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25 Essential Road Trip Movies of the Last 25 Years

We’re looking down the horizon and beyond for some of the best road trip movies that defined the genre over the last 25 years! To rev up this list, we selected American movies movies, journeys that begin in the States (where they actually finish is part of the fun). The movies celebrate the sights and sounds of the country, or at least will inspire you to pull out that camping gear, putting the convertible top down, and hitting the open road. These rides can be cross-county ( Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle ), on the freeway ( Dog , Sideways ), trekking across a few state lines ( Little Miss Sunshine , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas ), hitting a new time zone ( Road Trip ), or even runnin’ coast-to-coast ( Rat Race , Transamerica ). Even the Academy has felt the need for reasonable speed, awarding Best Picture to both Green Book and Nomadland . Carpool lane? Of course: we’ve got an Oscar strapped in the passenger seat!

So whether you’re looking for a map to a long summer drive or fixing a flat in your life, turn to these essential 25 road trip movies of the last 25 years (in chronological order)!

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) 50%

The Straight Story (1999) 94%

Tumbleweeds (1999) 82%

Almost Famous (2000) 91%

Road Trip (2000) 57%

Rat Race (2001) 45%

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) 75%

Sideways (2004) 97%

Transamerica (2005) 77%

Little Miss Sunshine (2006) 91%

Cars (2006) 75%

Zombieland (2009) 89%

Away We Go (2009) 67%

Paul (2011) 70%

We're the Millers (2013) 48%

Chef (2014) 87%

Grandma (2015) 91%

Mississippi Grind (2015) 91%

Pee-wee's Big Holiday (2016) 83%

Green Book (2018) 77%

Nomadland (2020) 93%

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) 97%

Bad Trip (2021) 79%

Dog (2022) 77%

Joy Ride (2023) 90%

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27 Road Trip Movies Every Traveler Needs To Watch

The road is one of the most enduring images in film history because it can be used for so many different purposes. It can mean the freedom of adventure, or adventure's inevitable dead-end. Road trips can result in meeting interesting new characters, or they can be the worst kind of isolation or even the worst kind of forced bonding. Filmmakers from all over the world are continually drawn to the road movie and specifically the road trip movie, where a simple car or bus ride can become something much more meaningful. It offers plenty of opportunity for unexpected change, and it often does so in front of beautiful, overwhelming landscapes. They'll never stop making movies about road trips because people will never stop taking them, always wanting to see the sights and maybe become a little wiser in the process.

The 27 films in this list all take their own approaches to portraying the road trip cinematically, emphasizing its best and worst tendencies and playing them for both comedy and drama. But even the worst trips taken here offer something to appreciate, sometimes deep thought about the meaning of the road and sometimes a laugh at the expense of the poor fools stuck in the car.

1. Easy Rider

One of the most iconic road trips in cinematic history was taken by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper in Hopper's 1969 classic "Easy Rider." The legendary image of Fonda and Hopper riding their motorcycles while Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild" plays remains people's main association with "Easy Rider." But the movie itself is more complicated than just the thrill of riding down wide-open roads. The tagline tells of a man who went looking for America and "couldn't find it anywhere," and that's a good summation of the cynical eye this takes toward the country it explores.

Fonda and Hopper encounter some friendly people in their travels, most famously Jack Nicholson in his breakout role as a drunken lawyer. They encounter just as much resistance as they do support, from people with no tolerance for their countercultural attitudes and long hair. In one scene, Nicholson tells Hopper that people are scared of him because "what you represent to them is freedom," and the film's bleak ending offers little hope that freedom can be maintained in the face of such strong opposition. But the power of the film's images of freedom and joy is still enough to keep this as one of the beloved road movies.

2. Lost in America

Despite its cynicism, "Easy Rider" inspired many Americans to go out on the road themselves, even ones who couldn't be further away from Fonda and Hopper's biker lifestyle. This is the subject of writer, director, and actor Albert Brooks's 1985 film "Lost in America," in which a middle-class yuppie couple (Brooks and Julie Hagerty) hits the road and quickly realizes they can't handle it. By the end of the trip, they've destroyed their lives and their savings, and they've rid themselves of any romantic notions about traveling America without a plan.

Brooks' directorial work is defined by bitterness and discomfort as much as by laughs, and "Lost in America" can be particularly caustic. Brooks and Hagerty sink to some miserable depths during the course of their trip, reduced to begging for the money they just lost gambling or treating each other with naked hostility. A trip to the Hoover Dam doesn't offer scenery, instead serving as a backdrop to the couple's most vicious fight. "Lost in America" is a satire of the waste and excess of the American '80s, but it's also a reminder to make sure you've carefully thought through your road trip before you embark on one. Some people aren't ready for the road, and Brooks and Hagerty learn that too late.

3. The Color Wheel

Getting stuck with someone annoying on a long road trip can be a miserable experience, so spending the entirety of the 2011 comedy "The Color Wheel" with two annoying people on a road trip can make it a tough sell. But the film's writer-director, Alex Ross Perry, has an uncommon talent for writing people who only seem to be awful and irritating so that they're both funnier and more tragic than they would be in real life. That skill serves him especially well for the two leads of "The Color Wheel," an obnoxious brother and sister (played by Perry and Carlen Altman) whose road trip through New England leads them to meet strangers and old friends who are all even more awful than they are. The scenery offers little comfort when every scene becomes a passive-aggressive argument.

"The Color Wheel" is above all else a comedy, happy to laugh at its main characters for their abysmal social skills and undisguised contempt for each other and everyone around them. But as the trip goes on and they keep meeting hostile exes and classmates, their situation starts to seem a little sad, like they've been molded into hateful jerks by the whole world around them. Their final attempt to escape the cycle of anger and venom is shocking, but it's also unexpectedly tender, because Perry respects his characters even as they embarrass themselves.

Even the awful road trip of "The Color Wheel" can't compare to the nightmare trip taken by the title character of "Zola," and hers really happened. "Zola" was adapted from the famous Twitter thread detailing a disastrous trip to Florida taken by a part-time stripper (Taylour Paige) and a woman she just met (Riley Keough). There's not much time to enjoy Florida on this trip, the scenery consists of strip malls and different men's hotel rooms, and the business Zola has been dragged into quickly spirals into exploitation and violence.

"Zola" is about very bad events in a woman's life, but like the Twitter thread, it believes those events to be hilarious above anything else. The band of fools Zola winds up with can seem dangerous, particularly Colman Domingo's ambiguously accented pimp, but mostly they're all bluster and no brains. When they encounter people who are actually dangerous, they escape by the skin of their teeth. There's tension but never fear in "Zola," and that helps to make it a wonderful comedy even once the blood starts getting shed.

5. American Honey

"Zola" isn't the only movie where Riley Keough is a uniquely awful road trip presence. There's also the 2016 drama "American Honey", where Keough enlists a young girl played by Sasha Lane into a crew of door-to-door magazine salespeople. They travel blissfully across the Midwest, and Lane falls in love with a member of the crew, played by Shia LaBeouf. But their peaceful, off-the-grid existence is threatened by Keough and the precarity of their jobs.

A common thread across many of the great American road movies is that they're not directed by Americans, with international directors often looking at American landscapes in a different way than their American counterparts who've grown up with them. English director Andrea Arnold joins that group of directors with how she films America here, pushing the colors of the landscapes to such extremes that the emotions associated with them are also heightened, whether they be romance or danger. Her beautiful imagery is accentuated by her pulsing soundtrack, which switches between big-name pop hits and obscurities that perfectly match the mood of youthful excitement and negligence that defines "American Honey."

6. Stranger Than Paradise

While road trips can be fun and exciting, they can also be tedious, especially when there's not much scenery to look at. Writer-director Jim Jarmusch expertly captured the boredom of a bad road trip in his 1984 breakthrough "Stranger Than Paradise," in which the three leads take off in search of new experiences and don't find them anywhere they look.

Two of the leads are Hungarian émigrés hoping to find more from America than they did from their home. But the America portrayed in "Stranger Than Paradise" is just the most unremarkable areas of New York, Ohio, and Florida, presented so that the camera is just as unimpressed by them as the characters are. And only the most monotonous aspects of the road trip are shown, like driving through the endless expanse of Pennsylvania or arguing about who has to sleep on the cot when they get to a motel. Despite its tedium, "Stranger Than Paradise" is a very funny study of how the myths of the road can collapse in the face of the realities of going out on the road.

7. Badlands

Not all road trips start from good intentions. The one undertaken by Kit (Martin Sheen) and Holly (Sissy Spacek) in 1973's Bonnie and Clyde story "Badlands" starts after Kit murders Holly's father and burns down their house. That's where the journey begins, and eventually Kit is responsible for much more than one murder. But there's still an innocence to young Kit and Holly's trip, where they create their own society out in the wilderness and encounter all kinds of gorgeous nature. "Badlands," writes Sheila O'Malley for Criterion , is based on the 1958 murder spree of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate, but its power doesn't come from its killings so much as its troubling naivete, where the blinkered teenage attitudes of its protagonists and the pastoral beauty of their surroundings say nothing about the horrible violence occurring right in front of them.

"Badlands" was the debut of writer-director Terrence Malick, who would go on to develop a reputation for his eye for natural landscapes. That's present even this early, shooting trees and sunsets so that they appear magical more than natural. But that magic here comes with a terrible price, and Malick seems as disturbed by nature's non-reaction to the evil committed all around it as he is entranced by its power.

8. My Blueberry Nights

Wong Kar-wai has directed some of the most beloved films of all time in his native Hong Kong, but to date, he's only made one movie in the United States. That was 2007's "My Blueberry Nights," which explores the unique geography of America through a road trip starting in New York and ending in Las Vegas. Wong is renowned for his intensely stylized movies, and "My Blueberry Nights" is no exception. Wong's America is beautiful in a way it isn't in real life — only Wong's oversaturated colors and beautiful golden light could make it look this gorgeous. In this way, Wong captures the feeling of a great road trip, of falling in love with every location you pass. And Wong ties all these stunning locales to his usual themes of heartbreak and melancholy, showing beautiful places inhabited by sad, lonely people.

"My Blueberry Nights" is held back from the levels of Wong's best movies by a weak script and inconsistent performances. Otherwise talented actors like Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz go over the top, while even strong performances from Jude Law and David Strathairn have to go against the bland lead performance from singer and first-time actor Norah Jones. But such flaws don't matter too much in light of how enchanting Wong's vision of the world is. This is the kind of movie that makes people want to keep taking road trips.

9. Alice in the Cities

Few directors are as synonymous with the road and road movies as Wim Wenders, the German director who's made several of the best-loved movies about the road ever made. His most overt takes on the road genre are the three movies that make up his "Road Trilogy," starting with "Alice in the Cities" in 1974. "Alice in the Cities" concerns German writer Philip (Rüdiger Vogler), who follows a disappointing assignment by meeting a woman (Lisa Kreuzer) and her young daughter Alice (Yella Rottländer), then agreeing to go on a trip through Amsterdam. Their trip is marked by complications, boredom, and a lot of music, including a Chuck Berry concert and a jukebox playing Canned Heat. And all the while, Philip and Alice begin to develop a friendship.

"Alice in the Cities" is one of the most lasting Wenders movies, inspiring the work of filmmakers like Allison Anders and Mike Mills, particularly Mills' own adult-and-child road movie "C'mon C'mon." "Alice in the Cities" holds special power for its tale of unexpected companionship, where the road has the magic to bring together people who never would have even met under different circumstances. Even when the sights aren't exciting, getting to experience those sights with someone new can be a rewarding experience.

10. Magic Mike XXL

The success of the male-stripper comedy "Magic Mike" left star Channing Tatum and writer Reid Carolin with the duty of following up a movie that seemed to neatly wrap up at the end. Rather than repeat the first one's formula, Tatum and Carolin decided to go in another direction, turning 2015's "Magic Mike XXL" into an exuberant road trip movie about friends and the joy of performing. "Magic Mike" was an often melancholy movie about the recession, and while there are still economic worries all over "Magic Mike XXL," they mostly take a back seat to just enjoying the chance to escape from them for a few days.

The first film's director, Steven Soderbergh, didn't return to direct "Magic Mike XXL," but he did serve as its cinematographer, and he deserves special credit for how beautiful he makes the film's Southern locations look. Even an ordinary gas station comes to life with Soderbergh's golden light, to say nothing of the beaches and palatial estates Mike and his friends visit on their journey. The beauty of these locations also represents the simple beauty of hanging out with people you love, and this is where "Magic Mike XXL" separates itself from its predecessor. Mike's fellow strippers barely had personalities in the first one, but here they're best friends who love each other's company even as they razz each other. It's a unique pleasure to go on the road with such a tight-knit group.

11. Y tu mamá también

After making 2001's "Y tu mamá también," Alfonso Cuarón stuck to making large-scale spectacles and big-budget blockbusters. But in "Y tu mamá también," Cuarón applies his usual technical excellence to a simple story of a woman and two teenage boys going on a road trip. The Mexican landscapes they drive past are beautifully shot by future Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, and their conversations are profane and hilarious, especially as delivered by Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal in their breakthrough roles. But a serious side creeps into "Y tu mamá también" as it goes on, eventually taking it over entirely.

As the three take their trip, they pass by political strife and Mexican culture soon to die out entirely. The characters may only be passing through these areas, but there are people living in the areas whose lives will be very difficult long after the leads are gone. Despite its main characters' immaturity, this is a surprisingly thoughtful road trip movie, understanding that even the most pristine locales are burdened by troubling history. That also turns out to be true about the main characters' dynamics, where the teenage leads eventually realize the depths of sadness and desperation they and their traveling partner carry with them. But before they get to that point, they have a great time, and so does the viewer watching them.

12. My Own Private Idaho

Gus Van Sant's "My Own Private Idaho" opens with River Phoenix's character, Mikey Waters, saying that he's traveled so much down so many roads that he can recognize the roads just by sight. His life on the road is a beautiful but lonely one until he finds someone he can briefly share it with, a senator's son, Scott Favor ( Keanu Reeves ). Their journeys across deserted roads and rocky landscapes are sometimes silly but mostly poetic and sad, showing two young men as lost in the scenery as they are in their own lives.

Van Sant makes a lot of odd digressions in "My Own Private Idaho," including a sequence with talking erotic magazines and an entire plot loosely adapted from Shakespeare's "Henry IV" saga, writes Amy Taubin for Criterion . But the heart of the film is the relationship between Mikey and Scott, one where Mikey may be the only one of the two to realize how special and intimate it is. A heartbreaking scene at a campfire sees Mikey get tantalizingly close to professing his love to Scott and not quite doing so. While Mikey may have lived his life by the isolation of the road, he needs Scott to share that life with him, and the film offers little hope that this will happen.

13. The Straight Story

The films and TV of David Lynch are usually filled with the darkness and violence that lurk beneath the beautiful landscapes of America. But Lynch still loves those landscapes and the people who inhabit them, and never is that clearer than his only movie to get a G rating, 1999's "The Straight Story." He tells the story of a real-life road trip, where an elderly, almost blind farmer named Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth) drove a lawn mower from Iowa to Wisconsin to see his ailing brother (Harry Dean Stanton).

There's not much dialogue in "The Straight Story," especially for the long stretches where Alvin is on his own out on the road, but it's not necessary when Lynch is working with the wide-open expanses of the midwest. He finds magic in the crop dusters and near-empty roads Alvin encounters, setting the sights to a moving Angelo Badalamenti score and making them even more powerful. And when Alvin does meet other people, their encounters are simple and touching, showing the hard lessons Alvin has learned about family over the course of a long, difficult life.

Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin made their directorial debuts in February 2022 with "Dog," which followed the "Magic Mike XXL" model of a road trip encountering lesser-known sections of American life. "Dog" is a sadder movie than "Magic Mike XXL" because the trip's ultimate destination is a military funeral, and along the way, Tatum and his dog co-star must contend with the trauma they've suffered as soldiers. This makes the bond of friendship between Tatum and the dog even more important than it is in "Magic Mike XXL," as it provides both of them life-saving help when they need it the most.

The most impressive aspect of Tatum and Carolin's first directing job is how well they film the landscapes encountered over the course of the trip. They make them symbols of the beauty of everyday life without making them overly stylized. The duo learned well from Steven Soderbergh's visual excellence without merely copying it. While "Dog" has its faults, including some awkward comedy at the beginning and a too-brief attempt to deal with the racism instilled into Iraq War soldiers, the strength of Tatum and Carolin's filmmaking and storytelling suggests that they could have a good future as directors.

15. Kings of the Road

The third film in Wim Wenders' Road Trilogy, "Kings of the Road" is a three-hour opus combining two of Wenders' favorite subjects: the road and cinema. The two titular "kings" are a movie theater projector repairman (played by "Alice in the Cities" lead Rüdiger Vogler) and a depressed psychologist (Hanns Zischler), who band together on a road trip after the psychologist has experienced a life-shattering breakup. They drive across what was then the East German border, touring worn-down movie theaters so that Vogler can make repairs.

"Kings of the Road" offers even less of a plot than "Alice in the Cities" does, also offering one of the purest, simplest depictions of a road trip on film. There's no inevitable endpoint for the characters to reach, just a sprawling journey where they come to slightly better understand each other and themselves. It encompasses all the joy and melancholy of road trips in one package, people searching for more from life hoping that they'll find it behind the wheel.

16. Having a Wild Weekend

1965's "Having a Wild Weekend," also known as "Catch Us If You Can," is technically a vehicle for The Dave Clark Five, the British group that came into popularity at the same time as The Beatles . "Having a Wild Weekend" would seem to put the band in a comedy just like "A Hard Day's Night," but director John Boorman instead made a lovely, melancholy road movie, showing two people trying in vain to escape their confining lives back home.

