Five Great Movies About Travel

All 110 minutes or less of course

March is a busy month of travel for me. Last week I was in Costa Rica and next week I’m headed back south to Belize for part one of my honeymoon. I’ve convinced myself that living in the moment is of the utmost importance so writing (and working out) are taking a bit of a backseat. To celebrate my carefree lifestyle, and inability to squeeze in a 90-minute movie this week, I’m bringing you a round-up of five great movies about travel.

These are some of my favorites that also just so happen to clock in under 110 minutes each. (Also, it recently came to my attention that some people find 110 minutes too generous… I’d love for this to spark a debate in the comments). Each one of these movies captures a different aspect of travel, whether it’s beauty, struggle, loneliness, or serendipity.

Before Sunrise (1995, 105 minutes)

One of my most beloved films of all time and probably my favorite Linklater directed movies (if you held a gun to my head), Before Sunrise is about two young adults, Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke), who extend a chance encounter for an entire day and night. This movie is a beautiful look at young love and how travel can help us to slow time, if only for a night. Linklater, Delpy, and Hawke made two more films in this series, following Celine and Jesse throughout the next twenty years.

A Goofy Movie (1995, 81 minutes)

I love a road trip. I love a road trip movie. And there are few that top A Goofy Movie. Feeling increasingly disconnected from his son Max (Jason Marsden), Goofy (Bill Farmer) decides that a father-son roadtrip is just what they need to get closer. Unfortunately for Goofy, Max has other plans which involve a concert in Los Angeles. With catchy tunes and a heartwarming plot, this movie tells a truly poignant story about how travel brings us closer together.

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983, 98 minutes)

“Wallyyyy Wooorld!” Forever burned into my mind are these two fateful words out of the mouth of Chevy Chase playing one of America’s most well-known dads, Clark Griswold. Another road trip movie in which a father is determined to bring his family together via the road, Vacation is simply a collection of horrible (and hysterical) mishaps that befall the Griswold family. This is an excellent road trip movie that takes us through the sights of the American west and ends at a Disney-esque theme park.

Midnight in Paris (2011, 88 minutes)

This is the last Woody Allen film I allowed myself to watch, and it just so happens to be my favorite. Gil Pender (Owen Wilson) is a screenwriter and wannabe novelist vacationing in Paris with his fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams). Their relationship is rocky as he realizes that they may not be able to overcome their differences and goals for life. One night after drinking, Gil is whisked off to 1920s Paris and encounters the great artists and writers of that time. It’s a whimsical story that pays homage to Paris and its history and allows us as an audience to enjoy our favorite writers in a new way.

Up in the Air (2009, 109 minutes)

A much heavier tone than the other movies on my list, I love Up in the Air as a glimpse into corporate life from atypical perspectives. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) is a consultant who specializes in termination, criss-crossing the country to fire people. We join him as his life is changing out his usual routine— he meets a woman who travels as much as he does Alex (Vera Farmiga) and his company attempts to pilot a remote firing program championed by a young employee, Natalie (Anna Kendrick). These disruptions to Ryan’s life cause him to pause and review what’s important to him and where his life is going.

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I’m looking for more travel movies that fall within our window of 110-minutes or less! If you have one, drop it in the comments.