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A treat for cinephiles, this documentary is a comprehensive, academic, and enlightening film essay concerning Los Angeles and its depiction in the movies.
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (2) | DVD (1)
A definitive statement about how the movies have distorted our perceptions of this city's architectural, cultural and historical identity .. Sep 1, 2016 | Full Review…
A definitive statement about how the movies have distorted our perceptions of this city's architectural, cultural and historical identity ..
Justin Chang
Blends a complex kaleidoscopic portrait of the city and a powerful work of film criticism with Andersen's personal story of living in Los Angeles. Apr 4, 2016 | Full Review…
Blends a complex kaleidoscopic portrait of the city and a powerful work of film criticism with Andersen's personal story of living in Los Angeles.
Richard Brody
Andersen's inspired ruminations about his city as a filming location and as a repository for other filmmakers' daydreams and nightmares. Sep 18, 2014 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…
Andersen's inspired ruminations about his city as a filming location and as a repository for other filmmakers' daydreams and nightmares.
Michael Phillips
One of the great films of the century to date, poignant and affecting. Jan 1, 2014 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…
One of the great films of the century to date, poignant and affecting.
Calum Marsh
CalArts professor Thom Andersen poured a lifetime of moviegoing (and his own complex affection for the city he calls home) into this revelatory two-part documentary, a film that trains you to look at things askew. Dec 31, 2013 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…
CalArts professor Thom Andersen poured a lifetime of moviegoing (and his own complex affection for the city he calls home) into this revelatory two-part documentary, a film that trains you to look at things askew.
Joshua Rothkopf
Using well-chosen clips from roughly 200 films, many of them obscure, Andersen makes a powerful and impassioned case for reassessing his beloved city. Oct 14, 2005 | Rating: 4/4 | Full Review…
Using well-chosen clips from roughly 200 films, many of them obscure, Andersen makes a powerful and impassioned case for reassessing his beloved city.
John McMurtrie
Ultimately, Los Angeles Plays Itself plays out as a document of the conflict between Anderson's love of movies and his distrust of mass media. Oct 17, 2018 | Full Review…
Ultimately, Los Angeles Plays Itself plays out as a document of the conflict between Anderson's love of movies and his distrust of mass media.
Dan Sallitt
This unusual brainy pic acts to show, in a provocative way, how Hollywood transforms a fiction film into a documentary. May 21, 2015 | Rating: A- | Full Review…
This unusual brainy pic acts to show, in a provocative way, how Hollywood transforms a fiction film into a documentary.
Dennis Schwartz
Ten years on, we can finally call this film a classic. It's an unparalleled work of social and cultural study. The new, remastered cut means it looks better than ever. May 30, 2014 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…
Ten years on, we can finally call this film a classic. It's an unparalleled work of social and cultural study. The new, remastered cut means it looks better than ever.
Dan Schindel
The doc bears repeated viewing, even when one winces at some of Andersen's assertions. May 5, 2010 | Full Review…
The doc bears repeated viewing, even when one winces at some of Andersen's assertions.
Kelly Vance
Arguably the best movie about movies ever made. Apr 26, 2006 | Rating: A | Full Review…
Arguably the best movie about movies ever made.
Edward Havens
An ultimate movie clip junkie film, a video store fantasy with a pulse and a brain. Oct 14, 2005 | Full Review…
An ultimate movie clip junkie film, a video store fantasy with a pulse and a brain.
Jeffrey M. Anderson
highly entertaining and full of fascinating information about films set in and around los angeles, it's a documentary made entirely from clips of other films (roughly 200 of them)! of course, this caused some licensing issues and so it's never been properly released, only playing festivals here and there, but guess what? it's on youtube in 12 parts, starting here: http://youtu.be/7SNc41zyLJ0
Super Reviewer
[font=Century Gothic][color=darkorange]"Los Angeles Plays Itself" was a great documentary that was released last year. It was on the surface an examination of how the city of Los Angeles has been portrayed in films over the years. But it's also a lesson in history, politics, geography and architecture.[/color][/font] [color=#ff8c00]The reason I'm bringing up this film now is that the filmmaker was wondering why Los Angeles' Union Station has been the scene of so many kidnappings in movies, most notably in Nick of Time(1995). (I was in Union Station in September and I didn't notice any sort of nefarious activity going on.) Which brings me to...[/color][color=#ff8c00]Sunday night's season premiere of "24" which did also feature a kidnapping at Union Station.(And don't even get me started on the detour through Three Days of the Condor which led up to that...)[/color] [color=#ff8c00](I won't try to bring up television in this journal unless it has some connection to movies.) [/color]
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