Chinatown (1974): In my humble opinion, Chinatown is the best L.A. film ever made, but we're not ranking here so I'll refrain from any more comments like that. Nicholson is incredible. Dunaway is incredible. Huston is incredible. The writing is incredible. The cinematography is incredible. The score is incredible. Even the extras are incredible. No spoilers or pontification here... just see it for the first time or for another time. It's a masterpiece that says more, literally, about L.A. - and how it got to be "L.A." - than any of the other films on this list combined. Depress-o-meter says: 9

Honorable mentions:

• Pulp Fiction (1996) - Don't be tellin' me about no foot massage!
• Less Than Zero (1987) - It's better than you remember and a helluva lot more depressing...
• Colors (1988) - Sean Penn. Robert Duvall. Excellent.
• Friday (1995) - You ain't got no job and you ain't got shit to do...
• Boyz N the Hood (1991) - Depress-o-meter says: 10
• Fast Times at Ridgmont High (1982) - More Sean Penn. More excellence.