Friday, August 30, 2013

Top 20 Road Movies

Who doesn’t love a good road movie? The meditation, the self-discovery, the journey for truth – there’s power on that road. Below, I’ve mixed it up between movies of the road in which characters seek introspection, and road movies in which characters are on the run from the law. Believe me, I am well aware that there are many, many, many films that constitute as a road movie. These are my personal favorites, which doesn’t mean I forgot any of yours. So here, in their own words, are my favorite films that tackle the open road.

20. Week End (1967)
“Are you in a film or in reality?”

“In a film.”

“In a film? You lie too much.”

19. Midnight Run (1988)
“Where am I? I’m in Boise, Idaho. No, no, no, wait a minute, I’m in Anchorage, Alaska. No, no, wait, I’m in Casper, Wyoming. I’m in the lobby of a Howard Johnson’s and I’m wearing a pink carnation.”

18. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
“A desert holiday, let’s pack the drag away. You take the lunch and tea, I’ll take the ecstasy. Fuck off you silly queer, I’m getting out of here. A desert holiday, hip hip hip hip hooray!”

17. Borat (2006)
“What’s in California?”

“Pearl Harbor is there. So is Texas.”

16. Broken Flowers (2005)
“The past is gone, I know that. The future isn’t here yet, whatever it’s going to be. So, all there is, is this. The present. That’s it.”

15. About Schmidt (2002)
“Relatively soon, I will die. Maybe in 20 years, maybe tomorrow, it doesn’t matter. Once I am dead and everyone who knew me dies too, it will be as though I never existed. What difference has my life made to anyone. None that I can think of. None at all.”

14. It Happened One Night (1934)
“I’ll stop a car, and I won’t use my thumb!”

“What’re you gonna do?”

“It’s a system all my own.”

13. Something Wild (1986)
“Look, if you don’t turn around and take me back, you’re gonna make me do something that I don’t wanna do.”

“I can hardly wait, Charlie.”

12. Wild at Heart (1990)
“One reason we’re in all the trouble we’re in right now is ‘cuz of what I was doin’.”

11. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
“What do we leave behind when we cross each frontier? Each moment seems split in two; melancholy for what was left behind and the excitement of entering a new land.”

10. Y Tu Mamá También (2001)
“Truth is cool but unattainable. The truth is totally amazing, but you can’t ever reach it.”

9. Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
“Say, which way we going?”

“East.”

“That’s cool. I never been East.”

8. The Straight Story (1999)
“Did you ride that thing all the way out here to see me?”

7. Paris, Texas (1984)
“She told him that she dreamed about escaping. That was all she dreamed about: escape. She saw herself at night running naked down a highway, running across fields, running down riverbeds, always running.

He ran through the flames toward the only two people he loved... but they were gone. His arms were burning, and he threw himself outside and rolled on the wet ground. Then he ran. He never looked back at the fire. He just ran.”

6. Five Easy Pieces (1970)
“I move around a lot, not because I’m looking for anything really, but ‘cause I’m getting away from things that get bad if I stay.”

5. Badlands (1973)
“Little did I realize that what began in the alleys and back ways of this quiet town would end in the Badlands of Montana.”

4. Thelma & Louise (1991)
“Hey Louise, better slow down, I’ll just die if we get caught over a speeding ticket. Are you sure we should be driving like this, I mean in broad daylight and everything?”

“No we shouldn’t, but I want to put some distance between us and the scene of our last god damned crime!”

3. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
“What would you do if some miracle happened and we could walk out of here tomorrow morning and start all over again clean? No record and nobody after us, huh?”

“Well, uh, I guess I’d do it all different.”

2. Easy Rider (1969)
“I’m from the city. Doesn’t matter what city; all cities are alike.”

“Well, why’d you mention it then?”

“‘Cause I’m from the city; a long way from the city, and that’s where I wanna be right now.”

1. Wild Strawberries (1957)
“What is the punishment?”


“I don’t know. The usual, I suppose.”


“The usual?”


“That’s right. Loneliness.”


“Loneliness?”


“Precisely.”


“Is there no mercy?”


“Don’t ask me. I don’t know.”


