Beach
If you plan on going to somewhere in South East Asia then you can’t look further than Leonardo Di Caprio’s blockbuster ‘The Beach’. I first read the book, which is leaps and bounds better than the film, however the movie has grown on me, especially when I really got into travelling.
The idea of escaping it all to a tropical paradise, and to forget the 9-5 and the cost of rent was something that will have the mind floating away.
I actually visited Maya Bay, the beach from the movie, however to say it was disappointing is an understatement.
Castaway
We all have that dream, or nightmare depending on which way you look at it, of ending up on a desert island. No movie depicts this better than Castaway.
I do wonder how long it would take before I started calling a ball Wilson, but I would be impressed if my fishing skills got to his level.
Into The Wild
This isn’t a story about your usual straight of uni travelling experience to South East Asia. This is someone taking on the real wilderness, completely off the grid.
Into The Wild is quite remarkably a true story, as one man tackles nature in Alaska, however expect a sad ending.
The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty
This is one of those comedies that is a bit cheesy, don’t expect a mindblowing movie, but it is a great story following that similar concept of someone letting life slip by until they suddenly take on a number of challenges.
His adventure is a brilliant, light hearted story which will leave a smile on your face.
The Motorcycle Diaries
This film is a popular option for anyone looking to visit South America. The quote “let the world change you, and you can change the world” says everything you need to know about Gael Garcia Bernal and Rodrigo De La Serna’s adventures.
This movie is based on the memoirs of Ernesto Che Guevara, a hugely influential figure in South America, while there are plenty of books to read on the subject while here.
In Bruges
OK, this one might only be relevant if you’re thinking of visiting Belgium, but it did make me want to head over. I mean, as long as you ignore all of Colin Farrell’s hilarious insults of Bruges, it does actually look quite magical.
Even if you’re not heading to Bruges, I’d recommend giving this film a watch. If you do decide to visit, make sure to have a read of my article on things to do in Belgium.
Wild
From the director of Dallas Buyers Club and starring Academy Award Winner Reese Witherspoon, Wild shares the true story of one woman’s adventure into the wild.
The concept of the story is very similar to Into The Wild, while I thought both movies were ok but didn’t actually inspire me to travel, despite their subject areas.
The Bucket List
Lying in a hospital bed, pondering how life has drifted you by, wondering what moments you missed out on. This is what Morgan Freeman is going through, before he happens to share the hospital room with a billionaire played by Jack Nicholson.
Obviously, we don’t all get the chance to have a billionaire fly us around the world and take on every experience possible, but we maybe have more time on our hands, so this is a good story to push you off the sofa and get you planning your summer adventures.
Airplane
Just about to jump on a plane? Not too scared of flights? Why not tuck into ‘Airplane’, easily one of the greatest comedies of all time, if not the greatest.
As the entire plane falls ill with food poisoning, including the pilots, the passengers must work out how to land the plane, with painfully funny scenes.
You could be really evil and play at full volume ‘snakes on a plane’ while taking your flight, I know that’s what I would do!
Halloween
If you happen to be travelling during late October, then you might want to get in the Halloween mood.
I’m not a huge horror fan, however you always feel inclined to jump out of your skin once a year when October draws to a close.
Watching Scream (1,2 or 3) is a good bet, while the first Final Fantasy is normally enough to freak me out. However, I still love to end a night of horror films with ‘Scary Movie’, completely taking the mick out of every production we have just viewed.
Winter holidays
If you’re hoping to pick a classic to watch while snuggled up on the sofa with hot chocolate in hand, Tom Hanks really delivered with the Polar Express.
Don’t get me wrong, this film is not by far the best animation film, with Finding Nemo, Ice Age and Shrek eclipsing this film into the shadows. However, there is something about Polar Express that makes you feel warm inside when it’s cold outdoors.
Another film around Christmas time which seems to be able to do this is ‘Father Christmas’ by Raymond Briggs, leaving you laughing throughout at his ‘bloomin Christmas’.
While in the Christmas spirit, no winter holiday is complete without watching ‘Home Alone’. It’s sad to see he hasn’t really continued his acting career, however Home Alone has become a Bourlet family ritual in our household. It is worth mentioning that after the first one they really do get worse!
Everyone who knows me well knows what a big fan of Will Ferrell I am, from the moment I watched Anchor Man. Elf kept this respect for the godly actor going, and is easily the funniest christmas film you can see this year!
I will end with one more Christmas film, the relatively new ‘Bad Santa’ is a great one for the slightly older audience (don’t show the kids), offering a very different perception to what Christmas films are normally based on.
The odd choices
If you are going on a long hike and you feel like going alone, have a quick watch of 127 hours to creep yourself out. Ironically, this film did actually inspire me to go out and try hiking somewhere, as the sense of freedom he had (before his arm was torn to shreds) was unbelievable. One film that is popular with travellers, yet I didn’t overly enjoy, is ‘Into the wild’. This film is based on a true story, about someone who went travelling and bit off more than they could chew. If anything, it showed me to have limits, then again, the idea of living on my own scares the hell out of me!
What is your favourite film to watch before travelling or going on a holiday?