Best films set in Seattle — readers' picks
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A few weeks ago, we asked Axios Seattle readers for their picks for the best movies set in the city.
Why it matters: Many of the films that people associate with Seattle — including George Clooney's upcoming adaptation of "The Boys in the Boat" — aren't actually filmed here.
- We wanted to compile a list of films where you can spot real parts of the Emerald City, and that succeed at capturing Seattle through its different eras.
Here are the films that got the most reader votes.
Singles (1992)
Readers named "Singles" as a top Seattle film without hesitation, with comments ranging from "of course" to "obviously."
- The movie follows the adventures of a group of twenty-somethings in grunge-era Seattle.
- Reader Matt T. called the film "a fun cult classic that captures what was a cultural belle epoque of Seattle in the '90s."
- Plus, "It even shows the old Food Giant sign in Wallingford!" wrote Susan G.
The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989)
Jeff Bridges, Beau Bridges and Michelle Pfeiffer star in this Seattle-set tale about a trio of musicians, two of whom are brothers.
- The film's most iconic scene is perhaps Pfeiffer singing in a red dress while draped over a piano. But you'll also glimpse Pike Place Market, the waterfront, Belltown and shots of downtown Seattle and Capitol Hill as they existed more than 30 years ago.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
The fictional Seattle high school that Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles and Joseph Gordon-Levitt attend is actually located in Tacoma — but plenty of true Emerald City spots also get good play in this modern adaptation of "The Taming of the Shrew."
- You'll see Gasworks Park, the Fremont Troll, Kerry Park, Century Ballroom and more.
House of Games (1987)
David Mamet used Seattle as the backdrop for his directorial debut, which centers on a psychiatrist who gets involved with a group of con men.
- Reader Eric N. calls the thriller "a great con film studded with Seattle locations, including the Olympic Hotel and the gone and lamented 211 Billiard Club."
Trouble in Mind (1985)
While the movie's "Rain City" is fictional, it was filmed in Seattle — a city the neo-noir genre seems to love.
- It features shots of the monorail and the waterfront, along with former landmarks like the Kingdome and the Alaskan Way Viaduct.
- The film culminates in a shootout at a fictional mob boss's mansion, a sequence that was filmed at the former Seattle Art Museum building in Volunteer Park (now the Seattle Asian Art Museum).
Say Anything (1989)
OK, so most of the scenes with John Cusack and Ione Skye (including that memorable boombox-over-the-head-playing-Peter-Gabriel moment) were filmed in California.
- But you can still spot Westlake Center, the Guild 45th Theatre and Fremont's "Waiting for the Interurban" sculpture, among other Seattle sights.
- (P.S. We still like the boombox scene anyway.)
The Ring (2002)
We'd forgotten that this creepy, foggy, damp film was based in Washington state, but thinking back, it totally tracks.
- You'll see flashes of Seattle including the Westin Hotel, the former Alaskan Way Viaduct and the downtown Harbor Steps apartment building, in addition to other filming locations in Western Washington.
The Parallax View (1974)
Warren Beatty is a reporter investigating a deadly corporate conspiracy in this film, which features a memorable opening sequence involving the Space Needle.
Cinderella Liberty (1973)
James Caan plays a sailor who falls in love with a prostitute in this flick, which captures Post Alley, Pike Place Market and the waterfront as they looked half a century ago.
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
The movie is partly filmed in the real-life office of Seattle Magazine and also features other locations around the city.
- The story centers around a team of journalists who decide to pursue a story about a man who placed an ad looking for time-traveling companions.
- It's quirky, it's got Aubrey Plaza — and we'll be rewatching it this weekend.
The bottom line: You've got so many options besides "Sleepless in Seattle."
