In between holidays or while dreaming of your next adventure, the next best thing is to watch a movie where other people are on holiday, or one where you’ll feel like you’re transported to another city, another culture – for 1.5 hours or so. Enter our top 10 movies to inspire travel!
Lost in Translation (Tokyo)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU0oZsqeG_s[/embed]
Step into Sofia Coppola’s dreamy Tokyo. It’s probably the closest most of us will get to staying at the Park Hyatt ($$$). Make friends with a stranger, have a wild night out doing karaoke in Shinjuku, take the train for a day trip to Kyoto to wander through temples and contemplate your existence. “Sometimes you have to go halfway around the world to come full circle.”
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Sideways (California wine country)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS9ocP6FNvM[/embed]
Your classic mid-life crisis flick. Two male friends take a road-trip through California wine country. Hilarity ensues, after much wine is consumed. Love in unlikely places. Life lessons. Most importantly: tomfoolery. You can almost the feel the California sun and taste the delicious Napa and Sonoma wines.
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Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Barcelona)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-RdUcXAKiw[/embed]
Scar Jo + Penélope Cruz + Javier Bardem in a love triangle in Barcelona? Need we say more? Oh yeah, and it’s directed by Woody Allen. Escapism at its finest, Vicky Cristina Barcelona takes you on a tumultuous ride through a summer in Barcelona. The screen is washed in warm sunny hues with scenes of terracotta houses, street side cafes and Gaudi’s vibrant art and architecture. Join Scar Jo (Cristina) for balmy nights in Barcelona, red wine in hand as you’re serenaded by flamenco guitar players.
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In Bruges (Bruges – duh)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoE9edjEDCI[/embed]
If you’re heading to Europe, are time-poor and need to prioritise certain more ‘big item’ tourist attractions, you’re probably pretty likely to give ol' Bruges a miss. But if you’ve always wanted to see this beautiful medieval city, In Bruges offers a pretty thrilling take on a generally rather sleepy city (having said that, Bruges can get pretty wild after a couple of pints of high percentage Belgian beer). Colin Farrell is a hit-man hiding out in Bruges. There’s a dwarf, potential romance and plenty of narrow misses from gunshot wounds/potential death. Lols!
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Into the Wild (North America, Alaska)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LAuzT_x8Ek[/embed]
A brilliant movie about the strength of the human spirit, Into The Wild is based on the true story of one man’s journey’s through North America and then on to the bleak Stampede Trail in Alaska. Have the Kleenex on hand – this one has great highs and some pretty low lows. Imagine yourself embracing the nomadic life, but perhaps choose a slightly more abundant place to live off the land than the Alaskan wilderness.
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Up in the Air (airports in the United States)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbbXGW5czKo[/embed]
Less of a ‘travel movie’ in the sense the star, George Clooney, isn’t trekking across Nepal, but rather making an art form of corporate travel in the USA. Frequent flyers will commiserate with the skill of carry-on luggage only, the quickest way through airport security, how to get the most of out of airport lounges and how to feel at home in hotel bars. There’s also a healthy dose of love and life and finding all the answers. How much does your life weigh?
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The Darjeeling Limited (India)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO1bYukdvLI[/embed]
This list wouldn't be complete without a Wes Anderson inclusion. Three brothers (Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson) go on a life changing trip through India, for the most part, a train trip on ‘The Darjeeling Limited’. An attempt to reconnect and repair strained relationships; they embark on a pilgrimage to track down their mother (Anjelica Huston). Perfectly odd and wonderfully enlightening, your trip to India probably (almost definitely) won’t be like this – but it’s a nice glimpse into the beautiful chaos of the country.
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Before Sunrise (Vienna)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v6X-Dytlko[/embed]
Ever met a perfect stranger on train in Europe and then decided to spontaneously hop off and spend just under 24 hours with them in Vienna wandering the streets? Great! So did Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy). Before Sunrise is the epitome of the European romantic rendezvous. Plus, you’ll see the city of Vienna in many different lights. If you like it, watch the sequel too, Before Midnight.
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Amelie (Paris)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-uxeZaM-VM[/embed]
Quirky. Wonderful. Parisian. Amelie is a masterpiece and if you don’t fall in love with the French way of life in this film, then there is no hope for you. Sure Paris isn’t all drenched-in-colour romance, dress-ups and intrigue, but it is a special city and Amelie’s world is worth a visit.
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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Himalayas, Greenland, Iceland)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HddkucqSzSM[/embed]
Your typical office guy who hasn’t really ‘lived’ or been anywhere ... who then grabs life by the proverbial balls and embarks on a adventure – in this case it’s to track down the negative of a photograph – but in reality, it’s about a man overcoming his fears and living a life he’d always dreamed of. It’s whimsical and imaginative and you get to see Ben Stiller skateboard like a pro.
Inspired? Put down the popcorn and go get your holiday pants on!
