A FILM METROPOLIS

Which is the most movie-featured NYC spot? 10 contenders listed

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The "Big Apple", the "concrete jungle", the "city that never sleeps". Even if you have never set foot in New York City, you are probably more than familiar with all the magic and wonder this city has to offer, thanks to the countless times it has been portrayed in films and TV shows.

We have chosen ten NYC locations that have been heavily featured in several scenes on the big screen. New York City’s personality and charm make it stand out as another character in these films, and we are not sure if these movie moments would be as unforgettable if they hadn’t been filmed in this amazing city.

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Contrary to popular belief, Tiffany & Co. doesn’t actually serve breakfast. Nevertheless, the company’s NYC flagship store is the place where Audrey Hepburn’s character chooses to have a cup of coffee and a pastry in the opening of "Breakfast at Tiffany's".

Based on the Truman Capote novel of the same name, this 1961 movie has made this store into a pop-culture icon. Tiffany & Co. symbolizes Holly Golightly’s desire for social status, materialized in the breathtaking jewelry that this store sells.

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We know which movie you are thinking of: It’s impossible to see the Empire State Building without picturing King Kong perched on the top, trying to grab the airplanes aiming at him. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that, in its 92 years of history, this NYC landmark has been featured in over 100 films.

While King Kong is most heavily associated with this majestic skyscraper, the Empire State Building has been featured in other major blockbusters, such as a memorable scene in Superman II in which the "Man of Steel" saves a woman from being crushed by the top of the building.

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This museum’s architecture has been featured in several movies: The Guggenheim’s unusual shape has allowed its outer facade to appear in the background of many shots, and to inspire memorable action scenes in its interior.

Will Smith’s character in "Men in Black" chases after a speedy alien through the Guggenheim’s spiraling corridors. Moreover, the 2009 film "The International" features a gunfight inside the museum that makes use of its concentric shape. The director of this movie stated that he wanted to film inside the Guggenheim since he considers it to be "the most iconic and interesting piece of architecture that the twentieth century has produced."

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Did you know that the majestic marble lions that stand at the entrance of the New York Public Library are called "Patience" and "Fortitude"? While you might not know them by name, you are probably familiar with them from many establishing shots in films: After all, this iconic NYC building has appeared in countless pieces of media since it was inaugurated in 1911.

The New York Public Library has been featured in a wide variety of movies, that range from classic films like "Breakfast at Tiffany’s" to apocalyptic blockbusters like "The Day after Tomorrow" or "Beneath the Planet of the Apes."

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If you ever take a Sunday stroll through Washington Square Park, you recognize a particularly famous piece of architecture: the Washington Square Arch. This marble memorial arch, built to commemorate the centennial of Washington’s inauguration as president, has been used as an establishing shot of diverse movies that take place in New York.

Adam Sandler has a moving talk with his best friend’s son in Washington Square Park in the 1999 film "Big Daddy". More recently, it was featured in some adrenaline-fueled action films like "I Am Legend" and "Avengers: Infinity War".

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After Ben Stiller starred in the 2006 comedy "Night in the Museum", visitors of the American Museum of Natural History don’t look at the Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton the same way: Everyone is half-expectedly waiting for "Rexy" to come alive and turn into a playful prehistoric pet. And while that sadly doesn’t happen, the museum caters to this magical feeling by offering a "Night at the Museum" tour.

Other films that feature the American Museum of Natural History are "The Devil Wears Prada" (on which the ball scene was filmed) and the 2016 action film "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles".

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Columbia University has seen several outstanding alumni walk through its corridors, including former presidents Barack Obama and Franklin D. Roosevelt, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, and aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. It has also welcomed many film crews, who have made use of emblematic locations like the Low Memorial Library for their movies.

Columbia University is the place that Peter Parker chose for his studies in 2002 "Spiderman". Not only that, the three original members of the Ghostbusters met while teaching in Columbia, before starting their game-changing paranormal business.

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The world’s first steel-wire suspension bridge has been the location of several classic scenes throughout the years. This comes as no surprise to anyone who has seen this majestic NYC structure: In its over 140 years of history, the Brooklyn Bridge has become a symbolic and instantly recognizable landmark of the Big Apple.

Some movies, like "Enchanted" or "Kate and Leopold", use the Brooklyn Bridge as the perfect setting for a romantic scene. However, some apocalyptic movies like "Cloverfield", choose to depict the destruction of the bridge as a tragic point of no return.

