The State Of Movies
While we may not have physically visited every state in the nation, we've been to each and every one of them at least a few times thanks to the movies. And these are the best films set in all 50 states.
Alabama: "To Kill A Mockingbird" (1962)
Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize–winning novel became an Academy Award-nominated film in 1962—eight nominations, actually (including Best Picture And Director), and three wins, including Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay. Set in Depression-era Alabama, the film explores Southern prejudice and is often considered one of the greatest American movies ever made.
Honorable Mentions: My Cousin Vinny, Big Fish
Brentwood Productions, To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
Alaska: "The Gold Rush" (1925)
Charlie Chaplin himself stated on multiple occasions that The Gold Rush was the film he wanted to most be remembered for. That's good enough for us!
Honorable Mentions: Insomnia, Never Cry Wolf, Grizzly Man
Charles Chaplin Productions, The Gold Rush (1925)
Arizona: "Bad Santa" (2003)
Billy Bob Thornton shines as an addiction-riddled thief who works as a mall Santa every Christmas as a cover in order to rob the stores within. Set in Phoenix, this dark holiday comedy isn't fun for the whole family—but those it is fun for will love it.
Honorable Mentions: Raising Arizona, The Grapes of Wrath
Columbia Pictures, Bad Santa (2003)
Arkansas: "Thelma & Louise" (1991)
While the situation eventually sees Thelma and Louise head off on the run towards Mexico, Arkansas is where the story begins for our two protagonists in Ridley Scott's great 1991 film.
Honorable Mention: True Grit (2010), True Grit (1969)
California: "Boogie Nights" (1997)
There may not be any other state that has been the setting for more movies than California, so selecting the best film is, shall we say...not easy. But I went with PT Anderson's brilliant take on the golden age of adult cinema in Los Angeles. Although, if you wanted to go with another PTA masterpiece, I wouldn't argue with that choice either. Or A certain Quentin Tarantino masterpiece, or...see what I mean (almost too many to choose from).
Honorable Mention: Magnolia, Pulp Fiction, La La Land, Auto Focus, Back to the Future, Vertigo
New Line Cinema, Boogie Nights (1997)
Colorado: "Misery" (1990)
Many might've gone with another Stephen King film here, but Misery is our selection. Rob Reiner brings a perfect sensibility to the material and Kathy Bates' Oscar win is the only Academy Award ever received by a movie based on a Stephen King novel. King himself has called it one of his favorites as well.
Honorable Mention: The Shining, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Cliffhanger
Connecticut: "Series 7: The Contenders" (2001)
This little-seen independent gem from 2001 is a dark comedic satire filmed in the style of a reality show in which six people (selected at random) are given weapons and must hunt the others down while the cameras capture it all.
Honorable Mention: Beetlejuice, Rachel, Rachel
Blow Up Pictures, Series 7: The Contenders (2001)
Delaware: "Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World" (2012)
Although many believe that Fight Club is set in Delaware, the film's location is never actually expressed, so that's why it didn't make the list. But Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is a worthy entrant—an apocalyptic romantic comedy-drama starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley.
Honorable Mention: Empire Records
Focus Features, Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World (2012)
Florida: "Scarface" (1983)
Florida is another state with a whole lotta great movies to choose from—including Citizen Kane. However, because only a portion of the film is set at Kane's Xanadu Florida mansion, I went with Scarface and Tony Montana's take over of the Miami criminal underworld.
Honorable Mention: Citizen Kane, Magic Mike, Secretary
Georgia: "Deliverance" (1972)
The remote Georgian wilderness is the setting for this John Boorman thriller from 1972 that brought us the entertaining "Dueling Banjos" and the disturbing "squeal like a pig".
Honorable Mention: Monster's Ball, Fried Green Tomatoes
Warner Bros., Deliverance (1972)
Hawaii: "Punch-Drunk Love" (2002)
Adam Sandler and Emily Watson spend some time together in Hawaii in this one—and that's enough for us to put it here. Sandler has set many of his run-of-the-mill rom-coms in Hawaii, but the best thing he's done in that state are the scenes in this great PT Anderson film.
