Top 10 Must See Movies That Will Transport You to Oregon

Showcasing the magnificent diversity of Oregon, movies have been made in the state for decades. Some of these feel like a virtual tour and give movie fans the chance to explore Oregon’s outdoors from indoors.

Based on IMDB ratings, here are the top 10 movies that offer a virtual tour of Oregon.

10Pig (2021)

Nicolas Cage is an interesting choice as the actor who plays a man who goes in search of his missing truffle-hunting pig. Known for his choice of eccentric roles,

Cage is comfortable living alone in the Oregon wilderness before returning to his past in Portland. The critics were impressed.

Filmed in Estacada and the Portland area, the movie has some unlikely plot twists like an underground fight club in which Portland chefs duke it out but the familiarity of the Oregon locales gives Cage and the movie credibility.

9Sometimes a Great Notion (1971)

Legends Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, and Lee Remick team up in this adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel.

Newman also took on the direction after the original director was fired making for some uneven moments that are quickly forgotten in what some say was Newman’s best work.

Some harrowing scenes play out against the central Oregon Coast where the movie was filmed.

The movie features Toledo- where an Oregon Film Trail sign commemorates the making of the movie, Kernville, Lincoln City, and Newport, showcasing the rolling waves of the Pacific and Oregon’s vast forests at the time as it explores the challenges of a logging family with a struggling business.

8Wendy & Lucy (2008)

Of the many movies made by director Kelly Reichardt in Oregon, “Wendy and Lucy” may be the best.

A quiet and thoughtful film starring Michelle Williams- a 2022 Oscar nominee for her role in Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans,” stars as a young woman traveling to what she hopes will be a job in Alaska with her dog.

Based on a story by Portland-based writer Jon Raymond, the movie has some mournful but moving moments.

Filmed across locations such as Astoria, Portland, Salem, and Woodburn, the movie continues to resonate with many job-seekers and others looking for new opportunities.

7Wild (2014)

In “Wild,” Reese Witherspoon stars in a movie adapted from Portland-based author Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling memoir about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

In the ultimate explore-from-indoors movie, Witherspoon takes us with her on a 1,100-mile solo hike to locations across Ashland, Bend, Cascade Locks, and Portland as she recovers from her mother’s recent death.

Her personal therapy provides some inspirational moments. Laura Dern also makes a welcome appearance in the film.

6The Ring (2002)

Partially filmed in Oregon, the suspense of watching Naomi Watts as a Seattle reporter trying to figure out why a videotape is connected to horrible things that keep happening is as riveting as the Oregon locations such as the Columbia Gorge and Newport.

“The Ring” also made it to number 1 on our list of Top 10 Horror Movies Made In Oregon.

5Without Limits (1998)

Cast as the protagonist in this biopic of the late 1970s track star Steve Prefontaine in this movie, Billy Cruddup later went on to be the manipulative TV executive in “The Morning Show.”

Donald Sutherland costars as the legendary University of Oregon track coach Bill Bowerman who also co-founded Nike. Partially filmed in the Eugene area, “Without Limits” showcases the psychology of running and is especially nostalgic for UO alumni.

4Animal House (1978)

Another movie from a different time, “Animal House” can appear to contemporary eyes to be sexist and racially insensitive. Despite this, the chaos that follows John Belushi and his fellow castmates makes the movie a cherished classic.

As members of an early ‘60s fictional fraternity, the characters delve into food fights, toga parties, and threats of “double secret probation.”

Shot in Eugene, Cottage Grove, and other Lane County locations, the Library of Congress saw value in including “Animal House” in the National Film Registry. It brings back nostalgic memories for many.

Animal House made it to our Top 10 Greatest Movies Filmed in Oregon.

3The Goonies (1985)

There’s a saying that goes, “Goonies never say die!”  It still holds out for the movie almost 40 years later as fans of “The Goonies” a movie about friends who try and save a family home, still get a bit stalkerish as they stake out locations in Astoria, including the film’s Astoria home which is a private residence.

Astoria officials have tried to discourage onlookers and tourists from visiting the house and the recent sale of the home made national news. A fan of “The Goonies” who is an entrepreneur reportedly paid $1,650,777 for the property. Other than the home, many other Astoria locations feature in the movie.

The recent rumors of a sequel to the Goonies have been debunked.

2Stand By Me (1986)

A sensitively made movie based on a Stephen King novel, as the adventure of a group of boys searching for a dead body unfolds, some truths about themselves and each other come to light.

The much-loved film was directed by Rob Reiner and the cast includes Wil Wheaton, the late River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell.

The Willamette Valley also stars in the movie, showcasing locations including Brownsville, Cottage Grove, Eugene, and Veneta in a world before wi-fi, when kids played outside and went on adventures rather than stay indoors glued to a screen.

1Into the Wild (2007)

Much like in “Wendy & Lucy,” Christopher McCandless hitchhikes to Alaska, but not for a job. He plans to live in the wilderness after graduating from Emory University as the top student and athlete, abandoning his possessions and donating his $24,000 savings account.

The movie, written and directed by Sean Penn, is a fact-based dramatization with a tragic end. Vince Vaughn also features in the movie which may have inspired “Wild” which came out in 2014.

Whether it’s the diversity, the beauty, or the versatile mood of Oregon’s landscape, it remains a favorite backdrop for movies.