Thursday, June 9, 2011

Travel Movies



Whether it's a bicycle trip to the nearest town, or a multi-month tour across continents, travel is a ubiquitous factor in most of the films and it's often enough to inspire us to escape our daily routine and see the world.

Below are the seven travel movies that I recently watched. They are definitely worth seeing if you are nomadic at heart.


Into the Wild (2007) [Trailer]


A movie about a university graduate who abandons his possessions and wanders all across US to prepare himself to live in the wilderness in Alaska.
The movie is based on a true story. It's one of the most inspiring and complete movies I have ever watched. Great actors, beautiful scenes, very emotional.

The Way Back (2010) [Trailer]


A young military officer is sent to Siberia during WWII. Making friends with six others, they escape and walk 4000 miles south to India.
While the scenery is simply amazing and the acting quite decent, some of the characters lack depth. I sometimes got the feeling they were cutting scenes. It's still worth watching if you're into travel movies.

Seven Years in Tibet (1997) [Trailer]


An Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer and several others go on an expedition to climb Nanga Parbat in the Himalayas. Having failed, they return to the camp where they learn that war has been declared on Germany, so they are arrested by British authorities in India. Eventually Harrer and his friend escape and wander around Tibet until they reach Lhasa, where Harrer befriends the 13th Dalai Lama
The real beauty of this film lies in Tibetan people and scenery.

Eurotrip (2004) [Trailer]


A high school grad Scott Thomas embarks on a overseas trip to Berlin to find the girl he met online. Along for the ride is his best friend Cooper. On the way they run into other friends and together they travel across Europe.
The movie is hilarious but it isn't so much about traveling - moving from one place to another - than it is about exploring and exaggerating every possible European stereotype or cliché.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) [Trailer]


An Argentinian student Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (later better known as Ernesto Che Guevera) leaves his studies behind to accompany his friend on the journey throughout Latin America.
This movie nicely shows the transition from Che's carefree persona until later becoming more and more inclined to help the people and turning into a man who later changed the world.

127 Hours (2010) [Trailer]


The movie is based on a extraordinary true story of a mountain climber Aron Ralston who sets on adventure to the canyons in Utah without telling anyone. As he's exploring the canyons, a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him. He spends the next five days trying to save himself.
It is a quite emotional film with some very realistic scenes. I wouldn't recommend it to the faint-hearted though.


Up (2009) [Trailer]


A schoolboy Carl Fredrickson is passionate about traveling and hopes that one day he will visit the Lost Land in South America. He meets a girl Ellie who feels the same, but life gets in their way and they're forced to stay at home. Many years later Ellie dies. Carl remembers the promise he made to her, ties balloons to his house and flies away.
Even though it's animated, the film has everything - hilarious comedy, soul, unusual characters, amazing effects. All those combined make it special.

What travel movies have you recently watched?
Which ones would you recommend?

Suggested by commenters:

Easy Rider (1969)
Vanishing Point (1971)

47 insights:

The Viking said...

To my surprise I've only watched 2 of these movies!

Stuck In Syndey said...

havne seen any of em!

Magixx said...

127 Hours ... this movie is just epic!
keep it up!

Triper said...

I love this kind of movies! Watch Easy Riders

dalexus said...

you should mention vanishing point and easy rider too

Empty said...

I'll add them to the post. :)

BigMike said...

Euro trip was an amazing movie ;)

Catherine said...

I've seen all of these movies except 127 Hours.

I can't think of any travelling movies right now, but if I do, I'll let you know.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

127 the best filme 2010

Skaerf said...

Great great great list of movies, hopefully I can travel soon!

HOODPHENOMENOM said...

Can't wait for an update of this list.

ReDDoT said...

let's get an update!

Marcos said...

I did not liked the end of Into the Wild :( Very sad ending

DieselTech said...

I love so many of these, good blog

www.laughorlose.com said...

Watched The Way Back... It isn't an epic film but liked it

d said...

i love that movies!

Moobeat said...

scotty doesnt know.

Kicking Rocks said...

127 hours is just awesome!!!

pv said...

i need to see 127 hours

minecraft129 said...

Lord of the Rings. Best travel movie ever :) haha

bmx4130 said...

Still haven't seen most of these. I think Up is next on my list.

Whitelight said...

Looks great :D!

Vince^_^ said...

Can't wait for an update of this list buddy :)

wellpickedbooger said...

I was surprised to see Up included with all these more serious (well, for the most part!) movies. Its one of the few childrens' movies I've enjoyed in the past few years.

LightStand said...

Nice, i've saw most of these. Loved them

Shahan said...

I haven't seen any! I'll start tonight I guess.

Great blog, followed. Love the layout, very asthetic.

Check my blog out sometime:
http://serenityindex.blogspot.com/

ed said...

eurotrip was classic. btw congrats on your 200

RastaPasta said...

I've never spent more than a few years living in any single country. I always used to listen to ABBA as a child traveling about for some reason... now I look back in cheesy nostalge...

Zack said...

What a great selection of movies. I'll make sure to check them out.

Alexis said...

Ah 7 years in Tibet, I really want to see that one.

Unknown said...

Motorcycle Diaries - amazing!!

LinksZee said...

into the wild is pretty good. My friend made an adventure to that bus!

Up is about traveling? i have to see that it looks so good!

Empty said...

@linkszee
I'd like to see that bus too!

Up is.. well. You'll have to watch it. :) I was a bit disappointed after the initial 5-10mins. I expected the protagonist to be a little different. But I really liked it once I was past that and accepted the characters for who they were. It's unusual, but in a pleasant way.

Duhniel S. said...

this weekend ill watch 127 hours and Eurotrip

Stuck In Syndey said...

into the wild looks great. mc diaries was ecxellent

Daniel said...

didn't like the movies

Ematwo. said...

I haven't see The Way Back and it seems interesting. Might have to watch it! Cheers mate.

Dootzkie said...

UP was amazing... Others, not so much...

BTN Hip Hop said...

eurotrip was looolll

JayPower said...

Awesome review, cant wait to check it out ;D

RageCompeX said...

thx, Im downloading eurotrip now, can you make a post about the most hilarious movies? thx

**Hype.Planet** said...

I should see 127 hours. Thanks for this.

HiFi said...

Eurotrip was hilarious. :D

The Hammer said...

Did the same rive, in south vietnam though

Mile2Marathon said...

Yeah good 2 films them, 127 hours is strangely gripping

Miki said...

127 hours might be one of the best films I have ever watched.

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