, so it is in that same spirit that I bring you an early list of holiday movie favorites so you can set up your Netflix queue early this year. Here are my top 10 traditional and not-so-traditional picks for this year:
Classics:
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: I maintain that the animated version of this film is the best. “The Grinch,” has no Christmas spirit, and his only goal in life now is to rid the world of Christmas joy. In order to do this, he will steal all of the gifts, decorations, and food from the small town of Whoville with the belief that there is no Christmas without things. This is an absolute classic, and one I will watch for years to come in hopes of figuring out what on earth the song “Nahoo forays” is supposed to mean. Surprisingly, it only lasts 26 minutes.
A Christmas Story: One we’ve all seen a million times, and even if you’re sick of it you know you’ll still sit and watch for at least ten minutes this Christmas when flipping through the channels. Most importantly, this film has a very important message about gun safety, swearing, and frozen flagpoles. A young boy in the 1940’s takes us through the days leading up to Christmas and his enthusiastic efforts to get a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas. This holiday movie is loaded with memorable scenes, and not just because it’s played 24 hours a day on TNT and TBS.
Muppet’s Christmas Carol: I like to mix it up with this fun take on the classic Dickens tale. It’s got singing rats, dancing puppets, and it does its best to glaze over the whole horrifying not-so-subtle message from the grim reaper. Every now and then a song from this film will pop into my head in the middle of summer, and it’s not nearly as annoying as you’d think.
It’s a Wonderful Life: Ok, here’s your film with a message. I do not recommend watching this back to back with a more somber version of A Christmas Carol unless you want to gain five pounds comforting yourself with food. Jimmy Stewart has fallen on tough times, and believes that the world would be better off without him, and an angel shows him what life would be like if he really had never been born. The movie is really about hope, and just how much one man can change the lives of everyone around him. It’s A Wonderful Life if a classic Christmas film that has made some lists as one of the best movies ever made.
A Charlie Brown Christmas: A wonderful made-for-TV special about Charlie Brown and his friends during the holidays. How often do you pass that one sad looking little Christmas tree and think about the tree Charlie decorates (and nearly topples) with a single red ornament?
Miracle on 34th Street: Kris Kringle gets a job as Santa at Macy’s and meets a little girl that doesn’t believe Santa exists. Kris Kringle trys to prove that he is the man from the North Pole. It’s a sweet movie and reminds me of a time when Santa was real and magical.
White Christmas: Beautiful, funny, heartwarming, everything you need from a classic Christmas movie. Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play successful Broadway producer-entertainers who wind up at a Vermont country inn with the beautiful sisters of an old army buddy. The four decide to stage a musical production to help out the innkeeper.
Not-so-traditional:
Nightmare Before Christmas: I adore this movie. It’s quirky, funny, but above all, heartwarming in a completely acceptable way. The animation, characters, songs, and story are all fantastic, and it’s one of my all-time favorite movies year-round. Halloween Town is a dream world filled with deformed monsters, ghosts, and ghouls, where every day is a Halloween celebration led by Jack Skellington. Tired of the same old holiday, Jack wanders through the woods and discovers a portal to Christmas Town, which inspires him to take over a new holiday. But sometimes the best intentions lead to trouble.
Love Actually: Not technically a Christmas movie, this film takes place during the holiday season, and it explores love in all its shapes and sizes, both good and bad. It’s very charming, and full of beautiful and carefully constructed vignettes. You rejoice with the characters and hurt with the characters and reminds you of all the people you love in your life. I cry exactly four times every time I watch it.
Scrooged: This is a wonderful take on the classic Scrooge. And of course, who doesn’t love Bill Murray? His dead pan humor makes this holiday movie a riot. Props man: I can’t get the antlers glued to this little guy. We tried Crazy Glue, but it don’t work. Frank Cross: Did you try staples?
And a bonus…..
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians: I think every holiday movie list should include at least one obscure reference to a film that has significance simply because of the memories it conjures up– because watching movies is as much about the people you’re with as it is about the story of the movie itself. This particular movie is special because it is a perfect go-to flick when you feel you’re getting a sweetness overdose from other holiday fare, and my dad likes to repeat the line “these are our antennae” at random, far past the holiday season, even when it’s not really a relevant reference.
