Once in awhile, Hollywood tends to poke its nose in its own business, resulting in riveting look-in-the-mirror films. Viewers end up learning a thing or two about the movie-making process and the challenges as well as the drama behind the scenes. The word Hollywood often refers to the American film industry as a whole but it also refers to the area in Los Angeles which is the capital of the movie business.
Last year, director Quentin Tarantino served us one of the best ever films about the area and the industry. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood has scooped plenty of accolades. But what are some other movies that explore Hollywood as well? Here's a ranking of the ten best movies about the movie business.
Hail, Caesar! (2015)
The Coen brothers have had better movies than Hail, Caesar! But despite the fact that the film tends to slip into the amnesia corners of our minds, it's good. It's not excellent but it's good. And Coen Brothers 'good' is superior to any other 'good' you'll find
The movie also has a star-studded cast that includes Josh Brolin, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, and Frances McDormand. Set during Hollywood's Golden Age, it takes us through a hectic day in the life of a talented studio fixer as a movie about Julius Caesar is being shot.
The Stunt Man (1980)
The Stunt Man will choke you with twists. It's almost as if you are watching the 24 series without the terrorists. Peter O'Toole's performance received plenty of praise. Every time the camera shifted to another character, you'd easily find yourself missing him. Come back O'Toole... come back and stay.
The movie takes us right into the world of a fugitive on the run. While fleeing, he ends up causing the death of a key stuntman on the set of a World War I movie. Surprisingly, he ends up taking the stunt performer's place and falls for the lead actress. And then clashes arise when the fugitive discovers that he is being asked to do extremely dangerous stunts because the director (O'Toole) secretly despises him.
Adaptation (2002)
It might be shocking to see Nicholas Cage in a movie that has a decent plot, but he's actually been in a few. It might also be shocking to see him in a role where he avoids the cringy moments he is known for. But he's had a few of those too. And for this Adaptation, he even received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. What? Nicolas? The one with Cage as a last name? Yes, that Nicolas.
In this movie, Charlie (Nicolas Cage) is an award-winning screenwriter. However, his personal life is in a mess. Fate seems to take a good turn for him when he is hired to adapt a book called The Orchid Thief. However, the presence of his twin brother brings complications to his career that he never foresaw.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Mulholland Drive follows an aspiring actress called Betty Elms (Naomi Watts), who arrives in Los Angeles for the first time and falls for a car accident survivor. Betty is talented but she has to struggle and find a way to make it in an industry where career longevity is hard.
The beauty of Mulholland Drive is that it leaves you to figure out some of the things by yourself. This is possibly because it was initially intended to be a TV series and not a movie. However, the fact that not all the answers are provided creates perfect moments of suspense.
Singin' In The Rain (1952)
It's not only a movie about Hollywood, but it's also one of the best musicals ever made. Singin' In The Rain is full of catchy songs that will save themselves on your mind without your realization. At the time of its release, it wasn't a hit. But as the years passed, it went on to achieve cult status.
Singin' In The Rain is set in the 1920s during the Silent Film Era. A successful actor called Don Lockwood falls for a young studio singer called Kathy. His frequent screen partner Lina Lamont becomes jealous and gets Kathy fired. When sound is introduced in movies, Lockwood's career gets threatened because Lamont has a bad voice. Quickly, Lockward comes up with a devious plot that will ensure the return of Kathy and the fall of Lamont.
Barton Fink (1991)
Say hello to the Coen brothers once again. Barton Fink follows a Broadway playwright who is lured to write scripts for big-budget films by a studio executive. He ends up despising Hollywood and develops writers' block. Then a shocking plot twist comes when it is revealed that there is a serial killer on the loose.
Barton Fink is notable for its themes of labor abuse and gulfs in societal class. It dominated the Cannes Film Festival, winning Best Actor, Best Director, and the Palme d'Or (the top prize). Too good that others complain? The over-awarding led to plenty of backlash from other producers. As a result, the festival's organizers decided they were only going to give a maximum of two awards per film in the future.
Maps To The Stars (2015)
Maps To The Stars tries to tell us that Hollywood is pretty on the outside but rotten at the core. The story revolves around The Weiss family. They are all involved in the movie business to some extent. The father is a TV psychologist, the mother is trying to manage her younger boy who is a child star while there is another female member who is a personal assistant to an actress who sees visions of her famous dead mother.
Sounds confusing? You'll get the hang of it after about half an hour into the film. Maps To The Stars received over 30 award nominations across different organizations. Julianne Moore also scooped the Best Actress award at Cannes for her role as the troubled actress who is trying to be like her famous dead mother.
The Player (1992)
The Player's opening scene alone will leave you awed. It's a tracking shot like no other. The film basically revolves around a studio executive who murders a screenwriter who he suspects of sending him death threats. Despite having such a dark plot to explore, the film still manages to be funny. There are also plenty of cameos and sprinkles of not-so-appropriate jokes that have surprisingly aged well.
There's an abundance of shocking moments as well. For example, the studio executive sleeps with his victim's girlfriend. And when he decides to confess about killing her man, she tells him that she loves him. The Player received three Oscar nominations and won two Golden Globes.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
Quentin Tarantino had a major comeback to the Academy Awards nominations with Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood. For this film, he brought back his trusted generals Brad Pitt and Leonardo aka LDC (as Pitt called him at the Golden Globes) to ensure things weren't as dull as they were in The Hateful Eight. Margot Robbie and Al Pacino were brought on board too.
As a result, the movie had no chance to be bad. It simply had too much 'cool' in it. It's not Tarantino's best work but its one of the best movies about Hollywood. The film sees a washed-out actor of western TV shows try to revive his career together with his stuntman in an industry that's changing fast.
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
A film noir full of suspense and intrigues, Sunset Boulevard explores the insanities of Hollywood and fame. It follows a screenwriter who has a chance meeting with silent film star Norma Desmond. The actor hires him to rewrite a biopic called Salome which she decides to use as her path to success
The movie feels as fresh today as it felt when it was released 70 years ago. Director Billy Wilder does exemplary work too, capturing the scenery of Los Angeles with precision. The American Film Institute ranked it 12th in its list of the 100 best American films of the 20th century.