Honorable Mention: From Here to Eternity
New Line Cinema, Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
Idaho: "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004)
Sit down, have some tater tots, vote for Pedro, and enjoy this oddly wonderful independent coming-of-age comedy from 2004. That dance scene at the end is still one of the best things.
Honorable Mention: Pink Flamingos, Superman II
Paramount, Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Illinois: "Ordinary People" (1980)
For all the historical controversy surrounding Ordinary People's Oscar win for Best Picture over Raging Bull, Robert Redford's directorial debut is a great movie deserving of much of the praise it received. Also, when it comes to the state of Illinois, there are a whole bunch of great John Hughes films to mention as well.
Honorable Mention: The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Halloween (1978), Mean Girls, Wayne's World
Paramount, Ordinary People (1980)
Indiana: "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" (1977)
I'll admit that I went into Indiana thinking it was obviously going to be 1986's Hoosiers that took the top spot. But then I remembered that Steven Spielberg's under-appreciated sci-fi classic is based in Indiana (the home of Richard Dreyfuss' character in the film).
Honorable Mention: Hoosiers, Rudy, A History of Violence, In & Out
EMI Films, Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Iowa: "The Straight Story" (1999)
The story of an old man driving a riding lawn mower from Iowa to Wisconsin to visit his sick brother doesn't sound like your typical David Lynch movie. And The Straight Story isn't a typical Lynch movie—except for the fact that it is really good.
Honorable Mention: Terms of Endearment, The Bridges of Madison County
Canal+, The Straight Story (1999)
Kansas: "In Cold Blood" (1967)
Admit it: You thought we were going to go with The Wizard of Oz here. Well, we might've if Richard Brooks' excellent adaptation of Truman Capote's true crime novel wasn't an option.
Honorable Mention: The Wizard of Oz, Capote, Superman
Columbia, In Cold Blood (1967)
Kentucky: "The People Vs Larry Flynt" (1996)
The story of Larry Flynt began as a boy in Kentucky.
Honorable Mention: Goldfinger, Coal Miner's Daughter
Columbia, The People Vs Larry Flynt (1996)
Louisiana: "The Apostle" (1997)
Written, directed by, and starring the great Robert Duval, The Apostle is a movie that doesn't get talked about enough. It did take home the Independent Spirit Award for Best Film and Duval was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his all-time great performance.
And as you will notice in the "honorable mentions"—Louisiana has been a part of some truly amazing films.
Honorable Mention: Beasts of the Southern Wild, A Streetcar Named Desire, Down by Law
Butcher's Run Films, The Apostle (1997)
Maine: "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994)
Yup, in case you forgot, Shawshank State Prison is in Portland, Maine.
And if you were wondering—yes, Carrie was considered here, but although the novel takes place in Maine, the movie takes place in an unnamed town (we threw it in honorable mentions regardless).
Honorable Mention: Wet Hot American Summer, Carrie
Warner Bros., The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Maryland: "Serial Mom" (1994)
John Waters' 1994 dark satire starring Kathleen Turner as a sweet housewife who also happens to be a not-so-sweet...well, the title kinda gives it away. The film has become a cult classic over the years.
And speaking of John Waters, Hairspray was another one that was heavily considered.
Honorable Mention: Hairspray, The Blair Witch Project, Wedding Crashers
Savoy Pictures, Serial Mom (1994)
Massachusetts: "Good Will Hunting" (1997)
Another state with a plethora of great movies to choose from. But we had to go with the film from the two most famous Massachusetts best friends in Hollywood. The one that made Matt Damon and Ben Affleck stars. How you like them apples?
Honorable Mention: Carnal Knowledge, The Crucible, The Fighter, The Departed
Miramax, Good Will Hunting (1997)
Michigan: "8 Mile" (2002)
Curtis Hanson made Eminem's acting debut a triumph with this engaging slightly-autobiographical drama.
