Weekly Movie Challenge

This week's challenge: watch a film where the location plays a starring role.

Whether it’s right in the title, integral to the plot, or the setting becomes its own character, there’s something for every kind of movie lover here. Let’s break it down by sub-genres!

Location in the Title
Sometimes, the location is so central to the film, they put it right there in the title. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) which revolves around a group of retirees moving to a hotel in India. Everest (2015) focuses on climbers battling the harsh reality of scaling the world's highest peak, where the mountain itself is the ultimate antagonist. In Salem's Lot (2024), the small town of Salem’s Lot is not just a backdrop but becomes a playground for supernatural horror. Finally Brazil (1985), where the futuristic dystopian city is both dreamlike and oppressive, shaping the entire narrative.

Location in the Title, but not Directly Named
In some films, the location is hinted at rather than explicitly named. The Place Beyond the Pines (2012) takes us into the mysterious woods of Schenectady, New York, where fateful decisions are made. The Hills Have Eyes (1977) uses a desolate desert to trap a family in a nightmare, while the titular “hills” are far from safe. Homeward Bound (1993) is a heartwarming journey of three pets crossing rugged wilderness to reunite with their family. And The Beach (2000) features a secret island paradise, but its beauty hides danger beneath the surface, making it a perfect setting for adventure and mystery.

Movies Set in One Location
If you love tight, single-location thrillers, these films are for you. Locke (2013) is a tense drama where the entire movie takes place inside a car as Tom Hardy's character deals with life-altering decisions. In The Shallows (2016), Blake Lively is stuck on a rock, just a few hundred feet from shore, but a hungry shark turns the isolated beach into a survival battle. Dogville (2003) strips away any physical set, relying on an empty stage where a small town’s secrets unfold. And Dog Day Afternoon (1975) keeps viewers on edge as a bank robbery goes south, with nearly the whole film confined to the building.

Location Important for the Plot
In these movies, the setting is crucial to the storyline. Thirteen Lives (2022) chronicles the true harrowing rescue of a Thai soccer team trapped in a flooded cave. Jaws 3D (1983) switches things up by setting the shark attack mayhem in an underwater marine park, adding new layers of danger. And The Blair Witch Project (1999) has a group of filmmakers lost in a forest, where the woods seem to hold the key to their disappearance—and their fear.

The Location is Almost a Character Itself
Some films make their setting feel like it's alive. In Ghostbusters (1984), New York City is more than just a backdrop, it’s a bustling character in its own right, with its famous landmarks playing host to supernatural chaos. In In The Tall Grass (2019), the grass itself feels menacing, trapping characters in a surreal nightmare. Finally, The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) uses the stark, remote Irish island to reflect the deep isolation and emotional turmoil between its characters.

Filming Locations You’d Love to Visit
Another fun spin on this challenge is to watch a movie filmed in a place you’d love to visit—or maybe even one you’ve been to! Whether it's the scenic streets of Paris in Midnight in Paris (2011) or the dramatic cliffs of New Zealand in The Lord of the Rings (2001), seeing these stunning locations on screen can inspire a little travel fever.

Below we’ve added some suggestions/recommendations for movies that would count for the challenge. Let us know what you’ve watched, what you’re thinking of watching, or whether you’ve got any recommendations to pass to your fellow CineChums.

Location, Location, Location

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