Movies filmed in Houston showcase the Texas metropolis in unforgettable ways. One acclaimed director picked the standouts.
Houston is famous for a lot of things—the World Series-winning Astros, the out-of-this-world exploration based at NASA, and the multiple nicknames that capture its essence, like Energy Capital of the World.
But do you know that Houston is also one of the entertainment industry’s most desired filming locations? From birthing reality TV stars to providing memorable backdrops to some of the most iconic movies in history, this city has made a name for itself as a fantastic option when scouting filming locations.
According to IMDB, thousands of movies and TV shows have been filmed, at least partially, in H-Town, and while we can’t cover them all, we’ve selected some of the best and brightest.
To help us out, we relied on an authority within the industry: award-winning filmmaker Shane Andries, who grew up in Houston, graduated from Cypress Creek High School, and went on to co-found HappyBad Bungalow, a production company launched alongside movie star Billy Magnussen and producer, writer, and actor Anne Hollister.
Andries just wrapped a movie filmed here in Houston (keep reading for a sneak peek), but let’s start with his choices for top movies filmed in Houston.
Shane Andries’ picks for the best movies featuring Houston
“Urban Cowboy”
This 1980 film starring John Travolta and Debra Winger as dysfunctional but lovable Texan lovers implanted the names Bud and Sissy in our minds forever.
As Andries says, “Mechanical bulls, fistfights, honky-tonks, and petroleum plants—what’s not to love?”
But Andries has a more personal connection that explains his love of this movie. “My dad played in a country-and-western band when I was very young, and I learned drums by going to gigs with him, falling asleep on the floor behind the band while they played. It was a real adventure to share with your dad, and because of that, I was introduced to this honky-tonk world at a surprisingly early age. As a result, I’ve always had a deep affinity for this film and the music in it.”
Want to revisit some of the filming locations? Pam, Bud’s cityfied rebound girl, flirted with Bud at what used to be Uptown 3 Level Nightclub on St. James Place near the Galleria, and Pam’s high-rise apartment scene was filmed at 2016 S Main St. in downtown Houston.
“Boyhood”
Filmed over a 12-year period that followed the growth and maturity of a child named Mason, “Boyhood” captures a time in our lives that is important, yet fleeting.
“So many moments in this movie resonated with me,” says Andries. “It lines up closely with my own formative years growing up in Houston—with a sister, navigating childhood and adolescence, and figuring out who you are. The storytelling and relationship-building are just beautiful. Honestly, I could have watched it for three more hours.”
Filmmaker and Texan Richard Linklater took us back to his own boyhood, featuring prominent Houston locales like the former Minute Maid, now Daiken Park, the Cockrell Butterfly Center at Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Heights area, and the downtown campus of the University of Houston.
“Terms of Endearment”
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll ride the emotional rollercoaster of love and loss, all in two glorious hours with the movie “Terms of Endearment.” The five-time Oscar-winning 1983 film is one of the most prominent movies filmed right here in Houston.
Starring Hollywood powerhouses Jack Nicholson and Shirley MacLaine as an unlikely couple who find each other later in life, the movie also brought Debra Winger back to Houston for one of the biggest roles of her life, playing Emma, MacLaine’s daughter.
“This is the kind of movie I aspire to make: character-driven, funny, honest, and completely devastating in the best way. It makes you laugh, then quietly breaks your heart. I love this film,” says Andries.
Several prominent Houston locations contributed to the atmosphere of the film, including Brennan’s of Houston restaurant, where Nicholson and MacLaine’s characters, Garrett and Aurora, had their first date, and East Beach in Galveston, where a drunken Garrett drives his Corvette into Galveston Bay.
Why was Houston the perfect location for this movie? Well, the character of Garrett was an astronaut, and where else would he live but Space City?
“Paris, Texas”
Yes, there’s a Paris in Texas, and it served not just as a filming location but also as the title of the 1984 movie “Paris, Texas.”
Centered on a man who has been missing for four years and then wanders out of the desert to find a very different life, the movie starred Harry Dean Stanton and a beautiful actress who struck a chord with Andries.
“The scene with Nastassja Kinski in the peep-show booth—come on! That’s pure cinema. And Sam Shepard was a one-of-a-kind writer,” says Andries. “I remember reading his plays in high school and realizing I’d never read anything like that. I love his plays, but when I think of Sam Shepard, I think of ‘Paris, Texas.’”
While the movie was filmed at various locations across Texas, the climactic later scenes all take place in Houston. You’ll recognize Buffalo Bayou, the strikingly Instagrammable Houston skyline, and H-Town architecture like the Chase Bank building and the Brazos and Dallas intersection parking garage.
Other notable movies filmed in Houston
Andries loves his hometown of Houston so much that he filmed his most recent project, a yet untitled movie about none other than Jim MacIngvale, affectionately known across the U.S. as Mattress Mack, in this city. Magnussen (“No Time to Die,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “Game Night”) plays the role of Mack, and Dianna Agron of “Glee” fame takes on the role of his wife Linda in this story about parenting a child with mental illness.
“Reality Bites”
Adulting is hard, and the 1994 movie “Reality Bites” pulled no punches when it came to life after college.
Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke became symbols of 1990 realism, and seeing themselves in the characters, fans flocked to this movie. That’s great for Houston—the city enjoyed its time in the spotlight, as locations in The Heights, Tranquility Park downtown, and Montrose featured prominently in the plot.
“Pearl Harbor”
If you were in Houston in 2001, you may have been one of the many extras pulled into the filming of “Pearl Harbor.”
That means you might have crossed paths with the all-star cast, including Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Alec Baldwin, to name just a few.
For once, the Houston skyline took a back seat to the warship Battleship Texas, stationed in Galveston. You can tour the ship and recall scenes from the battleships Hornet and West Virginia—this ship doubled for both in the movie.
“Tin Cup”
How do you make a movie about golf interesting to everyone? Cast Kevin Costner and Rene Russo in the lead roles, and film in Houston.
Director Ron Shelton did just that, bringing the attractive and talented stars to The Clubs of Kingwood, formerly known as Kingwood Country Club, where most of “Tin Cup” was shot. The Deerwood and Forest courses provided a level playing field for both actors to shine.
The club is private, so you won’t be able to play the holes featured in the movie unless you’re a member. But you can rewatch the highly entertaining movie and just be glad you live in Texas.
