Photo: Universal(Getty Images)
Despite they being such a huge part of our lives and the possible profitability of them thanks to the gearheads, there aren’t many movies where cars are the lead actors. Yet, throughout the years there have been some amazing movies that deserve to find a place in every car enthusiast’s garage. These five car movies will get gasoline flowing down your veins and your gas foot itching, so put your seatbelt on and start the engine.
Best Car Movies
The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Remember when Fast and Furious movies were about cars and street racing rather than family, The Rock’s biceps, and heists? Those were the days when car enthusiasts thought that they are going to get a proper car-related franchise as the first part of the movie was as realistic as possible with none of the campiness and B-movie values like the newer ones. Of course, the movie had its undercover cop plot, but a lot of significance was given to racing and cars. Vin Diesel was raving about family even then though.
Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)
Featuring the meme-lord Nicholas Cage at the heights of his Hollywood powers, and Angelina Jolie on the rise, alongside many perfectly cast supporting characters, Gone in Sixty Seconds is a car-thieving, car-celebrating action movie with just a slice of cheesiness. A ’90s movie in its core, it’s the most car movie out of all car movies on the list as automobiles are put on a pedestal by the characters. Havingemotionalonal draw to the story makes for a bigger immersion into the movie and gives it additional layers.
Bullitt (1968)
The biggest cult classic out of the car movies, 1968’s Bullitt still stands as one of the most bad ass, manly movies of all time and Steve McQueen has been immortalized by portraying the main character. Definition of old school cool, Bullitt is an idealistic, reckless San Francisco cop determined to find the head of a criminal organization that killed a witness in his protection. The setting in the City by the Bay provides for some amazing and unique car chase scenes and the muscle cars speeding through urban area looks quite realistic for a 1968 movie.
Taxi (1998)
A French movie that is quite possibly the most entertaining on the list as it mixes comedy with police work and car chases in a unique take as it is a European film. In it, a Marseille cop enlists the help of a wild taxi driver in finding the German bank robbers known as the Mercedes Gang, in the exchange for a clean driving record. Besides a customized white taxi Peugeot in a war path against everyone, we can also see young Marion Cotillard, and some very smartly done, realistic, entertaining chase scenes. Written by Luc Besson, Taxi is a proper car movie but offers so much more than just that.
The Italian Job (1969)
A year younger than the Bullitt, but a vastly different movie in both tone and the directorial style of the car chases. Starring Michael Caine, The Italian Job is basically a comedy heist movie in which the robbers use traffic to their advantage with some help of Mini Coopers. Other, more sporty cars appear in the movie, but it’s the uniqueness of the car chases that make this movie. It was such a success that it produced a 2003 remake starring Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg, which stayed inferior to the original.
There you go, films as cool as these car names, but we always want more so tell us what are some other car movies passionate drivers might enjoy?