Dave Clark plays a stuntman who takes off on a road trip with a model (Barbara Ferris) dissatisfied with her position as the face of ad campaigns for meat. On their journey, they encounter the youth who will soon become the counterculture and the old men still obsessed with the imagery of old Hollywood. Everywhere they go, Clark and Ferris are reminded of the culture they're trying to fight against, but they're powerless to stop it. The two have impressive chemistry together, but their relationship is a sad one, one that can only last the length of the road trip even though they're the only people who could possibly understand each other. Even once the remaining four Dave Clark Five members show up to do some slapstick, the tone is more elegiac than silly.

17. Wild at Heart

For a more representative David Lynch road trip movie, there's "Wild at Heart," which manages to be funny and romantic as well as frightening. Sailor and Lula, the giddy young couple played by Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, hit the road only after Lula's mother has unsuccessfully tried to kill Sailor, and on their journey they'll deal with more killers and more victims. But their love may be strong enough to keep them safe every step of the way.

The giddy energy of "Wild at Heart" is unusual for Lynch movies, which usually have a more deadpan tone. Cage and Dern are balls of energy in this, engaging in grand romantic gestures and, in Cage's case, frequently falling into Elvis impersonations. The world around them has gone mad with rage and violence, the road bringing as many terrors as beauties, and they seem to have adapted to that madness by matching it. The title doesn't lie — these are two wild kids who will let nothing, not even a horrifying figure like Willem Dafoe's psychopathic Bobby Peru, stand in the way of their love. And for all the darkness of the rest of the movie, Lynch is still kind-hearted enough to give them a happy ending.

18. Two For the Road

All the good and bad feelings associated with going on the road are present in 1967's "Two for the Road," and they also represent the ups and downs of a marriage. The good and the bad are shuffled together in a nonlinear style, where pieces of the beginning, middle, and end of Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney's characters' relationship are presented as a series of out-of-order road trips. There is some beautiful European scenery over the course of the trips, but the fractured editing means that the destinations of the trips are less important than the trips themselves, and how they function as both bonding exercises and sources of arguments.

The film's most hilarious section is when Hepburn and Finney commit the error of going on a road trip with another couple, an obnoxious American family that makes the two sure of the mistakes they don't want to make in their own relationship. But of course they end up making those mistakes, and by the end "Two for the Road" is a bittersweet movie about how difficult and tricky it is to stay close to someone, whether that means marrying them or staying with them on a long car ride.

19. Don't Come Knocking

Wim Wenders and playwright-actor Sam Shepard first collaborated on the 1984 road movie "Paris, Texas," one of the most acclaimed films in the genre. Their decades-later second collaboration was 2005's "Don't Come Knocking," another road movie that couldn't match the critical success of its predecessor. But "Don't Come Knocking" is a very good movie in its own right, finding a lot of power both in western vistas and the tragic figure passing in front of them.

Shepard wrote and stars in "Don't Come Knocking," playing a washed-up Western star who ditches the set of his new movie in favor of driving to Nevada and then Montana, where both cheap thrills and old family await him. As with Wenders' other films, he makes the western settings of "Don't Come Knocking" look incredibly beautiful, shooting casinos, small-town squares, and vast deserts with the same level of vibrant color and light. And it also shares with Wenders' other work a tremendous sadness, where Shepard has abandoned the people who need him most and has only realized this too late to do much of anything about it. This trip may not be able to redeem Shepard, but it can get him one step closer, and that's better than he's done yet.

20. Highway 61

Canadian director Bruce McDonald followed in Wim Wenders' footsteps and made his own trilogy of road movies through the 1980s and '90s. The middle film in the trilogy was 1991's "Highway 61," a joyous comedy about American rock 'n' roll. Highway 61 is the highway named in Bob Dylan's legendary "Highway 61 Revisited" album, and one of the two leads (Valerie Buhagiar) is a rock-obsessed drug dealer trying to smuggle a dead body from Canada to New Orleans. Her partner (Don McKellar) is a nervous, shy barber who prefers jazz. Their odd-couple dynamic is very charming, and it only gets more charming as the trip brings them closer together.

"Highway 61" is led not just by romance and scenic views of all of North America, but by a great soundtrack at every step of the journey, often from obscure local bands McDonald is kind enough to introduce to his audience. And there's also plenty of oddball humor, particularly with a character who may or may not be the devil (Earl Pastko) chasing the two leads. "Highway 61" doesn't have much of a reputation outside of its native Canada, but it's a blissful film that deserves more attention.

21. Get On the Bus

One of the least commonly filmed ways of going on a road trip is taking the bus, perhaps because getting stuck with many unfamiliar people is not the most romantic way to see the country. But Spike Lee found a lot of drama, comedy, and political relevance in a story of a bunch of guys trapped on the bus. That story is 1996's "Get On the Bus," following a group of Black men en route to the famed Million Man March. Lee believes that every one of those million men has their own story, and he fits as many of those stories as he can into one bus.

As usual with Lee, "Get On the Bus" has an impressive cast, including Ossie Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Andre Braugher, and Bernie Mac. The characters touch on social issues, including homophobia and the anti-Semitism of Million Man March leader Louis Farrakhan, but mostly they have frank and funny conversations that naturally reveal their prejudices and moral stances rather than shout them out. Lee didn't write "Get On the Bus" (that was Reggie Rock Bythewood), but it shares the perceptive dialogue and unexpected comedy of Lee's best screenplays, including his beloved "Do the Right Thing." "Get On the Bus" is a smaller movie than "Do the Right Thing," but its confined setting doesn't mean it's any less riveting.

22. Thelma & Louise

The road trip that runs through 1991's "Thelma & Louise" is most famous for where it ends, with Thelma and Louise's car in the middle of a jump off a cliff. But their journey shouldn't just be defined by its endpoint, as the entirety of "Thelma & Louise" is a rollicking ode to female friendship and the healing power of the road trip, showing it as a rare opportunity for two women to take their lives into their own hands.

A few things remain consistent throughout Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise's (Susan Sarandon)'s road trip, namely the beauty of the southwest locations as shot by director Ridley Scott and the appalling behavior of the men both women meet along the way. "Thelma & Louise" is today best-known as the breakthrough film for breakout film for Brad Pitt , but he's only one of the film's parade of awful, often violent men, including the rapist who begins the journey in the first place. With such overpowering adversity, it's no wonder Thelma and Louise are so tight-knit — they must make their bond as strong as the forces united against them. And their bond can sustain even the steepest fall from a cliff.

23. Little Miss Sunshine

"Little Miss Sunshine" was the sensation of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival (per IndieWire ), its story of a dysfunctional family trapped in a Volkswagen van on the way to a child beauty pageant in California proving irresistible to both critics and audiences. The famous images of the film, like the family chasing after the bright yellow Volkswagen, suggest the kind of quirky, Wes Anderson-inspired comedy that was all the rage in the 2000s. But like actual Wes Anderson movies , "Little Miss Sunshine" deals with real pain and hurt, trapping several very fragile people in a small space where they might all combust.

It's helped by having such a sturdy cast playing those fragile people, including Steve Carell in one of his first dramatic performances, a silent Paul Dano, an Oscar-winning Alan Arkin, and most of all an Oscar-nominated Abigail Breslin as the girl all this trouble is in service of. The movie might have collapsed into road-movie cliches without a strong presence anchoring it, and Breslin, then 10 years old, proves more than capable of being that presence.

24. Two-Lane Blacktop

The most existential of all road movies might be 1971's "Two-Lane Blacktop," where driving is the only way of life for its main characters. But they aren't driving with any destination in mind; they're driving because it's the one thing they know how to do. Car culture was a big part of the '60s and '70s, and "Two-Lane Blacktop" has a supporting part for Dennis Wilson, whose work with the Beach Boys helped to cement cars as the ultimate symbol of cool and independence. But it's not all fun for the characters of "Two-Lane Blacktop," with the emptiness of the road ahead of them also representing the emptiness of their own obsessions and personalities.

Shot on the famed Route 66, with minimal dialogue to distract from the scenery, "Two-Lane Blacktop" is not short on great shots of cars in motion. But "Two-Lane Blacktop" also decries the hollowness of making cars the centerpiece of one's life, showing that a lifestyle based solely on speed and appearance cannot be sustained. The film's most famous line is "Those satisfactions are permanent," but the pleasures prove to be a very impermanent, fleeting bliss that doesn't disguise much deeper troubles.

25. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

In addition to being one of the great road trip movies, "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" was also a breakout LGBTQ film when it was released in 1994, offering such a sunny view of its group of drag queens that it would be pointless to resist. The next year, America was already attempting its own "Priscilla" with the fellow drag-queen road movie "To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar," but it couldn't compete with the original, particularly regarding the gorgeous vistas passed by the central trio. The stunning deserts of the Australian Outback prove to be an ideal setting for a story with outrageous outfits and colors, offering a plain brown backdrop on top of which every outfit and character pops out.

Not that the characters need any help standing out, especially when they're brought to life with such exuberance and talent. Only Terence Stamp, playing the transgender matriarch of the group, was an internationally known actor at the time of the release of "Priscilla." But the film also catapulted its other two leads, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce, to their stardom. Even as all three actors are now almost three decades out from "Priscilla," it remains one of their crowning achievements, as well as one of the most infectiously cheerful road movies yet made.

26. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

One of the goofiest, most enjoyable road trips ever taken on film was the one taken by Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) as he searched for his lost bike in Tim Burton's feature directorial debut "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure." Pee-Wee would later become famous for his television show, where he created his own wacky universe, but in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," he travels through the real America and finds that it's just as silly as he is. Whether visiting dive bars, Hollywood backlots, or even The Alamo, he bends every place he visits to his own indescribable wavelength.

Burton has made flashier, more expensive movies since "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," but he's rarely made anything better. His work becomes so defined by production design and special effects after this that it's a shock to see him working mostly with real locations, making the natural world ridiculous rather than creating ridiculous worlds from scratch. And the road movie proves an ideal match for his love of middle-American eccentricity, where every new character Pee-Wee meets on his travels is an oddball in their own way. This remains Burton's funniest and sweetest movie, free of the bitter edge that distinguishes many Burton movies and instead celebrating the goofiness of life.

27. Something Wild

Jonathan Demme's "Something Wild" takes a sharp turn around its midpoint, turning from a joyous road comedy to something scarier and more intense. But all of "Something Wild" is united by Demme's love of the road and of the people you can meet along the way. Sometimes those people can change your life, like how Melanie Griffith's free-spirited Lulu gets Jeff Daniels' yuppie businessman Charlie to admit that he has a wilder side than he presents to the world. And other times they can threaten that life, like Ray Liotta as Lulu's malevolent ex-husband, Ray, who resolves to force Charlie out of Lulu's life and win her back.

Even as "Something Wild" gets dark, Demme still finds something magical in every location visited, and often in places that seem perfectly ordinary. A friendly convenience-store employee, a dog on the back of a motorcycle, and a waitress singing outside of a New York greasy spoon — these details all come to vibrant life in front of Demme's camera. Few people have taken a road trip involving this many wacky, endearing characters, but the world as Demme portrays is a better, brighter place than it is in real life. It's a joy to experience a road trip in this world, even if only for two hours.

The 27 best road trip movies to watch so you forget you're stuck at home

• Can't go anywhere right now? A good road trip movie could put you in a better mood.
• Here are the 27 all-time best.
• Classics like "Easy Rider" and "Thelma & Louise" are on our roundup.
• There are also more recent movies like "Logan" and "Magic Mike XXL." 
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories .

Hollywood has always had a soft spot for road trip movies, and some have become memorable not just for what was shown on screen, but what the spirit of the movie meant for the people who saw them.

Take "Easy Rider" for example, whose no-rules approach launched a new way that movies were made for decades. Or "Thelma & Louise," which was as much about female empowerment as it was about a movie about two people on the run from the law.

Here are 27 road trip movies (listed alphabetically) you should check out before heading on your own adventure:

"Almost Famous" (2000)

Cameron Crowe's love letter to the 1970s rock and roll scene, which he covered as a writer for Rolling Stone, is a fun look at adolescence, fame, and highlights the non-stop grind of a band being "on the road."

"The Blues Brothers" (1980)

John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd play two brothers on a mission from God. Trying to get on the straight-and-narrow after getting out of prison, Jake Blues (Belushi) and his brother Elwood (Aykroyd) decide to help raise the money the Catholic home they were raised in needs to stay open. That leads to a road trip around Illinois to get the band back together.

"Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" (2006)

With the help of director Larry Charles, Sacha Baron Cohen creates one of the funniest road trip movies ever made as he takes his character, Borat, to America to marry Pamela Anderson. But in the process, the movie highlights the US itself, as Borat travels the country doing everything from singing the Kazakhstan national anthem at a rodeo to hanging out with some fraternity kids.

"Dumb and Dumber" (1994)

In this Farrelly brothers classic, friends Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels) are convinced the gas man is out to get them after the death of their bird, so they decide to drive to Aspen to hand-deliver a briefcase the beautiful Mary (Lauren Holly) "forgot" at the airport. Oh, and they are hitting the road in a truck that's made up to look like a dog.

"Easy Rider" (1969)

It's the movie that launched the "New Hollywood" era of the 1970s and was made with little money and lots of drugs.

Directed by Dennis Hopper, the Hollywood bad boy also stars alongside Peter Fonda as two hippie bikers (Jack Nicholson also shows up) who travel from LA to New Orleans after cashing in on smuggling cocaine from Mexico. On their freewheeling trip, they find an America that's split between the stuffy establishment and the younger generation that is starving for change.

"The End of the Tour" (2015)

The days of conversations between Rolling Stone reporter David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) and author David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) are beautifully profiled in director James Ponsoldt's intimate story that has the two men interacting while on the road for Wallace's book tour.

"Into the Wild" (2007)

Based on a true story, Christopher McCandless' quest to go off the grid and hitchhike to Alaska to live in the wilderness is a powerful exploration of human desire and the kindness of strangers.

"It Happened One Night" (1934)

Frank Capra's famous movie is romantic comedy at its best. Claudette Colbert plays a spoiled heiress running from home, and Clark Gable is a reporter who finally thinks he's found a story that will get him some attention as he follows her to New York. But it will be forever known for its hitchhiking scene in which Colbert's character gets them a ride by pulling up her skirt to show off her legs.

"Little Miss Sunshine" (2006)

Filled with an all-star cast including Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, Paul Dano, Alan Arkin, and Abigail Breslin, we follow a dysfunctional family as they jump in a VW bus to drive the young Olive (Breslin) on a cross-country trip to the finals of a beauty pageant she's competing in.

"Logan" (2017)

Marking the coda of the Hugh Jackman era as Wolverine, director James Mangold delivers a somber drama of the superhero's final days. Here he and Charles Xavier set out to drive a young mutant to a refuge in North Dakota. That sounds simple, but it definitely isn't.

"Magic Mike XXL" (2015)

In this fantastic sequel to the 2012 original, Mike (Channing Tatum) sets out on the road with the remaining members of the Kings of Tampa in a food truck to Myrtle Beach for one final performance.

"Midnight Run" (1988)

Robert De Niro is fantastic in this foul-mouthed comedy as bounty hunter Jack Walsh who plans to cash in when he tracks down a sneaky accountant (played by Charles Grodin) who has jumped bail.

But with the FBI, other bounty hunters, and the mob also trying to get their hands on his bounty, things aren't easy for Jack.

"The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004)

Based on the Che Guevara memoir he wrote before becoming the Marxist revolutionary, Gael García Bernal plays young Guevara who, in 1952, went on a trip across South America with his friend Alberto Granado (Rodrigo de la Serna). The experience shaped Guevara's life as it showed him the injustices of the world.

"The Muppet Movie" (1979)

Marking the first time the Muppets appear on the big screen, Kermit, Fozzie Bear and the rest of the gang go on a cross-country drive to Hollywood in hopes of making it big. A load of cameos, songs, and hilarity occur along the way.

"National Lampoon's Vacation" (1983)

This classic from director Harold Ramis stars Chevy Chase as one of his most memorable characters, Clark W. Griswold, the ambitious father whose vacation plans always never work out.

Clark takes the family cross-country to Walley World and in the process leaves chaos in his wake.

"On the Road" (2012)

Based on the iconic Jack Kerouac novel, Sam Riley plays the book's narrator, Sal Paradise, who after meeting Dean (Garrett Hedlund) and Marylou (Kristen Stewart), head on a free-spirited road trip across the country.

"Over the Top" (1987)

Sylvester Stallone plays trucker and arm wrestling pro Lincoln Hawk who needs to get to Las Vegas to compete in the world arm wrestling tournament. But he also has to get his estranged son to his dying mother. This all leads to a big-rig father-and-son road trip.

"Pee-wee's Big Adventure" (1985)

A loose parody of Vittorio De Sica's classic "Bicycle Thieves," Tim Burton makes his own classic around the zany antics of Paul Reubens' hit character Pee-wee Herman.

The movie follows the "boy" as he goes to search of his stolen bike, which he's been told by a psychic is in the basement of the Alamo (spoiler alert: there's no basement in the Alamo).

"Planes, Trains & Automobiles" (1987)

Steve Martin and John Candy play two men who suddenly have to become travel companions as they try to get home for the holidays. Written and directed by John Hughes, Martin and Candy together are a delight.

"Rain Man" (1988)

Tom Cruise plays sleazy Charlie Babbitt and Dustin Hoffman is his brother Raymond, who suffers from savant syndrome. Hoping to cash in on the fortune Raymond got from their father, Charlie sets the two out on a cross-country trip leading to a lot of self-discovery.

If you've never seen Barry Levinson's Oscar-winning movie, now's the time.

"Road Trip" (2000)

Of course "Road Trip" was going to be on this list. Todd Phillips' insane raunchy comedy about four college friends on a race against time to retrieve a sex tape sent in the mail to one of their girlfriends is always a fun watch.

"Smokey and the Bandit" (1977)

Burt Reynolds teams with his pal and longtime stunt double Hal Needham for his first directing effort, and it would go on to become a classic road trip movie.

Reynolds plays a fast-driving bootlegger who has to transport 400 cases of Coors beer safely from Texarkana to Atlanta. But things get complicated when Reynolds picks up a runaway bride (played by Sally Field) along the way.

