Downtown's Usual Starring Role

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — I’ve been seeing a lot of movies lately, most thanks to the classes I’m in. During the past week I’ve seen two with particular Downtown connections. Steve Martin’s Shopgirl, though not set in Downtown, has some amazing night-time chopper shots looking down on the business district. They appear at several points in the movie, and I thought they were very cool looking. If they sold prints I’m sure there are several shots I would pick up.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is partially set Downtown, with Robert Downey Jr.’s character staying at The Standard. It makes a few locational leaps (an object falling off the roof of the hotel lands in the alley by the Los Angeles Theater), but it was fun to be able to say “Hey, I think I can almost see my apartment in that shot.”

I recommend both films, by the way. Both are playing at the Arclight, so revel in being a film snob and ride the subway to Hollywood to check them out.