Topher Grace

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

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The third and final installment in Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, “Spider-Man 3,” was filmed in New York City, Cleveland, Ohio and Los Angeles, California. The Daily Bugle is once again featured, which is the iconic Flatiron Building in Manhattan. The building has appeared in countless films, such as “The Usual Suspects,” “As Good As It Gets” and of course “Spider-Man.”

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LOCATION: 175 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

As with previous installments, the interior of Harry Osborn’s (James Franco) Manhattan home is once again filmed at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, California.

LOCATION: Greystone Mansion, 905 Loma Vista Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210

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In one scene, Many Jane is seen making dinner in the kitchen with Harry.

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After a battle with The Sandman, played by Thomas Haden Church, Spider-Man climbs out of a crashed armored truck, in front of this building in Cleveland, Ohio. Several scenes were filmed in Cleveland, standing in for New York City. The same building was seen in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

LOCATION: 900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) invites Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) to dinner, where things do not go as planned. These scenes were filmed at the famous “Pompeian Room” of the Doheny Mansion, located on the campus of Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles.  While the mansion does offer occasional tours to the public, some of the guides can be strict about allowing photos inside.  Many films have shot at the mansion, including “The Princess Diaries,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Drag Me To Hell,” “Flowers In The Attic,” “The Three Amigos” and more.

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LOCATION: 10 Chester Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Spider-Man arrives at a bank the Sandman has jobs robbed, only to find Sandman has just left the scene. The same building was also seen in the films “(500) Days Of Summer,” “Killing Zoe” and “Night Hunter.”

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LOCATION: 401 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Eddie Brock, played by Topher Grace, prays inside of this church for the death of Peter Parker. The interior scenes were filmed at St. Brendan Catholic Church, which has appeared in numerous productions, including “The Curse Of La Llorona,” “Fight Club,” “Armageddon” and the Guns N’ Roses music video for “November Rain.”

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LOCATION: 310 S Van Ness Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Related articles: Spider-Man (2002)

Traffic (2000)

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The 2000 Steven Soderbergh film “Traffic” depicts the international drug trade in the United States through three storylines. The production shot in quite a few different places, including Cincinnati, Ohio, Washington, D.C., El Paso, Texas, San Diego, California, Mexico City, Mexico and more.

In the film, Robert Wakefield, played by Michael Douglas, a is a conservative Ohio judge appointed to head the National Drug Control Policy. However, Wakefield faces a losing battle with his own daughter’s addiction problems. The Wakefield home can be found in Cincinnati, Ohio.

LOCATION: 1242 Edwards Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45208

The Ayala house, where Carlos Ayala, played by Steven Bauer, lives with his wife Helena, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, can be found in La Jolla, California. While the house itself was not modified for the film, the production changed property to appear to have a false front yard and entrance gate to the right. In reality, the home faces directly toward the street and there is no gate.

LOCATION: 7757 Whitefield Pl, La Jolla, CA 92037

Here is a view closer to what is seen in the film, with the road depicted as the home’s front yard and gated driveway. A wall was added to cover the fact that it was part of the road. In one scene, Helena approaches two DEA agents parked in a van, Montel Gordon (Don Cheadle) and Ray Castro (Luis Guzman), who are surveilling her home and offers them beverages.

Helena meets with Francisco Flores, played by Clifton Collins Jr., to arrange an assassination of a witness against her husband. The two meet inside the Botanical Building at Balboa Park in San Diego. At the time of our visit, the building was closed off for renovation, so we were unable to enter. The same building is briefly seen in “Citizen Kate.”

LOCATION: 1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101

Francisco Flores attempts to assassinate Eduardo Ruiz, played by Miguel Ferrer, in a parking lot next to some municipal buildings in Downtown San Diego. The parking lot is located along Front St between W B St and W A St.

LOCATION: Near Front St / W B St, San Diego, CA 92101

Here is a view through the fence of the parking lot.

Unbeknownst to Francisco Flores, he himself is the target of a second assassin from the window of this building, facing W A St and overlooking the parking lot.

