Texas made: Here are the 5 highest-, lowest-rated movies filmed in Lone Star State
Did you know more than 1,100 movies have been filmed in Texas since 1910?
According to the Texas Film Commission, countless films, TV shows and music videos have been shot across the Lone Star State.
Critics view some of those films as perfection, including 2000's "Cast Away" and 2007's "No Country for Old Men." But on the opposite end, badly reviewed movies include 1996's "Escape from L.A." and 2001's "Pearl Harbor."
Professional critics aside, the general public can rate and review films on websites including IMDb (the Internet Movie Database), Letterboxd and Rotten Tomatoes.
The Caller-Times searched through the 1,100-plus list of films filmed in Texas, did a lot of math and figured out what the five highest-rated films are, as well as the five lowest-rated. Which ones have you seen, and do you agree?
Highest-rated
"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989)
In 1938, an art collector asks Indiana Jones to embark on a search for the Holy Grail. He learns that another archeologist has gone missing while searching for the treasure, and the missing man is his father. Indiana discovers his dad was abducted by Adolf Hitler's Nazis who are trying to get to the sacred artifact first to recover the power of eternal life. Will Indiana and his team stop Hitler's scheme?
Ranking: An average audience score of 85.3%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
8.2 out of 10 | 4 out of 5 | 94 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? As Indiana Jones and his father ride off into the sunset at the end, that final shot was filmed at Amarillo's Palo Duro Canyon.
Where can I watch it? The film is available on Showtime, or you can rent it for $3.99 on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
"Office Space" (1999)
Thanks to hypnotherapy, Peter Gibbons decides not to go to work while his company Intech is laying people off and ends up getting promoted. When said layoffs affect his two best friends at his job, the three plan to drop a virus in the company's banking system and embezzle a small amount of money. But will the revenge plot go wrong?
Ranking: An average audience score of 82%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
7.7 out of 10 | 3.8 out of 5 | 93 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? "Office Space" was filmed in Dallas, but primarily in Austin. A long shot of a highway at the beginning of the movie was filmed in Dallas, while Peter's apartment, Intech and other locations were shot in Austin.
Where can I watch it? It is available to stream for free on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+, but the former contains ads.
"Rushmore" (1998)
In this coming-of-age story, Max Fischer, an eccentric private school student, strikes up a friendship with a rich businessman. The unlikely friends both fall in love with a first-grade teacher. How will this odd love triangle end?
Ranking: An average audience score of 81.7%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
7.6 out of 10 | 3.9 out of 5 | 91 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? Filming took place in Houston and Baytown with most shots in the former, the director's hometown. Some locations in Houston include Delmar Stadium, Lamar High School, St. John's School and Historical Hollywood Cemetery.
Where can I watch it? "Rushmore" is not available to stream at the moment, but you can rent it for $3.99 at Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
"Dazed and Confused" (1993)
It's the last school day for Lee High School in 1976 in Austin, which means the seniors will haze the incoming freshmen. Remember, it's the ’70s. Meanwhile, everyone else is trying to get a head start on a wild summer break. Although it was a commercial disappointment at the box office, "Dazed and Confused" has become a cult classic over the years.
Ranking: An average audience score of 81.3%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
7.6 out of 10 | 3.9 out of 5 | 90 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? The film takes place in Austin, so most filming was done in the capital of Texas, including shots at the high school, hamburger shop and several students' houses. Other locations in Texas included Georgetown, Seguin and Sunset Valley.
Where can I watch it? "Dazed and Confused" is available to stream on Peacock and can be rented for $3.99 on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
"Alita: Battle Angel" (2019)
The year is 2563, and a scientist Dr. Dyson Ido finds part of a female cyborg in a junkyard. He brings it to his laboratory, brings her to life and names her after his deceased daughter, Alita. She cannot remember who she is or where she came from, but to find her true purpose she must fight and kill.
As she begins to discover clues about her past, will she be able to figure out her destiny and break the cycle of death and destruction in the 26th century?
