Co-starring Toronto: Canada's largest city finally gets to be itself on the big screen

In movies, Toronto often stands in for other world cities (frequently New York and Chicago), but Hogtown is very rarely given the opportunity to play itself in the movies. But recently, the Ontario capital has been able to actually be itself in big Hollywood productions, instead of pretending to be something it's not.

After so many years of playing other cities, why is Toronto suddenly getting to play Toronto on the big screen?

Part of it has to do with the emergence of great Canadian filmmaking talents like Denis Villeneuve, Sarah Polley, and Michael Dowse. These directors don’t see setting a movie in Canada as the impediment to success south of the border. Not since director David Cronenberg’s breakout success in the 1980s has Toronto been featured in so many high-profile films.

Then there’s Toronto’s growing reputation on the world stage. If there has been one positive outcome of the ongoing drama with Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, it’s that the international spotlight has been shining on the city. It’s unfortunate that the city has become notorious for a crack-smoking chief magistrate, but many looking to Toronto to see the Ford train wreck are coming away with a new appreciation for the city.

Here are four films that highlight what Toronto has to offer:

“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” (2011)

One of the only major Hollywood productions to be both shot and set in Toronto, director Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s “Scott Pilgrim” graphic novels put T.O. at centre stage. From neighbourhoods like Queen Street and the Annex, to venues like Lee’s Palace and landmarks like Casa Loma, Toronto was practically a character unto itself in the $90-million cult comedy.

“Take This Waltz” (2011)

Sarah Polley’s 2011 dramedy “Take This Waltz” centres on a young woman (Michelle Williams) in a failing marriage. It could have been set anywhere, but the Toronto filmmaker made a point to situate the film in her own city, imbuing the movie with a deep sense of familiarity for Canadian viewers. Though Polley loses some points by playing fast and loose with the city’s geography (a casual morning jog from The Annex to the Beaches?), these moments are lost on audiences unfamiliar with the city. (Torontonians know better, though.)

“Enemy” (2014)

The psychological thriller “Enemy" (the second collaboration between "Prisoners" director Denis Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal) painted Toronto in a very dark light appropriate for the film’s disturbing subject matter. Providing the backdrop for a tale of double lives and mistaken identity, Villeneuve’s Toronto is a hazy and sweltering metropolis of endless condos, a city webbed in by streetcar lines and highways. Oh, and there are also giant spiders!

“The F Word” (2014)

Harry Potter in Toronto?! Not quite, though Toronto does provide a charming backdrop for “The F Word,” an upcoming romantic comedy starring Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, and Adam Driver. Radcliffe’s not Canadian, you say? Yes, the former “Harry Potter” star does play a Brit, but he’s a Brit who just so happens to be living in Toronto. In addition to covering the downtown neighbourhoods quite thoroughly, “The F Word” prominently features T.O. areas like the Docklands and the Scarborough Bluffs.

A strong economy and thriving culture have helped establish TO as one of the world’s “it” cities over the past half decade. But don’t take our word for it: The BBC recently posed the question “When did Toronto get so cool?” in an article highlighting the many things the city has to offer. There’s more than just movies to Toronto, and that’s part of the reason why the city is finally getting its due on the big screen.