54 comments:

  1. Was not expecting number 1 but I can't say that I'm surprised.

    Good list. Mine will probably be Thelma and Louise because that's really the first film I think of when I think "road movie".

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    1. Thanks!

      Thelma & Louise was my number one when I first drafted this, but the more I thought about it, the more I considered Wild Strawberries THE road movie. That road changes him.

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  2. I've probably seen about half of these and as someone who is a big fan of this genre I was actually surprised by your #1, though to be honest I'm still fairly new to the world of Bergman and you are a long time tenant. Definitely one I'll have to put at the top of my "Bergman to watch list." Probably the only one I wouldn't have included would be Two Lane Blacktop, which is a movie I absolutely hated. I've seen it twice and it didn't improve on second watch for me. I just hate those people! I probably would have put in another Jarmusch film (Stranger Than Paradise or Down By Law) because very few people do a movie quite like that man.
    Also, Badlands FTW!

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    1. Wild Strawberries is a great, great film, and a perfect road movie. A different kind of road flick, but a flawless one.

      I'm actually not the biggest fan of Two-Lane either, but as a road movie, I think it's one of the best. Was close to adding more Jarmusch films... that man really loves the open road.

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    2. Can't believe I just remembered this but there's this great (and in my opinion, very underrated) little Japanese flick called Vibrator that might interest you if you dig more intimate road movies. It's probably closest to a Wild At Heart (but in the city) than some of the other movies on here. Maybe you already know of it but it just popped into my head and thought it would be worth bringing up here. Thanks again for all the great lists man!

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    3. Definitely never heard of that. Just looked it up (PS, typing just "Vibrator" into Google isn't a very good way to research this film, heh), sounds really interesting. Thanks for the reco!

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    4. wow, sorry about that man. Certainly didn't mean for that to happen lol. Here's the director: Ryuichi Hiroki

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  3. Cool list, I did a class on road literature and novels and we analysed On the Road (one of my favourite novels), Easy Rider (which I gained a new found love for) and Thelma & Louise which I had never seen but really liked. We also watched Smoke Signals which I thought was terrible.

    I really want to see Two-Lane Blacktop, Priscilla and Something Wild.

    I can't think of anything else I'd have had on this list which you omitted, maybe Planes Trains & Automobiles, Raising Arizona or Little Miss Sunshine if they fit the criteria

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    1. Thanks man. That sounds like an awesome class, would've loved to have taken that.

      I don't really like Smoke Signals either. Meh.

      Planes, Trains and Raising Arizona were close to making the cut. Love those.

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  4. That is a good list. With the exception of Weekend, Midnight Run, Two-Lane Blacktop, The Straight Story, and Five Easy Pieces. I've seen most of these. I like road movies. I want to see Wim Wenders' German road films which I heard are some of the best road films ever.

    One road film I like that I think is very underrated is The Go-Getter w/ Lou Taylor Pucci, pre-twee Zooey Deschanel, and THE BEST ACTRESS IN THE FUCKIN' WORLD Jena Malone. It's a wonderful film about a young man traveling all over the American West trying to find his long-lost half brother by stealing a woman's car as he goes into various adventures. It's got a cool soundtrack that largely features M. Ward, Elliot Smith, and the Replacements.

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    1. The Go-Getter is a new one for me, definitely checking that out ASAP. Any movie that earns high praise from you is something I need to see.

      Glad you dug the list, and I'm curious, what's your favorite Malone performance? AND, don't you wish she was in more?

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    2. Ask and you shall receive through this list. yes, I wish she got more attention. In fact, I think she is a million times better than the list of young actresses that are working right now and also better than half of the actresses that are 30 and over. She's always been solid. Even in a bad movie. To me, she is the cinematic equivalent of CM Punk. Someone with attitude and knows how to bring it.

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    3. Great list. Bastard Out of Carolina... man, that movie fucking floored me the first time I saw it. I was really young, and just... wow.

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  5. Excellent and inspired choices all around. I'll need to add some of the ones I haven't seen (Priscilla, Week End, Straight Story) to my queue.

