The Laundromat (2019)

The 2019 Steven Soderbergh film “The Laundromat,” which tells the story about the Panama Papers scandal, was filmed in numerous locations, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles and the Florida Keys. After a boat capsizes, Ellen Martin, played by Meryl Streep, finds she is unable to get compensation from the accident, as the insurance company has been bought out by a mysterious company in Nevis, a small island in the Caribbean Sea.

When Ellen’s attempts to contact the Nevis-based company are unsuccessful, she travels there to confront manager Malchus Boncamper, played by Jeffrey Wright. These scenes were actually filmed in Key West, Florida. The area is first seen in a dream sequence as Ellen crosses this street.

LOCATION: 109 Fitzpatrick St, Key West, FL 33040

As Ellen approaches the area, named Hunkins Waterfront Plaza in the film and Kino Plaza in reality, it becomes a CGI composite of a couple different locations. We first see this strip of the actual plaza.

As the camera continues to pan over, a massive building is shown. This is actually the Sunkist Headquarters building in Sherman Oaks, California. The building has been featured in several films, such as 2004’s “Paparazzi” and 2017’s “The Hero.” It has also been seen in such TV series as “Too Old To Die Young,” “Alias,” “Knight Rider” and more.

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LOCATION: 14130 Riverside Dr, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Back at Kino Plaza in Key West, the scene plays again, this time no longer a dream as Ellen approaches the plaza. However, it is again modified, this time with a facade set built over part of the plaza. Here is what the area actually looks like without the facade.

Ellen bumps into Malchus, not knowing who he is, and asks questions about his firm’s location. Malchus lies to her and walks away. This area is mostly the same, but the wall is depicted with dozens of PO boxes lining a brick facade. Here is how it actually appears.

The view of the plaza as Ellen and Malchus speak is relatively unchanged.

Jürgen Mossack, played by Gary Oldman, becomes concerned when he hears one of his clients has been arrested. The film then cuts to a scene in Mexico with Will Forte and Chris Parnell, credited as Doomed Gringo #1 and #2, drinking at a bar. These scenes were filmed at the Melody Ranch Studio Backlot in Santa Clarita, California, also commonly known as the Veluzat Movie Ranch. The ranch, which is available for tours, has been featured in countless films, such as “3 From Hell,” “Dante’s Peak,” “Friday The 13th Part III,” “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter,” “Last Man Standing,” “Chaplin,” and many more.  It was also featured in the TV show “Westworld” as the Mexican town of “Las Mudas.”

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LOCATION: Melody Ranch Studio Backlot (a.k.a. Veluzat Movie Ranch), Forest Rte 5N28, Santa Clarita, CA 91390 (GPS coordinates: 34°29’03.5″N 118°30’25.1″W)

The interior of the bar the men drink at is the same building seen in the above shot, on the right side.

Forte’s character makes the mistake of going to what he thinks is the bathroom, but turns out to be a private office space of some criminals in the middle of business.

Jürgen and Ramón Fonseca, played by Antonio Banderas, speak to the camera about privacy and secrecy while shopping at Fields Market in Canoga Park, California.  The store is a staple of film and television, appearing in such films as “Bird Box,” “Lady Bird,” “Matchstick Men” and “Birds Of Prey: And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn,” as well as such television shows as “Desperate Housewives,” “American Horror Story” and dozens more.  It has also been seen in countless commercials and music videos.

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LOCATION: 23221 Saticoy St, Canoga Park, CA 91304

Gu Kailai, played by Rosalind Chao, tells a story of a Chinese police chief targeting a Falun Gong temple, where people engage in a spiritual practice deemed illegal. The temple is supposedly located in China, but was actually filmed at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California.

LOCATION: 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108

The Huntington Library is a very popular filming location, with hundreds of productions shot around the vast, kaleidoscopic grounds. We can’t name them all, but “Mank,” “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “A Cinderella Story” are just a few among them.

Related articles: The Limey (1999), Erin Brockovich (2000), Traffic (2000), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Magic Mike (2012)

Licence To Kill (1989)

The 1989 James Bond film “Licence to Kill,” starring Timothy Dalton, was filmed in the Florida Keys and Mexico. In the opening scenes, Bond can be seen riding across the famous Seven Mile Bridge. The location is also featured in an action sequence when Franz Sanchez, played by Robert Davi, stages a daring escape. The same location was also featured in the films “True Lies,” “Key Largo,” the 2024 remake of “Road House,” “2 Fast 2 Furious,” “Up Close & Personal,” “CrissCross” and “The Triangle,” as well as the TV series “Burn Notice.”