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Every child raised in the 90s can tell you that they felt an insurmountable amount of envy for Kevin McCallister in the 1992 film "Home Alone 2: Lost in New York". Sure, the character portrayed by Macaulay Culkin was again left behind by his family, but this time he got to live a life of splendor in the luxurious Plaza Hotel.

While "Home Alone 2" definitively marked a generation, it was by no means the first movie to feature the iconic Plaza Hotel: It was featured in the 1959 classic Hitchcock film "North by Northwest". It was also depicted in the 2013 version of "The Great Gatsby", in which Leonardo Di Caprio plays the eccentric millionaire.

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We end this list with New York City’s most famous landmark. Lady Liberty is featured in everything related to NYC: keychains, T-shirts, and plastic crowns visitors take as souvenirs. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the Statue of Liberty has appeared in numerous films. Curiously, only a few movies have filmed on Liberty Island, while most have recreated this NYC icon on film sets.

Several action films have used the Statue of Liberty as the place of a final confrontation between the heroes and the villains: For example, the final showdown between the X-men and Magneto in the first "X-Men" movie. Some apocalypse movies have used the destruction of this landmark as a climactic scene, like Charlton Heston's distraught screams in front of the remains of Lady Liberty in the original "Planet of the Apes."

CURIOUS LINGO

What The … Is A Kattywampus? And 9 Other Unique Words Only Locals Will Get

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Each state in the U.S. boasts its own distinct culture full of unique slang and expressions. From endearing monikers for their home state to cacophonous sounding words with no fixed meaning, there is no shortage of linguistic gems waiting to be discovered.

Below, we've compiled a collection of some of the most intriguing or whimsical words coined by Americans from various states, to their own delight and the confusion of their neighbors.

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Alaskans refer to long-time residents as "sourdoughs." This term comes from the extensive use of sourdough starter for baking bread in the state's early, isolated days. Frontiersmen would reportedly wear a pouch of starter around their neck to keep it from freezing. Now, it's a badge of honor denoting someone seasoned by the Alaskan lifestyle.

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"Welcome to Cackalacky!" might sound like a line straight out of Alice in Wonderland, but in North Carolina, it’s actually a playful nickname for the Tar Heel State. While some have claimed it is a derivative of a Cherokee word -as it often happens- its exact origin is unknown. In any case, it has long been embraced in music and popular culture, and it symbolizes local pride.

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Driving in New Jersey, you might encounter "jughandles," which are road configurations designed to make left turns by turning right first - seen from above as forming a shape akin to the handle of a jug. This peculiar traffic feature is ubiquitous in the Garden State but, for some reason, rare elsewhere.

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A multipurpose exclamation of Scandinavian origin, "Uff da" is used in North Dakota to express surprise, exhaustion, or dismay. The versatile phrase showcases the area's extensive Nordic heritage. Amusingly, it has even been used to name various places and events, including an airport and several festivals.

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In New Mexico, ordering food often involves the question, "Red or green?" However, there's a third possible answer: "Christmas." This refers to the type of chile sauce you prefer: red, green, or both (Christmas). Considered by many as the "official state question," the answer can even reveal whether you are from the northern or southern part of the state.

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Residents of northern Nevada might warn you about "pogonip," a dangerously thick and icy fog. If you were thinking of dismissing the warning of locals and braving this legendary - but very real - weather phenomenon, just know that the word comes from the Shoshone language and literally means "white death." We are not taking any chances, but you do you.

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In Tennessee, a "meat and three" is a beloved meal consisting of one meat and three side dishes. The term is thought to have originated in a Nashville cafeteria in the 30s where they served a similar version of the modern dish: a choice of meat and vegetables, plus bread, for only 25 cents. If you are curious, you can try this Southern culinary staple in most diners and restaurants across the state.

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Oklahomans might ask, "J'eet?" when they want to know if you’ve eaten. This contraction of "Did you eat?" is common in casual conversation and reflects the region’s relaxed speech patterns. In a similar vein, "that skeeter ate you up" can be used to point out that a mosquito has made a feast out of you, biting you multiple times.

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Contrary to what it suggests, in Rhode Island, the term "awful awful" refers to a delicious milkshake. The term is derived from "awful big and awful good," emphasizing the drink’s rich, creamy appeal. Though both the name and the beverage originated in New Jersey, the original trademark was bought by a local restaurant chain, and it soon became part of the local culture.

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If something is askew or out of order in South Dakota, it’s "kattywampus" (or alternatively "cattywampus"). This whimsical word can describe anything from a crooked picture frame to a disorganized room. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, this bizarre word is actually a variant of "catawampus," another slang word that traces back to the 19th century and can refer to an "imaginary fierce wild animal."