There are some movies with settings so enriching and alive that they become another character in the film. It’s become a trope at this point, because it’s true, some films have a real life effect on its setting. Some neighborhoods are already famous; some get made famous by film. However a movie approaches a neighborhood, here are some of the best films that display the vibe and environment of their neighborhood settings.  

High Fidelity – Wicker Park, Chicago

Since the 1980s the northwest side Chicago neighborhood Wicker Park has seen a large transformation. In those few decades it’s gone from a neglected urban neighborhood to a hip, irreverent part of the city, then to condo-filled urban center. In High Fidelity, John Cusack is at his most Cusack as a record store owner recently out of a long-term relationship. The film was shot in 1999, so we see a neighborhood in the midst of a massive change. While Wicker Park or Chicago are very rarely mentioned by name, it is a film that captures the mood and vibe of the young neighborhood that has become a destination for so many in the city.  

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill – Telegraph Hill, San Francisco

The one thing that sets apart Telegraph Hill from other San Francisco neighborhoods is something no one would expect to find in Northern California: a flock of South American parrots. It’s likely that the flock of feral birds are descendants from escaped or released pets, but their origin story has become something of an urban myth among Telegraph Hill residents. The documentary follows a musician living in a rent-free cabin, who, along with a few others who spend their time feeding and taking care of the birds, forms a connection with the animals like they are live-in pets. The film is a great snapshot of the typically hilly San Francisco neighborhood, providing beautiful B-roll shots and street interviews with dozens of residents. Check out the trailer here.

Slacker – University Campus & Downtown Austin

There are so many Richard Linklater films to choose from when it comes to highlighting Austin neighborhoods, but Slacker was the first and probably the best at capturing Austin. The film follows multiple characters around the city throughout one day by using vignettes. There’s no specific neighborhood it focuses on, but most of the scenes take place near the University of Texas, or slightly south in Downtown Austin. Following a diverse yet ordinary set of characters really allows the film to capture Austin in different environments. It allows the city to breathe and exist on its own, across multiple perspectives.  

West Side Story – Upper West Side, New York City

Based off the play of the same name, West Side Story is one of the iconic films that uses its setting as a character. Taking place in an eclectic Manhattan neighborhood in the 1950s, West Side Story was a trailblazing American immigrant tale. One of the movie’s best techniques to showcase the neighborhood were wide and overhead shots of parks, buildings, and bustling streets, before zooming into the actual story. With many different songs and scenes taking place on the streets of New York’s Upper Side, it has become perhaps the definitive neighborhood movie.  

Afternoon Delight – Silver Lake, Los Angeles

While this underrated indie movie didn’t make Silver Lake famous by any means, it perhaps captures the Los Angeles neighborhood better than any. Unsurprisingly, there are thousands of films shot in Los Angeles, choosing one was difficult with options like Pulp Fiction or Drive, but Afternoon Delight does best to recreate a neighborhood on screen. Silver Lake is an odd mix of suburbia and Los Angeles in one, with its serene, tree-lined streets overshadowing its seedy underbelly. In the film, a woman looks for an escape from her mundane, loveless marriage; a fairly typical movie setup. After traditional means don’t work, the couple try to find happiness in risk, which takes them to some of Silver Lake’s darker corners.