"The Straight Story" (1999)

In one of David Lynch's most traditional storytelling offerings, Richard Farnsworth plays a man who sets out on a trip via riding a lawnmower to make things right with his ill brother.

The story is based on a real-life event, in which Alvin Straight traveled 240 miles from Iowa to Wisconsin on a lawnmower.

"Stranger Than Paradise" (1984)

Jim Jarmusch's second feature film follows Willie and his friend Eddie as they set out on a road trip to Cleveland to visit Willie's cousin from Hungary, Eva.

The movie went on to be regarded as a landmark work in the independent film world for its unconventional long takes and do-it-yourself aesthetic.

"Thelma & Louise" (1991)

Ridley Scott's look at the road-trip-turned-manhunt adventure of friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) is arguably more powerful today because of the #MeToo than when it opened in the early 1990s.

"Tommy Boy" (1995)

Perhaps the best Chris Farley/David Spade collaboration, in this one Farley plays an underachieving college graduate who suddenly has to travel the nation (with Spade as the geeky sidekick) to keep the accounts for his auto-parts family business after his father dies. This one truly shows off Farley's high-energy comedy greatness.

"Y Tu Mamá También" (2001)

Director Alfonso Cuarón received a best screenplay Oscar nomination with his brother Carlos for this powerful road trip movie that made Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal international stars.

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Screen Rant

The 17 best road trip movies of all time.

Some films are at their best when the characters are on the move. Here are the 17 best road trip movies of all time.

The basest definition of a road trip is simply this: a person or people moving across a great distance, usually in an automobile. Road trips, despite our romantic cultural idea of them, are usually unremarkable chores – moving (the worst), driving home for the holidays, heading to school, etc. Even when driving to a vacation, the travel usually ends up being the worst part. Exciting, sure; but eventually those trips drone, and drone, and drone and… are we there yet?

In cinema, though, road trips are important in ways that seldom match reality. Some are heroes’ journeys, transformative experiences that elevate characters or bring them to age. Others are farcical comedies of error, presenting hilarious roadblocks and setbacks that exist only in fiction. Some are both, and few are neither. Despite having tonal differences and unique genre elements, road trip movies constitute a category all themselves. This list is about the best of that category.

These are the 17 Greatest Road Trip Movies of All Time.

17. Road Trip

Road Trip is a time capsule, stuffed with what young adults found funny around start of the century. The film grossed $120 Million against a $16 million dollar budget, and the credits list includes names like Seann William Scott, Amy Smart, Fred Ward, and Tom Green. If those names don’t induce flashbacks, maybe the film’s plot will.

Road Trip is about a college kid who, as a way to maintain a long distance relationship with his girlfriend, films himself in daily video blogs. On tape . He then mails the tape – in the mail – across the country to his girlfriend. This system works fine, until a tape that captured the boyfriend’s infidelity is accidentally mailed. So he and his friends get in an car and drive across the country to try to intercept the tape.

The film is ultimately a forgettable entry in the road trip genre – it comes in last on the list, included because its premise is an homage to the road trip itself, and because its name is, well, Road Trip.

16. Zombieland

Some film road trips are quests of self-discovery. Some serve practical purposes, like recovering an accidental sex-tape or heading to vacation. Or running from zombies.

When Zombieland arrived in theaters in 2009, we saw a polar extreme of road trip insanity. Starring Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eiesenberg, and Abigail Breslin, the film takes place in a world ravaged by the zombie apocalypse. These characters aren’t traversing the country on some field trip, they are desperately (and hilariously) seeking asylum - and twinkies.

As with any good road trip, barriers are broken down in the film, and relationships are formed.  When we first meet the protagonists of Zombieland , they identify themselves by birthplace exclusively (“ Hi, I’m Columbus ”) as a way to resist forming bonds, but by the end of the film romances spark and surprising friendships form. The film presents the road trip as a transformative event, with a satisfying emotional payoff. Plus a whole lot of zombies ( and maybe more to come) .

Borat : Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan , which we will call simply Borat moving forward, was either ahead of its time or timeless in its lampooning of xenophobia, homophobia, and jingoism in America. Sacha Baron Cohen plays the film's titular character, driving cross country to do two things: chronicle American culture, and find Pamela Anderson, who he saw on TV and is determined to take for a wife.

There’s a chance that whatever freshness or edginess  defined Borat when it released has been worn away, blunted by the bad impressions and recountings that were inescapable for a long time after the film’s initial release. But what Borat did as a road trip film was ingenious. By perverting the relationship between road trip and country (a relationship usually defined by discovery, and understanding), Sacha Baron Cohen turned a fun house mirror toward our national image. It was hilarious.

14. Mad Max: Fury Road

Fury Road is one of two things: it is either a stretched definition of “road trip”, or it is the apotheosis of “road trip”. We lean toward the latter. The film’s protagonists, Max (Tom Hardy) and Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) do, in fact, complete two long journeys in a truck, and all the hallmarks of a film road trip are present. The pressures of travel reveal hidden truths about the characters, who both discover each other and discover themselves. Relationships are formed; others, more destructive, are shed.

That the “pressures of travel” in this case includes radiated war-boys launching fire spears into trucks, sandstorms destroying caravans, and one faceless man playing a flamethrower guitar do not in any way discount the road-trip tropes highlighted above. If anything, the unique perils of this particular trip reinforce what we love about travel films, at the same time adding some of the best action  films anyone has ever seen.

13. Into The Wild

Into The Wild doesn’t follow the normal road trip format, usually including one or more characters in a car on the way to wherever, only to discover that the trip itself was more important than the destination. For Into The Wild , and the film’s protagonist Chris McCandless (Emile Hirsch), the trip was never about anything other than the trip, destinations be damned.

In Into The Wild , McCandless strips himself of society’s strappings entirely, and resigns himself to travel wherever the wind blows. The film’s perspective is ultimately disturbing, but refreshingly original – what starts predictably as a paean to nature and a condemnation of society turns into a nightmare, as McCandless’ life comes to its conclusion, alone and afraid, having misjudged just how cruel nature could truly be.

The films’ finish is depressing and confounding, but it succeeds in playing sickly with our expectations of how road trips and retreats are supposed to work – the protagonist in this story may have found himself, but part of that discovery was just how unequipped he was to deal with his surroundings in the end.

12. Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine is the indie film that other indie films use as a success marker, after grossing $100 million at the box office against an $8-million-dollar budget and was nominated for four academy awards. Its easy to see how the film was so successful; it nimbly presents a funny and heartfelt story that could have easily been cloyingly sweet in the wrong hands.

The film follows a family, dysfunctional in their own way, that travels across the country to enter their youngest girl in a beauty pageant. The family consists of personalities that defy convenient descriptors. A teenage son, in the middle of a vow of silence until he becomes a test pilot. A scholarly brother, who also happens to be homosexual and is recovering from a suicide attempt. A grandfather, booted from his retirement home for snorting heroin.

The trip in Little Miss Sunshine brings the family together, moves them past the petty conflicts of the film’s early going. Instead of changing for one another, though, the family becomes galvanized around Abigail Breslin’s character, happy to be with each other even though they are all screwed up In one way or another.

11. Rain Man

It’s shocking now – with the tent pole culture that pervades our theaters – that Rain Man was the highest grossing film of 1988. But it was, with $354 million against a budget of twenty-five and four Oscar wins (including Best Picture and Best Actor) to boot. The film follows Tom Cruise as Charlie, a slick salesman with debts to pay. Charlie’s father passes away and leaves the family’s considerable wealth to Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), a brother Charlie never knew existed. Raymond is an autistic savant who is living at a mental institution at the film’s start.

The road trip in Rain Man is predictably transformative for Charlie, who starts the film as a slave to his own self-interest and finishes with a newfound perspective on what relationships can mean.  As the two brothers travel from Cincinnati to Los Angeles, hampered by the restrictions of Raymond’s condition, Charlie discovers his brother to be more than just a roadblock in front of the family fortune.

10. The Motorcycle Diaries

The Motorcycle Diaries is as much an ode to the road movie genre as it is a biopic of a young Che Guevara as he traverses the South American continent by, you guessed it, motorcycle. The film could have been a by-the-numbers historical recounting of a revolutionary in the making, but it instead takes a romantic stance toward the road trip as a transformation event. It’s poetic, while still historically accurate.

The film adapts the real life memoirs of Che Guevara, the story of his journey across South America during his last year of medical school. Ostensibly traveling to volunteer at a leper colony, Guevara and his riding partner are confronted with the disparity between the upper class that they belong to and the abject poverty that they discover along the way. The Motorcycle Diaries makes the road trip multifunctional – it is a tool of personal discovery, of chronicling a continent, and of forming a revolutionary.

9. Almost Famous

At the intersection of road movie and coming-of-age movie, you can find Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical   Almost Famous , a story about a teenage rock and roll journalist and the band he is following.

At his best, Crowe is adept at toeing the line between oversweet sentimentality and sharp emotional resonance. Almost Famous is Crowe at his best. The film follows William Miller, a budding music critic with only fifteen years of life under his belt. He follows Stillwater - a band on the rise - across the country, discovering on the way what it feels like to fall in love, be accepted, make friends, be let down, be rejected, and be embarrassed. If the hallmark of road trip films is travel as a conduit for change, Almost Famous is that idea distilled down to its core.

A young Patrick Fugit gave depth and life to the main character of William, alongside a star studded cast including Kate Hudson in the role of Penny Lane, veteran groupie. All the characters in the tour bus are tainted, broken in one way or another, and yet they are all likeable. It makes for an intoxicating mixture of joy and sadness, and a trip that we would love to take.

8. Y Tu Mama Tambien

Y Tu Mama Tambien is a 2001 film directed by Alfonso Cuaron that follows two teenagers and a woman in her twenties as they traverse Mexico in search of a particular secluded beach. Cuaron would go on to direct giant, visionary films like Gravity and Children of Men , but Y Tu Mama Tambien is a small, ruthlessly intimate tale.

Some road trip films, specifically about young men discovering themselves, presents sexuality as an end goal, something worth traveling to discover. Not even sex, the act; just a character’s own sexuality, the threshold between boyhood and manhood. Y Tu Mama Tambien presents sexuality as a nuclear bomb. The two protagonists cling to their illicit history with women, and strive to sexualize themselves in the eyes of the world. That quest eventually destroys the foundation of their relationship, as they divulge corrosive truths about themselves and cross lines that cannot be uncrossed.

That summary may feel vague, because it is. The film itself is starkly explicit and frank in ways that we really can’t be here. Its presentation of sexuality is aggressively subversive, and it’s use of the road trip as a tool for that subversion is startling. It is a singular entry into the road movie genre, and one that will stay with you for a while after the trip has ended.

7. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle

Harold and Kumar  Go to White Castle is road-trip-as-farce, with two titular characters that - after engaging in some recreational drug activity - decide to make the quest to White Castle for hamburgers. On its surface, the film is indistinct from other stoner comedies like Half Baked , How High, et al. What sets it apart is the film’s characters, which are fully realized and relatable, and the lead actors, who breathe life into a film that is otherwise constricted by the well-tread genre that defines it.

Harold and Kumar, played by John Cho and Kal Penn, are markedly different from the other slackers and underachievers that often populate comedies like this one. They are both second generation immigrants, and both relatively high achievers. The impetus for their drug-addled escapade isn’t arrested development. Instead, it’s the reality that maybe they don’t have agency over their lives at a crucial age. Kumar (Penn) must decide whether he wants to be a doctor, or whether he is fulfilling a destiny that he didn’t choose, a destiny that he also feels is completely ethnically unoriginal. Harold is a lonely investment banker, stagnating and in unrequited love with his neighbor.

The characters are easily relatable, have tangible feelings and goals, and are as such sympathetic figures to their audience. Like any good road movie, they change along the way, discovering their true desires and regaining power over their choices.

6. The Straight Story

The Straight Story is based on the true events surrounding Alvin Straight’s journey across Iowa and Wisconsin. The fact that Alvin’s journey takes place on a lawn mower is just the first in a series of distinctions between The Straight Story and other road trip films.

Richard Farnsworth stars as Alvin, an elderly man who lives with his daughter. He is visited with the news that his estranged brother has suffered a stroke, prompting Alvin to visit him before he dies and make amends. Alvin, saddled with the physical impairments that come with advanced age, can’t procure a driver’s license. So, determined, he makes the journey on his extremely slow lawn tractor.

David Lynch directed the film, shooting the entire movie along the actual route Alvin took to find his brother. The Straight Story was nominated for the palm d’or at Cannes film festival in 1999, and was released to nearly unanimous critical acclaim.  It stands apart from Lynch’s normally byzantine works , as an accessible and touching film – one that uses the road trip as a way for Alvin to meet numerous characters along the way and have heartfelt, meaningful interactions with each of them before eventually achieving his goal.

5. Vacation (1983)

Vacation is both outrageously funny and truly poignant in a way that few other films are. By now, the story is well known – Clark Griswald ( Chevy Chase ) is a harried and overmatched husband and father of two who wants only to provide a quality vacation for his family, one devoid of complications.

That Griswold is not a taskmaster, but rather a loving and caring dad and husband, only heightens the comic tragedy of the whole endeavor. Vacation ’s lesson is simple, and instantly relatable: no family is perfect, and nothing ever goes as planned. The canned experiences, the plastic amusement parks and hokey tourist traps aren’t what make family vacations memorable. It’s the diversions, the incidents that could only happen to your family, that make otherwise unremarkable experiences memorable.

Now, Vacation takes that idea to extreme heights, as any good comedy would.  Everything that can go wrong does go wrong, from the vehicle itself, to lost currency, car accidents, crazy relatives, and at least one dead dog. Clark drives himself to the brink of insanity trying to overcome this series of unfortunate events, only to find out that the family’s destination is not even open for business.

It was a blueprint that served for four more sequels, of varying quality. Vacation kept returning to the well, ultimately because we are all Griswalds to one degree or another.

4. Dumb and Dumber

Road trips rarely come funnier than Dumb and Dumber , a comedy of errors about two friends – Harry and Lloyd - driving across the country to return a briefcase of money to its rightful owner. Harry and Lloyd are painfully unaware that a crime syndicate is also after that money, and that their safety is very much in question from the moment they embark.

Unlike other films on this list, Dumb and Dumber doesn’t have much to say about the inherent power of road trips, besides as a plot device. That the film isn’t exactly lyrical about the  forces of travel doesn’t detract from its humor, though, and that is ultimately the point of the entire exercise. What makes the characters of Dumb and Dumber so hilarious is precisely that they don’t change, that they refuse to change, that they don’t even acknowledge change as an option.  They can’t be transformed by the road trip, because their very essence makes that impossible.

The film, despite being pretty blue in its humor, is actually thoughtful in that regard. Where most road trip films zig, Dumb and Dumber zags. If the movie concluded with its idiot protagonists having learned something, it would feel cheap, unearned. Instead, when Harry and Lloyd unthinkingly pass up the opportunity to be oil boys for a busload of models at the film’s end, only to continue walking on foot, it feels hilariously perfect .

3. Thelma and Louise

Thelma and Louise is a road trip film with something to say, something prescient and relevant today that was remarkably ahead of its time in 1991. The film follows two friends , Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) who take to the road for a two-day vacation. What begins as a regular retreat ends in disaster, marked by murder, robbery, and suicide.

The film’s attitude toward male oppression - and the appropriate female response - is complicated, and difficult to unpack in this space. The titular characters have both been affected by male violence in one way or another, and their decision to deliver  retribution in kind ultimately leads to their untimely death.

The above description might make an uninitiated reader expect Thelma and Louise to be dark, disturbing, and tragic - and it is that. But remarkably, the film is also vibrant and funny, populated with characters that jump off the screen. Whether it is a truly feminist statement, or an armed and violent perversion of feminist ideology, or anti-male, or none of the above is really is an argument for a different space entirely. We are concerned with Thelma and Louise as a road trip movie, and it succeeds in being a completely unique and rewarding entry in that category.

2. The Blues Brothers

In road trip films, by definition, the travel serves a purpose; it isn’t just a matter of circumstance. T he Blues Brothers might just be the exception that proves the rule in that regard. The trip in question isn’t one of self-discovery, or transformation. The miles logged don’t have inherent power or value. Instead, the road trip in The Blues Brother  gives the film itself shape. As characters move from one place to the next, the film gains momentum and the stakes grow exponentially higher.

Jake and Elwood Blues are a pair of seedy musicians, seeking to save the boys home where they grew up from closure, if only to give themselves some form of redemption. To do so, they must reassemble their old group and play music for money. To a certain extent, that is the gist of the entire film. What actually appears on screen, though, is a demolition opera, complete with car chases, crashes, shootouts, and fantastic musical numbers. The road trip doesn’t contribute to the film’s function, but it certainly defines the film’s form.

1. Easy Rider

This list began with Road Trip , a time capsule distinctly from the year 2000. We will finish it with Easy Rider , the best road movie of all time and a film unmistakably from 1969.

Easy Rider is all about the trip. The film presents two protagonists, latched onto a reality that is quickly disappearing around them. The two are free spirits, counter-cultural travelers at the end of the sixties - a time when ideas of renegade spirit and true freedom were slowly corroding. Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy ( Dennis Hopper ), travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans by motorcycle, hoping to make it in time for Mardi Gras. They are flush with cash from a recent drug deal and open to whatever the road has in store for them.

What they find is unexpected – it seems the country, at least where they are, isn’t as welcoming to free spirited weirdos as it once was. Wyatt and Billy, two bikers who just want a taste of true freedom and the road, stand out in the small towns and rural communities along their trail. They are marked as outsiders, vagrants, and tragedy ultimately befalls them.

It’s a tale that couldn’t possibly have been told in one place. The road trip was vital in unearthing the truth about America, at least the truth that the filmmakers and the protagonists were living. Easy Rider is the quintessential road movie, and the best the category has to offer.