Honorable Mention: American Pie, Beverly Hills Cop, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Roger & Me, Grosse Pointe Blank
Imagine Entertainment, 8 Mile (2002)
Minnesota: "A Serious Man" (2009)
This one was always going to come down to the Coen brothers. The only question in our mind was—was it going to be A Serious Man or Fargo? And in a possibly somewhat controversial decision, we had to go with the less-discussed but just as amazing...A Serious Man.
Honorable Mention: Grumpy Old Men, Fargo, Juno
Focus Features, A Serious Man (2009)
Mississippi: "In The Heat Of The Night" (1967)
They call him Mister Tibbs—and we call In the Heat of the Night a great film.
Honorable Mention: Biloxi Blues, The Help
The Mirisch Corporation, In The Heat Of The Night (1967)
Missouri: "Waiting For Guffman" (1996)
Christopher Guest and his gang of brilliant comedic actors made a number of mockumentary-style, highly improvised films together. Waiting for Guffman is one of the best.
Honorable Mention: Gone Girl, Parenthood
Castle Rock, Waiting for Guffman (1996)
Montana: "Badlands" (1973)
Terrence Malick has made some great films, but his directorial debut still stands out as arguably his best.
Honorable Mention: Arrival, Legends of the Fall
Nebraska: "Election" (1999)
Director Alexander Payne was born in Omaha, Nebraska—which probably explains why so many of his movies are set in the state. And given that he has made a bunch of really good films, picking one wasn't easy (which is why the others are in the Honorable Mentions—along with The Natural).
Honorable Mention: Citizen Ruth, About Schmidt, Nebraska, The Natural
Nevada: "Leaving Las Vegas" (1995)
Nicolas Cage gives an outstanding performance (as does Elisabeth Shue), and director Mike Figgis creates a stunningly beautiful and gut-wrenching film about a man who goes to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. It's a drama, a love story, a work of art—and a film you will never forget.
Honorable Mention: The Hangover, Ocean's Eleven, Bugsy, Casino
Lumiere Pictures, Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
New Hampshire: "Lolita" (1962)
Stanley Kubrick's vision of the controversial novel is yet another great film in one of the greatest oeuvres in the history of cinema.
Honorable Mention: To Die For, On Golden Pond, Jumanji
A.A. Productions Ltd., Lolita (1962)
New Jersey: "On The Waterfront" (1954)
This Marlon Brando classic isn't just a contender—it's the champ.
Honorable Mention: Chasing Amy, Clerks, Be Kind Rewind, Garden State
Horizon Pictures, On The Waterfront (1954)
New Mexico: "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" (1966)
Sergio Leone's spaghetti Western masterpiece leads three men to buried gold in the then-territory of New Mexico.
Honorable Mention: There Will Be Blood, Oppenheimer
PEA, The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966)
New York: "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975)
Like with California, there are way too many movie masterpieces to pick from. I went with Sidney Lumet's brilliant Dog Day Afternoon—but you can see, just by the honorable mentions, that it wasn't an easy choice.
Honorable Mention: Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Manhattan, Annie Hall, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Do The Right Thing, The French Connection
Warner Bros., Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
North Carolina: "Bull Durham" (1988)
Still one of the best sports movies of all time—every other movie set in North Carolina is "Just A Bit Outside!" the top spot.
Honorable Mention: Cape Fear, Blue Velvet
The Mount Company, Bull Durham (1988)
North Dakota: "Fargo" (1996)
While mostly taking place in Minnesota, Fargo is the namesake of the town that William H Macy visits to hire two men to kidnap his wife. It counts (and not just because the state didn't give us much to choose from movie wise).
Honorable Mention: n/a
Working Title Films, Fargo (1996)
Ohio: "Heathers" (1988)
What's your damage, Heather? (If you know, you know).
Honorable Mention: Tommy Boy, A Nightmare on Elm Street
New World Pictures, Heathers (1988)
Oklahoma: "Bug" (2006)
This 2006 psychological horror film is a very under-seen and underappreciated film from famed director, William Friedkin (yeah, the guy who did The French Connection and The Exorcist)
Honorable Mention: The Outsiders, Twister, Silkwood
Oregon: "Stand By Me" (1986)
Another Rob Reiner movie based on a Stephen King story—and a film that has a special place in the movie hearts of anyone who came of age in the 80s. However, should you want to put One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest number one—I couldn't really argue with you.