There are two bridges, built to connect Knight’s Key to Little Duck Key. The one on the right, originally known as the Knights Key-Pigeon Key-Moser Channel-Pacet Channel Bridge, is now commonly referred to as the Old Seven Mile Bridge. It was constructed from 1909 to 1912 and eventually decommissioned in favor of a new bridge, seen on the left, which was completed in 1982 for vehicular traffic. A portion of the Old Seven Mile Bridge is still open to pedestrian traffic and cyclists. However, it has been under reconstruction since 2017 and is expected to reopen by the end of 2021.

LOCATION: Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon, FL, 33050 (GPS coordinates of the start of the bridge: 24.706964, -81.124353)

Felix Leiter’s wedding takes place at this church in Key West. Bond and Leiter parachute from the sky to attend.

LOCATION: 1010 Windsor Ln, Key West, FL 33040

Felix Leiter’s wedding reception is held at this property.

LOCATION: 707 South St, Key West, FL 33040

The owners are clearly fans of the film, as the house address is designed as an homage to the iconic “007” logo.

Bond meets with M at the Ernest Hemingway House, which is the real location where the legendary author once lived in the 1930s. The home was designated a national historic landmark in 1968 and is open to public tours.

LOCATION: 907 Whitehead St Key West, FL 33040

Here is the area where Bond meets M and has his license to kill revoked.

An armed guard is posted at the lighthouse across the street, known as the Key West Lighthouse (938 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040). Bond becomes a rogue agent and escapes.

Bond arrives by boat at the Barrelhead Bar to meet Pam Bouvier, played by Carey Lowell. They get into an altercation with Dario, played by a young Benicio Del Toro. The building is currently a restaurant.

LOCATION: 711 Eisenhower Dr, Key West, FL 33040

Related articles: Die Another Day (2002)

The Beach Bum (2019)

The 2019 stoner comedy “The Beach Bum,” directed by Harmony Korine, was filmed in Miami and the Florida Keys. The film stars Matthew McConaughey as Moondog, a man who indulges in every form of pleasure and debauchery he can find. Early in the film, Moondog joins a singer on the stage of the Schooner Wharf Bar in Key West, where he sings and recites a new poem he wrote. The bar and restaurant, which calls itself a “last little piece of Old Key West,” is a local favorite, with frequent musical performers. What is seen in the film is not unlike the real experience.

LOCATION: 202 William St, Key West, FL 33040

Before heading up to Miami, Moondog feeds a stray cat some water at the Hogfish Bar and Grill. This is another local favorite just outside of Key West and well worth a visit.

LOCATION: 6810 Front St, Stock Island, FL 33040

Moondog’s house, where he lives with his wealthy wife Minnie, played by Ilsa Fisher, can be found on the famed Star Island in Miami Beach. Moondog is seen approaching the home on a boat, where he climbs up onto the property. While Star Island isn’t technically private, it does have a guarded entrance and you’ll have to speak with the guard in order to gain access. There are many boat tours that will take you around the island, however. Just disregard their information about filming locations, as most of it is fabricated and incorrect.

LOCATION: 46 W Star Island Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139

This area is shown in quite a few scenes of the film.

The front of the house is briefly shown in one scene, as Moondog approaches on a bicycle as some police officers stand outside.

Related articles: Gummo (1997)

Matinee (1993)

Joe Dante’s 1993 film “Matinee,” starring John Goodman, is set in Key West, Florida.  Much of the film centers around a movie theater known as The Strand.  There is a real, historic theater by that name in Key West, the exteriors of which still stand, but the interior is now a pharmacy store.  It also was not the theater used in the film.

The building which served as The Strand for filming wasn’t in Key West at all.  It’s the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, which can be found in the town of Cocoa, Florida.  While the theater does still show films on a limited basis, it primarily serves as a playhouse.  Only the playhouse exteriors were used in the film.  The interior theater scenes were filmed at Universal Studios Florida.

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LOCATION: 260 Brevard Ave, Cocoa, FL 32922

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Related articles: The ‘Burbs (1989), Small Soldiers (1998)