This week’s theme seemed so random at first but once I started thinking about cars, and movies where cars sort of play almost like separate characters themselves, I realised there are so many great movies I should mention. So here is a list of movies which highlight cars in a way that showcases them as more valuable than their simple practical functions.
1. GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS, 2000
Each of the cars in the movie have a female name which might sound like something a crazy person would do but in this context, having names makes the cars more valuable. And with a very strong cast, during Nicholas Cage’s glory days, Gone in Sixty Seconds delivers such a great car-heist movie that you’ll remember the name Eleanor forever.
2. THE ITALIAN JOB, 2003
For some reason those little Mini Coopers always remind me of The Italian Job. The cars themselves look ridiculous, yet the fact how they were utilized is so badass that you will actually contemplate on buying a Mini Cooper for yourself. I recommend not driving around in the house with it but I mean having the option by owning a Mini Cooper would be so amazing, right!?
3. COP CAR, 2015
A very simple idea of a cop car being stolen by kids turns into a very great movie which deserves more praise than it has gotten. Cop Car is an interesting film that does very little but says quite a lot, and in the middle of it all is a car, a car which causes a lot of trouble.
4. JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2, 2017
Sure, I could name the first movie just as well but I thought I’d praise Chapter Two a little here on the blog as well. You see, this movie starts with a very long opening scene where John Wick goes to take back his car. It’s a brutal opening, filled with amazing things, and right there is a car which will look completely different by the time John Wick is done with it… but remember, he loves his car a lot, despite the things he does to it.
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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I LOVE the Italian Job. Never missed it once when it was on TV.
I haven’t watched it for so long but I have seen it so many times that I can’t count it on one hand anymore!
I also chose Gone in 60 Seconds, but I didn’t enjoy it. I’d probably lol unintentionally at it now, so maybe it’s better in that way.
I remember it being fun, like I think it was more fun for me than those types of movies are nowadays, so I think that nostalgic element makes it better for me than it actually is.
Italian Job is so much fun. Charlize! Jason! Them mini cars!
I know! It’s a shame the sequel will never happen, Brazilian Job was thrown around as an idea but oh well, maybe they will revive it soon since that’s the trend nowadays.
OOOOO I LOVE The Italian Job!! So sleek and clever with that great cast playing to their strengths. The cars are worked very effectively into the story. I was sorry the proposed sequel that was bandied about for years never worked out, probably because all the main actors are just too busy.
I didn’t think much of Gone in 60 Seconds but it had some nice cars in it.
I don’t have any interest in the John Wick films but Cop Car sounds worth a look.
I’m not a big race fan however when I started looking for picks I’ve seen a whole bunch it turns out. Like any sports film I guess it’s the background story that keeps me involved and the snippets of the actual races usually just add flavor to the film. My second choice is one I’m a big fan of though.
Winning (1969)-Frank Capua’s (Paul Newman) dream is to win the Indy 500 and he is spurred on by his messy private life including a troubled marriage to Elora (Joanne Woodward) who is also involved with his main rival Luther Erding (Robert Wagner). The film inspired Newman’s lifelong love of racing and has some exciting scenes of the sport. While it doesn’t deliver on its ambitious tagline “WINNING is for men who live dangerously! WINNING is for women who love recklessly! WINNING is for young people who live for now! WINNING…is for everybody!” it’s a decent film with many of the stars of the racing circuit making appearances.
The Great Race (1965)-At the beginning of the 1900’s The Great Leslie (an all in white clad Tony Curtis) and his arch nemesis Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon equally black covered with a handlebar moustache and top hat to boot) compete in the title race from New York to Paris with henchmen in tow, Hezekiah (Keenan Wynn) for Curtis and Max (a hilarious Peter Falk) for Lemmon. Also competing and covering the race for The Sentinel newspaper is pioneering and rambunctious reporter Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood at her most beautiful). MANY complications occur along the way including a western town brawl and shootout and an enormous pie fight. Blake Edwards directed tribute to slapstick and old time serials is zany fun with beautiful costume & set design, a game cast and for car lovers fantastic automobiles. The score was provided by Henry Mancini and includes the Oscar nominated “The Sweetheart Tree”.
The Big Wheel (1949)-Watch out Mickey Rooney’s on the skids in more ways than one! Billy Coy (Rooney) has something to prove, his father was a legend in the midget race car game until his death in a crackup, now Billy is trying to show his worth. The story is standard cocky hothead knocked down a few pegs until his learns the necessary life lessons junk but if you’re a race fan and don’t mind the obvious rear projection shots it has a certain entertainment value. Additionally parts were filmed at the Indy 500 raceway providing a glimpse of it in its infancy. Aside from Rooney there’s a good cast including Spring Byington, Thomas Mitchell and in a small part Hattie McDaniel in her last theatrical feature. This was made just as the Mick’s major star period was ending.
80’s Flashback Bonus-Catch Me If You Can (1989)-When her small Midwest high school faces closure class president Melissa Hanson (Loryn Locklin) is persuaded by school bad boy Dylan Malone (Matt Lattanzi) to gamble on the illegal car races he runs. Everything goes well at first but then the local mob moves in so Melissa and Dylan take drastic measures to save ol’ Cathedral High! Full of 80’s music (the film’s score is composed and performed by Tangerine Dream) 80’s fashion and of course 80’s hair complete with headbands!
I know, I remember that the title was proposed as The Brazilian Job or something, it could have been so so good. I wished it was a trilogy like Ocean’s was, but it was not meant to be – sadly.
Not much for racing either, that’s why I picked movies that showcased cars in another way. But I think cars have been around for so long in movies that there are so many movies to choose from. Racing movies and others.
Not that I do this myself. but its quite common for people to give cars female names (perhaps because it is a mostly male pursuit), Sebastian Vettel (F1 Driver) gives his car a female name every season
I’ve seen and like the Italian Job…but I do prefer the classic original
I haven’t seen the original but I’ve heard that it was a good remake in terms of remakes so I’m happy to stick by it even though I have no idea how good the original was.
I kinda love The Italian Job. I feel like I probably shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. I just love watching it.
Why shouldn’t you!? It’s great in the genre it is, I wouldn’t feel like I shouldn’t like it. 😀
I enjoy the Italian Job-guilty pleasure. I still have to watch the original version. Gone in 60 Seconds..meh. I won’t watch John Wick because of the scene with his dog. I only saw a bit of it but I still carry it with me and refuse to watch it as a result. I know the dog’s ok and doing well but…nope, Can’t
That’s alright, I think many find these types of scenes horrific, and it’s completely understandable. I’m more like Chandler from Friends when it comes to these types of scenes.. I know they aren’t real, and I’m not as affected by them.
Nice picks! I haven’t seen Gone in Sixty Seconds in a long time, but Nicholas Cage is unforgettable. 😀
I think it’s one of his better movies, this, and The National Treasure which is extremely fun!
Aw I do love the Original Italian Job, the 2003 version was ok if you look at it as a completely separate entity.