Honorable Mention: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Goonies, Elephant, Meek's Cutoff
Pennsylvania: "Rocky" (1976)
A great film and so iconically associated with the city of Philadelphia. There's even a "Rocky" statue in the city. Could the answer really be anything else?
Note: Had it not been for Rocky, M Night Shyamalan's excellent Unbreakable would've topped the list.
Honorable Mention: Unbreakable, Best in Show, Philadelphia, The Sixth Sense
Chartoff-Winkler Productions, Rocky (1976)
Rhode Island: "There's Something About Mary" (1998)
Before moving to Miami, the film's opening "zipper scene" takes place in Rhode Island. 'Nuff said.
Honorable Mention: Dumb and Dumber, Witches Of Eastwick
Twentieth Century, There's Something About Mary (1998)
South Carolina: "The Big Chill" (1983)
The classic 80s film that captured the essence of the people who'd come of age in the 60s. Plus, one of the best movie soundtracks of all time.
Honorable Mention: The Notebook
Columbia, The Big Chill (1983)
South Dakota: "Team America: World Police" (2004)
The South Park guys made an awesome action movie satire with puppets (and great songs).
Honorable Mention: Dances with Wolves, North by Northwest (it ends on Mount Rushmore)
Paramount, Team America - World Police (2004)
Tennessee: "In The Valley Of Elah" (2007)
In the Valley of Elah was Paul Haggis' directorial follow-up to his Oscar-winning Crash. Time magazine ranked it the eighth-best film of 2007.
Honorable Mention: Nashville, Django Unchained, The Notorious Bettie Page
WIP, In The Valley Of Elah (2007)
Texas: "No Country For Old Men" (2007)
Yup, another Coen Brothers film. And this one might just be the best movie they ever made.
Honorable Mention: Blood Simple, Bernie, The Last Picture Show, Office Space
Miramax, No Country For Old Men (2007)
Utah: "Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade" (1989)
It might be a hot take to call The Last Crusade the best Indiana Jones movie—but it is. And the opening scenes with the young Indy take place in Utah.
Honorable Mention: 127 Hours 
Paramount, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Vermont: "Dead Poets Society" (1989)
We will stand up on our desks and declare Dead Poets Society the best film set in Vermont.
Honorable Mention: Super Troopers, Wolf, Baby Boom
Touchstone, Dead Poets Society (1989)
Virginia: "I Love You Phillip Morris" (2009)
The black comedy starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor begins in Virginia Beach. One reviewer put it like this: "Less of a comedy than a hilarious tragedy".
Honorable Mention: Arlington Road, Red, Hidden Figures, Remember the Titans
EuropaCorp, I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)
Washington: "Dancer In The Dark" (2000)
Lars von Trier's Palm d'Or-winning masterpiece, starring Björk, is one of the most emotionally brutal and beautiful films of the century.
Honorable Mention: Sleepless in Seattle, This Boy's Life
Zentropa Entertainments, Dancer In The Dark (2000)
West Virginia: "The Night Of The Hunter" (1955)
The only film directed by actor Charles Laughton. In 2008, the French film magazine Cahiers du Cinéma called The Night of the Hunter the second-best film of all time, behind Citizen Kane.
Honorable Mention: The X-Files: I Want to Believe, October Sky
Paul Gregory Productions, The Night Of The Hunter (1955)
Wisconsin: "Bridesmaids" (2011)
Hysterical women and a great script make for one of the funniest straight-up comedies of the 2010s.
Honorable Mention: Away We Go
Wyoming: "Red Rock West" (1993)
Nicolas Cage and Dennis Hopper star in this little-seen neo-noir thriller that has a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and was called "a treasure waiting to be discovered" by the Washington Post.
Honorable Mention: Brokeback Mountain
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Propaganda Films, Red Rock West (1993)
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