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The 10 Best Road Trip Movies, from ‘It Happened One Night’ to ‘Easy Rider’

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A good road trip is one of the most cinematic experiences that a person can have in real life. Different cities and landscapes blur together as scenery flies by your windows and day gradually turns into night. The car can begin to feel like an isolated bubble where nothing matters except the people inside. Whether you’re laughing and singing with friends, fighting with your family, or simply letting your thoughts settle while you drive solo, road trips seem to stop time and create distinct memories that can be revisited over and over again .  

So it’s not surprising that filmmakers have been inspired by road trips for as long as there have been movies. From the titans of the Old Hollywood studio system to international arthouse auteurs and contemporary independent directors, virtually every great filmmaker has tried their hand at a road trip movie at one point or another. Locations and genres can change, but the motif of people going from one place to another in a car is one of the building blocks of the international language of cinema.  

Road trip movies are versatile enough to encompass a wide variety of subject matter, but they often fall into two genres: comedies and contemplative dramas. The road trip comedy is a Hollywood standard because its built-in structure (characters need to get somewhere in a finite amount of time and are stuck together in a small space) lends itself to endless funny scenarios. From disgruntled fathers driving their badly-behaved children to strangers who fall in love after being forced to travel together, cars serve as confined spaces that allow a variety of relationships to flourish. On the other end of the spectrum, you have dramas from auteurs like Wim Wenders and Ingmar Bergman that see the road as a place for humans to think. Those films prioritize the destination much less than the self-discovery that can take place when you’re not in any particular rush to get somewhere.  

The road trip movie has endured for over a century, and its timeless appeal means that it’s unlikely to disappear any time soon. Keep reading for ten of our favorites, listed in chronological order.  

“It Happened One Night” (1934)

What It Is:  The archetypal Hollywood romantic comedy, Frank Capra’s “It Happened One Night” stars Claudette Colbert as pampered socialite Ellie, who boards a Greyhound bus from Florida to New York City to reunite with her new husband, pilot King Westley (Jameson Thomas), after her father attempts to annul the marriage. Unused to fending for herself, she ends up relying on the help of sarcastic newspaper reporter Peter (Clark Gable) to make the journey, despite despising his personality. At least at first — hitchhiking adventures and stays in motels quickly cause sparks to fly between the mismatched pair.

Perfect For:  Couples looking for date night films, “Looney Tunes” fans who want to watch the Gable performance that inspired Bugs Bunny, and lovers of pretty much every romantic comedy made in the last nine decades. —WC

“Wild Strawberries” (1957)

What It Is:  Not exactly the fun road trip romp the genre usually promises, “Wild Strawberries” uses a long car ride as the backdrop for a surreal exploration of aging, loneliness, and death. Ingmar Bergman’s film stars Victor Sjöström as cold-hearted professor Isak Borg, who is set to receive a lifetime achievement award for his career in bacteriology. On the drive to the university where the ceremony will take place, he’s accompanied by his pregnant daughter-in-law Marianne (Ingrid Thulin) and a group of young hitchhikers — one of whom is a double in looks and name for his childhood sweetheart Sara (played by Bibi Andersson). Over the course of the trip, Isak slowly warms to his younger companions, and experiences a series of flashbacks and dreams that forces him to confront the impending end of his life and his many regrets from his empty existence.

Perfect For:  Existential types, dying old men, and those whose only exposure to Bergman’s films are the HBO “Scenes From a Marriage” remake and the chess scene from “Seventh Seal.” —WC

“Easy Rider” (1969)

What It Is : A counterculture classic, Dennis Hopper’s “Easy Rider” stars the director and Peter Fonda as two drug-smuggling motorcyclists on a journey from Los Angeles to New Orleans, where they’re hoping to celebrate Mardi Gras. Along the road, they encounter a colorful cast of hippies, free love commune residents, addicts, prostitutes, and other outsiders. Their free-wheeling adventures are contrasted by the judgment they face from small town types and law enforcement looking to lock them up.

Perfect For:  Rebels, stoners, general miscreants everywhere, and fans of the iconic rock bands like The Byrds, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Steppenwolf that soundtrack the film. —WC

“Two-Lane Blacktop” (1971)

What It Is: “Two Lane Blacktop” is so clearly a product of its time that we could never hope to reverse engineer it. But when watched in 2023, it’s a fascinating countercultural artifact and a remnant of a film industry that now looks completely unrecognizable. Monte Hellman’s portrait of youthful angst and the freedom of the open road stars James Taylor and Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson as speed-obsessed drifters whose encounter with a mysterious driver named GTO prompts them to embark on a cross-country race.

Who It’s For:  Anyone with a need for speed and pop culture geeks who enjoy seeing famous non-actors trying to act. —CZ

“Paris, Texas” (1984)

What It Is: After making a name for himself in the German arthouse scene with his Road Movie Trilogy consisting of “Alice in the Cities,” “The Wrong Move,” and “Kings of the Road,” Wim Wenders brought his brand of contemplative cinema to America and made his magnum opus. “Paris, Texas” tells the story of a broken man (Harry Dean Stanton) wandering through the desert before his brother finds him and convinces him to reconnect with the family he walked out on. Wenders continued to find poetry in the loneliness of the road, and the desolate American scenery and Stanton’s heartbreakingly expressive face ended up being the best muses of his career. 

Perfect For:  Fans of slow cinema and anyone looking to brush up on the 20th century’s most impressive works of filmmaking. —CZ

“Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” (1985)

What It Is: After developing a cult following from his stage show at the Roxy, Paul Reubens brought his comedic persona known as Pee-Wee Herman to the big screen in a whimsical road trip comedy directed by a young animator named Tim Burton. The film sees the idiosyncratic man-child traveling across the country to recover his stolen bike — and using his charm and joie de vivre to defuse conflicts with all of the shady characters he meets along the way. 

Perfect for: Loners, rebels, and anyone who wants to revisit the work of a comedic genius at the height of his powers. —CZ

“Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” (1987)

What It Is:  John Hughes’ holiday classic stars Steve Martin and John Candy as a mismatched pair of travelers who team up to make it home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Martin’s suave ad executive constantly clashes with Candy’s bumbling shower curtain ring salesman as their cursed trip leads them onto — you guessed it — planes, trains, and automobiles in an attempt to get home before the holiday ends. Utterly ridiculous until it gets touching, the film is one of the strongest entries in the seemingly endless string of hits that Hughes churned out in the 1980s. 

Perfect For:  Families at Thanksgiving and anyone on a delayed flight who wants to remember that things could be so much worse. —CZ

“Thelma & Louise” (1991)

What It Is:  Ridley Scott and screenwriter Callie Khouri flipped the script on the conventional gender roles of the buddy comedy genre, opting to tell a story about two women having a blast while running from the law. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis give career-best performances as the eponymous duo — and both picked up well-derved Oscar nominations for Best Actress. The film is best remembered for its shockingly bold ending, but stands out as one of the 20th century’s most vibrant portrayals of friendship and the highways of America.

Who It’s For:  Ridley Scott completionist s, feminist film scholars, and anyone in the mood for a great time. —CZ

“The Straight Story” (David Lynch, 1999)

What It Is: Perhaps the biggest anomaly in David Lynch’s filmography, “The Straight Story” saw the beloved auteur shifting away from surrealism to tell a G-rated story of a man who travels the country on a riding lawnmower. While the Disney movie doesn’t feature any of the twisted nightmares that define many of Lynch’s best works, it’s filled with the wholesome Americana imagery that appears throughout his filmography. The film is a reminder that for all of his signature stylistic flourishes, Lynch is a filmmaker whose grasp of the fundamentals allow him to tell compelling stories without hiding behind bells and whistles.

Perfect for:  Anyone whose favorite parts of “Twin Peaks” were the wholesome small town antics. —CZ

“Little Miss Sunshine” (2006)

What It Is:  One of the most darkly amusing road trip comedies in recent memory follows the plight of a dysfunctional family who takes an 800-mile road trip to support their daughter’s entry in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. Piling into a van that’s breaking down almost as rapidly as the familial ties that bind them, they find themselves confronting their delusional dreams and long-simmering resentments (and a horn that never stops honking). While “Little Miss Sunshine” is a classic example of the “Sundance road trip movie” trope that’s often maligned in indie film circles, there’s no denying that it’s one of the best entries in the subgenre. 

Perfect For:  Anyone who is beginning to question their belief that child beauty pageants are an unambiguous societal good. —CZ

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17 Essential Road Trip Movies That'll Have You Craving the Open Road

Let's hit the road.

Rev your engines and hit the pedal for an unforgettable adventure as we dive into the world of the best road trip movies. These films aren't just about getting from point A to B — they're a wild ride full of laughter, friendship and the kind of chaos that can only happen on the open road. As the asphalt stretches ahead, characters find themselves on transformative voyages, both in the literal and metaphorical sense. Whether it's a band of quirky friends, a reluctant pairing of two completely opposite characters or a lone traveler in pursuit of a deeper meaning, these films navigate far more than sprawling highways and convoluted road maps.

Road trip movies are the ultimate recipe for fun, mixing in unexpected and bizarre pit stops, outrageous characters and the kind of bonding that can only happen when you're stuck in a car together for days on end. So buckle up, because we're about to cruise through a curated list of the most entertaining, laugh-out-loud and heartwarming road trip flicks that'll make you want to grab your friends, hit the road and create some unforgettable memories of your own.

Here are the 17 best films about road trips ever made.

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Who's in it: Steve Carrell, Alan Arkin, Paul Dano, Toni Collette, Abigail Breslin

A dysfunctional family sets off on a hilarious road trip to get their young daughter Olive to a beauty pageant. With a VW bus as their vessel, they navigate absurd obstacles, personal quirks and unexpected revelations, learning that winning might not be everything but the journey itself is a triumph of togetherness.

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

Warner Bros.

Who's in it: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Dana Barron, Anthony Michael Hall

The Griswold family embarks on a chaotic cross-country expedition to reach the ultimate destination: the amusement park Walley World. Along the way, they encounter a series of hysterical misadventures that turn their vacation into a side-splitting roller coaster of mishaps and mayhem.

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

Who's in it: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Brad Pitt, Harvey Keitel

Seeking an escape from their mundane lives, friends Thelma and Louise embark on a liberating road trip. However, a series of tragic events lead them down an unexpected path, turning their journey into a thrilling and unforgettable adventure of empowerment and self-discovery.

Almost Famous (2000)

DreamWorks Distribution, LLC.

Who's in it: Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, Anna Paquin

A young music enthusiast lands a gig writing for a rock band on tour. As he navigates the world of rock 'n' roll, he experiences a whirlwind of backstage antics, heartaches and self-discovery. This coming-of-age road trip through the music scene of the 1970s becomes a transformative journey of love, passion and growth.

Into the Wild (2007)

Paramount Vantage

Who's in it: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt

Based on a true story, this film follows Christopher McCandless as he abandons his conventional life to trek across North America's wilderness. His quest for a deeper connection with nature and his own soul takes him on a road less traveled, testing his limits and leading to a contemplative exploration of freedom and isolation.

Tommy Boy (1995)

Who's in it: Chris Farley, BO Derek, David Spade, Dan Aykroyd

After his father's death, an inept but well-meaning heir to an auto parts factory embarks on a cross-country road trip to save the family business. Alongside his reluctant assistant, he dives into a series of comedic escapades, transforming their journey into an uproarious adventure of friendship and redemption.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

Who's in it:  Steve Martin, John Candy, Kevin Bacon

In a desperate bid to get home for Thanksgiving, an uptight executive and a lovable but obnoxious shower ring salesman endure a calamitous journey. As their flight gets rerouted, the duo navigates a series of mishaps involving various modes of transportation, resulting in a hilariously heartfelt exploration of friendship and patience. It's also one of the most memorable Thanksgiving movies to add to your holiday watch list.

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

Getty Images

Who's in it:  Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels

Two dim-witted friends embark on a road trip to return a briefcase to its rightful owner, unknowingly becoming ensnared in a criminal conspiracy. Their comically inept adventures take them across the country, with each blunder leading to side-splitting chaos and unexpected encounters.

Midnight Run (1988)

Universal Pictures

Who's in it: Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin, Dennis Farina

A bounty hunter is tasked with apprehending a bail-jumping mob accountant. Their cross-country pursuit is fraught with obstacles as they dodge both the mob and the FBI. This action-packed road trip blends buddy comedy with thrilling intrigue, resulting in a whirlwind of quips and high-stakes escapades.

Road Trip (2000)

DreamWorks SKG

Who's in it:  Todd Phillips, Breckin Meyer, Amy Smart, Seann William Scott

In a desperate attempt to save his relationship, a college student hits the road with his friends to retrieve an incriminating videotape he mistakenly sent to his long-distance girlfriend. This raunchy comedy navigates a series of wild detours, outrageous mishaps and unexpected adventures, all in the name of love and redemption.

Rain Man (1988)

Who's in it:  Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Bonnie Hunt, Valeria Golino

When a young man discovers his estranged father has left his fortune to an older brother he never knew existed, they embark on a road trip to forge a connection. With the older brother's autism spectrum disorder adding a layer of complexity, the journey becomes a heartwarming exploration of family and understanding.

Easy Rider (1969)

Who's in it: Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson, Karen Black

Two counterculture bikers travel across the American Southwest in search of freedom and the true essence of America. Their journey is symbolic of the turbulent 1960s, exploring themes of rebellion, self-discovery and the clash between traditional values and the changing cultural landscape.

Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Who's in it: Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Maribel Verdú

In this Mexican coming-of-age road trip drama, two friends embark on a trip with an older woman in search of a secluded beach. Along the way, their friendships and desires are tested as they grapple with the complexities of relationships, intimacy and the passage from youth to adulthood.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Universal Picture

Who's in it: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi

To save the orphanage they grew up in, two soul-singing brothers set off on a mission from God to put their old band back together and raise funds through a benefit concert. Their journey becomes a high-energy musical odyssey, replete with outrageous car chases, wild stunts and iconic performances.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

Twentieth Century Fox

Who's in it: Sacha Baron Cohen, Pamela Anderson

In this mockumentary comedy, the titular Kazakh journalist embarks on a cross-country journey across America, encountering unsuspecting citizens and exposing the absurdities of their beliefs and behaviors. Through outrageous encounters and cringe-worthy situations, the film satirizes cultural differences and societal norms.

Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)

Warner Bros

Who's in it: Paul Reubens

Eccentric man-child Pee-wee Herman embarks on a whimsical quest to recover his stolen bicycle, leading him on a cross-country adventure filled with quirky characters and surreal landscapes. With boundless energy and childlike wonder, Pee-wee's journey becomes a colorful and lighthearted exploration of imagination and determination.

Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Universal Studios

Who's in it: Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason

A trucker and his partner-in-crime take on a high-stakes challenge: smuggling a shipment of Coors beer across state lines while eluding a determined sheriff in hot pursuit. This action-packed road trip comedy boasts high-speed chases, witty banter and a dose of Southern charm, making it a classic of its genre.

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The 25 Best Road Trip Movies Ever

Nomadland is the latest in a long and treasured genre.

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Nomadland is the latest in a long line of movies that suggests packing up your belongings, speeding off, and exploring as many cities and countries as possible really is the right way to live.

Writer and director Chloe Zhao and the always imperious Frances McDormand have rightfully received critical acclaim for their work on the drama, which is released on Hulu on February, 19, and is fully expected to be a frontrunner during awards season.

Nomadland will be particularly resonant for travelers when you consider how excruciating the last 12 months have been. Rather than visiting sun-drenched and exotic places across the length and breadth of the globe, the Coronavirus pandemic has forced people to stay indoors and watch everything that the likes of Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max have to offer instead.

But while we all obviously want to be exploring new cities and butchering foreign languages, one way of scratching the traveling itch has always been to watch movie characters do it for us.

A perfectly made road trip movie can make you feel as though you’re actually embarking on the adventure and journey with those on-screen. Plus there’s the added bonus that you don’t have to pay for gas, stay in cheap and dirty motels, or get into fistfights with the locals over a simple misunderstanding.

Of course the road trip movie is so popular that plenty of entries to the genre suggest they’re capable of being this transportive and escapist, only to quickly bore and disappoint.

So which road trip movies are actually worth your time then?

Lucky for you, we here at Men’s Health have got viewers covered. So tighten up your helmets, put on your aviators, and start revving up that engine, as we take a look at the 25 best road trip movies ever made.

Easy Rider (1969)

Remembered mostly for the iconic image of Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper riding on their motorbikes as Steppenwolf’s "Born To Be Wild" blasts out, their cross-country expedition is both an illuminating and terrifying look at America.

Almost Famous (2000)

Cameron Crowe’s semi-autobiographical tale of being a teenage music journalist in the mid 1970s is primarily a love letter to rock ’n’ roll, writing, and being young. But Patrick Fugit’s wide-eyed exploration of America as he tours with Stillwater also makes it an engrossing road movie, too.

Y Tu Mama Tambien (2002)

Alfonso Cuaron’s masterpiece didn’t just introduce the world to Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, it also blends drama, comedy and sex into a highly emotional, smartly constructed, and thought-provoking coming of age examination of Mexico.

Stream It Here

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

Undoubtedly the stupidest movie on this list, Harry and Lloyd’s jaunt from Providence,Rhode Island, to Aspen, Colorado, to return a briefcase is also probably the laugh out loud funniest entry, too.

It Happened One Night (1934)

A much different comedy to Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels’ above effort, It Happened One Night depicts Clark Gable’s cunning newspaper reporter slowly fall in love with Claudette Colbert’s spoiled heiress during their enchanting trip from Florida to New York. Rightfully regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time.

Logan (2017)

Planes, trains, & automobiles (1987).

Everything about Planes, Trains, and Automobiles just works. Not only does writer and director John Hughes expertly throw obstacles in the way of Steve Martin and John Candy as they try to make their way from New York to Chicago, but he leaves us with a heartfelt and beautiful ending, too. However, it’s Martin and Candy’s dynamic that has really allowed it to stand the test of time.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Unfortunately the blistering trip from Immortan Joe’s Citadel to the mythical “Green Place,” with a permanent stop off in Vallhalla for some, isn’t actually doable for movie fans. But if it was, the legion of die-hard Mad Max: Fury Road aficionados would ride through the roughest sandstorm to prove their love for the rollicking blockbuster, which is regarded by many as the best action movie of all time.

