Six Of My Favorite Road Trip Movies

 

Summer's winding down, and schools starting back up. Which means many folks are capping off their summer with a vacation. One form of vacationing thats on the rise are road trips, some reasons are financially related. Others are people want to hit several places in one trip.

This rise got me thinking about some of my favorite road trips. So here are six, that's right six of my favorite films from the road trip genre.

6. The Mitchell's vs The Machines

This one is for the whole family to enjoy. Debuting in 2021 on Netflix, and produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. Who had their hands in other beloved films like Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, The Lego Movies, and the Into The Spider-Verse films.

The movie follows the Mitchell family en route from Michigan to California for daughter Katie to start film school. Must save the world when Machines become sentient and aim to take over humans. 

Full of laughs, lessons, and heart this one is a future classic.

5. Zombieland

This one I actually am shocked I like as much as I do. I'm not a big fan of the zombie genre, and for the longest time I kept a tight lid on a few horror-ish movies and not straying much from it. Then I gave this movie a chance.

2009's Zombieland stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abaigail Breslin. The quartet play four strangers trying to escape a zombie apocalypse and must take a road trip to a sanctuary city from zombies. Along the way they must fight, stay alive, visit Bill Murray's house.

4. Soul Men

This was Bernie Mac's last film before his passing in 2008. He went out on top in my opinion playing a character true to himself. Co-starring alongside another bad mofo in Samuel L. Jackson. The two play former band mates on the road to the famed Apollo theater, as part of a celebration for their deceased band mate.

What you get in this film is the raunchy, off the cuff bickering between the two leads. If you've never seen it, just imagine an old drunk uncle that unapologetically speaks his mind times two. Thats this movie enough of a story to keep things moving along, but the two leads are the stars going cross country

3. Tommy Boy

This 1995 film was Chris Farley's star making film, as his time on SNL was winding down. Alongside his best friend David Spade, this film was going to lead them to a road in the conversation as funniest duos in film.

Chris Farley is a guy who the only thing in life he's an overachiever in, is slacking. Never taking life serious, he must grow up fast when the fate of his father's company and the town they live in lands in his hands. He must travel across the country to market the company while Spade keeps tabs on him. 

The movies just funny and is Farley's best film ever.

2. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

This 1985 film is the character of Pee-Wee Herman's debut and best film. I think it's one of my earliest memories of a road trip film. Pee-Wee the very eccentric man child nearly loses his mind when his beloved bicycle is stolen. He heads across the country dancing, visiting landmarks, and coming across the undead to retrieve his prized possession.

Which leads to a chase across the warner bros studio lot. Which of course would be my favorite part of the movie. It's a cautionary tale of how outlandish and unpredictable a road trip can be, even for an outlandish and unpredictable person like Pee-Wee.

1. A Goofy Movie

Seriously, what else would be number 1? This 1995 film is a 90's kid classic, that has experienced one heck of a resurgence since the start of the decade. It follows Goofy in an attempt to bond with his son Max, taking him on a road trip. Unbeknownst to Goofy, Max has his own plans in mind for the road trip.

The movie has a strong message about father's and sons. Bonding and that weird period where kids grow up and the parents may not have accepted it. What really sells the movie and has made if legendary, is the third act which ends with a fictional singer named Powerline's concert.

Which the dance routine is replicated all across social media today. While Max dressed as Powerline appears in Disney parks during the Halloween season. It's a movie kids of all ages can enjoy.

Read More

10 Of My Must Watch Spooky Season Movies

 

It's spooky season! Besides the decorations, carved pumpkins, and lot's and lot's of candy. Spooky season always brings us to catching up on horror favorites or checking out a new horror movie. For this blog I decided to share my ten Halloween movies I must find the time to watch, every year.

