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.
_poster.png)