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

A deeply sad yet oddly profound and darkly funny look at the life of a folk-musician in Greenwich Village during the early 1960s, Oscar Isaac shot to fame as the titular character, who voyages from New York to Chicago and back again to try and prove his talents.

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

One of the most under-rated movies to emerge from the Golden Age Of Hollywood, Joel McCrea’s rich and successful comedy director makes himself homeless so he can oversee an authentic, socially conscious movie in Preston Sturges’ brilliant and hilarious look at the power of cinema.

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Thelma & Louise just keeps on getting better and better and better with each passing year. Sure its ending is iconic, but the titular duo’s joyride down to Mexico is also full of laughs, heart, and plenty of action, too. In fact, while most moviegoers would say it’s Alien, Gladiator, or Blade Runner, there’s an argument to be made that this is actually Ridley Scott’s greatest movie.

Midnight Run (1988)

The quintessential buddy comedy, Midnight Run revolves around Robert De Niro’s bounty hunter taking Charles Grodin’s mob accountant from New York to Los Angeles. It thrives thanks to the leading pair’s hysterical chemistry, and is elevated because it’s genuinely dark, moving, and thrilling, too.

The Muppet Movie (1979)

If you find yourself really down in the dumps because of the pandemic, then The Muppet Movie will provide the perfect cure. Just the sight of Kermit the Frog navigating his way from Florida to California to start his movie career, and picking up Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and Gonzo et al along the way is a delight for people of all ages.

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

National Lampoon’s Vacation might just feature the most impressive comedic team ever assembled. Directed by Harold Ramis, written by John Hughes, and starring Chevy Chase in arguably his most memorable role, it simply revolves around him taking his family on a trip from Chicago to Wally World in California, only to be met by increasingly hilarious setbacks.

The Daytrippers (1996)

Greg Mottola’s debut as a writer and director isn’t as much of a comedy as the likes of Superbad and Adventureland , as it sees Hope Davis traveling from Long Island to New York with her family to confront her husband, who she assumes is cheating. Instead it’s deft, claustrophobic, witty, full of surprises, and features stand out performances from Parker Posey and Liev Schreiber.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

The second Coen Brothers movie on this list is another one of their most underrated. George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro are three convicts on the run across the South during the Depression, and while the acting is flawless, it’s Roger Deakins’ sumptuous cinematography, Joel and Ethan’s breakneck script, and the endless stream of glorious music that makes O Brother, Where Art Thou? really shine.

The Blues Brothers (1980)

One of the most expensive comedies ever produced, thanks to its chaotic production,John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s musical siblings might only travel through Illinois, but they still manage to create a ridiculous amount of destruction, all to save their orphanage. Still arguably the finest film based on a Saturday Night Live sketch.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Never has taking a drug-induced trip across the Mojave desert to Las Vegas looked so fun. Not everyone thought that, though, as Terry Gilliam’s adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s novel proved to be incredibly divisive upon its release. That didn’t stop its exploration of drugs and Sin City from blossoming into a cult classic with a devoted audience.

The Straight Story (1999)

David Lynch’s most coherent film might also be his most heartwarming, too. Based on the true story of Alvin Straight, who in 1994 rode his lawn mower through Iowa and Wisconsin to see his ill brother, The Straight Story is a wonderfully delicious slice of Americana that celebrates the Midwest and the people that live there.

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

Sacha Baron Cohen’s outing from Kazakhstan to America, and then across the country to try and fall in love with Pamela Anderson, is about as ridiculous as movies can get. It’s also relentlessly funny, and if any film was ever going to genuinely make your side’s split, Borat would be it. Plus, you know, 2020 had a sequel too .

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The 20 Best Road Movies of All Time, Ranked

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Being on the road is a great way to manifest a character's spiritual or emotional journey into the physical, as a way to symbolize the obstacles and lessons that come with pursing some goal or dream.

From offbeat comedies to allegorical dramas, here are the best road movies that use the road to teach, challenge, and unite their characters.

20. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Directed by John Hughes

Starring Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins

Comedy, Drama (1h 33m)

7.6 on IMDb — 92% on RT

As you might guess from the title, Planes, Trains and Automobiles isn't exactly confined to the road—it also takes to train tracks and even the skies at one point.

Still, at its core, the film centers on the journey shared by two bickering strangers who spend three days wrestling their way to Chicago for Thanksgiving Day.

Steve Martin and John Candy star as the tightly wound marketing exec and his irritating-but-lovable travel mate, for whom just about everything goes wrong.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a feel-good comedy classic, directed by the renowned John Hughes. If you enjoyed his other hits like The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off , you'll like this one!

19. Queen & Slim (2019)

Directed by Melina Matsoukas

Starring Daniel Kaluuya, Jodie Turner-Smith, Bokeem Woodbine

Crime, Drama, Romance (2h 12m)

7.1 on IMDb — 83% on RT

Queen & Slim may not itself be a true story, but it's certainly inspired by all kinds of real news headlines, including the tragic 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin in Florida.

Released at an important moment—just prior to the Black Lives Matter protests that broke out across the globe in 2020— Queen & Slim tells the gritty story of a Tinder date gone awry.

Starring Daniel Kaluuya and Jodie Turner-Smith, their Tinder date is intercepted by a white cop and... well... you can probably guess the rest.

Melina Matsoukas's glossy directorial debut isn't simply a matter of style or substance, because it's dripping with both.

18. The Rover (2014)

Directed by David Michôd

Starring Guy Pearce, Robert Pattinson, Scoot McNairy

Action, Crime, Drama (1h 43m)

6.4 on IMDb — 67% on RT

An Australian Western set in the near-future, The Rover hums with an eerie atmosphere of desertion.

Ten years after economic collapse, the Australian outback becomes a lawless space for a rugged drifter (played by Guy Pearce) to hunt down a gang of thieves. Left behind with him is an injured, simple-minded young American (brilliantly played by Robert Pattinson).

Robberies and shootouts interrupt the tensely quiet landscape of David Michôd's road drama, in which everybody is only out for themselves.

17. On the Road (2012)

Directed by Walter Salles

Starring Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart

Adventure, Drama, Romance (2h 4m)

6.0 on IMDb — 45% on RT

Jack Kerouac's On the Road is the be-all and end-all road trip novel, inspired by the Beat author's own skint, boozy, and spontaneous life during the 1940s.

It encompasses everything that being "on the road" means, going beyond just the physical to explore a "road that must eventually lead to the whole world." Walter Salles's film adaptation tries to capture all of that.

For Sal Paradise (played by Sam Riley) and Dean Moriarty (played by Garrett Hedlund), life on the move means: scribbling on diner napkins between highs, psychedelic mind expansion, winking, drinking, and getting dizzy with dancing.

It's endless horizons and endless rampages, all across an America that's steeped in twilight, moonshine, or golden hour.

16. Bones and All (2022)

Directed by Luca Guadagnino

Starring Timothée Chalamet, Taylor Russell, Mark Rylance

Drama, Horror, Romance (2h 11m)

6.8 on IMDb — 82% on RT

Lee (played by Timothée Chalamet) might look like a grungy teen runaway who just gets stoned and preaches Marxism for fun, but he's actually rugged-looking by necessity.

As it turns out, being a cannibal (or "eater") isn't easy to pull off in normal society, so Lee has no choice but to live loose and streetwise.

Maren (played by Taylor Russell), having recently figured out that she's also an eater, is new to this environment. When the two collide in a Indiana store, they decide to go cross-country in search for Maren's estranged mother.

Luca Guadagnino nonchalantly combines cannibalism with artsy, coming-of-age romance in his one-of-a-kind horror, where everything seems foreground to a perfect dusk.

15. Rain Man (1988)

Directed by Barry Levinson

Starring Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino

Drama (2h 13m)

8.0 on IMDb — 89% on RT

Materialistic businessman Charlie Babbitt (played by Tom Cruise) is in the midst of importing Lamborghinis to Los Angeles when his father dies. After driving over to Cincinnati, he finds his inheritance has gone to an unnamed trustee—who turns out to be an estranged older brother.

Charlie decides to take full custody of Raymond (played by Dustin Hoffman)—who has autism and savant syndrome—but it turns out a lot trickier than Charlie imagined.

Raymond refuses to fly, so they're forced to drive towards their deadline, all while juggling Raymond's demanding routines. Rain Man is a touching and iconic drama from Barry Levinson.

14. Nebraska (2013)

Directed by Alexander Payne

Starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb

Drama (1h 55m)

7.7 on IMDb — 91% on RT

Alexander Payne's Oscar-nominated comedy-drama Nebraska was the final film to be released by Paramount Vantage, the "art cinema" sector of Paramount Pictures that closed down in 2014.

Shot in black-and-white, Nebraska follows a cantankerous old man who believes he's won a million-dollar sweepstakes prize. Of course, the whole thing is a scam.

Nonetheless, Woody (played by Bruce Dern) takes his disgruntled son David (played by Will Forte) and embarks on a road trip to Nebraska, during which David finally uncovers the man beneath the hardened alcoholic that is his father.

13. American Honey (2016)

Directed by Andrea Arnold

Starring Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf, Riley Keough

Adventure, Drama, Romance (2h 43m)

7.0 on IMDb — 79% on RT

In order to find an actress for the starring role of her next troubled teen drama, filmmaker Andrea Arnold took to the streets and carnivals during spring break rather than relying on professional casting calls.

This approach perfectly matches the rugged and spontaneous tone of American Honey , in which a gang of hitchhikers and criminals surf the roads as a traveling sales crew.

The brilliant Sasha Lane stars as Star (no pun intended), who ditches her abusive father after she spots Jake (played by Shia LaBeouf) in a van full of misfits and decides to join them.

12. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

Directed by Wes Anderson

Starring Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman

Adventure, Comedy, Drama (1h 31m)

7.2 on IMDb — 69% on RT

Okay, we're cheating a little bit with this one. The Darjeeling Limited is technically a train movie, but it shares a lot in common with road movies when you step back and look at what it is.

The Darjeeling Limited is a unique and elevated take on road movies, following the same principles but sprinkled with all kinds of Wes Anderson fun, including his trademark aesthetics.

Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman star as three brothers who are reunited one year after their father's funeral. Bold colors saturate the screen as Anderson litters the brothers' journey of self-discovery with funny gags, cool camera angles, and touching moments.

11. Into the Wild (2007)

Directed by Sean Penn

Starring Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener

Adventure, Biography, Drama (2h 28m)

8.1 on IMDb — 83% on RT

After graduating college, Christopher McCandless snips his credit cards and donates all his belongings to Oxfam, then hits the road without the approval of his parents.

What begins on the wheels of his rundown Datsun 210 turns into hitchhiking, kayaking, swimming, walking, railroading, camping, and occasionally working his way towards Alaska: his dream destination, hidden in the wild.

Played by Emile Hirsch, Christopher "Alexander Supertramp" McCandless yearns to break free from the suburbs of a materialistic society, but ends up flying too close to the sun and getting burnt. Sean Penn poetically directs this true story for the big screen.

10. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Directed by Arthur Penn

Starring Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard

Action, Biography, Crime (1h 51m)

7.7 on IMDb — 90% on RT

A 1960s cult classic that broke many cinematic taboos, Bonnie and Clyde went down as one of the most iconic (and bloodiest for the time) films in history. We all know the legend about this couple who went on an infamous 21-month crime spree during the 1930s, right?

Director Arthur Penn breathes life into the myth by combining elements of slapstick comedy with gory violence and experimental filmmaking techniques, heavily influenced by the French New Wave.

Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway star as the robbing couple, who decide to steal their way out of the Great Depression.

9. Badlands (1973)

Directed by Terrence Malick

Starring Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates

Action, Crime, Drama (1h 34m)

7.7 on IMDb — 97% on RT

Terrence Malick's neo-noir film Badlands doesn't just follow a crime spree—it kicks things up to another level.

Instead of robbing banks, young couple Holly (played by Sissy Spacek) and Kit (played by Martin Sheen) become serial killers. Spacek narrates the movie as the duo are chased by the law across the Midwest.

Malick's directorial debut received widespread critical acclaim and is loosely based on the real-life 1958 murder spree of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate.

8. Stranger Than Paradise (1984)

Directed by Jim Jarmusch

Starring John Lurie, Eszter Balint, Richard Edson

Comedy, Drama (1h 29m)

7.4 on IMDb — 96% on RT

Jim Jarmusch is a big name in independent circles, and he put himself on the map with Stranger Than Paradise back in the 1980s.

At first glance, Stranger Than Paradise could easily be mistaken for a French New Wave drama, but really it's an American absurdist comedy that just happens to be shot in grainy black-and-white.

Jarmusch's debut film also follows the French New Wave's tendency to meander through an indescribable plot.

In a loose sense, it's about Willie (played by John Lurie), his Hungarian cousin (played by Eszter Balint), and his friend (played by Richard Edson) as they bounce from Brooklyn to Cleveland to Florida.

Stranger Than Paradise is comprised of long, naturalistic takes that dawdle on the mundane and search beyond it—in a funny way.

7. Paris, Texas (1984)

Directed by Wim Wenders

Starring Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell

Drama (2h 25m)

8.1 on IMDb — 94% on RT

Co-produced by French and West German companies, the award-winning film Paris, Texas paints a European portrait of the American Southwest.

Wim Wenders's indie drama, which won the Palme d'Or, follows a mysterious vagabond (played by Harry Dean Stanton) who's found dissociated in the desert.

His estranged brother agrees to pick him up from Texas and soon ends up driving him to find his long-missing wife.

Stills of the sparse Texan outback are woven throughout Wenders's slow-burning drama, which relies on visuals more than heavy dialogue.

6. Nomadland (2020)

Directed by Chloé Zhao

Starring Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May

Drama (1h 47m)

7.3 on IMDb — 93% on RT

Based on Jessica Bruder's 2017 book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century , Chloé Zhao's Nomadland won multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress.

Frances McDormand's award-winning performance as a widow who lives an itinerate lifestyle is painted against the sweeping backdrop of the Arizonian desert.

Nomadland is a poetic, restless, and beautifully shot drama that will have you yearning for the van life where home isn't just a static place or word but "something you carry with you."

5. Almost Famous (2000)

Directed by Cameron Crowe

Starring Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson

Adventure, Comedy, Drama (2h 2m)

7.9 on IMDb — 89% on RT

Almost Famous is the semi-autobiographical tale of a young music journalist who goes on tour with fictitious rock band Stillwater.

On behalf of Rolling Stone magazine, William Miller (played by Patrick Fugit) joins the motley crew of rockers and groupies to write an article on the band.

Take a peek behind the curtain of the 70s music scene, where tensions rise between fans and musicians, between the people who live music and the people who watch from the sidelines.

Directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Kate Hudson, Almost Famous is your classic coming-of-age tale.

4. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)

Directed by Alfronso Cuarón

Starring Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna

Drama (1h 46m)

7.7 on IMDb — 92% on RT

Alfonso Cuarón is best-known for directing Children of Men , Roma , and the best Harry Potter movie. Yet, despite his Westernized filmography, Cuarón is a Mexican filmmaker, and Y Tu Mamá También is his greatest native movie to date.

Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna star as two fidgety teen boys who are itching to explore the world, themselves, and the opposite sex. They find all of these things at Boca del Cielo ("Heaven's Mouth"), a beach they visit with an older woman (played by Maribel Verdú).

Cuarón shows us the dusty roads of rural Mexico, where the trio set off with no idea how to reach this supposed Heaven. Drunk and excitable on the road there, the three return home in silence...

3. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris

Starring Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear

Comedy, Drama (1h 41m)

7.8 on IMDb — 91% on RT

Husband-and-wife collaborations are rare for film directors, but Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris showed that it can be successful with their stunning feature film directorial debut, Little Miss Sunshine .

Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, and Abigail Breslin star in this sprightly colored tragicomedy, which plonks us in a bright yellow Microbus for a trip from New Mexico to California.

A mute son, a suicidal brother, a heroin-addicted father-in-law, and a failed life coach husband all make Sheryl Hoover's life more than chaotic. And when her young daughter earns a spot in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant, all hell breaks loose.

2. Thelma & Louise (1991)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Starring Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel

Adventure, Crime, Drama (2h 10m)

7.5 on IMDb — 86% on RT

The fact that Thelma & Louise was initially criticized for its "negative portrayal of men" speaks volumes about it as a heralded feminist flick.

A female buddy movie that echoes the legend of Bonnie and Clyde, Thelma & Louise tracks two best friends as they drive toward the mountains for a much-needed vacation.

Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Brad Pitt, and Harvey Keitel make up the cast in this cat-and-mouse chase across the American Southwest, in which the FBI tails the polar-opposite, store-robbing besties.

1. Easy Rider (1969)

Directed by Dennis Hopper

Starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson

Adventure, Drama (1h 35m)

7.3 on IMDb — 84% on RT

Easy Rider isn't just a great movie—it's an emblem of 1960s counterculture. It marks the dawn of New Hollywood, when filmmakers started moving away from the studio system and started stepping into more radical and experimental independence.

Simply put, Easy Rider made a huge impact on the world of Western cinema, despite being made on a tiny budget.

Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper (who also directs) bolt around on their motorbikes as they smuggle cocaine from Mexico into Los Angeles. Hippy communes and bad acid trips punctuate their journey, which is all set to a groovy Jimi Hendrix soundtrack.

15 All-Time-Best Road Trip Movies

Best road trip movies.

For nearly as long as there have been cars and film, there have been road trip movies.  From the serious ("Easy Rider," "Thelma and Louise") to the delightfully silly ("Dumb and Dumber," "National Lampoon's Vacation"), these films have been a staple of worldwide cinema for nearly a century. But while some, like those on this list, are enduring classics, others (we’re looking at you, “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip”) are best left in the archives.

