Rank and file: Washington's character, Alonzo Harris, was No. 50 on the American Film Institute's 2003 list of Hollywood's best villains.
-- M.O.
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L.A.'s story is complicated, but they got it
The city has been a main character in many films of the last 25 years. Our film crew picks the best. It's a tough list to crash.
MOVIES
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday, September 03, 2008 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 55 words Type of Material: Correction
Los Angeles movies: An article in Sunday's Calendar about the best films of the last 25 years set in the Los Angeles area said of "The Big Lebowski" that Lebowski's mansion was on the Westside. The movie locates it in Pasadena. Also, it said "Training Day" was released in 1991. It was released in 2001.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday, September 07, 2008 Home Edition Sunday Calendar Part E Page 2 Calendar Desk 1 inches; 51 words Type of Material: Correction
Los Angeles movies: An article last Sunday about the best films of the past 25 years set in the Los Angeles area said of "The Big Lebowski" that the millionaire Lebowski's mansion is on the Westside. The movie locates it in Pasadena. Also, "Training Day" was released in 2001, not 1991.
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14 "Swingers" (1996)
For the 6.2% of actors in the Screen Actors Guild who earn more than $50,000 a year, there's "Entourage." For the other 93.8%, there's "Swingers," Doug Liman's hip, indie comedy about the lives and loves of struggling actors written by a struggling actor, Jon Favreau (now the director of "Iron Man") for his struggling actor buddies: Vince Vaughn and Ron Livingston. This group lives in an Eastside world of late-night eats at the Hollywood Hills Coffee Shop (now the 101 Cafe), pitch-and-putt golf in Atwater Village, Marty and Elaine at the Dresden in Los Feliz and Pink Dot delivery at home. The film's details are precise -- note the New Beverly Cinema calendar tacked to the fridge in Favreau's character's apartment. They don't lead outwardly glamorous lives, but certainly talk a big game: This is the movie that started the once-inescapable phrases "Vegas, baby!" and "You're so money." Though swing music and chain wallets may have gone out of vogue, "Swingers" captured the L.A. singles experience -- those without a girlfriend and an agent -- in style.
The plating game: The film is filled with several references to George Lucas' films, including a license plate that reads THX 1138 -- a reference to Lucas' "THX 1138" as well as "American Graffiti," which featured a similar plate.
-- Patrick Day
15 "Devil in a Blue Dress" (1995)
It says something about the nature of things that the time and place of this superb crime drama -- the circa 1948 streets surrounding Los Angeles' vibrant Central Avenue -- are as remote as Burkina Faso for mainstream movie audiences. A gripping piece of work by director Carl Franklin, "Devil" brings to life an era in L.A. when it was risky for black men to venture north of Wilshire Boulevard at night. Graced with a persuasive performance by Denzel Washington and some career-making work by Don Cheadle, this adaptation of the first of Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins novels gives off the kind of excitement that never grows old.
Clip job: A love scene between Washington's Rawlins and the missing white woman he was hired to find (played by Jennifer Beals) was left on the cutting-room floor.
-- Kenneth Turan
16 "Friday" (1995)
