Moviefone Editorial

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Best Movies About the Entertainment Industry

Seth Rogen in ‘The Studio,’ premiering March 26, 2025 on Apple TV+.

Hollywood loves telling stories about itself!

Premiering on Apple TV+ March 26th is the new series ‘The Studio‘, which stars Seth Rogen as newly appointed studio head trying to navigate his way through Hollywood.
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And returning to Max for its fourth season on April 10th is the award winning series ‘Hacks‘, which stars Jean Smart as legendary stand-up comedian, Deborah Vance.
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In honor of the release of both series, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best movies about the entertainment industry.

NOTE: For this list, we are including any film that revolves around the movie, television, radio, or music industries.

Let’s begin!

20. ‘Entourage‘ (2015)

The cast of 2015’s ‘Entourage’ movie. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Movie star Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier), together with his boys, Eric (Kevin Connolly), Turtle (Jerry Ferrara) and Johnny (Kevin Dillon), are back…and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven). Some of their ambitions have changed, but the bond between them remains strong as they navigate the capricious and often cutthroat world of Hollywood.
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19. ‘The Artist‘ (2012)

(L to R) Jean Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo in ‘The Artist’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Hollywood, 1927: As silent movie star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion, he sparks with Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a young dancer set for a big break.
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18. ‘Babylon‘ (2022)

Margot Robbie plays Nellie LaRoy in ‘Babylon’ from Paramount Pictures.

A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.
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17. ‘Better Man‘ (2025)

Jonno Davies as “Robbie Williams” in ‘Better Man’ from Paramount Pictures.

Follow Robbie Williams‘ journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist – all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring.
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16. ‘State and Main‘ (2001)

(L to R) Rebecca Pidgeon and Philip Seymour Hoffman in ‘State and Main’. Photo: Fine Line Features.

A movie crew invades a small town whose residents are all too ready to give up their values for showbiz glitz.
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15. ‘Hitchcock‘ (2012)

Anthony Hopkins in ‘Hitchcock’. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Following his great success with ‘North by Northwest,’ director Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) makes a daring choice for his next project: an adaptation of Robert Bloch‘s novel ‘Psycho.’ When the studio refuses to back the picture, Hitchcock decides to pay for it himself in exchange for a percentage of the profits. His wife, Alma Reville (Helen Mirren), has serious reservations about the film but supports him nonetheless. Still, the production strains the couple’s marriage.
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14. ‘For Your Consideration‘ (2006)

The cast of 2006’s ‘For Your Consideration’. Photo: Warner Independent Pictures.

The possibility of Oscar gold holds the cast and crew of an independent film in its grip after the performance of its virtually unknown, veteran star generates awards buzz.
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13. ‘Ed Wood‘ (1994)

Johnny Depp in ‘Ed Wood’. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

The mostly true story of the legendary “worst director of all time”, who, with the help of his strange friends, filmed countless B-movies without ever becoming famous or successful.
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12. ‘The Disaster Artist‘ (2017)

James Franco in ‘The Disaster Artist’. Photo: A24.

An aspiring actor (Dave Franco) in Hollywood meets an enigmatic stranger by the name of Tommy Wiseau (James Franco), the meeting leads the actor down a path nobody could have predicted; creating the worst movie ever made.
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11. ‘Saturday Night‘ (2024)

(L to R) Gilda Radner (Ella Hunt), Jane Curtain (Kim Matula), Dick Ebersol (Cooper Hoffman), Rosie Shuster (Rachel Sennott), Garrett Morris (Lamorne Morris), Alan Zweibel (Josh Brener) and Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) in ‘Saturday Night’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. This is the story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of ‘Saturday Night Live‘.
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10. ‘My Favorite Year‘ (1982)

Peter O’Toole in ‘My Favorite Year’. Photo: MGM/UA Distribution Co.

Fledgling comic Benjy Stone (Mark Linn-Baker) can’t believe his luck when his childhood hero, the swashbuckling matinee idol Alan Swann (Peter O’Toole), gets booked to appear on the variety show he writes for. But when Swann arrives, he fails to live up to his silver screen image. Instead, he’s a drunken womanizer who suffers from stage fright. Benjy is assigned to look after him before the show, and it’s all he can do to keep his former idol from going completely off the rails.
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9. ‘Get Shorty‘ (1995)

(L to R) John Travolta and Gene Hackman in ‘Get Shorty’. Photo: MGM/UA Distribution Co.

Chili Palmer (John Travolta) is a Miami mobster who gets sent by his boss, the psychopathic “Bones” Barboni (Dennis Farina), to collect a bad debt from Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman), a Hollywood producer who specializes in cheesy horror films. When Chili meets Harry’s leading lady (Rene Russo), the romantic sparks fly. After pitching his own life story as a movie idea, Chili learns that being a mobster and being a Hollywood producer really aren’t all that different.
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8. ‘La La Land‘ (2016)

(L to R) Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in ‘La La Land’. Photo: Lionsgate.

Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
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7. ‘Bowfinger‘ (1999)

(L to R) Steve Martin and Heather Graham in ‘Bowfinger’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

On the verge of bankruptcy and desperate for his big break, aspiring filmmaker Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) concocts a crazy plan to make his ultimate dream movie. Rallying a ragtag team that includes a starry-eyed ingenue, a has-been diva and a film studio gofer, he sets out to shoot a blockbuster featuring the biggest star in Hollywood, Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) — only without letting Ramsey know he’s in the picture.
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6. ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2016)

Josh Brolin in ‘Hail, Caesar!’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

When a Hollywood star (George Clooney) mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming, the studio sends their fixer (Josh Brolin) to get him back.
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5. ‘Private Parts‘ (1997)

Howard Stern in ‘Private Parts’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

The life and career of shock-jock superstar Howard Stern is recounted from his humble beginnings to his view from the top. Possessing a desire to be an on-air personality since childhood, Stern meanders through the radio world, always with his supportive wife, Alison (Mary McCormack), by his side. Landing a gig in Washington, D.C., Stern meets Robin Quivers, who will become his long-time partner in crime. When the two move to New York, they face the wrath of NBC executives.
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4. ‘Boogie Nights‘ (1997)

The cast of ‘Boogie Nights’. Photo: New Line Cinema.

Set in 1977, back when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, idealistic porn producer Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) aspires to elevate his craft to an art form. Horner discovers Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg), a hot young talent working as a busboy in a nightclub, and welcomes him into the extended family of movie-makers, misfits and hangers-on that are always around. Adams’ rise from nobody to a celebrity adult entertainer is meteoric, and soon the whole world seems to know his porn alter ego, “Dirk Diggler”. Now, when disco and drugs are in vogue, fashion is in flux and the party never seems to stop, Adams’ dreams of turning sex into stardom are about to collide with cold, hard reality.
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3. ‘A Star Is Born‘ (2018)

(L to R) Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in ‘A Star Is Born.’ Photo: Warner Bros.

Seasoned musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) discovers — and falls in love with — struggling artist Ally (Lady Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer — until Jack coaxes her into the spotlight. But even as Ally’s career takes off, the personal side of their relationship is breaking down, as Jack fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons.
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2. ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood‘ (2019)

(L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt star in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.’

Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha).
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1. ‘The Player‘ (1992)

Tim Robbins in ‘The Player’. Photo: Fine Line Features.

A Hollywood studio executive (Tim Robbins) is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected – but which one?
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April 4, 2025
Best John Travolta Movies

John Travolta as Bodie Davis in ‘Mob Land.’

John Travolta is a true triple threat of a performer, as he can act, sing, and dance!

Travolta first gained attention in the late ’70s as Vinnie Barbarino on the TV series ‘Welcome Back, Kotter,’ but quickly became a movie star after roles in ‘Carrie,’ ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ and ‘Grease.’

After a decline in the 1980s, Quentin Tarantino revived Travolta’s career by casting him as Vincent Vega in the Oscar-nominated ‘Pulp Fiction.’ Since then the actor has appeared in such popular films as ‘Get Shorty,’ ‘Broken Arrow,’ ‘Face/Off,’ ‘A Civil Action,’ and ‘Primary Colors.’

With Travolta’s new film ‘Mob Land‘ opening in theaters on August 4th, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best movies of John Travolta’s career.

Let’s begin!

20. ‘Swordfish‘ (2001)

Rogue agent Gabriel Shear (Travolta) is determined to get his mitts on $9 billion stashed in a secret Drug Enforcement Administration account. He wants the cash to fight terrorism, but lacks the computer skills necessary to hack into the government mainframe. Enter Stanley Jobson (Hugh Jackman), a n’er-do-well encryption expert who can log into anything.
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19. ‘The Punisher‘ (2004)

When undercover FBI agent Frank Castle’s (Thomas Jane) wife and son are slaughtered, he becomes ‘the Punisher’ — a ruthless vigilante willing to go to any length to avenge his family.
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18. ‘Phenomenon‘ (1996)

An ordinary man (Travolta) sees a bright light descend from the sky, and discovers he now has super-intelligence and telekinesis.
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17. ‘Urban Cowboy‘ (1980)

After moving to Pasadena, Texas, country boy Bud Davis (Travolta) starts hanging around a bar called Gilley’s, where he falls in love with Sissy (Debra Winger), a cowgirl who believes the sexes are equal. They eventually marry, but their relationship is turbulent due to Bud’s traditional view of gender roles. Jealousy over his rival leads to their separation, but Bud attempts to win Sissy back by triumphing at Gilley’s mechanical bull-riding competition.
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16. ‘The Thin Red Line‘ (1998)