Ranking: An average audience score of 76.3%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
7.3 out of 10 | 3.2 out of 5 | 92 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? The film was shot in Dallas and Austin, with most filming at Troublemaker Studios in Austin.
Where can I watch it? It is not available to stream, but you can rent "Alita: Battle Angel" for $3.99 at Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
Lowest-rated
"Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation" (1995)
In the fourth installment in the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" franchise, a group of teenagers get in a car crash after their prom and seek help from an insurance agent, who says her boyfriend, Vilmer, can tow their car. Unbeknownst to the teens, Vilmer is part of Leatherface's family and proceeds to terrorize the group.
Ranking: An average audience score of 29.7%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
3.3 out of 10 | 1.9 out of 5 | 18 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? It was shot in Austin, Bastrop and Pflugerville. The family's house and the high school are both in Pflugerville, with the former being a tourist destination for horror fans.
Where can I watch it? "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation" is not available to stream, but you can rent it for $3.99 at Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+.
"Spy Kids 3: Game Over" (2003)
Kid agent Juni Cortez, now retired from being a spy, is trying to live a normal life when he discovers his sister, Carmen, is missing. Carmen was kidnapped by a new nemesis, the Toymaker, but she is trapped inside of a video game.
The only way Juni can reach her is by going into the third-dimensional world himself. With only 12 hours to complete his mission, will Juni be able to save his sister and defeat the evil Toymaker?
Ranking: An average audience score of 38%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
4.3 out of 10 | 2.3 out of 5 | 25 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? The film was shot mostly at Troublemaker Studios in Austin, with nearly 90% of it on a green screen. The opening scene at Agua Park was shot at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort in New Braunfels.
Where can I watch it? "Spy Kids 3: Game Over" is available to stream on Apple TV+ and HBO Max.
"The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D" (2004)
Ten-year-old Max spends a majority of his time writing and dreaming about his imaginary friends, Sharkboy and Lavagirl. One day, his dream becomes reality and his two superheroes come to him for help against Mr. Electricity, a supervillain determined to deprive children of their sleep. Will Max succeed in saving a world he created, or will his dreams turn into a nightmare?
Ranking: An average audience score of 39%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
3.6 out of 10 | 2.4 out of 5 | 33 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? Similar to director Robert Rodriguez's "Spy Kids 3: Game Over" film, this movie was shot primarily in front of a green screen at Troublemaker Studios in Austin.
Where can I watch it? It can be streamed on Apple TV+ and HBO Max.
"Blank Check"(1994)
Preteen Preston Waters is tired of being picked on by classmates and brothers and tired of his stingy parents. After being nearly run over by Carl Quigley, a money-laundering crook, Preston mistakenly receives a blank check from Carl — which the youngster cashes for $1 million. Will Preston be able to evade being caught or will he get lost in the riches he came into?
Ranking: An average audience score of 43.3%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
5.2 out of 10 | 2.2 out of 5 | 34 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? "Blank Check" was filmed in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. The home Preston purchases is the Pemberton Castle, a historical landmark in Austin. The theme park Preston goes to at the beginning of the movie is Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio.
Where can I watch it? It is available to stream on Disney+.
"Machete Kills" (2013)
In the sequel to 2010's "Machete," the titular character is recruited by President Rathcock to take down an arms dealer who plans to launch a weapon into space to obliterate Washington. Will Machete be able to save the United States capital or will he finally meet his match?
Ranking: An average audience score of 47.3%.
IMDb | Letterboxd | Rotten Tomatoes |
5.6 out of 10 | 2.6 out of 5 | 34 out of 100 |
Where was it filmed? The film was shot in Austin at Troublemaker Studios. The exterior of Voz Tech in the movie was filmed at Austin Executive Airport in Pflugerville.
Where can I watch it? "Machete Kills" is available on STARZ, or you can rent it for $3.99 on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video.
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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com or Twitter @johnpoliva.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Here are the five highest-, lowest-rated films made in Texas
