Road Trip Flicks!
Nothing is as synonymous with ‘summer’ quite like ye olde road trip. With summer finally here, the widespread availability of vaccines, and social distancing restrictions relaxing, many people are hitting the road to reunite with family and friends. Even though we’re still not completely out of the woods yet (just saying), we could all use a much-needed break. That being said, we, the team at The Film Rewind, have decided to take a mini-vacation from our monthly film club selection, but don’t worry! We are planning to pick right up with our film club picks and reviews in August, plus we'll be adding some other fun-filled posts to our blog in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we hope our eclectic selection of ‘road trip’ themed films will inspire you to hit the road, or take the time for a much-needed staycation! Happy Summer Everyone!
Quest Filled Comedy
National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983, dir. Harold Ramis)
Love this National Lampoon film series, or hate it, there is no denying how iconic the Griswolds’ cross-country trek to “Wally World” has become. Spawning four sequels, including European Vacation (1985), Christmas Vacation (1989), Vegas Vacation (1997), and Vacation (2015), I am partial to the original film that started it all, as it is based on a short story and screenplay penned by John Hughes. Besides, you can’t argue with Clark Griswold’s (Chevy Chase) classic road trip meltdown: “Well, I’ll tell you something. This is no longer a vacation. It’s a quest. It’s a quest for fun. You’re gonna have fun, and I’m gonna have fun…”– Sarah 🚗🎢
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004, dir. Danny Leiner)
In this first installation of the Harold and Kumar comedy trilogy, two roommates (John Cho and Kal Penn) go on a harrowing quest to the nearest White Castle to sate their ‘munchies.’ The question is: will they make it there alive? Also starring Neil Patrick Harris, as Neil Patrick Harris. You may not want to go into this movie hungry, but there are also more than a few gross-out moments, so maybe you do. – Bailey 🍔🐅
Highway Drama
Paper Moon (1973, dir. Peter Bogdanovich)
Set during the Great Depression, the film finds con artist Moze stuck with the task of delivering an orphan(?), Addie, from Kansas to her relatives in Missouri. Along the way, the pair (played by real-life father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O’Neal) allies, duping unsuspecting victims out of their money. Hilarious and heartfelt, this is one of those road trips you don’t mind revisiting again and again. – Bailey 💵📻
Thelma & Louise (1991, dir. Ridley Scott)
After what should have been a fun-filled weekend getaway for best friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) completely derails, following an attempted rape and Louise killing Thelma’s attacker, the film morphs into a women-on-the-run flick. Heralded for its strong feminist overtones, parodied for its ending, and remembered for its twists on the ‘buddy’ film, no list of road trip films would be complete without a nod to this modern road trip staple. – Sarah 💄🏜️
Classic Road Trips
It Happened One Night (1934, dir. Frank Capra)
Newly fired reporter Peter (Clark Gable) helps a wealthy bride-to-be(Claudette Colbert) evade her father as she attempts to reunite with her fiancé in exchange (see: blackmail) for an exclusive story. While the pair begin their bus journey and banter-filled relationship in animosity… Well, it’s a Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert ‘screwball’ comedy, for gosh sakes! What do you expect? – Bailey 🚌🦵
The Long, Long Trailer (1954, dir. Vincente Minnelli)
When newlyweds Tracy and Nicky (Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz) learn that Nicky has to take a new job in Colorado, Tracy comes up with the brilliant idea to buy a trailer and travel around the country for Nicky’s work, so that they can save money, instead of buying a house, and take their honeymoon to the Sierra Nevada mountains. What swiftly ensues is a series of rather comedic disasters (in true I Love Lucy-esque fashion), which just might make you rethink packing up your life and hitting the road in that RV, trailer, tiny house, or camper van you know you have been eyeing… – Sarah ⛺🌄
Family-Friendly Flicks
The Muppet Movie (1979, dir. James Frawley)
You can’t go wrong with this family-friendly classic that received two Academy Award nominations and chronicles the origin story of how Kermit the Frog and all the other Muppets met and made their way to Hollywood in a rather star-studded and humorous cross-country road trip. This film also gave us Kermit’s song, “Rainbow Connection,” which went on to be a surprise Billboard hit. Muppets, music, and a road trip, what more could you ask for in a film? – Sarah 🐸🌈
A Goofy Movie (1995, dir. Kevin Lima)
Goofy (voiced by Bill Farmer), to save his teenage son Max (James Marsden) from the fate of a juvenile delinquent, plans a father-son cross-country fishing trip. The reluctant Max, meanwhile, has lied his way into having to change the ultimate destination of their trip. Fair warning: while the title of the film contains the word “Goofy,” this movie gets surprisingly sad. – Bailey 🍕👣
Just Because…
The Hills Have Eyes (1977, dir. Wes Craven)
We couldn’t have a road trip list without this horror cult classic! The Carter family (including their humorously named dogs: Beauty and the Beast) is on vacation and towing a trailer across the country with their sights set on Los Angeles as their destination, but things quickly go awry after the Carter’s are warned to stay on the main road, and not to take any ‘shortcuts.’ Do they listen? No, but they’ll soon wish they heeded gas station attendant Fred’s warning… The Hills Have Eyes is one of those horror flicks that you’ll probably want to watch on an empty stomach. – Sarah 👀😱
Sideways (2004, dir. Alexander Payne)
Peaked actor Jack (Thomas Haden Church) is taken on a trip to wine country by his best man, aspiring novelist Miles (Paul Giamatti). It becomes quickly apparent that the two are on the trip for different reasons: Jack wants a final fling before he ties the knot, and Miles is running from the dissatisfaction in his own life. You may just leave this film thinking to yourself, “Why am I Paul Giamatti?” Or, maybe that’s just me? – Bailey 🍷📕
What are some of your favorite ‘road trip’ movies? What do you think of our suggestions? Share your thoughts in the comments below and don’t forget to drive safely out there!
Copyright © 2021 Sarah Crane & Bailey Lizotte
