6 Bay Area movie hikes to take during quarantine - San Francisco Chronicle

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A movie list that feeds your need to feel cocooned in your house, and also explore new space in the outside world. Here are six underrated Bay Area movies, with hikes that feature a key location from each film.

By Peter Hartlaub | Aug. 14, 2020 6:00 PM

There seem to be two competing urges for sheltering Bay Area residents right now:

Hole up in your domicile searching for quality movies and TV programs that you haven’t seen before. Or, get out of the house and find new places to explore, ideally in sparsely populated outdoor locations.

We’ve combined the two in the Ultimate S.F. Staycation Movie List, picking some of the Bay Area’s most underrated movies from the past 35 years, and pairing them with a hike that showcases an iconic location from the movie. (Wherever possible using the new walk-friendly, bike-friendly 49 Mile Scenic Route that debuted last year in The Chronicle.)

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The Presidio (1988)

The Movie: Sean Connery and Mark Harmon are a military man and a cop trying to solve a murder in this mostly forgotten action thriller, taking place on what was then the still-active Presidio military base. The story is solid if unremarkable, with Connery seemingly in preparation for his even more iconic “The Rock” performance. (A bar fight where Connery only uses his thumb to defeat a biker endures.) But the exterior shots are fantastic, showcasing a Presidio that continues to have a frozen-in-time vibe, even as the museums, hotels and non-profits move in.

The Hike: Start at the giant parade grounds lawn at the Presidio. Hike the 49 Mile Scenic Route along Lincoln Boulevard to the majestic Golden Gate Overlook, passing the national cemetery and officers housing seen in the film. If you’re feeling ambitious, take the Fort Point detour and see if the surfers are out underneath the Golden Gate Bridge.

Food Pairing: Pupusas at Express Pupuseria, 4715 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. (The bean and cheese pupusas were named a Chronicle must-eat dish for 2020.)

So I Married An Axe Murderer (1993)

The Movie: Michael Myers is a joy in this murder mystery comedy, playing both a lovelorn beat poet and his surly Scottish father. There are wonderful cameos (Phil Hartman and Adam Arkin shine) and Nancy Travis shows her physical comedy strengths as a perhaps-too-perfect love interest. The script by Robbie Fox, with a lot of ad-libbing from Myers, is offbeat and charming. And the film is a loving tour of San Francisco tourist traps, from Alcatraz to the Palace of Fine Arts. Don’t miss the scene with Myers in the heart of The Chronicle's newsroom.

The Hike: Take the 49 Mile Scenic Route starting at the Palace of Fine Arts, where there has been plenty of parking during the pandemic. Stop at by the Lucasfilm Yoda statue for a photo, and head into the Presidio.

Food Pairing: Hot pastrami on rye and to-go Irish coffee at the Buena Vista at 2765 Hyde St.

Medicine for Melancholy (2008)

The Movie: Barry Jenkins, the Oscar-winning director of “Moonlight” and “If Beale Street Could Talk,” got his start with this low-budget San Francisco independent film — featuring a one-day romance as two young black strangers in their twenties (Wyatt Cenac and Tracey Heggins) roam through the city. It tackled gentrification and the changing city a decade before “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” explored the same issues so well. Jenkins features stunning and unexpected exteriors including the Museum of African Diaspora.

The Hike: Start outside the closed-for-COVID Knockout bar in La Lengua (3223 Mission St.), where Jenkins convinced the owners to let him shoot because he was a regular. Then walk the 49 Mile Scenic Route through Bernal Heights to the top of Bernal Heights Park and take in a great view of the city.

Food Pairing: El Buen Comer, among The Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurants this year, is at 3435 Mission St., just a few blocks away from Knockout.

Blindspotting (2018)

The Movie: “Blindspotting” written by and starring Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal has been well appreciated in the Bay Area, where it was a huge local hit and topic of conversation for its authentic exploration of changing Oakland. Diggs and Casal portray two friends, dealing with racial bias, guilt and anger as the city they love is changed by newcomers who don’t appreciate its inner beauty. As time goes on, “Blindspotting” will grow into one of the defining Bay Area movies of the generation — and hopefully develop an even stronger national following as well.

The Hike: It’s tempting to pick Lake Merritt, which is even more perfect after recent renovations — and one of the best day walks in the Bay Area. But the better choice is a walk and maybe a picnic in 226-acre Mountain View Cemetery (5000 Piedmont Ave.), a 150-year-old sacred space where Diggs’ Collin character tries to outrun the memories that haunt him. As of mid-August it was closed to all except staff, funeral attendees and those making arrangements. For now enjoy Lake Merritt, which is even more perfect after recent renovations — and one of the best day walks in the Bay Area, especially on a weekday when crowds are thinner.

Food Pairing: Rico Rico Taco, also in The Chronicle’s Top 100, is at 3205 Lakeshore Ave., near Lake Merritt and a short drive from the cemetery.

The Game (1997)

The Movie: David Fincher’s first movie set in San Francisco, several years before he made the more-acclaimed “Zodiac.” “The Game” has plenty going for it, with Michael Douglas as a financier whose brother (Sean Penn) convinces him to play the game of his life — falling into a rabbit hole of romance, adventure and paranoia-driven terror. The story is over-the-top and requires some suspension of disbelief, but the twists and turns are a blast to follow. And the movie shows off the city at its noirish best, showing off the Financial District just before the first dotcom boom changed everything.

The Hike: Head over to Filoli Gardens in Woodside, San Mateo County, the setting of the lead character’s home, which has reopened for social distanced exterior visits. The Filoli staff know the popularity of “The Game” and will be ready to answer your questions.

Food Pairing: It’s far from Filoli, but the New Moon Chinese Restaurant (1247 Stockton St., S.F.) featured in the film is a real place — even the name is the same — offering dim sum to go and photo opportunities..

Sneakers (1992)

The Movie: This movie has aged phenomenally, and might be one of the all-time great San Francisco location films, if so much of it wasn’t shot in Los Angeles soundstages and locations. Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier and River Phoenix lead a group of hackers and surveillance experts who get in too deep with a sinister client. Redford has excellent chemistry with his co-stars, and the themes of technology and responsibility still resonate. And the use of the then-abandoned Fox Oakland Theater as the team’s home base is a perfect design touch.

The Hike: Start at Hills Plaza across from San Francisco Fire Department Station No. 35 along the Embarcadero, where Redford and Poitier peel out in their convertible to escape an ambush. Hike the 49 Mile Scenic Route toward the Ferry Building and down Mission Street to the Transbay Center Park, or head the other direction from the fire station past Oracle Park and over to Chase Center to see the new arena.

Food Pairing: Cheeseburger at Bud Light at Red’s Java House, Pier 30, San Francisco.

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