Using data from Rotten Tomatoes’ Audience Scores, we’ve compiled a list of the top 15 road trip movies and discovered that, just like the best adventures, the most memorable films about hitting the road are about more than the destination — they’re about the people and places we find along the way, and the experiences that change us forever.

15. "Sideways" (2004) - 78% on Rotten Tomatoes

One of many Academy Award winners on the list, this dramatic comedy put California’s Santa Ynez Valley on the wine tourism map, and had a significant negative impact on merlot sales, thanks to the main character’s disdain for the varietal.

The story follows divorced, depressed, wine-obsessed Miles (Paul Giamatti) and his friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church), an aging, former soap opera actor who is soon to be married and plans to have a last fling before marriage. Against the beautiful backdrop of vine-covered hills, the two both begin to hit rock bottom in their lives.

Pour a glass of wine — preferably pinot noir — for this one.

14. "Thelma and Louise" (1991) - 82% on Rotten Tomatoes

Ridley Scott's dark comedy follows the story of friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) as they leave their boring lives in Arkansas for more adventure than they bargained for. Sure, there are some dark themes, but the film also explores the close bonds of friendship, the lengths we’ll go to for the ones we love and the importance of living on your own terms. Plus, there’s an iconic appearance by a young Brad Pitt.

It’s all but guaranteed to make you want to grab your bestie and hit the road for your own adventure in a 1966 Ford Thunderbird convertible — just without the crime spree, ensuing police chase or iconic but bleak finale.

Along the way, the group has plenty of laughs, while reexamining their friendships, the reasons they’ve drifted apart and the bonds that keep them together.

13. "Easy Rider" (1969) - 82% on Rotten Tomatoes

Directed by Dennis Hopper and made on a small budget, "Easy Rider" follows two hippie bikers, Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper), as they travel from L.A. to New Orleans after a successful drug deal.

As they ride their Harleys across the country, the film explores the counterculture of the late '60s and early '70s — LSD, marijuana, communal living — and the changes that were happening in the U.S. as a younger generation rebelled against the established norms of their parents and grandparents.  

12. "The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004) - 83% on Rotten Tomatoes

Set in 1952, this film shares the experiences of Ernesto “Che” Guevara (Gael García Bernal) long before he became a Marxist revolutionary. In the movie, young Guevara takes a trip across South America with his friend Alberto Granado.

Their 8,000-mile road journey by motorcycle and other transport takes them from Argentina to Peru, and exposes Che to the world’s suffering, injustice and oppression, ultimately informing some of his ideas about freedom and equality.

11. "Dumb and Dumber" (1994) - 84% on Rotten Tomatoes

“We got no food, we got no jobs, our pets' heads are falling off!” This Farrelly brothers comedy offered up a half-dozen catchphrases that dominated the latter half of the '90s, and that can still be heard today.

The story is a classic buddy road trip tale — except that these two buddies, Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Harry (Jeff Daniels), happen to be complete idiots. Convinced that “the gas man” is coming to kill them, they decide to travel from Providence, Rhode Island, to Aspen, Colorado, to return the briefcase beautiful Mary (Lauren Holly) left at the airport after Lloyd chauffeured her there. Hilarity, of course, ensues.

10. "National Lampoon’s Vacation" (1983) - 85% on Rotten Tomatoes

This Harold Ramis classic stars Chevy Chase in his first turn as Clark W. Griswold, a well meaning, fumbling father who takes his family on a cross-country trip to Walley World.

Anyone who has experienced an everything-goes-wrong road trip with family will relate as the Griswolds make their way through Death Valley and the Grand Canyon and, eventually, to the fictional amusement park, with plenty of trials and tribulations along the way.

9. "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" (1987) - 87% on Rotten Tomatoes

Set around Thanksgiving, this John Hughes comedy uses the chaos of holiday travel as a plot device, bringing together two strangers — Type-A Neal (Steve Martin) and overly chatty salesman Del (John Candy) — who become travel partners and have to work together to get home to their respective families.

The odd couple finds themselves in one hilarious situation after another and along the way — spoiler alert — the unlikely duo actually forms a friendship as their journey comes to an end.

8. "Bonnie and Clyde" (1967) - 88% on Rotten Tomatoes

If you’ve heard the story of Bonnie and Clyde, two real-life criminals who traveled the central U.S. in the 1930s, leaving a trail of death in their wake, then you know how this movie ends (hint: with a scene that’s regarded as one of the bloodiest death scenes in film history).

But that doesn’t make the story any less fascinating, as Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty) and Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) transition from small-time amateur thieves to the leaders of a small gang of murderous bank robbers terrorizing the midwest from Texas to Minnesota.

7. "Into the Wild" (2007) - 89% on Rotten Tomatoes

Based on the 1996 novel, this film tells the story of Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) as he travels across North America and Alaska on a quest to be self-sufficient, reject conventional life and live off the land. Eventually, he ends up near Denali National Park in Alaska, where he finds an abandoned bus that he makes his home.

Alas, it turns out life in the Alaskan wilderness isn’t easy, and while the movie may make you yearn for a simpler life closer to nature — or at least a visit to Alaska — you won’t envy what happens to McCandless in the end.

6. "Tommy Boy" (1995) - 90% on Rotten Tomatoes

Comedians Chris Farley and David Spade team up in this hit comedy that gave the world Farley’s famous “fat guy in a little coat” moment.

After Tommy’s (Farley) father dies, the family business is in jeopardy and underachiever Tommy has to travel around the country with the antagonistic Richard (Spade), trying to sell 500,000 brake pads to save the company. Of course, mishaps follow, including a hilarious run-in with a deer, as the two try to make deals and keep the company out of the hands of rival businessman Ray Zalinsky (Dan Aykroyd).

5. "Rain Man" (1988) - 90% on Rotten Tomatoes

Winner of four Academy Awards, this critically acclaimed film pairs Tom Cruise as self-centered Charlie Babbitt and Dustin Hoffman as Raymond, the autistic savant brother Charlie never knew existed.

When Charlie’s father dies and leaves his fortune to Raymond, Charlie attempts to gain custody of Raymond — and his fortune — and insists on taking Raymond back to his home in L.A. from Ohio. When Raymond refuses to board the plane, the two embark on a cross-country trip that changes both of their lives.

4. "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006) - 91% on Rotten Tomatoes

Winner of two Academy Awards, this dark comedy follows an all-star cast, including Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, Paul Dano and Alan Arkin, as they drive across the country in a VW bus so 7-year-old daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) can compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant.

The quirky, troubled family — overworked mom, suicidal brother, Type-A dad, silent stepbrother, foul-mouthed grandfather — aren’t immediately likable, but in the end, this is a heartwarming tale about road trips gone wrong, loving your weirdo family members as they are, and being there for them no matter what.

3. "Blues Brothers" (1980) - 92% on Rotten Tomatoes

A cult classic, this musical comedy stars comedic giants John Belushi (as ex-con Jake Blues) and Dan Aykroyd (as his brother Elwood) playing brothers on a mission to help raise money for the Catholic orphanage they grew up in. Their idea: reunite their former blues band, which broke up while Jake was in prison.

The pair head off on a road trip to recruit their reluctant former bandmates, evading police, Nazis and a murderous mystery woman as they careen around Chicago and much of Illinois in their Bluesmobile.

2. "Almost Famous" (2000) - 92% on Rotten Tomatoes

Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical story about his time as a writer for “Rolling Stone” in the 1970s, this Golden Globe winner tells the story of William Miller (Patrick Fugit), a 15-year-old aspiring rock journalist who gets the assignment of a lifetime: tour with the up-and-coming band, Stillwater.

The film follows William, the band and their many hangers-on, including groupie Penny Lane (Kate Hudson), as they travel by bus (and one harrowing plane ride) touring the U.S. and trying to make it big.

1. "It Happened One Night" (1934) - 93% on Rotten Tomatoes

Directed by Frank Capra, this black-and-white film from Hollywood’s golden age tells the tale of a spoiled heiress (Claudette Colbert) running away from home and the reporter (Clark Gable) who follows her to New York trying to get the scoop.

Winner of five Academy Awards, it’s most known for the famous hitchhiking scene in which Colbert's character finally waves down a ride by pulling up her skirt to show off her legs on the side of the road.

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12 Great Road Trip Movies to Satisfy Your Wanderlust

Not quite ready to travel see america from the comfort of your couch.

Tim Appelo,

Don't feel quite safe just yet to take a big road trip this summer? Take a virtual voyage with the greatest stars on earth in the best road movies ever made, from the flick that cheered America in the Great Depression ( It Happened One Night ) to 2019's Oscar (and AARP Movies for Grownups ) best picture winner Green Book . See America from the comfort of your couch all summer long — no turn signals required!

It Happened One Night  (1934)

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Originally titled  Night Bus , Frank Capra's snappy comedy about an unemployed reporter (Clark Gable) and a spoiled runaway heiress (Claudette Colbert) on the road to New York swept the five top Oscars and influenced every romantic comedy ever since. Nobody could top Clark's hitchhiking lesson — except Colbert, who summons an instant ride by flashing her gams.

Watch it now:  Amazon , YouTube , iTunes , Google Play , Vudu

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

In this Preston Sturges satire, a Hollywood director (Joel McCrea, who shares top billing with Veronica Lake) sick of making silly comedies like  Hey-Hey in the Hayloft , decides to make a  Grapes of Wrath -like serious picture called  O Brother, Where Art Thou?  (which inspired the Coen brothers film title). To experience the downtrodden life, he travels the U.S. disguised as an indigent soul.

Watch it now:   Amazon , iTunes , YouTube , Google Play , Vudu

Easy Rider (1969)

In the role that made him a star, Jack Nicholson hops on a chopped-out motorbike with hippies Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper on their epic, doomed trip from L.A. to New Orleans for Mardi Gras (filmed during the real Mardi Gras). A total mess of a film, but its open-road counterculture spirit hit it big. When it made a zillion dollars, Fonda said the movie execs who doubted it “went from shaking their heads in incomprehension to nodding their heads in incomprehension.” But viewers understood, and remember.

Watch it now:   Amazon , YouTube , iTunes , Google Play , Vudu

RELATED:  Want to keep the Sixties vibe rolling? Check out our Best Movies of the 1960s .

National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)

The movie that launched the career of John Hughes ( Home Alone ) started as a classic National Lampoon story that began, “If Dad hadn't shot Walt Disney in the leg, it would have been our best vacation ever.” In his greatest deadpan performance, Chevy Chase is Chicago's Mr. Griswold, who takes his clan to California's Walley World in an unlucky car trip every survivor of the 1950s or ‘60s can relate to.

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Watch it now:  Amazon , iTunes , YouTube , Google Play , Vudu , Sling

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

All the aloof urban executive (Steve Martin) wants is to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving, but malevolent fate forces him to get there via many forms of thwarted transportation, alongside a sweet, infuriatingly annoying traveling shower-curtain ring salesman (John Candy). They're as funny as Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon in  The Odd Couple .

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Watch it now:   Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Vudu , iTunes , HBO Max

Rain Man (1988)

A crooked Lamborghini salesman (Tom Cruise) and his long-lost brother, an autistic savant genius (Dustin Hoffman), see the nation in a 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible. At first con man Cruise wants to screw Hoffman out of their father's $3 million inheritance, but instead of a mark, he discovers a brother whose uncanny skills come in handy gambling in Vegas.

Watch it now : Vudu , YouTube , Google Play , iTunes

RELATED:  Love a Tom Cruise flick? Don't miss our critics’ ranking of the 10 best Tom Cruise movies, here .

Midnight Run (1988)

In Robert De Niro's first comedy, and first mainstream commercial hit, he's an irritable bounty hunter who has five days to take a passive-aggressive Mafia accountant (Charles Grodin) from New York to Los Angeles for a big payoff. Pursued by the mob, the FBI and another bounty hunter, they steal cars, take planes, hop freight trains, dive into rapids, and deceive and insult each other to hilarious effect.

Watch it now:   Amazon , iTunes , YouTube , Vudu , Hulu

Thelma & Louise (1991)

When shy Thelma ( Geena Davis ) and brassy Louise ( Susan Sarandon ) take a weekend road trip from Arkansas and Louise shoots a would-be rapist assaulting Thelma, what's a girl to do but put pedal to the metal in their ‘66 T-Bird and flee with Thelma to — and right into — the Grand Canyon, pursued by kindly cop Harvey Keitel? Butch Cassidy and Sundance got nothing on these two iconic gals.

Watch it now:   Vudu , YouTube , iTunes , Google Play

True Romance (1993)

In the most romantically satisfying Quentin Tarantino movie (sweetened by director Tony Scott), a gold-hearted floozy ( Patricia Arquette ) and a comic-book store clerk (Christian Slater) light out cross-country for Hollywood, hunted by gangsters and cops. Brad Pitt is hilarious as a Soundgarden-loving stoner, and the acting duel between Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken alone is worth the trip.

Watch it now:  Vudu , YouTube , Google Play , Hulu , Sling , Starz

Flirting With Disaster (1996)

Mary Tyler Moore brilliantly plays against type as the control-freak adoptive mother of a neurotic scientist (Ben Stiller) who hits the road to find his birth parents — who may or may not be an appalling Grateful Dead-loving couple (Lily Tomlin and Alan Alda ) in New Mexico. Fresh, original and more fun than a real road trip.

Watch it now:   Amazon , YouTube , Google Play , Vudu , Hulu , iTunes

Almost Famous (2000)

Cameron Crowe was a 15-year-old journalism genius who traveled with Led Zeppelin and others and turned his memories into a road-trip masterpiece about his coming of age. “It's as if Huckleberry Finn came back to life in the 1970s, and instead of taking a raft down the Mississippi, got on the bus with the band,” said Roger Ebert. And you're invited along — to sing “Tiny Dancer” along with everyone on the bus.

Watch it now:  Amazon , YouTube , Vudu , Google Play , iTunes , Hulu

Green Book (2018)

In a feel-good take on a complex time, an Italian-American bouncer ( Viggo Mortensen ,  The Lord of the Rings ) chauffeurs an upper-crust black pianist (Mahershala Ali,  True Detective ) on a tour of the picturesque but perilous 1960s South. The odd couple squabble and become pals, while these two fine actors perform an exquisite duet.

Watch it now:   Amazon , Vudu , Google Play , YouTube , Hulu , Showtime

Tim Appelo covers entertainment and is the film and TV critic for AARP. Previously, he was the entertainment editor at Amazon, video critic at  Entertainment Weekly , and a critic and writer for  The Hollywood Reporter, People , MTV,  The Village Voice  and  LA Weekly .

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16 Road Trip Movies That Make Us Want To Hit The Road

One type of film that always tends to put a smile on your face by the end is the road trip movie . You get all of your main characters stuck with each other in a car or any other form of transport and you watch how their relationships are forced to grow. The best road trip movies also tend to put you in the mood to go on a road trip of your own. 

They make you want to take a week off of work, pack up the suitcases, fire up a playlist , and hit the road with friends and family. Still, a spontaneous road trip isn't always possible. That's okay! Just watch these films and enjoy the ride with your favorite characters. 

We're the Millers

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  In order to smuggle a large haul of drugs in Mexio, drug dealer David (Jason Sudeikis) hires a stripper named Rose (Jennifer Aniston) and two local teens to pretend to be his family. Looking like a normal suburban family should hopefully help them get past customs while crossing the border. 

Highlight Of The Journey:  David and Rose try to act like actual parents by meeting the man that’s picking up Casey (Emma Roberts) on a date. Meet Scottie P., a carnival worker with a chest tattoo with the saying “No Ragrets,” a simple credo he lives by. The irony is not lost on anyone. 

Fun Fact About The Movie:  Will Arnett and  Jason Bateman were both considered to play David in the film, before the job went to Jason Sudeikis.  

• # 317 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 29 of 93 on The 85+ Best Stoner Comedies Ever
• # 37 of 89 on The Most Rewatchable Comedy Movies

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Zombieland follows four characters who eventually cross paths on their journeys. You've got zombie survivalist expert Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) trying to find his parents. Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) are con artist sisters who want to get to the Pacific Playland theme park. Then there's Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), who's just enjoying the open road, killing zombies in the coolest way possible.  

Highlight Of The Trip: In one of the best cameos of all time, the characters find themselves exploring the Hollywood Hills, eventually taking shelter in the house of comedy legend Bill Murray. While Murray pretends to be a zombie to scare Columbus, he's unceremoniously shot in the chest due to Columbus's quick survival instincts. Whoops.

Fun Fact About The Movie: Zombieland was originally sold to CBS as a TV show , but like many scripts, it didn't have a chance of seeing the light of day. Thankfully, producer Gavin Polone loved the script so much that he took it to Columbia Pictures to have it turned into a film.  

• # 167 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 15 of 162 on The 150+ Best Futuristic Dystopian Movies
• # 72 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  After his father dies from a heart attack, man-child Tommy Callahan (Chris Farley) tries to save his father’s company. Being joined by his father’s assistant, Richard (David Spade), the two set off on a cross-country trip to find more clients. As with any Chris Farley film, hilarity ensues along the way.

Highlight Of The Trip: Tommy is not the best salesman, and he’ll be the first to tell you. Tommy tries to sell a client brake pads, using toy cars for an all-too-vivid demonstration of what would happen if the wrong brakes were used. Tommy goes so far as to light one of the toy cars on fire directly on the desk, all with the great physical comedy that only Chris Farley could do. 

Fun Fact About The Movie: According to an interview on Rob Lowe's podcast , David Spade and Chris Farley got into a fight on set. This was due to Chris being jealous of David hanging out with Rob Lowe so much. 

• # 216 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 32 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 138 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s

National Lampoon's Vacation

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) wants to take his family to Walley World. While they could’ve easily flown from Chicago to California, Clark pines for that picture-perfect family road trip instead, cramming everyone into his metallic pea-colored Family Truckster. 

