At times, it seems the outside world is totally fascinated with Miami. And why not? It's a city known for fun, sun, skin, great parties, and great drugs. And it all looks even more sexy and dangerous when projected onto the silver screen.
From the black-and-white era to modern-day computerized car crashes, directors have jumped at the chance to put the Magic City in the movies. Cinematically speaking, Miami is the perfect place to find your true love, make a new life, become a hero -- and it's definitely the best place for men to dress like ladies.
Yes, over the years, some truly great movies have been set in Magic City, and we've compiled some of our favorite scenes to make people who don't live here jealous.
10. Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay
In one of the
greatest stoner flicks of all time, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal
Penn) find themselves at the wrong end of the law in the worst way
possible. Of course they escape and run away to Miami where they happen
to walk into a bottomless party. Unfortunately, YouTube doesn't carry
that clip (gratuitous vagina), but the trailer does a nice job of
highlighting the scene at 1:04.
9. There's Something About Mary
Of
course the woman everybody loves lives in Miami, and of course Ted (Ben
Stiller) has no problem moving. In this sunny montage, the couple
spends time doing all the usual things young lovers do -- grocery shop,
race go-karts, play dress up with the girl's retarded brother -- and they
do it all in Miami.
8. Some Like It Hot
Even
in 1959, Miami had the reputation of being overrun with gangsters and
the kind of place a pretty girl can catch a rich old husband. In this
scene, Sugar (Marilyn Monroe) thinks she's finally got herself a
millionaire beau, but naturally, nothing is as it seems on Miami Beach.
7. Goldfinger
Evil
masterminds and super spies alike know the place to be spotted is the
Fontainebleau. Here, Mr. Bond (Sean Connery) shows off his steamy bod
and pre-feminist movement machismo. Who doesn't love seeing misogyny in
classic films?
6. Transporter 2
Speaking
of macho guys with fancy cars, Transporter 2 also features a European
womanizer in Miami wreaking havoc to save the day. In this clip, our
hero chases after a villain by forcefully borrowed jet ski. Watch how he
gracefully swings the woman over his shoulder and takes her along for
the ride. But just like Bond, he'll only leave her in the end.
5. Midnight Cowboy
Throughout
this brilliant 1970s movie about life in low places, Miami shines a
southern beacon of hope. Joe Buck (Jon Voigt) hopes to make it big in
New York City, but Ratso (Dustin Hoffman) knows all along the real good
stuff is in Miami, like bingo and Jewish old ladies.
4. Scarface
Yeah,
we know it doesn't end well for the guy, but even Tony Montana (Al
Pacino) fell in love with Miami as soon as he hit shore. Where else can a
political prisoner rise to become the greatest gangster coke dealer of
movie history? Nowhere but Magic City.
3. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Jacques
Clouseau may be as hapless an inspector as Ace, but he doesn't have the
Miami Dolphins to back him up. In this scene, Ventura (Jim Carrey) has
already saved the day and returned Snowflake the dolphin to her stadium
habitat but still finds a way to be a jackass in the last couple minutes
before credits.
2. Bad Boys II
Put
Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Michael Bay and Miami together for a
movie, and you've got box office gold - not to mention a reality defying
spectacle of explosions and one-liners. In this car chase over the
bridge, Mike Lowrey (Smith) weaves through traffic at breakneck speeds
while dodging epic gunfire and falling cars. The way people drive around
here, it might not be such a stretch.
1. The Birdcage
Coke
money, loose women and bad boys aside, what would Miami be without her
gays? Surely not the setting for this awesome flick. We put this one up
at the top because it has a happy ending, a gay ending shall we say, and
everyone gets happy endings in Magic City.
--Kat Bein
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