The story of a group of men, an Army Rifle company called C-for-Charlie, who change, suffer, and ultimately make essential discoveries about themselves during the fierce World War II battle of Guadalcanal. It follows their journey, from the surprise of an unopposed landing, through the bloody and exhausting battles that follow, to the ultimate departure of those who survived.
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15. ‘Savages‘ (2012)

Pot growers Ben (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch) face off against the Mexican drug cartel who kidnapped their shared girlfriend.
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14. ‘Blow Out‘ (1981)

Jack Terry (Travolta) is a master sound recordist who works on grade-B horror movies. Late one evening, he is recording sounds for use in his movies when he hears something unexpected through his sound equipment and records it. Curiosity gets the better of him when the media become involved, and he begins to unravel the pieces of a nefarious conspiracy. As he struggles to survive against his shadowy enemies and expose the truth, he does not know whom he can trust.
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13. ‘Hairspray‘ (2007)

Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) auditions to be on Baltimore’s most popular dance show – The Corny Collins Show – and lands a prime spot. Through her newfound fame, she becomes determined to help her friends and end the racial segregation that has been a staple of the show.
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12. ‘Look Who’s Talking‘ (1989)

Mollie (Kirstie Alley) is a single working mother who’s out to find the perfect father for her child. Her baby, Mikey (Bruce Willis), prefers James (Travolta), a cab driver turned babysitter who has what it takes to make them both happy. But Mollie won’t even consider James. It’s going to take all the tricks a baby can think of to bring them together before it’s too late.
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11. ‘The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3‘ (2009)

Armed men hijack a New York City subway train, holding the passengers hostage in return for a ransom, and turning an ordinary day’s work for dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) into a face-off with the mastermind behind the crime.
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10. ‘Carrie‘ (1976)

Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), a shy and troubled teenage girl who is tormented by her high school peers and her fanatically religious mother, begins to use her powers of telekinesis to exact revenge upon them.
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9. ‘Broken Arrow‘ (1996)

When rogue stealth-fighter pilot Vic Deakins (Travolta) deliberately drops off the radar while on maneuvers, the Air Force ends up with two stolen nuclear warheads — and Deakins’s co-pilot, Riley Hale (Christian Slater), is the military’s only hope for getting them back. Traversing the deserted canyons of Utah, Hale teams with park ranger Terry Carmichael to put Deakins back in his box.
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8. ‘Basic‘ (2003)

A DEA agent (Travolta) investigates the disappearance of a legendary Army ranger drill sergeant (Samuel L. Jackson) and several of his cadets during a training exercise gone severely awry.
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7. ‘A Civil Action‘ (1998)

Jan Schlickmann (Travolta) is a cynical lawyer who goes out to ‘get rid of’ a case, only to find out it is potentially worth millions. The case becomes his obsession, to the extent that he is willing to give up everything—including his career and his clients’ goals—in order to continue the case against all odds.
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6. ‘Primary Colors‘ (1998)

In this adaptation of the best-selling roman à clef about Bill Clinton’s 1992 run for the White House, the young and gifted Henry Burton (Adrian Lester) is tapped to oversee the presidential campaign of Governor Jack Stanton (Travolta). Burton is pulled into the politician’s colorful world and looks on as Stanton — who has a wandering eye that could be his downfall — contends with his ambitious wife, Susan (Emma Thompson), and an outspoken adviser, Richard Jemmons (Billy Bob Thornton).
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5. ‘Get Shorty‘ (1995)

Chili Palmer (Travolta) is a Miami mobster who gets sent by his boss, the psychopathic “Bones” Barboni (Dennis Farina), to collect a bad debt from Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman), a Hollywood producer who specializes in cheesy horror films. When Chili meets Harry’s leading lady (Rene Russo), the romantic sparks fly. After pitching his own life story as a movie idea, Chili learns that being a mobster and being a Hollywood producer really aren’t all that different.
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4. ‘Grease‘ (1978)

Australian good girl Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) and greaser Danny fell (John Travolta) in love over the summer. But when they unexpectedly discover they’re now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance despite their eccentric friends?
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3. ‘Face/Off‘ (1997)

In order to foil a terrorist plot, an FBI agent (John Travolta) undergoes facial transplant surgery and assumes the identity of a criminal mastermind (Nicolas Cage), who murdered his only son. The plan turns sour when the criminal wakes up prematurely and seeks revenge.
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2. ‘Saturday Night Fever‘ (1977)

Tony (Travolta) spends his Saturdays at a disco where his stylish moves raise his popularity among the patrons. But his life outside the disco is not easy and things change when he gets attracted to Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney).
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1. ‘Pulp Fiction‘ (1994)

A burger-loving hit man (Travolta), his philosophical partner (Samuel L. Jackson), a drug-addled gangster’s moll (Uma Thurman) and a washed-up boxer (Bruce Willis) converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time.
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August 6, 2023