Highlight Of The Trip: Despite having been on the worst road trip imaginable, the Griswolds finally make it to Walley World, only to discover it’s closed for two weeks. Clark, always wanting the best for his family, uses a BB gun to hold a security guard hostage and force him to take everyone on the rides. 

Fun Fact About The Movie: The original ending saw Clark show up at the house of Walley World owner Roy Walley (Eddie Bracken), and holding him hostage for closing the park. Test audiences didn’t like this ending as they felt cheated out of the Walley World payoff. 

Almost Famous

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Young freelance writer William Miller (Patrick Fugit) gets the opportunity of a lifetime from Rolling Stone magazine to write about the new band Stillwater by accompanying them on tour. The tour gives William a first-hand look at the hectic world of rock-n-roll.

Highlight Of The Trip:  William and Stillwater’s lead singer Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) find themselves at a high school party after Russell gets into a fight with the band. After a few too many substances, Russell stands on the rooftop and delivers the now iconic “I am a golden god” line. 

Fun Fact About The Movie:  The film is semi-autobiographical from writer/director Cameron Crowe, who toured with several bands for Rolling Stone magazine. The movie’s fictional band Stillwater is based around a few bands, such as The Who, The Allman Brothers Band, and the Eagles. 

• # 603 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 128 of 675 on The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
• # 23 of 99 on The Greatest Movie Soundtracks Of All Time

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Neal Page (Steve Martin) is an uptight marketing executive who just wants to get home for Thanksgiving. However, due to bad weather, his plane to Chicago is forced to land in Kansas. Neal has no choice but to travel by car alongside the talkative but kind-hearted Del Griffith (John Candy), whom he met at the airport.

Highlight Of The Journey:  An infuriated Neal tries to rent a car in St. Louis but no longer has his rental agreement. This causes him to go on a legendary tirade to the poor rental agent, dropping the f-bomb for about every other word he says. 

Fun Fact About The Movie:  Writer/director John Hughes based the film on a very similar experience he had when he was an advertising copywriter. He was flying from New York to Chicago, but bad weather forced the plane to land in Kansas, just like in the film. 

• # 50 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
• # 228 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 12 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

Thelma & Louise

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) are two best friends who decide to leave their mundane lives and hit the road together. Unfortunately, a man tries to assault Thelma, leading to Louise killing the man and forcing both women to go on the run from the police. 

Highlight Of The Journey:  In desperate need of money, Thelma ends up robbing a convenience store at gunpoint, though Louise is not aware of this until Thelma comes running out. Louise is none too happy as they drive off. In Thelma’s defense, at least she didn’t kill anybody.  

Fun Fact About The Movie:  This was Brad Pitt’s breakout role. On The Graham Norton Show , Geena Davis told audiences that she was the one who gave the thumbs up to cast Brad Pitt, so you have her to thank. 

• Dig Deeper... Behind-The-Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Thelma & Louise'
• # 458 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 112 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s

Dumb and Dumber

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take? Harry (Jeff Bridges) and Lloyd (Jim Carrey) are two dimwitted best friends who drive to Colorado to return a briefcase to Mary (Lauren Holly), a woman Lloyd is hopelessly in love with. Little do they know, the briefcase is filled with ransom money that Mary assembled to free her kidnapped husband, putting them in the crosshairs of some violent criminals. 

Highlight Of The Trip: Joe “Mental” Mentalino, one of kidnappers, is nearly pushed to his limit as he's stuck riding in between Harry and Lloyd in the van. Between Harry and Lloyd playing tag to Lloyd attempting his “most annoying sound in the world” scream, Joe is about to ready to pull his gun out on both of them. 

Fun Fact About The Movie: Jim Carrey was originally offered $350,000 for the film, but after Ace Ventura: Pet Detective opened big at the box-office, his salary was renegotiated to $7 million , which was very high at the time for a comedic actor.

• Dig Deeper... Behind-The-Scenes Stories From 'Dumb And Dumber'
• And Deeper... 'Dumb And Dumber' Is Far Darker And Creepier Than You Remember
• # 197 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Little Miss Sunshine

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Sherry (Toni Collette) and Richard (Greg Kinnear) have two days to drive from New Mexico to California so their spunky daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) can compete in the “Little Miss Sunshine” beauty pageant. Joining them in their bright yellow Winnebago is their weird son Dwayne (Paul Dano), Sherry's depressed brother Frank (Steve Carell), and Richard's foul-mouthed father Edwin (Alan Arkin).

Highlight Of The Trip: Once Olive gets to do her performance on stage, everyone is caught off-guard by her suggestive dance to Rick James's “Superfreak." Not wanting her to embarrass herself in front of everyone, each family member eventually joins in, much to the disapproval of the judges. It's an incredibly heartfelt scene that shows how close the family has become over the long trip.

Fun Fact About The Movie: Steve Carell was not a huge star when initially cast, with some of the producers wanting to go with someone more well-known at the time. Between the filming of the movie and its release, both The 40-Year-Old Virgin and The Office had come out, causing the producers to heavily market the film around Carell.

• # 678 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 391 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 45 of 66 on Movies You Wish You Could Still Watch for the First Time

Pee-wee's Big Adventure

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) adores his red bike. In fact, he won't even sell it for $100 million, billion, trillion dollars. When the bike is stolen, Pee-wee makes it his mission to find his beloved bike, forcing him to hitchhike to Texas, running into a colorful cast of characters on the way. 

Highlight Of The Trip: Pee-wee finds himself inside a biker bar to use the phone. After Pee-wee accidentally knocks over the motorcycles, the bikers are ready to kill Pee-wee. Thankfully, the bar has a jukebox machine, and the busboy conveniently has a pair of dancing shoes. Pee-wee ends up winning all the bikers over with his dance routine to the song “Tequila.” The bikers are so impressed that they embrace Pee-wee as one of their own. 

Fun Fact About The Movie: Paul Reubens was given a 1940s Schwinn bike to ride around the studio. Reubens loved the bike so much he dropped the original plot and rewrote the film to be about Pee-wee searching for his missing bike.

• Dig Deeper... 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure' Is A Weirdly Traumatizing Classic
• # 153 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
• # 309 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

Are We There Yet?

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Though Nick (Ice Cube) isn't the biggest fan of kids, he ends up dating Suzanne (Nia Long), a single mother of two. Nick ends up with the task of having to take both kids to Vancouver. Little does he know that both kids are dedicated to sabotaging any man who tries to date their mom. 

Highlight Of The Journey:  Not even a split-second after Nick tells both kids to be careful opening his door, Kevin (Philip Daniel Bolden) immediately hits the door on a bollard, getting yellow paint on Nick’s brand new Lincoln Navigator. It’s Ice Cube’s great comedic timing that really makes this scene hilarious.   

Fun Fact About The Movie:  This would be Ice Cube’s first PG movie. In an interview with HipHopDX , Cube stated that he was thrilled to do Are We There Yet? as it would introduce him to the kids of all his fans. 

• # 509 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 162 of 468 on The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked
• # 54 of 117 on The Funniest Black Movies Ever Made

The Muppet Movie

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Kermit the Frog tries to make his way to Hollywood for a life in show-business. On the way, he runs into some new friends like Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy, all while evading the ruthless Doc Hopper, who just wants Kermit to be his spokesperson for his frog legs business.

Highlight Of The Journey:  The musical number “Movin’ Right Along” sees Kermit and Fozzie Bear driving along the highway. It’s a super-catchy song that contains the amusing bit where Kermit tells Fozzie to avoid the fork in the road, which is an actual giant fork on the road. 

Fun Fact About The Movie:  The final sequence took over 150 puppeteers to film.  In an interview with John Landis , he claims to have been one of those puppeteers, along with future legendary director Tim Burton. 

• # 410 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 61 of 204 on Musical Movies With The Best Songs
• # 267 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  While trying to mail a tape to his long-distance girlfriend detailing his life in college so far, Josh (Breckin Meyer) accidentally sends a tape of him cheating on her instead. His other friends join him on long road trip to Austin to prevent her from seeing the tape. 

Highlight Of The Journey:  The gang ends up being stopped by a broken bridge on the road, requiring them to have to jump the gap instead. One of the friends Rubin insists that the physics are correct and that they could make it. Against all odds, they do make the jump, though the car itself doesn’t survive the fall.  

Fun Fact About The Movie:  The man who tries to lick Beth’s (Amy Smart) feet on the bus is the film’s writer/director Todd Phillips. Yes, the same Todd Phillips would go on to direct smash-hits such as  The Hangover, Old School , and  Joker .

• # 528 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 323 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
• # 9 of 71 on The 70 Best College Movies

What Kind of Journey Do They Take? After famed chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) has a meltdown that goes viral, he decides to start fresh and buy a food truck, taking it from Miami to Los Angeles with his son Percy and friend Martin. Through this trip, Carl hopes to fix his estranged relationship with Percy, while also re-discovering his passion for cooking.

Highlight Of The Trip: At the end of the trip, Percy sends Carl a video where he captured one second of each day from the trip. Carl can't help but smile and cry as he views the joyous memories he just made with his son.

Fun Fact About The Movie: The film was inspired by famous chef Roy Choi , who is known as one of the architects behind the modern food truck movement. Chef Choi was a consultant for the film and ensured that the food shown on-screen was accurately made, including the delicious looking Cubano sandwiches.

• # 2 of 59 on The Best Movies About Cooking
• # 26 of 50 on The Best Movies About Men Raising Kids
• # 47 of 56 on The Best Single Dad Movies Ever Made

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  In the 1960s, Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga (Viggo Mortensen) is hired to drive Black classical pianist Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) across the deep south for a tour. The pair use  The Negro Motorist Green Book , which was a guide to tell Black travelers where all the safest places to visit across the south are.

Highlight Of The Journey:  After leaving a country club that Don was supposed to play at, due to him being refused a table in the dining room, Don and Tony end up at a Black blues club. Don decides to hop on the piano and play classical music. Though hesitant at first, the rest of the bar patrons end up very impressed, with the rest of the blues band later joining Don on stage. 

Fun Fact About The Movie:  The real-life Frank Vallelonga ended up becoming an actor . His most notable role was mob boss Carmine Lupertazzi Sr. in HBO’s  The Sopranos .

• Dig Deeper... Who Was Don Shirley, The Virtuosic Pianist At The Center Of 'Green Book'?
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• # 69 of 96 on The Very Best Oscar-Winning Movies For Best Picture

What Kind Of Journey Do They Take?  Depressed author Miles (Paul Giamatti) and soon-to-be married Jack (Thomas Haden Church) are two middle-aged men who decide to go on a road trip across California’s wine country. While Miles just wants it to be a relaxing trip, Jack decides he wants to have one little fling with a random girl before he gets married. 

Highlight Of The Journey:  Miles wishes to drown his sorrows in wine after his book is rejected by a publisher, but the server cuts him off since this is a tasting. Insisting on getting all the wine he wants; Miles grabs the bucket that everyone had been spitting in for their tasting and pours it all over himself. 

Fun Fact About The Movie:  In the DVD commentary, Giamatti revealed that after filming the scene where they eat at Miles’s mother’s house, all three actors got food poisoning from the food. 

• # 469 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 199 of 675 on The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
• # 34 of 99 on The Best Movies Of 2004, Ranked
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Look: There are hundred of thousands of movies out there for you to watch. All we're saying is that these are the ones you should put at the top of your list.

10 Best Buddy Road Trip Movies, According to Rotten Tomatoes

In Hollywood, certain staples will never die , no matter how many years go by. Some clichés like the less attractive sidekick, superhero films, the nerdy underdog, or the Oscar-bating based on a true story movie are built into the fabric of Hollywood. These clichés make audiences feel comfortable because they already know what to expect. One trope that's constantly repeated is the buddy road trip film.

Whether it's Rainman or Train, Planes and Automobiles , movies where two characters don't get along but are stuck in a car together and end up being good friends by the end always seem to garner an audience. However, being a cliché doesn't make a film great; it needs the right balance of heart and familiar tropes to become classic and not commonplace.

10 Plains, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Rotten Tomatoes: 87%

In 1987, John Hughes took a break from teen dramas to make one of the most iconic Holiday and buddy road trip films of all time, laying the foundation for modern iterations of these types of movies.

RELATED: 10 Romantic Movies That Use Cliché Tropes to Their Advantage

This classic film is instantly hilarious because fans can relate to all the hi-jinks that come with having a flight delayed during the holidays. Legendary comics Steve Martin and John Candy masterfully play off of each other like the Harlem Globetrotters of comedy. Martin's conservative straight-man character meshes perfectly with Candy's annoyingly offbeat salesman, setting up the prototype for all the following buddy road trip films.

9 Dumb and Dumber (1994)

Rotten Tomatoes: 84%

The Farley Brothers breakout hit about two loveably dimwitted friends who take a road trip to Aspen is a milestone in comedy and took the buddy road trip film to new levels of ridiculousness and funny.

This classic comedy about friendship is choked full of immature yet deceptively smart jokes . Whether complaining about not being able to find good jobs under 40 hours a week or thinking Aspen is a tropical resort, this film's characters are so silly that fans are left with no choice but to laugh, even if it's despite themselves. This vital film represents a turning point from the cheesy hi-jinks of the 80s to the more irreverent comedy of the 90s.

8 Thelma and Louise (1991)

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%

This female-led road trip dramedy about two women on the run from the law was a cultural phenomenon and spoke up for a segment of the population not used to being heard.

Whether it's the epic last scene where they drive off a cliff or introducing the world to Brad Pitt , there's a lot that makes this film a classic. More importantly, this film highlighted women's exhaustion at being objectified and showed two female characters unwilling to take it, which was a novelty at the time. Scenes like Thelma and Louise blowing up an eighteen-wheeler belonging to a truck driver who berated them resonated with women who might have been in similar situations but couldn't do anything as drastic, making this one of the most influential movies of the decade.

7 Midnight Run (1988)

This Golden Globe-nominated action about a bail bondsman who has to retrieve a criminal who skipped town keeps the audience laughing and guessing what will happen next.

Midnight Run proves Robert Deniro isn't just an outstanding dramatic actor but also has impressive comedic timing. Deniro and Charles Grodin play their characters straight and not wacky, making them even funnier because it feels natural. More impressively, the audience never knows what will happen next in this cat-and-mouse chase between the two leads, the mob, and the police, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats after every plot twist and turn .

6 Easy Rider (1969)

This groundbreaking film about two free-spirited bikers struck a chord in counterculture for daring to question the legitimacy of freedom in America.

RELATED: Groundbreaking Films Made In The 1960s

Easy Rider is considered the first American arthouse film and started a wave of independent filmmakers who, similar to the film's main characters, wanted freedom from the establishment. As the characters ride through America, they encounter everything wrong, including bigotry, consumerism, and violence. However, there's no putting a halo on counterculture as the drug-selling cyclists are also contributing to consumerism in this time capsule of the late 60s .

5 Rain Man (1988)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

This road trip film is about a down-on-his-luck collectibles dealer who kidnaps his autistic brother never fails to leave fans misty-eyed.

Dustin Hoffman delivers the performance of a lifetime as he disappears into a character with autism. At the same time, Tom Cruise manages to make the audience empathetic to a flawed character like Tommy, who uses people for a living. While cliché of the genre, seeing Tommy go from treating his brother as a nuisance at the beginning of the trip to genuinely caring for him by the end leaves the audience emotionally satisfied, showing some tropes never get old.

4 Blues Brothers (1980)

Rotten Tomatoes: 92%

This musical, based on an SNL Sketch about two brothers traveling to find their old bandmates to raise money to save a Catholic Orphanage, is as wild as it sounds in all the best ways.

Blue Brothers is full of insane comedy moments fans expect from SNL, including floating angry nuns, Carry Fisher shooting a rocket launcher at the brothers, and a two-hundred cop car pile-up. When things can't get crazier, characters break out into song, including amazing performances from Aretha Franklin , James Brown , and Ray Charles that are worth the watch alone.

3 Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%

Bert Reynolds and Sally Field star in this box office smash with a charismatic lead character who single-handedly raised the sales of Pontiac Trans Ams in the late 70s.

This unique film almost entirely takes place in cars, making it the ultimate road trip film. Decades later, its practical car stunts are even more fun compared to today's CGI-laden chases. However, the film is sold on the cult of personality, Smokey. Smokey's confidence and bravado endear him to viewers even though he's a criminal. Sally Field also bewitches audiences as the lovable runaway bride who's swept up in the madness like the viewer. Refreshingly, Fields is more than a ditzy sidekick but is running from the responsibility of marriage by doing something completely irresponsible. Whether running from cops or a groom, this film is ultimately about defying authority.

2 Toy Story (1995)

This groundbreaking Pixar film about toys that come to life when no one is looking was the first completely CGI animated movie and taught a generation of kids what true friendship means.

Toy Story features timeless voice acting performances by Tim Allen and Tom Hanks , making fans forget they're watching a child's action figures . When rival toys get lost and have to join forces to find their way home, fans are brought to tears with its message about people getting over their differences to work together and the necessity of friendship.

1 Logan (2017)

This film is like an ultra-violent family road trip with Professor X as the senile grandpa, X-23 as the annoying daughter, and Logan as the dad trying to keep everything together.

Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart's twenty-year friendship shows on screen. Fans can feel the bond between Logan and Professor X, including arguing every five seconds, showing how comfortable they are with each other. Both characters are also the most vulnerable audiences have ever seen them, with Logan slowly dying and the once genius professor's mind deteriorating. Similar to the film's message, the grand illusion of our heroes is wholly destroyed. However, like a real father, Professor X still has one more lesson to teach Logan after he's tasked with protecting X-23 he learns being a hero isn't about how strong he is but about choosing to help others.

NEXT: 10 Best Buddy Comedies Of The 2000s, Ranked By IMDb

6 road-trip movies to watch for travel inspiration

T he joy of traveling is not limited to the end destination but is also very much about the journey, and that is the essence that makes road-trip movies so special. Different filmmakers tend to approach the concept in their own way, so there are a variety of road-trip movies that focus on different aspects of the journey.