    Since you're discussing road movies: How annoying is it that the genre has been co-opted by the quirky indie set? Little Miss Sunshine was cute and effective as it went, but so many filmmakers now use the genre as a crutch. It's probably a function of money. All you need is a couple actors and a car, but these movies seem so bereft of any originality.

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    1. Thanks!

      Yes, I agree with you 100 percent. There are many great road movies, but the genre has been used as a crutch as of late. And you're right, very low overhead for those movies, but originality is definitely lacking.

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  6. Great list! I second thevoid99 about The Go-Getter. Another one that I was surprised that I liked so much was Dirty Girl. The title is horrible, but the film is so sweet.

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    1. Thanks! Definitely checking out The Go-Getter soon. I've seen Dirty Girl pop up on Netflix... had no idea what it was about, but I'll admit, the title was not very appealing. Glad to hear it's good, I'm going to add that to my queue!

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  7. Good list! Loved Priscilla, and I didn't expect to find Borat entertaining (took a long time before deciding to watch it)

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    1. Thanks! Priscilla is such a good movie, isn't it? I love the hell out of Guy Pearce.

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  8. Cool! Road movies is one of my favorite genres (probably more of a subgenre...?). My list would probably include Into the Wild, although it's not a classical road movie since he doesn't travel by car most of the time. Caught Priscilla by coincidence and loved it, especially the ending scene. I've also always been a big fan of Borat although I can see why people wouldn't like it. Of course, Badlands and Bonnie & Clyde are classics (though two different kinds of classics) and About Schmidt is just adorable.
    Of the ones I haven't seen yet, I'm really excited for Paris, Texas. That quote is amazing!

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    1. I considered Into the Wild, but yeah, not exactly a "road" movie, I guess. But still the same ballpark. Paris, Texas is really quite something. That quote I pulled is from a very long monologue delivered toward the end of the film. It's breathtaking.

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  9. I am never sure what qualifies as a Road movie but based on my own version I was expecting Bonny and Clyde to top this. But if Wild Strawberries qualifies, no doubt it would top my list as well. More than worthy choice!

    Great to see the inclusion of Paris, Teas! That whole dialogue between Travis and Jane you took the quote from is so heartbreakingly beautiful.

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    1. I guess I'm not really sure what qualifies as one either. Ha. Wild Strawberries wasn't on my first draft, but the more I thought about it, the more it felt right to be here.

      So glad to hear your praise for Paris, Texas. Damn fine film.

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  10. Great list! I haven't seen all of these films, but from those that I did see I loved Badlands and Broken Flowers.
    Didn't know Wild Strawberries was a road movie.

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    1. Thanks! To me, Wild Strawberries is THE road movie, but not in an obvious way. It's about an old man contemplating his life while on the road. A masterpiece, one of Bergman's best.

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  11. - I can't believe I've never seen "The Straight Story" (especially considering I'm from Iowa). This needs to change.

    - I love that still from "Midnight Run."

    - I think I need to write a post comparing that quote from "Broken Flowers" with the theme of "The Spectacular Now", so thank you for choosing that quote.

    - I feel like your inclusion of "Bonnie & Clyde" just underscores why on some days I think that's the greatest movie ever. It's everything, right? It's every kind of movie. Every genre. All of it is in there. It's whatever you want it to be or need it to be at any given moment.

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    1. The Straight Story is classic "old-timey" Lynch. A fantastic little film.

      I'd love to read your Broken Flowers/Spec Now post. Do it!

      Totally agree about Bonnie & Clyde; that one's got it all. And it's timeless, utterly timeless. Love the hell out of it.

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  12. Without thinking for mote than 30 seconds, I came up with a couple that would be in my top ten for sure, along with some of the ones you listed here. "Starman" with Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen is a alien love story told as a road film. The biggest one you missed from my point of view is "The Muppet Movie" which not only includes a cross country chase but it's own :Road Song", "Movin Right Along".

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    1. Ohh Starman is a great choice. Good call. Can't say I'm much of a Muppet fan though. Don't think I've ever seen one of those movies.

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  13. Despite my desire, I still haven't got round to a single Bergman. I haven't seen nearly enough of the rest of these either. Love that Borat made it in though.

