At times when travel isn’t possible, a good movie can be the next best thing. Films featuring exotic settings, romantic destinations or other faraway places can inspire future adventures and help temporarily feed the travel bug. Here are a few of my favorite films that keep me dreaming until my next journey.
1. Roman Holiday 1953: This Audrey Hepburn classic is a virtual travelogue of the sights and sounds of Rome. The movie’s real travel inspiration comes from the open and eager way in which Miss Hepburn’s character devours her adventure as she experiences the real Rome for the first time. It’s great fun, if you visit Rome yourself, to look for locations from the movie.
2. Ocean’s 11 1960 & 2001: OK this is really two movies, but both the 1960 original and the 2001 remake are fun romps through sin city. The original “rat pack” version shows vegas in the early days, while the new George Clooney vehicle effectively shows off the glitz and glamor of today’s Vegas strip.
3. Amelie 2001: This award-winning French favorite starring Audrey Tautau, provides a delicious taste of modern Paris. A highly imaginative film, Amelie is both fanciful and poignant. It always makes me long to immerse myself in the wonders of Paris.
4. Lost In Translation 2003: As a travel inspiration film, this is another movie where the main character’s frame of mind takes us beyond the mere setting or filming location. Set largely in Tokyo, the film is about exploration, culture shock, and life as a personal journey,
5. Memoirs of a Geisha 2005: While much of the film was actually filmed in California, the first three-quarters of the movie portrays a rich tapestry of pre-WWII Japan. Also filmed in Kyoto, this fictional accounting of life of a geisha really captures the gracious beauty of Japanese culture and countryside.
6. Once 2006: The most recent addition to my list of travel inspiring favorites is the independent gem “Once”. This modern-day love story is set in working class Dublin and centers around an Irish street musician, and a young Czech singer who stops one day to listen. The urban Dublin setting in this film is so vivid and wonderful, and the original soundtrack only adds further to its impact.
There are so many great films that immerse audiences in far-off locations. So if you can’t take a vacation right now, a well-chosen movie can provide the next best thing!