Some movies focus on bonding and exploration, while others showcase it as a more cathartic experience linked to self-realization and healing. Most of these films also incorporate an element of comedy that makes for a fun watch.

No matter what the approach is, road-trip movies in general tend to encourage viewers to embark on their own adventure. Viewers who are looking for a sign from the universe to push them to plan a trip of their own will find at least one reason, if not multiple, after watching a good road-trip movie.

Of course, many road-trip movies have been released to date, but the best ones combine derisable dream destinations with interesting narratives and heartfelt performances to leave a lasting impression.

The best road-trip movies that celebrate the joy of travelling and exploration

1) heartlands (2002).

Directed by Damien O'Donnell, this road-trip movie focuses on an amicable newsagent named Colin, played by Michael Sheen . He finds out that his wife is cheating on him with the captain of the darts team he plays for. After he is cut from the team, he resolves to travel to Blackpool with the hope that he will be able to win back his wife.

Sheen does a wonderful job portraying Colin. It is interesting to see how the character changes after his interactions and experiences on the road. The movie is not exactly fast-paced, but it is still witty and enjoyable all the same.

2) Into the Wild (2007)

This popular movie is based on the life of Christopher McCandless. Emile Hirsch plays the role of Christopher in this movie directed by Sean Penn . It gives viewers an insight into the experiences and challenges that Christopher faced as he hitchhiked his way all the way to Alaska.

Hirsch skillfully captures the emotions and mannerisms of Christopher who was fascinated with the nomadic lifestyle. More than anything else, this is one of those movies that makes viewers want to be more spontaneous and adventurous.

3) The Bucket List (2007)

Two experienced actors, Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman , come together in this movie directed by Rob Reiner. The story focuses on Edward Perriman Cole (Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Freeman), both of whom are terminally ill patients. They take a road trip wherein they try and do things from a wishlist before the Grim Reaper comes calling.

The best thing about this movie is the chemistry between the leads. Their characters are endearing, funny, and most of all, relatable. It is heart-warming to watch them bond and support each other during their trip.

4) Land Ho! (2014)

This road-trip movie is about two ex-brothers-in-laws, played by Paul Eenhoorn and Earl Lynn Nelson, who take a trip to Iceland together and try all the hip things that all the young people rave about.

Directed by Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz, this movie focuses on healing and friendship. It is funny and realistic, and the effortless candor between Eenhoorn and Nelson adds to the narrative.

5) The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

This movie marks the directorial debut of both Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz. The story is centered around Zak (Zack Gottsagen) who has Down syndrome. He runs away from a state-run care facility to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. On his journey, he meets up with an outlaw named Tyler ( Shia LaBeouf ) who ends up becoming his friend.

This movie shines thanks to its strong narrative and spectacular performance by Gottsagen and LaBeouf's. The movie as a whole is bound to leave an impact on the viewer.

6) Nomadland (2020)

In this road-trip movie directed by Chloé Zhao, Frances McDormand plays the role of the protagonist. She is Fern who embraces a life on the road after she loses her job. As she travels, she grows as a person and gains a new perspective on life from her interactions with other nomads she meets on the road.

Even when she isn't saying anything, McDormand has a commanding aura, making it difficult for the viewer to look away. Her emotions and body language are always on-point, and she effortlessly carries the narrative. Quiet but thought-provoking, this one is a must-watch road-trip movie.

These road-trip movies will not only entertain movie lovers but will encourage them to pack their bags and set out on the next adventure. They are heartfelt and beautiful stories that inspire one to live life to the fullest.

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Road Trip Movies

"Life's a journey, not a destination." This list contains my favorite movies that are set on the road, both in comedy and horror genres; Perfect for a movie marathon before hitting the road with your friends.

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. Jeepers Creepers (2001)

R | 90 min | Horror, Mystery

A brother and sister driving home through isolated countryside for spring break encounter a flesh-eating creature which is in the midst of its ritualistic eating spree.

Director: Victor Salva | Stars: Gina Philips , Justin Long , Jonathan Breck , Patricia Belcher

Votes: 142,523 | Gross: $37.90M

2. Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)

R | 104 min | Horror

Set a few days after the original, a championship basketball team's bus is attacked by The Creeper, the winged, flesh-eating terror, on the last day of his 23-day feeding frenzy.

Director: Victor Salva | Stars: Jonathan Breck , Ray Wise , Nicki Aycox , Garikayi Mutambirwa

Votes: 70,566 | Gross: $35.67M

3. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

R | 101 min | Comedy, Drama

A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.

Directors: Jonathan Dayton , Valerie Faris | Stars: Steve Carell , Toni Collette , Greg Kinnear , Abigail Breslin

Votes: 517,899 | Gross: $59.89M

4. Due Date (2010)

R | 95 min | Comedy, Drama

High-strung father-to-be Peter Highman is forced to hitch a ride with aspiring actor Ethan Tremblay on a road trip in order to make it to his child's birth on time.

Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Robert Downey Jr. , Zach Galifianakis , Michelle Monaghan , Jamie Foxx

Votes: 357,892 | Gross: $100.54M

5. RV (2006)

PG | 99 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family

Bob Munro and his dysfunctional family rent an RV for a road trip to the Colorado Rockies, where they must ultimately contend with a bizarre community of campers.

Director: Barry Sonnenfeld | Stars: Robin Williams , Cheryl Hines , Kristin Chenoweth , JoJo

Votes: 63,561 | Gross: $71.73M

6. Severance (2006)

R | 96 min | Comedy, Horror

During a team-building retreat in the mountains a group of sales representatives are hunted down one by one.

Director: Christopher Smith | Stars: Danny Dyer , Laura Harris , Tim McInnerny , Toby Stephens

Votes: 40,681 | Gross: $0.14M

7. We're the Millers (2013)

R | 110 min | Comedy, Crime

A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.

Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber | Stars: Jason Sudeikis , Jennifer Aniston , Emma Roberts , Ed Helms

Votes: 485,950 | Gross: $150.39M

8. Almost Famous (2000)

R | 122 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

A high-school boy in the early 1970s is given the chance to write a story for Rolling Stone magazine about an up-and-coming rock band as he accompanies them on their concert tour.

Director: Cameron Crowe | Stars: Billy Crudup , Patrick Fugit , Kate Hudson , Frances McDormand

Votes: 293,302 | Gross: $32.53M

9. Joy Ride (2001)

R | 97 min | Action, Mystery, Thriller

Three young people on a road trip from Colorado to New Jersey talk to a trucker on their CB radio, then must escape when he turns out to be a psychopathic killer.

Director: John Dahl | Stars: Steve Zahn , Paul Walker , Leelee Sobieski , Jessica Bowman

Votes: 75,918 | Gross: $21.97M

10. Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead (2008 Video)

Unrated | 91 min | Horror

After their car breaks down in the desert, four friends try to find their way back to civilization while trying to escape Rusty Nail's bloody wrath.

Director: Louis Morneau | Stars: Nicki Aycox , Nick Zano , Laura Jordan , Kyle Schmid

Votes: 9,241

11. Joy Ride 3: Roadkill (2014 Video)

R | 95 min | Horror

A group of hotheaded street racers are on their way to the Road Rally 1000. As they drive through a desolate shortcut on the way to the race, a man starts tracking, teasing and torturing them until the end of the road.

Director: Declan O'Brien | Stars: Ken Kirzinger , Jesse Hutch , Benjamin Hollingsworth , Gianpaolo Venuta

Votes: 5,270

12. House of Wax (2005)

R | 113 min | Horror, Thriller

A group of teens are unwittingly stranded near a strange wax museum and soon must fight to survive and keep from becoming the next exhibit.

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra | Stars: Chad Michael Murray , Paris Hilton , Elisha Cuthbert , Brian Van Holt

Votes: 133,956 | Gross: $32.06M

13. Stand by Me (1986)

R | 89 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

A writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.

Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: Wil Wheaton , River Phoenix , Corey Feldman , Jerry O'Connell

Votes: 441,464 | Gross: $52.29M

14. Zombieland (2009)

R | 88 min | Action, Comedy, Horror

A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting bruiser in search of the last Twinkie and a pair of sisters striving to get to an amusement park join forces in a trek across a zombie-filled America.

Director: Ruben Fleischer | Stars: Jesse Eisenberg , Emma Stone , Woody Harrelson , Abigail Breslin

Votes: 621,095 | Gross: $75.59M

15. Road Trip (2000)

R | 93 min | Comedy

Four college buddies embark on a road trip to retrieve an illicit tape mistakenly mailed to a female friend.

Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Breckin Meyer , Seann William Scott , Amy Smart , Paulo Costanzo

Votes: 178,233 | Gross: $68.54M

16. EuroTrip (2004)

R | 92 min | Comedy

Dumped by his girlfriend, a high school grad decides to embark on an overseas adventure in Europe with his friends.

Directors: Jeff Schaffer , Alec Berg , David Mandel | Stars: Scott Mechlowicz , Jacob Pitts , Michelle Trachtenberg , Travis Wester

Votes: 222,835 | Gross: $17.72M

17. The Road (III) (2011)

R | 110 min | Crime, Drama, Horror

A 12 year old cold case is reopened when three teens are missing in an old abandoned road where a gruesome murder is left undiscovered for three decades.

Director: Yam Laranas | Stars: Carmina Villaroel , Rhian Ramos , TJ Trinidad , Barbie Forteza

Votes: 1,827 | Gross: $0.12M

18. Trip (2001)

101 min | Comedy, Romance

A group of friends go on an innocent vacation that results in adventures and realizations which will change their respective lives forever.

Director: Gilbert Perez | Stars: Marvin Agustin , Onemig Bondoc , Paolo Contis , John Prats

19. Carriers (2009)

PG-13 | 84 min | Action, Adventure, Drama

As a lethal virus spreads globally, four friends seek a reputed plague-free haven. But while avoiding the infected, the travelers turn on one another.

Directors: David Pastor , Àlex Pastor | Stars: Chris Pine , Piper Perabo , Lou Taylor Pucci , Emily VanCamp

Votes: 49,644 | Gross: $0.09M

20. Are We There Yet? (2005)

PG | 95 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family

To impress a foxy divorcee, ladies' man Nick offers to take her kids on an extended road trip, unaware of the torture he's in for.

Director: Brian Levant | Stars: Ice Cube , Nia Long , Aleisha Allen , Philip Bolden

Votes: 34,552 | Gross: $82.67M

21. Selena (1997)

PG | 127 min | Biography, Drama, Music

The true story of Selena , a Texas-born Tejano singer who rose from cult status to performing at the Astrodome, as well as having chart-topping albums on the Latin music charts.

Director: Gregory Nava | Stars: Jennifer Lopez , Edward James Olmos , Jon Seda , Jackie Guerra

Votes: 31,617 | Gross: $35.42M

22. Bride of Chucky (1998)

R | 89 min | Comedy, Horror, Thriller

Chucky, the doll possessed by a serial killer, discovers the perfect mate to kill and revive into the body of another doll.

Director: Ronny Yu | Stars: Jennifer Tilly , Brad Dourif , Katherine Heigl , Nick Stabile

Votes: 64,231 | Gross: $32.40M

23. Chef (2014)

R | 114 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

A head chef quits his restaurant job and buys a food truck in an effort to reclaim his creative promise, while piecing back together his estranged family.

Director: Jon Favreau | Stars: Jon Favreau , Robert Downey Jr. , Scarlett Johansson , Dustin Hoffman

Votes: 231,650 | Gross: $31.42M

24. Crossroads (I) (2002)

PG-13 | 93 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance

Three childhood friends embark on a cross-country adventure to pursue dreams they once put aside, taking risks that are sure to change their lives forever.

Director: Tamra Davis | Stars: Britney Spears , Anson Mount , Zoe Saldana , Taryn Manning

Votes: 44,100 | Gross: $37.19M

25. Final Destination 2 (2003)

R | 90 min | Horror, Thriller

Death is stalking Kimberly Corman and multiple survivors of a deadly highway accident.

Director: David R. Ellis | Stars: A.J. Cook , Ali Larter , Tony Todd , Michael Landes

Votes: 181,925 | Gross: $46.96M

26. The Hangover Part III (2013)

R | 100 min | Comedy, Crime

When one of their own is kidnapped by an angry gangster, the Wolf Pack must track down Mr. Chow, who has escaped from prison and is on the run.

Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Bradley Cooper , Zach Galifianakis , Ed Helms , Justin Bartha

Votes: 335,289 | Gross: $112.20M

27. I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)

PG-13 | 102 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family

A nerdy valedictorian proclaims his love for Beth Cooper--the hottest, most popular girl in school--during his graduation speech. That very night, she shows up at his door offering to show him the best night of his life.

Director: Chris Columbus | Stars: Hayden Panettiere , Paul Rust , Jack Carpenter , Lauren London

Votes: 37,476 | Gross: $14.79M

28. The Rugrats Movie (1998)

G | 79 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy

The babies gets lost in the forest after Tommy Pickles gets a new baby brother.

Directors: Igor Kovalyov , Norton Virgien | Stars: Elizabeth Daily , Christine Cavanaugh , Kath Soucie , Melanie Chartoff

Votes: 20,722 | Gross: $100.49M

29. Transamerica (2005)

R | 103 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama

A transgender woman takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she had a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York.

Director: Duncan Tucker | Stars: Felicity Huffman , Kevin Zegers , Fionnula Flanagan , Andrea James

Votes: 42,343 | Gross: $9.02M

30. Borat (2006)

R | 84 min | Comedy

Kazakh TV talking head Borat is dispatched to the United States to report on the greatest country in the world.

Director: Larry Charles | Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen , Ken Davitian , Luenell , Chester

Votes: 441,875 | Gross: $128.51M

31. Diary of the Dead (2007)

R | 95 min | Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi

A group of young film students run into real-life zombies while filming a horror movie of their own.

Director: George A. Romero | Stars: Michelle Morgan , Joshua Close , Shawn Roberts , Todd Schroeder

Votes: 49,237 | Gross: $0.96M

32. Identity Thief (2013)

R | 111 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama

Mild mannered businessman Sandy Patterson travels from Denver to Florida to confront the deceptively harmless looking woman who has been living it up after stealing Sandy's identity.

Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Jason Bateman , Melissa McCarthy , John Cho , Amanda Peet

Votes: 140,875 | Gross: $134.51M

33. Paul (2011)

R | 104 min | Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Two English comic book geeks traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien outside Area 51.

Director: Greg Mottola | Stars: Simon Pegg , Nick Frost , Seth Rogen , Mia Stallard

Votes: 266,055 | Gross: $37.41M

34. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

R | 83 min | Horror

Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.

Director: Tobe Hooper | Stars: Marilyn Burns , Edwin Neal , Allen Danziger , Paul A. Partain

Votes: 183,548 | Gross: $30.86M

35. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

R | 98 min | Horror

After picking up a traumatized young hitchhiker, five friends find themselves stalked and hunted by a deformed chainsaw-wielding loon and his family of equally psychopathic killers.

Director: Marcus Nispel | Stars: Jessica Biel , Jonathan Tucker , Andrew Bryniarski , Erica Leerhsen

Votes: 152,356 | Gross: $80.57M

36. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)

On the way to California, a family has the misfortune to have their car break down in an area closed to the public, and inhabited by violent savages ready to attack.

Director: Wes Craven | Stars: Susan Lanier , Robert Houston , John Steadman , Janus Blythe

Votes: 39,220 | Gross: $25.00M

37. The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

R | 107 min | Horror, Thriller

A traveling family falls victim to a group of mutated cannibals in a desert far away from civilization.

Director: Alexandre Aja | Stars: Ted Levine , Kathleen Quinlan , Dan Byrd , Emilie de Ravin

Votes: 183,217 | Gross: $41.78M

38. Dead End (I) (2003)

R | 85 min | Adventure, Horror, Mystery

Christmas Eve. On his way to his in-laws with his family, Frank Harrington decides to try a shortcut, for the first time in 20 years. It turns out to be the biggest mistake of his life.

Directors: Jean-Baptiste Andrea , Fabrice Canepa | Stars: Ray Wise , Lin Shaye , Mick Cain , Alexandra Holden

Votes: 32,274

39. Wrong Turn (I) (2003)

R | 84 min | Horror, Thriller

Chris and a group of five friends are left stranded deep in the middle of the woods after their cars collide. As they venture deeper into the woods, they face an uncertain and bloodcurdling fate.

Director: Rob Schmidt | Stars: Eliza Dushku , Jeremy Sisto , Emmanuelle Chriqui , Desmond Harrington

Votes: 131,409 | Gross: $15.42M

40. Rest Stop (2006 Video)

R | 80 min | Horror, Romance, Thriller

The film follows Nicole Carrow, a young woman who is threatened by a maniac serial killer, after her boyfriend Jess, is abducted in a rest stop.

Director: John Shiban | Stars: Jaimie Alexander , Michael Childers , Jennifer Cormack , Gary Entin

Votes: 11,837

41. Lemon Tree Passage (2014)

84 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Three US backpackers are told the local urban legend of Lemon Tree Passage. Seeking out the ghost they uncover a force that threatens to wreak havoc. Isolated and 10,000 miles from home, they find themselves caught in the clutches of evil.

Director: David Campbell | Stars: Jessica Tovey , Nicholas Gunn , Pippa Black , Tim Phillipps

Votes: 2,990

42. The Hitcher (2007)

R | 84 min | Crime, Thriller

A couple from college get caught in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a psychopathic hitchhiker and the police after witnessing a murder and being framed.

Director: Dave Meyers | Stars: Sean Bean , Sophia Bush , Zachary Knighton , Neal McDonough

Votes: 45,063 | Gross: $16.47M

43. Magandang hatinggabi (1998)

103 min | Comedy, Horror, Romance

Director: Laurenti M. Dyogi | Stars: Nonie Buencamino , Eula Valdez , Alan Paule , Angelica Panganiban

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