Top 10 Movies Filmed in Florida

Ah, Florida. For millions around the world it’s a vacation destination full of beaches, babes and a kingdom ruled by a mouse. For those who live in the Sunshine State, it’s known as it really is: hell, only hotter. Still, just because its citizens are perpetually drenched from sweating and the state wouldn’t know a season if it came up and punched it in the butt doesn’t mean we can’t take a bit of pride in our home. There are a lot of great things about Florida, like…

We’re going to get back to you on that one. But most of your favorite writers from Stars & Popcorn are from good old Florida, and all of them currently live here. So, it was only a matter of time before we sat down and took a look at our favorite movies that were shot right here at home. So this week, we’re counting down our top 10 movies filmed in Florida—at least our favorites so far.

10. My Girl — This movie holds a special place in our hearts, and it’s not just because Macaulay Culkin is attacked by bees in it. No, it’s because this movie was shot just a few short blocks from where writers Patrick Sessoms and Joseph Hunter grew up. Sure, it might not be what people traditionally call a “good movie,” or even what people might untraditionally call a “good movie.” But it was shot in our town, damn it! Macaulay Culkin’s adorable reign of terror was brought to an end in our town! (Yeah we know it’s just a movie, but we can pretend.)

9. Creature from the Black Lagoon — Hoo boy, this one is an oldie but a goody. It just seems appropriate that a movie about a gill-man kidnapping a girl and causing terror would be shot in Florida. Sure, there might be beautiful beaches here, but if you’ve ever been boatin’ (yes, it doesn’t have a “g” when done down here in the South), you know that there’s some creepy stuff out in them thar waters. While we haven’t seen any gill-men yet, there are amoebas, and even though they won’t necessarily steal your girlfriend, they will turn your brain to mush, which we think might be just as bad.

8. Monster — Speaking of gill-men, how about Charlize Theron in Monster? O.K., that was kind of a cheap shot, but you did see her in that, right? There’s a long tradition of getting ugly to win an Oscar, and honestly she deserved to win three for her portrayal of the serial killer, Aileen. Now that we think about it, Florida’s film commission is doing a terrible job of driving tourism to this state. First we have creatures, then we have ugly serial killers? What’s next, a giant rat that steals children away to a castle in the middle of nowhere? Oh… Well, damn.

Mmm, nothing like a home-grown… Florida… Babe…

7. Key Largo — Finally, a movie that doesn’t show the dark side of Florida. Well, except for the killer hurricane… And the criminals held up in the Keys… Hey, we’ve got Humphrey Bogart, though, and that counts for something. Despite what the guy in the suit who insists you call him a meteorologist says, hurricanes aren’t usually as terrifying as movies make them out to be. Sure, you don’t want to go fly a kite in the middle of them, but for the most part, people with average brain functions usually make it through them unscathed. That is, unless you really piss off Humphrey Bogart.

6. The Truman Show — Alright, now we’re starting to notice a disturbing trend about movies being made in Florida. Monsters, killers, hurricanes and now a movie about a man whose entire life is a lie. Florida is a horrible place. Jim Carrey stars in this quaint little movie about the ultimate reality show, but things go horribly wrong when the star begins to suspect that things aren’t quite what they seem in his quiet little home town. O.K., so things don’t go that wrong, but it starts to get interesting. It’s an uplifting film that even the craziest people can relate to. Plus it’s got Jim Carrey, so it’s funny. Right? Um, right?

Around the Web