The greatest films to come out of Japan
One of the most iconic road trip movies of all time, this classic film summed up the spirit of its time. Starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson, it sees the free-wheeling central characters tackle bigotry and bad trips as they try to figure out their own place in society.
Having failed in his attempts to marry Pamela Anderson in 2006, Borat is back in his van and in the United States, this time navigating a pandemic as he attempts to offer his daughter as a present to a prominent politician. What could go wrong? Everything!
A dysfunctional Albuquerque family hit the road in their Volkswagen van in a bitter-sweet indie movie. The offbeat family are headed to California, where seven-year-old daughter Olive is keen to showcase her somewhat unique dance moves in the finals of a beauty pageant.
An early rom-com, 'It Happened One Night' was the first of only three movies ever to pick up the five top awards at the Oscars. It sees an out-of-work reporter and a headstrong heiress thrown together when their bus leaves them stranded.
Kate Hudson plays a 1970s groupie in a beautifully-shot film about rock and roll life on the road. A semi-autobiographical work from director Cameron Crowe, it follows an impressionable young male journalist on a tour assignment for Rolling Stone magazine.
Johnny Depp is on hilariously good form in Terry Gilliam's trippy adaptation of the Hunter S. Thomson novel. He plays a hard-partying journalist getting into all manner of substance-induced nightmare scenarios as he navigates Nevada with his no-good lawyer.
Perhaps the ultimate female empowerment road trip movie, it features Geena Davies and Susan Sarandon on the run from the law. Watch out also for a young Brad Pitt playing a charming-but-untrustworthy cowboy.
Truth really can be stranger than fiction! David Lynch's moving 1999 movie tells the true story of Alvin Straight, a World War II veteran who rode right across Iowa and Wisconsin–on a lawn mower!
Deadpan comedy unfurls in artsy black and white, as a hip-but-bored New Yorker sets off to retrieve his young Hungarian cousin from her aunt's place in Cleveland.
Another road movie based on real-life events, but rather darker in theme. 'Bonnie and Clyde' is a glamorized version of the crimes committed by the Great Depression-era robbery duo, and their attempts to evade capture.
High-speed thrills and spills abound in this fun comedy about a pair of southern truckers attempting to ship a hefty amount of beer across state lines. A hitchhiking bride-to-be throws a spanner in the works.
Not a highbrow watch, but this raunchy road trip movie is good fun. A group of college buddies hit the road in a race against time to try and retrieve an explicit tape accidentally mailed to one of their girlfriends.
This 1988 classic earned Dustin Hoffman an Oscar for Best Actor. He plays Raymond, the autistic older brother of Tom Cruise's self-centered yuppie Charlie Babbitt.
Tim Burton's directorial debut is a quirkily funny road trip adventure. When childlike Pee-wee Herman's beloved bike is stolen, he sets off across the country on an action-packed attempt to get it back.
Having learned absolutely no lessons from their epic American road trip fail, the Griswolds head to Europe on a freebie vacation. They fall foul of the Italian police, British driving laws, and a whole lot more.
Based on Jack Kerouac's classic novel of the same name, this cinema adaptation sees three friends embark on a cross-country voyage of discovery.
Muppets can make road movies too! On their first big-screen outing, Miss Piggy, Kermit, and the gang embark on a cross country trip to try and make it big in Hollywood.
With National Lampoon in the title, you know this road trip is going to go hilariously wrong. Sure enough, Clark Griswold's impeccably-planned family trip from Chicago to a California theme park is a string of painfully-funny disasters.
Robert De Niro is a foul-mouthed bounty hunter hitting the road on the trail of an unscrupulous accountant. It's a fast-paced comedy drama in which nothing goes to plan.
This Spanish-language movie is based on the real-life diaries of Argentine revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara. The film captures the often-funny motorbike trip across South America that inspired his political awakening.
A somewhat raunchy coming-of-age Mexican road movie, this critically-acclaimed flick sees two young male friends set off on a long-distance beach trip with a seductive older woman.
Paul Rudd is a world-weary soul charged with caring for a disabled teenager. When the pair embark on a road trip, they find themselves faced with–and ultimately overcoming–a whole host of emotional challenges.
David Lynch's 1990 road movie is less cryptic than many of his works as a director. Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern star as a couple on the run from probation officers and a mother who violently opposes their relationship.
Pour yourself a large glass and enjoy this offbeat comedy-drama about a hapless writer and his soon-to-be-married friend as they explore California's wine country.
Babbitt takes his estranged brother away from his mental institution for a financially-motivated road trip, but learns a series of life lessons along the way.
As colorful and character-packed as moviegoers have come to expect from director Wes Anderson, this witty movie sees three brothers embark on a bonding trip across India.
Sources: (Insider)
See also: The best spoof movies of all time
Nothing like a string of travel disasters to pile on the pressure when your expectant wife is about to give birth! Robert Downey Jr. plays a highly-strung father-to-be trying to overcome the comedic odds to get to the hospital in time.
The fun follow-up to 2012's comedy-drama 'Magic Mike' sees male stripper Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) return from retirement to join his Kings of Tampa dance colleagues for a road trip to attend a stripper convention.
John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are the blues-loving protagonists of this memorable movie. Fresh out of jail and trying to stick to the straight-and-narrow, they embark on a wild ride around Illinois trying to raise money for a Catholic orphanage threatened with closure.
The open road, a sense of adventure, and a cinematic backdrop: the best road trip movies capture them all. Of course, real-life road trips rarely go totally smoothly, and classic road trip movies don't shy away from showing all the dramatic bumps along the way. From misadventures to disastrous family trips and bust-ups behind the wheel, these movies range from cringe-making comedies to tense thrillers and joy-filled adventures.
Got your interest? Then buckle up to discover the best road trip movies of all time.
Unforgettable road trip movies for your watchlist
Looking for a fun, thrilling adventure? A road trip movie is the answer
MOVIES Travel movies
The open road, a sense of adventure, and a cinematic backdrop: the best road trip movies capture them all. Of course, real-life road trips rarely go totally smoothly, and classic road trip movies don't shy away from showing all the dramatic bumps along the way. From misadventures to disastrous family trips and bust-ups behind the wheel, these movies range from cringe-making comedies to tense thrillers and joy-filled adventures.
Got your interest? Then buckle up to discover the best road trip movies of all time.