The state of Maine is known for its beautiful rocky coastline and the one and only Acadia National Park. From lighthouses, to lobsters, to blueberries, Maine has it all, and is a beloved place to visit from far and wide.
This makes Maine a fantastic place to shoot movies as many people want to feel transported to the aesthetic of the state. So, here are 10 movies filmed in Maine that you should check out.
10. Needful Things
Needful Things is a 1993 film set in a small, rural town in Maine. Based on a Stephen King novel, this story follows a man who opens a mysterious antique shop that is always stocked with the deepest desires of each shopper.
Though primarily filmed in British Columbia, the movie is set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine. So, we get shots of the rocky coast, lighthouses and small town life in Maine.
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
9. The Congressman
The Congressman is another one of the movies filmed in Maine. It follows a congressman who, after betrayal, a divorce, and a harsh media attack, attempts to protect a small fishing village to salvage his dignity.
Filmed on the beautiful Maine island, Monhegan Island, this film gives you the Maine aesthetic for sure. Monhegan Island is a small, remote, artist community off of midcoast Maine, making it the perfect place to film and depict a small, remote, fictional fishing village.
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
8. Pet Sematary
Pet Sematary is based on the 1983 Stephen King novel of the same name. It follows a grieving father who discovers an ancient burial ground behind his house with the power to raise the dead.
As an inhabitant of Maine, many of Stephen King’s books and movies are set in the state. Pet Sematary is no exception. The movie is set in rural Maine and is filmed entirely in Maine as well. Some of the filming locations include Bangor, Bucksport, Hancock, Ellsworth, and Acadia, Maine.
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
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7. Wet Hot American Summer
Wet Hot American Summer is a 2001 comedy about a group of teenage camp counselors on the last day of camp, trying to complete their unfinished business.
With an iconic cast of characters starring people like Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper and more, this is a hilarious but raunchy Maine film, encapsulating summer camp life in Maine.
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
6. The Man Without a Face
The Man Without a Face, starring Mel Gibson, is about a boy who wants to leave home and go to boarding school but he does not have the grades. He then realizes that the recluse with a disfigured face living nearby used to be a teacher.
In this 1993 drama, Bowdoin College, a classic small liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, is featured. This provides viewers with insight into one of the most iconic towns in the state of Maine and is easily one of the best movies filmed in Maine.
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
5. The Spitfire Grill
The Spitfire Grill follows a young woman who was just released from prison and finds spiritual redemption when working at a cafe in Maine.
Once again, this film encapsulated the beauty of rural life in Maine. Though when thinking of Maine, the coastline is what most often comes to mind, there is a lot of life inland that is not talked about.
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
4. Jumanji
Jumanji is the story of two kids who find and play a magical board game, releasing a man that has been trapped in it for decades.
Starring Robin Williams, this beloved film is set and filmed in Maine! The movie was filmed in North Berwick, Maine, where an old mill building served as the Parrish Shoe Factory in the film.
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
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3. Dolores Claiborne
Dolores Claiborne follows a reporter from a big city who goes to a small town where her mother has been arrested for murdering the elderly woman that she worked for as a housekeeper.
This psychological thriller is set in a small, rural town in Maine. Small towns in Maine serve as the perfect place to set a thriller as they are quite remote and mysterious to people who don’t live in them.
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
2. The Cider House Rules
The Cider House Rules is set during World War II, following an orphan who is growing up in the care of a doctor who runs an orphanage. However, the orphan hopes for freedom and leaves the doctor to create his own life.
As the winner of two Academy Awards, this film is Maine through and through. Filmed in Mount Desert Island and Bass Harbor, Maine, The Cider House Rules is a great example of the movies filmed in Maine because it provides a wide variety of the Maine setting.
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
1. Shutter Island
Shutter Island is the last on this list of the best movies filmed in Maine. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Emily Mortimer, the film follows two US marshals who are sent to an asylum on a remote island to investigate the disappearance of a patient.
Though this chilling psychological thriller is not entirely filmed in Maine, one of the most important scenes of the film was shot in the Acadia National Park in Maine, making it one of the best movies filmed in Maine.
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10