It is hard to not be drawn to a movie set in your home city, state or region. Share on your blog movies set in your part of the world and then link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

And here we go . . .

I was born, raised, and still live in Southern California, the capital of the film and television industry in the US. Lots of movies are made here, and it's not uncommon to find a film crew in a random neighborhood at any time; it's just part of living in SoCal. Remembering movies that are set in Los Angeles or California, though, is a different story. It turned out to be a little more challenging for me than I thought it would be, but here's what I managed to come up with:

Boyz n the Hood (1991): Set in South Central Los Angeles, which isn't too far from where I grew up, this film is made all the more tragic because of its unfortunate realism.

Freedom Writers (2007): Based on the true story of Erin Gruwell, a young teacher from the perfectly planned city of Irvine (the first "Stepford" community in the OC, as I call them), who gets a taste of real life when she teaches a group of high school students in Long Beach. Despite the disparities in their life experiences, Erin finds a way to reach and connect with her students so effectively that her classroom model has now spread across the country with incredible success. As an educator, this movie resonates with me in so many ways. We need more teachers like Erin Gruwell!

Gidget (1959): Gidget learns to surf at the beaches of Venice and Santa Monica. Who doesn't love Gidget?!

Paint Your Wagon (1969): I love this film! Set during California's Gold Rush, this musical comedy starring Clint Eastwood -- who sings in it -- and Lee Marvin is a movie that everyone should see for reason other than to laugh like a fool.

The Aviator (2004): Multi-millionaire Howard Hughes, the enigmatic subject of this film, lived and worked in Southern California. In fact, my father, mother, grandmother, 2 aunts, and 3 cousins all worked at, and many retired from, Hughes Aircraft, the defense contracting company he built in El Segundo.

Pulp Fiction (1994): This film provides a glimpse into the seedier side of life in Los Angeles. It's on my list of frequently played films.

Changeling (2008): I didn't care for this one very much, but it is set in Southern California.


Have a great week, everyone!