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    1. Oh man, I envy you. I would give anything to go back and watch Bergman for the first time. Changed my life. Hope you are able to see some of his films soon.

      Borat rocks!

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  14. Cool choices! Agree going on a journey makes for good cinema.

    Easy Rider, Thelma & Louise, About Schmidt, Five Easy Pieces, The Motorcycle Diaries, It Happened One Night, The Straight Story, Wild at Heart, would also be in my top 20 road trip movies.

    My own list would also include: Sideways (2004), Rain Man (1988), Paper Moon (1973), and The Sure Thing (1985), and, hopefully, Nebraska (2013) :)

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    1. Thanks man! Of your picks, Sideways was closest to making my list, but I stuck with only one Payne. Speaking of which... I didn't know Nebraska was a road movie, but I've purposefully kept myself in the dark on that one. Really looking forward to it.

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  15. There is nothing better than a road trip.

    Your introductory photo of Thelma and Louise is the best of the best.

    Beyond classic........ Dunaway, Beatty and, my favorite, Michael J. Pollard, in Bonnie and Clyde.

    Ahhh....It Happened One Night...sleeping on two sides of the sheet.

    But where, oh where is Swingers?

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    1. Glad you liked the list! Swingers contains a great road trip scene, but I wouldn't classify it as a road movie. Ya dig?

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  16. great list man, but you should see "rabid dogs", the italian one from mario bava

    simply a lesson

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    1. Thanks! Whoa, that flick sounds intense. I'm all over it. Thanks for the reco!

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  17. Great list, and plenty of films I need to see (I actually have Wild Strawberries lined up to watch sometime this week, if I find the time). just Road movies always capture my imagination - good ones, anyway - I want to jump in a car and go on a road trip without any real idea of where I'm going.

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    1. Oops, that "just" sure ended up in the wrong spot!

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    2. That's the dream, isn't it? To just jump in and drive? It's funny, two days after posting this, I spontaneously drove to Vegas with two friends. We didn't plan it or anything, just up and went, and it was fantastic. I love the open road.

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    3. Oh also, can't wait to hear what you think of Wild Strawberries.

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  18. Another great list. Bonnie & Clyde and Y Tu Mama Tambien would probably be at the top for me. And I'd have to include the first Smokey and the Bandit.

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    1. Thanks! Smokey and the Bandit is great. Really good call there. Fuckin' Burt, man.

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    1. "Juvenile".... no way! Big Adventure was VERY close to making the final cut here. And A Goofy Movie is my all time favorite Disney movie, right behind Cinderella. You don't understand, I LOVED those two movies as a kid. Watched them on repeat.

      Fear and Loathing is classic too, but I didn't include it because I didn't feel like most of it took place on the road. Either way, love that movie too.

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    1. Yeah. Was completely indifferent toward it. Didn't feel it was worth my time to write a review. Interesting though that most of it was completely fabricated.

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  21. Great list! My favorite is probably Thelma & Louise.

    I took a class on road movies in college and we watched a ton of these--Wild at Heart, T&L, The Motorcycle Diaries, Two Lane Blacktop, Bonnie & Clyde, Easy Rider + Mystery Train, My Own Private Idaho & The Puffy Chair.

    I wrote a paper on Jarmusch's road films and I really loved Night On Earth.

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    1. Thanks!

      That sounds like an amazing class, would've loved to have taken that. The Puffy Chair is one I've been interested about, but often forget it exists. Might have to scope that one out soon.

      Jarmusch really does love that open road, doesn't he?

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  22. LOVE this! That one-two punch of Y Tu Mama Tambien and The Motorcycle Diaries is brilliant, and Wild Strawberries is a genius pick at #1.

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    1. Thanks man! So glad you like the picks. Wild Strawberries... adore it.

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  23. I love road movies, usually there's a life lesson in the end of the road and usually it's a coming of age story. I love Motorcycle Diaries and About Schmidt. I always wanted to watch Y Tu Mama Tambien. Haven't watch the number 1. Great list as always.

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    1. Thanks Andina :)

      I agree, there's usual a very profound lesson to be learned at the end of these films. Cannot recommend Wild Strawberries enough. Such a great film.

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