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The best movies that capture the essence of California

The Essential California team this year expanded opportunities for readers to directly engage with the newsletter. Each week we ask readers to answer a question — from the best local restaurants to favorite books.

One question in particular got a lot of attention and sparked some debate: What is your favorite movie that captures the essence of California?

Below are the most mentioned movies and comments from readers about what makes these films special to California. We hope this list will help find something to watch this weekend. Enjoy!

“Chinatown”

Adelaide writes: “It doesn’t get more iconic than a film noir that tackles tremendous geopolitical issues that still affect us to this day.”

And Jim writes: “How can you talk about movies that capture the essence of California and not mention one of the greatest movies of all time, ‘Chinatown’? Today, despite the state’s beauty and glorious climate (most of the time), it is still as corrupt and morally bankrupt as it was back in the days of stealing water from the Owens Valley.”

“Sideways”

Raymond Ballesteros writes: “One of my all time favorite movies to see that truly captures the essence of California, hands down, is ‘Sideways.’

“Alexander Payne seizes the beauty and majesty of California’s Santa Barbara wine country, including a handful of wineries that encapsulates the hearts of fellow wine lovers across California and the country. Of course, not to be watched with a glass of Merlot!”

Keanu Reeves, left, and Patrick Swayze in the 1991 film “Point Break.”

(20th Century Fox)

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“Point Break”

Fritzi Lareau write: “I am a tour guide and when touring the Golden State I show my guests ‘Point Break’ (the original with Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze) or ‘Hollywood Homicide’ starring Harrison Ford.”

Edward James Olmos stars as Garfield High School math teacher Jaime Escalante in 1988’s “Stand and Deliver.”

(Warner Bros. Pictures)

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“Stand and Deliver”

Robert Reul writes: “One great film that is 100% California is ‘Stand and Deliver,’ with Edward James Olmos and an amazing cast of young actors. I have found few, if any, films that capture the absolute magic that can happen in the community of first-generation Americans, descended from hard-working Mexican immigrants.”

Jeff Bridges as the title character in the Coen Brothers’ “The Big Lebowski.”

(Merrick Morton / Gramercy Pictures)

Honorable mentions

“Top Gun”

“The Birds”

“The Parent Trap”

“The Big Lebowski”

“Fast Times at Ridgemont High”

“La La Land”

Want to wade into the debate over which movie captures the essence of California? Feel free to email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

The week’s biggest stories

President-elect Donald Trump, shown at his Mar-a-Lago estate in 2023, is stocking his cabinet with Floridians.

(Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

Florida is winning the political battle with California as Trump takes office

• Trump is stocking his cabinet with Floridians. And his plans to reverse California’s policies on the environment, crime, homelessness and education are facing far less pushback than they did during his first term.
• Gov. Gavin Newsom has vowed to continue the fight against Trump’s policies but without what he called “a resistance brand” that defined his earlier clashes.
• Meanwhile, healthcare is Newsom’s biggest unfinished project. Trump complicates the governor’s task.

Destructive waves keep thrashing Santa Cruz, causing millions of dollars in damage in recent years

Scientists say we are fighting H5N1 bird flu with one hand tied behind our backs

• Scientists and health officials fear we’re on the precipice of another global pandemic as the H5N1 bird flu virus steamrolls its way across the globe. But when that could come to pass is hard to predict.
• Just one mutation can make the bird flu a threat to humans, California researchers found.
• L.A. County health officials are warning pet owners to avoid raw cat food after a feline died of bird flu.

California is growing again

• The Golden State’s population grew by almost a quarter of a million residents in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a rebound that brings California almost back to its pre-pandemic numbers.
• While California’s population gain of 232,570 people from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024, represents the largest numeric population increase in the nation’s West, it lagged behind Texas, which expanded its population by 562,941, and Florida, which grew by 467,347 people.

More big stories

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This week’s must reads

(Emiliano Ponzi / For The Times)

A California inmate recruited “wives” to spread fentanyl across Alaska, federal authorities say.

The prisoner, Heraclio Sanchez Rodriguez, oversaw a sprawling drug ring that spread death and addiction to the most remote corners of Alaska, prosecutors say.

More great reads

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

For your weekend

Refresh yourself on “Squid Game” before starting Season 2 on Netflix.

(No Ju-han / Netflix)

Going out

Staying in

How well did you follow the news this week? Take our quiz.

(Times staff and wire photos)

Which creature gets top billing in the title of the Barry Jenkins–directed “Lion King” prequel that hit theaters last week? Plus nine other questions from our weekly news quiz.

Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team

Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor

Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.

One Californian has plenty of dough to ring in the New Year after drawing the winning number. After three months without anyone winning the top prize, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold for the drawing Friday night.

According to the California State Lottery, the jackpot ticket was sold in Cottonwood, within Shasta County limits. Two other 5 out of 5 winning tickets were sold in California; one in Roseville and another in San Bernardino.

The winner matched the white balls 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and the gold Mega Ball 6. The identity of the winner was not immediately known.

The total amount of the Mega Millions jackpot would only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all grand prize winners opt to take a cash payout, which for Friday night’s drawing is an estimated $549.7 million.

Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continued to purchase tickets as the size of the grand prize grew. Until Friday, the last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was Sept. 10.

The largest-ever Mega Millions jackpot ticket worth $1.6 billion was sold in Florida in August 2023. Two prizes for its compatriot Powerball lottery have been larger.

Mega Millions and Powerball are sold in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball also is sold in Puerto Rico.

KTVU contributed to this report.

The State of California has confirmed that Social Security beneficiaries will receive an increase in their payments beginning December 30, 2024. This 2.5% increase is part of the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) applied across the United States for 2025. The COLA is based on inflation rates to ensure beneficiaries maintain their purchasing power.

The December 30, 2024 Payment

The first payment reflecting this increase will be for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Normally scheduled for January 1, this payment has been moved to December 30 due to the New Year’s Day holiday. This adjustment benefits millions in California and across the country, particularly those who rely on these funds for basic needs.

Types of Social Security Benefits

The Social Security program encompasses several types of benefits, all of which will see the 2.5% increase:

1. Retirement Benefits: For individuals who have reached retirement age and contributed to the system during their working years.
2. Disability Insurance (SSDI): For individuals unable to work due to a long-term disability.
3. Supplemental Security Income (SSI): For low-income individuals, including seniors and people with disabilities.
4. Survivor Benefits: Payments made to family members of deceased workers.

January 2025 Payment Schedule

Social Security payments are distributed based on the beneficiary’s birthdate. Here is the schedule for January 2025:

• January 3: Payments for those who receive benefits before May 1997 or who also receive SSI.
• January 8: Beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of the month.
• January 15: Beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th of the month.
• January 22: Beneficiaries born between the 21st and 31st of the month.

The COLA increase will be reflected in all these payments.

Impact in California and Nationwide

California, home to more than 6 million Social Security beneficiaries, will see a significant impact from this adjustment. However, the increase is a nationwide policy benefiting over 70 million recipients across the United States.

This adjustment aims to ease the financial burden on Americans as they face rising living costs, reinforcing the commitment to support the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.

For more details about your payments, you can visit the official Social Security Administration (SSA) website.