New York

Where to start, where to start. King Kong set the standard for gratuitous misuse of the Empire State Building , Men in Black started a conspiracy theory with the whole spaceships in Queens thing, Marilyn Monroe created a new fetish for wind machines in The Seven Year Itch and Audrey Hepburn started a new trend for oddest place to eat your morning bagel in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. If you really want to see the sights of New York though, the best film to curl up in front of is Manhattan. From the opening montage of New York scenes, to that shot of Queensboro bridge, Allen’s flick takes you on a journey around New York and makes you fall in love with everything the city has to offer. Unfortunately the same can’t be said of the characters, but even without the sights, a film with Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton has to be worth seeing. Just forget Woody Allen’s in it and admire the cinematography.

The word of warning for New York falls on the shoulders of Sex and the City. However much you love the culture, the night life and the clothes, do not be tempted into thinking that this film will give you back your New York buzz. It is more concerned with four bitchy self-absorbed middle aged women than showcasing the city in which they live. Avoid.

Los Angeles

The home of film. If you want a whistle stop tour of where’s hot in LA, then watch Sunset Boulevard. For a more modern take on the architecture of the city, the indie flick (500) Days of Summer has some good views and a quirky storyline. For fans of the weird and wacky, Who Framed Roger Rabbit has Bob Hoskins hanging out with cartoons and a storyline that is pure LA, not to mention Jessica Rabbit in that dress. Other notable mentions must go to L.A. Confidential and The Graduate, both fantastic films in their own right. But the ultimate prize goes to Pretty Woman. From the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, down Rodeo Drive and into our hearts, this romantic comedy was a huge success and turned Julia Roberts into a starlet. Over twenty years later, this one is still worth watching.

Now, whatever you do, don’t succumb to City of Angels. As if Meg Ryan wouldn’t put you off anyway, Nicolas Cage as an angel? Please, hand me a sick bucket. So I can throw it at his face.

San Francisco

This sunny city is full of iconic landmarks, from the Golden Gate bridge to the hilly streets. Disney used this city as a setting for its hit The Princess Diaries, which launched the career of one Anne Hathaway. Other child friendly films ran up and down the hilly streets including Dr Dolittle, and crowd pleaser Mrs Doubtfire. But if you want films that showcase the geographical logistics of this unique place, then gritty cop dramas are your thing. Dirty Harry and Bullitt both featured iconic leads (Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen for those of you hiding under a rock) and fantastically minimalist scripts. But what they also had was passion, drama and gravitas. For the car chase often voted the best ever, Bullitt has to narrowly pip Dirty Harry to the prize for film that depicts San Francisco to the fullest.

But, fair readers, do not be fooled by The Sweetest Thing- just because it has Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate in it, does not mean it is a chick flick worth seeing. It might be set in San Fran, but you see more of Cameron Diaz’s body than you do the sights of the city. And not in a good way.

Chicago

The windy city has stunning scenery, being based on the tip of Lake Michigan. But other than The Break Up, which does a good job of moving you round the city from a tourist’s point of view, most iconic Chicago based films aren’t that landmark friendly. The Untouchables is fantastic at portraying prohibition and Al Capone’s reign over the city in the 1920’s and 30’s, and is based on a true story. The Blues Brothers is credited for putting Chicago on the film makers map, with one actor quoted as saying ‘Chicago is one of the stars of the film’. High Fidelity and The Fugitive are also worth a look, but the ultimate Chicago film has to be Chicago. The name says it all, and if you can ignore Richard Gere’s dancing then you will enjoy this romp through the murder, corruption and celebrity culture of the city in the twenties. Plus, Catherine Zeta-Jones looks rather stunning in her flapper get up.

Caution is needed when approaching Public Enemies though. Despite a stella cast, this does nothing for a bygone era except make it seem crass and ludicrous. Johnny Depp and Marion Cotillard have zero chemistry, and the crime set pieces are wooden and contrived. A miss from all perspectives.

So there you have it. A short romp through the great and good of American cities. Without even a mention of Boston, Washington or Detroit- for shame! But if you fancy a period piece, musical, comedy, romantic epic or just want to see what the cities look like, follow the suggestions above. If not, feel free to let us know what you think below. Happy watching!

Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a gun-toting, hard-drinking ex-auto plant worker whose wife has just passed away and whose family regards him as a slightly insane inconvenience. To make matters worse, his formerly blue-collar, all-white neighbourhood is being overrun with Asian immigrants, which doesn’t bode well for the old fella’s rampant racism. His only joy in life comes from the 1972 Gran Torino he keeps locked in his garage and polishes nightly, and when his young Hmong neighbour Thao (Bee Van) attempts to steal the car in a botched gang initiation rite, Walt, in typical Eastwood fashion, unleashes hell. It’s only the gutsy, smartmouth efforts of his sister Sue (Ahney Her) that convinces Walt to give Thao and his family a chance, allowing the boy to do daily chores for him to make up for his crime. Slowly, an unlikely bond grows between the shy Thao and his hardened shell of a neighbour, and in Million Dollar Baby-esque scenes, allows a sequence of events to play out that will change all of their lives.

As we’ve come to expect from such a distinguished veteran, Eastwood gives a hell of a performance here, not letting the somewhat awkward fact he’s directing himself matter one iota. From his rasping growl of a voice to his no-bull one-liners, his portrayal of a world-hardened man on the edge is so spot-on, it makes the Gerard Butler and Mel Gibson man-on-a-revenge-mission thrillers of today look utterly laughable (if they didn’t before). But there’s always enough weariness and sadness behind the anger that he’s never playing just a caricature – you can see and understand how he got this way, and why he finds himself adrift in this new world.

Gran Torino isn’t perhaps one of those films you’d rush out to buy, but it’s one of those that creeps up on you, quite unexpectedly and quite beautifully, and that you’ll find it awfully hard to let go of as the credits roll up. And if you’re an Eastwood fan, it’s a must-see.

Special Features

Manning the Wheel: The making of manhood as reflected in America car culture

Gran Torino: More Than a Car: Visit Detroit and the Woodward Dream Cruise, an annual vintage car event where buffs describe the unique bond between men and vehicles