I know I've shared a few times here and on the radio how thrilled I am to be back living and working in New England after five years out in the midwest. While I was there, I saw a few great flicks you may not have taken the time to see or haven't seen in a long while that take place AND highlight good ol' sweet home in New England.

And yeah lots of shows/movies take place in Boston, but we got a deeper list than that.

"Jaws"

In addition to being a fantastic suspense/horror/character-driven drama and the film that not only made Steven Spielberg's career but defined the modern movie "blockbuster," this 1975 classic is a super cool snapshot of Cape Cod in that time period. The shots of the town/beaches/people and fashion captured are a great look at that moment in time "down the Cape."

"The Departed"

Ok, this is a total Boston movie complete with over-the-top (dare I say over-acted) performances and Mass/New England accents, but Jack Nicholson as a crime boss, Martin Sheen and Matt Damon, Alec Baldwin clenching his fists yelling obscenities is just so much fun. And there's some great shots of city and the seaport.

"The Town"

This one kind of feels related to "The Departed" in tone/colors on the screen, but never has any film captured Southy quite like this Ben Affleck flick.

"The Fighter"

The trifecta of gloomy but strongly constructed mid-2000s dramas that take place in and around the Hub is "The Fighter," a well-acted boxing melodrama with Amy Adams and New England favorite son Mark Wahlberg.

"Holiday Inn"

That's right, the 1942 Bing Crosby movie that is not explicitly a Christmas movie but more a 40s era rom-com gave us beautiful shots of snow-covered Connecticut and, of course, our first taste of the song "White Christmas."

"The Great Gatsby" (1974)

The Robert Redford/Faye Dunaway take on the Fitzgerald classic was filmed largely in Newport/Bristol, Rhode Island, and the opulent robber baron mansions and coastal landscapes are only made more glamorous by the period costumes and cars.

"A Wake in Providence"

This 1990s comedy (along in a totally different tone/themes with "Dumb and Dumber") showcases the Ocean State well and the strong Italian-American family roots in the community.

"Dead Poets Society"

We kind of take for granted the sheer number of ivy-covered institutions of higher learning from prep schools and academies to universities and colleges, and all are on display with an amazing Robin Williams performance in this 1989 classic.

"On Golden Pond"

Katherine Hepburn, the Fondas in the original, OR perhaps you fancy the remake with Mary Poppins herself, Julie Andrews, and Christopher Plummer in "On Golden Pond." It's a fine acted family drama heavy on sappy dialogue and gorgeous shots of the New Hampshire countryside.

Have you got a favorite New England movie?

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