I sometimes think Chi-town doesn’t get a fair shake in the movies. We’re sort of like the neglected child while the big brothers New York and Los Angeles get all the attention from Ma and Pa Hollywood. I remember watching Independence Day when I was a teenager and I got a little miffed that we witnessed the detailed blowings-up of NY, LA, and DC, while later on someone explains, “Chicago has been wiped out.” That’s all we get? A sentence? Where’s the love? However, all of that is changing as the city of big shoulders garners more attention. We’ve been getting plenty of superhero love from Spiderman 2, who shot the El train sequence here (there’s a possibility I’m in the background of one of the shots as gawker #372), and Batman Begins who used the Second City as a stand-in for the fictional Gotham City. There are a slew of films in release or in production using the city as a backdrop. And now that there’s talk of having the next Olympics here, I think it’s safe to say our little town is finally making its way on the map. So to honor Chicago’s rise in popularity, here’s a list of some notable films to showcase The Windy City.

10. The LakeHouse

This movie is on the list simply for a scene that involves Sandra Bullock and the Keanu taking a lovely stroll downtown, albeit two years apart. It’s very well shot and one of the few films to capture how romantic the city can be. And it’s a surprisingly good movie to boot.

9. Judgment Night

The guilty pleasure of the list. You got Emilio Estevez, Cuba Gooding Jr. (pre-Jerry Maguire), and Jeremy Piven on their way to a Bears game when they take a wrong turn and end up being stalked by notorious gang leader Denis Leary. That’s right, you just consecutively read the words ‘notorious gang leader Denis Leary’. Hokey fun all the way.

8. Backdraft

Fire is pretty! While the quality of the movie is debatable, I have a soft spot for Chicago firefighters, seeing as how I have some in my family. Say what you will about the film as a whole, the scenes of fire and carnage are beautifully shot, showcasing its grace and destructiveness all at once.

7. Candyman

What could have easily been another B-grade slasher knock-off is given poetic flair by director Bernard Rose from a story by Clive Barker. The gritty backdrop of Cabrini Green grounds the movie in reality making the supernatural doings that much more horrifying. And the operatic score by Philip Glass elevates it to an A-grade thriller.

6. Bound

The little known film the Wachowski Brothers made before revolutionizing sci-fi with The Matrix, the auteur siblings’ first effort is nothing short of cinema perfection. Come on, you got Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon as lesbian lovers screwing over the mob?! Joe Pantoliano cutting people’s fingers off?! What god did I please?

5. Road to Perdition

The third gangster film on this list, American Beauty director Sam Mendes utilized computer generated imagery to aid him in authentically recreating the architecture of 1930’s Chicago and the result is amazing. Tom Hanks does a good job of going against type for the first time, and then you have the Oscar nominated performance by Paul Newman. Speaking of which…

4. The Sting

I don’t remember much about this movie other than it has the Ice Cream truck music, which is good enough for me.

3. Untouchables

Connery. De Niro. Baseball bat. Good times.

2. The Fugitive

With his documentary-like approach to filmmaking, director Andrew Davis does the best job of evoking the feel of the city, as well as probably being the best at weaving Chicago into the storyline. Couple that with great performances by Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones and you have a great flick on your hands.

1. The Blues Brothers

The obvious choice for the top spot, but it deserves it. What can I say that hasn’t already been said? The movie simply has everything from madcap comedy to musical numbers to car chases. It is the epitome of all cinema! Well, maybe not, but it is a damn fun ride.

Runners Up:

The Matrix

While not officially taking place in Chicago, a lot of familiar street names are tossed about. Supposedly you can jack out of the matrix through a phone located at the corner of Wabash and Van Buren. What if I just want to call my grandma?

Chain Reaction

Keanu just can’t stay out of this city! While being a pretty bad movie, it does feature a nifty sequence with The One himself running up the Michigan Avenue Bridge as its being drawn up.

High Fidelity

I never actually seen this movie, but hear it’s quite good. Now that’s hard-hitting film-criticism for ya.

Adventures in Babysitting

The Smurfit-Stone Building will forever be known as the “Adventures in Babysitting” building. Too bad most of the movie was shot in Toronto, otherwise it would have made the list on this feat alone.

The Negotiator

A tight suspense thriller that sees Samuel L. Jackson trapped in a downtown building in the middle of a hostage situation. However, no snakes.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

The only movie where Matthew Broderick seems cool. I think the location may have had something to do with it.

Childs Play

I put this on the list just because I wanted to ponder why so many movie killers are from Illinois. Michael Myers is from Haddonfield, Jason from Crystal Lake, Freddy from Springwood, the aforementioned Candyman from Chicago, and now the foul-mouthed little doll. Is there nothing else to do in this state than to go on slashing sprees?

Stir of Echoes

A creepy little horror film that does a decent job depicting blue collar Chicagoans and features some cool shots of the city.

Chicago

The irony of not mentioning Chicago in a list featuring films about Chicago was almost too good to pass up. Alas, here we are.