9. To Live and Die In LA
If we were discussing best titles for LA crime dramas, To Live and Die in LA would run away with the top spot. But as it is, William Friedkin's gritty behind-the-scenes world of detective work is a throwback to his previous crime drama, the New York-based Oscar winner The French Connection. Both films involve crooks being tirelessly pursued by cops with no fear of breaking the law. This time instead of Gene Hackman we get William Petersen, and the villain is a delightful Willem Dafoe. And this go round Friedkin has fun with the neon flash of mid-eighties LA. The production is appropriately ramped up to compete with the sunshine of the city.