LOCATION: 1300 Front St, San Diego, CA 92101 (facing W A St)

Related articles: The Limey (1999), Erin Brockovich (2000), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Magic Mike (2012), The Laundromat (2019)

Under The Silver Lake (2018)

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The David Robert Mitchell film “Under the Silver Lake” was released to mixed reviews in 2018. While the film ventures into many bizarre events, it’s depiction of the mundane aimlessness and isolation of Los Angeles during the 2010s is spot on. The film opens at this coffee shop in Los Feliz, where the words “beware the dog killer” have been written across the front window.

LOCATION: 1948 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Sam, played by Andrew Garfield, lives on the second floor at this apartment complex, located in Studio City.

LOCATION: 11966 Laurelwood Dr, Studio City, CA 91604

Sam watches his neighbors with binoculars, including a woman who walks around topless on the balcony of the second floor unit on the left.

LOCATION: 11940 Laurelwood Dr, Studio City, CA 91604

Sam also watches Sarah, played by Riley Keough, at the pool.

Here’s a view from the pool, looking back towards Sam’s apartment.

The street view of Sam’s apartment is a completely different location in Los Feliz. Despite the building address, this view is from the cul-de-sac on Veselich Ave.

LOCATION: 3205 Los Feliz Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039 (at the cul-de-sac on Veselich Ave)

Sam makes inquiries about a local comic book writer at The Last Bookstore in Downtown Los Angeles. The book store also appeared in the film “Gone Girl.”

LOCATION: 453 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

After Sam discovers Sarah’s apartment empty, he follows one of her friends whom he observed gather the last of Sarah’s belongings. Sam hides behind this tree as he follows her, which is located on Veselich Ave, just up from his Los Feliz apartment exterior.

LOCATION: Garden Ave / Veselich Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Sam continues following Sarah’s friends to Echo Park Lake, where he hides behind another tree.

LOCATION: Echo Park Lake, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Sam continues following the girls down the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown Los Angeles.  The tunnel is a popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “Blade Runner,” “Con Air,” “Independence Day” and many more.

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LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Sam tracks down the author of the comic books at this home in Los Feliz.

LOCATION: 1977 N New Hampshire Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Sam visits his friend, played by Topher Grace, at a house perched on a hillside in Angelino Heights in East L.A.  The same house was seen in the films “Seven Psychopaths” and “Crazy/Beautiful” and is located just around the corner from Jake Gyllenhaal’s apartment in the film “Nightcrawler.”  The home has since been demolished.

LOCATION: 1016 White Knoll Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (now demolished)

The shot of Sam walking up White Knoll Dr to the home can still be matched up.

Sam follows a series of clues leading him to the iconic Griffith Observatory.  The location is a staple of film, appearing in such movies as “Rebel Without A Cause,” “La La Land,” “The Terminator,” “Devil In A Blue Dress” and dozens more. Sam appraches from this path behind the observatory.

LOCATION: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Sam is specifically searching for this statue of James Dean.

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Sam then sits at the Astronomers Monument and waits, until he is approached by a mysterious man.

Late in the film, Sam follows more mysterious clues to the back of Bronson Cave, also known as the “Bat Cave,” which can be found in Griffith Park. A very popular hiking spot, simply take the Bronson Cave Trail for about a quarter of a mile and the caves are on the left. Although the walk is uphill, it’s so short that anyone without medical issues should be able to handle it. The caves have appeared in hundreds of productions, perhaps most famously in the 1966 TV series “Batman.”

LOCATION: 3200 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (the trailhead can be found at 2950 Canyon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068)

Sam finds a a man and three women living in a small hut behind the Bronson Cave.

Sam is held captive at the Old Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park. The zoo permanently closed in 1966, but the enclosures remain in tact and visitors can freely explore inside. The zoo has appeared in many films, including “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “The First Power” and “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment”

LOCATION: 4801 Griffith Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Sam is seen climbing near Bee Rock, which can be seen easily from the Old Los Angeles Zoo in Griffith Park. There is a trail from the zoo leading to Bee Rock.

LOCATION: Bee Rock, Los Angeles, CA 90027