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Seeing Stars: Where the Movies Were Shot (on Location)
2005
 
The 2005 spy spoof,
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith"
(starring Brad Pitt and
Angelina Jolie
as married assassins trying to kill each
other) centered around their large colonial home,
which was supposed to be in Long Island, NY.
It wasn't. As
usual, it was sunny California.
You'll find the 'Smith house' 1565 San
Pasqual Street, in Pasadena, CA.
(That is just east
Cal-Tech campus and just south of Pasadena City College. The house
is on the north side of San Pasqual, just two houses east of Ninita
Pkwy.) 
[ Warning: This
is a private home. Do not trespass on their property,
knock on their doors, or do anything that might disturb the residents.
]
This
aerial view of the street (above) was shot from just west of the Smith
house,
(looking east), from around 1550 or 1562 San Pasqual (and from above, via
a crane shot).
 
The 2005 fantasy film, "Zathura"
(from the author of "Jumanji"), told the story of a mysterious
game which sends two young brothers (and their house) flying into space
for an adventure.
At the start of the film, we
see the two boys, Walter and Danny Budwing, playing catch with their dad
on the front lawn of their house. That Craftsman house (which ends up floating
in space) is actually located at 216 Oaklawn
Avenue, in South Pasadena.
[ Warning: This
is a private home. Do not trespass on their property,
knock on their doors, or do anything that might disturb the residents.
]
Although the 2005 sci-fi film,
"THE ISLAND" (with
Ewan McGregor
& Scarlett Johansson)
would appear to have been filmed in downtown L.A., the truth is that much
of what appears to be L.A. is actually downtown Detroit (where the director
found it easier to close down streets for filming on weekdays).
But there are at least three
very recognizable Southern California landmarks which do make an
appearance in the thriller:
 
- The first is Union
Station, which we see as the train station
when Ewan & Scarett arrive in Los Angeles after first escaping
from the clone factory. Union Station is an actual train station, on the
northeast side of downtown L.A. It can be found at 800 N. Alameda Street
(across from Olvera Street).
 
- The second location is the Gas Company
Tower, which was the 60-story tall skyscraper
with the giant red letter "R"
on the side (where Ewan & Scarlett almost fell to their deaths).
You can find the building at 555 W. 5th Street,
in downtown L.A. (between Olive St. & Grand Ave.)
- The third locale is the Gerald
Desmond Bridge, which links Long Beach,
CA with Terminal Island and San Pedro (in the Los Angeles/Long Beach
harbor). We see the bridge during that lengthy car chase scene where Ewan
has kidnapped his 'sponsor' (also played by Ewan) and is fleeing a number
of cars & flying vehicles that are shooting at them as they race the
wrong way on the bridge. You can also catch glimpses of the nearby Vincent
Thomas bridge in the background, as well as the oil refineries which dot
the Terminal Island area.
You'll find the bridge at the west end
of Ocean Blvd in Long
Beach (just past Pier D Ave, if you're
heading west), or a mile past the east end of the Vincent Thomas Bridge
(if you're heading east).
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See these full pages
devoted to the
filming locations of these 2005 movies:
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2008
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2013
  
* Locations marked by an asterisk
(*) may be located in areas with high crime rates.
Exercise reasonable caution.
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