10. Vampire In Brooklyn

I love a good vampire movie, and despite what critics and haters may say Vampire In Brooklyn is a very good vampire movie. Argue with your mother if you feel otherwise, but it serves it's purpose. It may not be Eddie Murphy's best work, but it was a perfect blend of comedy and horror. The make up for Eddie's character Max was top notch, and the story touched upon and left a goldmine of an idea on the table. Black Caribbean Vampires and Max trying to preserve his race, perfect fodder for a legacy sequel. 

9. Beetlejuice

Not sure if it's Michael Keaton's performance, or the rendition of Harry Belafonte's Jump In The Line, Shake Senora that make the movie infectious. Either way it just is, it has comedy, world building with how the undead operate and is surprisingly timeless. The film has spawned a cartoon, broadway musical, and just released last month a sequel. Which highlights the movie is a classic and must be watched every year.

8. Monster House

I was twenty years old when Monster House released, I enjoyed it then and I enjoy it now. I really think if I was a kid when it released, you couldn't tell me it's not the greatest movie ever. It has the tropes of the old creepy neighbor, neighborhood rumors, and that house. Oh man something is up with that house, and the legends behind it are believable. It's a great movie for kid's with just enough scares but nothing gruesome, and adult's will enjoy it too. Hench why I watch it every year.

7. Zombieland

I'll admit I've never gotten into zombies, even when The Walking Dead was probably the most popular show on earth I didn't watch it. Zombieland however is one good funny ass movie, starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin. The movie is part road trip, part survival movie as the quartet hit the road in hopes of reaching a city free of zombies. It's hilarious and the few action scenes don't disappoint. When it's on, I take a break from whatever I'm doing and watch it.

6. Final Destination

The original Final Destination released in 2000 was legitimately the last movie, for a good 10 plus years that had me on the edge of my seat and scared (The Conjuring released in 2013 took that spot).  The story and as a result the murders in the movie were very unique and a bit believable. The sequels are hit or miss in my opinion, but 20 plus years later I watch this every year like it's my first time seeing it.

5. Fright Night

1985's Fright Night is an unapologetic 80's movie, a true product of it's time. It's campy as well, and has some undertones that leave you not sure if the filmmakers intended to have it that way or not. Outside of that it's a damn good vampire movie, about a horror film obsessed young man who suspects things are not quite right with his new neighbor.

4. People Under The Stairs

Wes Craven's 1991 film The People Under The Stairs is his best work outside of the original Nightmare on Elm Street and hell that is debatable in my opinion. The film stars Brandon Adams as a young boy through some mishaps, finds himself trapped inside the house of some psychotic occupants. He set's out to escape and save those trapped in the house done wrong. I didn't realize until I got older the movie has a strong socio-political message about racism, the effects of certain economic policies on lower-income citizens, and gentrification among others. It's really a dope movie with a dope message. 

3. Killer Klowns From Outer Space 

Sure it's campy, the plot quite absurd and the production low budget, but damnit the film works. Alien clowns come to earth and wreck havoc on a small town. What could embrace the spooky and wildness of spooky season than that? The movie actually has some very creative death scenes due to the nature of the  villains. It's campy, it's B-movie grade, and it works. 

2. Ghostbusters I and II

This maybe considered cheating, cause it's two films but oh well. The original Ghostbusters film and it's sequel I can watch year round all the time. However during spooky season both are getting multiple views from me like I've never seen them before. Besides the films themselves, you can't miss the theme song during this time of year. It has a stranglehold on pop culture 40 years later for a reason.

1. The Lost Boys 

Let's be honest some vampire movies may have better plots or special effects, or gore. It's just one problem, none of those films are The Lost Boys. To me  The Lost Boys is the epitome of  a cool ass film, let alone a Vampire film. Keifer Sutherland as head vampire David oozes a charming but vicious demeanor. The rock and rap medley of the late 80's is in force here, and the beach front town provides a different aesthetic from other vampire movies of the time. I can quote the film like it's second nature, and the third act at the house is still one of the better horror film third acts.

Read More