We all drive but very few of us race. Who hasn’t gotten behind the wheel and thought to themselves, I’d like to push this pedal to the metal and see just how fast this can go? Yet we don’t. Civilized society dictates we drive safely and for that, I thank you. But we all still have the itch to see cars do something crazy. Thus, these movies give us that wish fulfillment in the safest way possible. So sit back and relax in the safety of your home with one of these flicks and get those thrills without being behind the wheel.
A movie whose elevator pitch is, “A guy needs to save a bunch of people on a bus that will explode if it goes under 50 miles per hour” is almost destined to be thrilling. And for Speed, the movie I am describing, “thrilling” is an understatement. This is a movie about doing what needs to be done in a given situation to maximize the number of lives that can be spared, and on top of that, it is some of the most fun and exciting action you will ever see. From the elevator scene at the beginning, to the bus action sequences that make up the majority of the movie, the enjoyment is as nonstop as the bus. (Robert Bouffard)
Mini Coopers are cool cars. I used to live in one of the most congested cities in the country, and I can tell you that any time I saw one of these suckers, it always made me jealous. You could park it almost anywhere. From a utilitarian standpoint, it checks the boxes of a perfect car and does so with style. Seeing one on the streets evokes fun memories of watching The Italian Job. Watching not one, but three of these zippy little cars racing through the Los Angeles River shows why the Mini is the perfect getaway car. The cast is bursting at the seams with charisma. Jason Statham, Edward Norton, and Seth Green all shine and are hilarious in their own unique ways. The team’s backstories of how they got into the heist game is hysterical. The moments of banter are hilarious and quotable. Seth Green’s Statham impression is particularly funny. The heist sequences are exciting, creative and memorable. The Italian Job is a slick ride that leaves you entertained to the finish line. (Evan Lucken)
I’ve watched this movie a couple of times now, once as part of my Uni course, and another time recently while cooking. It was then I realised that this is not a film you can watch casually in the background. This is one you must pay attention too. The devil here is very much in the details, in the small moments that can irrevocably change the way a character acts, feels and stands by their morals. It moves quickly through its events but through calmly and in order to take it all in, much like its protagonist. Never given a name, Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of the Driver is the heart and soul here, with all the events being determined by what he’s going through. He never has an explosion of emotion; however, you are able to feel everything and more. You see as he starts going down a dark path, and his struggle to crawl out of it. As Nicholas Winding Refn’s defining picture, it is certainly a fantastic one to be known for. Cerebral, ethereal and deliberate, this is a film all cinephiles should put on their watchlists, if they haven’t already! (Alice-Ginevra Micheli)
As the great Robert Meyer Burnett would say: “Fast Five is the Citizen Kane of the Fast and Furious Franchise”. Now, at first that statement sounds absolutely ridiculous, however, once you think about it it’s not wrong. Fast Five completely changed the direction of the Fast and Furious franchise. Instead of focusing on street racers robbing 18-wheelers, they take it in the direction of something more akin to that of 2003’s The Italian Job…just way more over the top and use of the word “family”. The extra ingredient that makes this movie work so well, though, is the addition of The Rock as Luke Hobbs. His character injected the right amount of NOS that this franchise needed in order to push it over the top. Fast Five is a fun, action-packed thrill ride that has one of the most bad-A fight scenes ever put on the big screen, even if the end result is absolutely ludicrous. ($5 for anyone who can spot all the puns) (Ben Davis)
This film is a very topical for me right now because I rocked a turtleneck for Halloween as Frank Bullitt this year! Who can resist the natural charm and charisma of the late great Steve McQueen? Bullitt was at the height of McQueen’s popularity as he donned the turtleneck and jumped into his green ’68 Ford Mustang Fastback and created one of the greatest car chases of all time. McQueen’s own talent behind the wheel allowed him to do his own car stunts! The chase had a cool car, interesting set piece with the hill filled streets of San Francisco and an explosive ending. Not to mention the great foot chase during the airport climax. But why talk about that when we are here to chat about cars, right? Bullitt shows why Steve McQueen was such a great leading man with his natural charisma as he portrays a distant and emotionally tortured man. If you want some cool cars, some mystery, and some McQueen, go check out Bullitt! (Shane Conto)
Although watching car racing on TV might not be the most exciting thing in the world, the same can’t be said when viewing such a race in a movie. One of the strongest cases is director Ron Howard’s 2013 biographical sports film, Rush. The story focuses on Formula One drivers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) as they compete in the 1976 Formula 1 racing season. While Hemsworth was mostly known for his performance as Thor when this film was released, he didn’t have any problem when proving that he can be just as successful in movies that had deeper drama. Brühl is every bit as fascinating in his role as Lauda, someone who shows an unfaltering dedication to placing first on the track. The screenplay by Peter Morgan provides us with a great deal of insight when focusing on the rivalry between Hunt and Lauda, with their interactions never failing to match the intensity of the racing sequences. The way in which the races are filmed, you pretty much feel the wind whipping through your hair as you venture around the tracks at insane speeds, and this is all with the help of Anthony Dod Mantle’s cinematography. This is an exciting story and one of the best sports films to come out over the last few years, so if you’re in the mood for a movie that’s strong in emotion and thrills, you won’t be able to get your eyes on “Rush” fast enough. (Vincent Abbatecola)
Steven Soderbergh has made some great stuff throughout his filmogrophy. From creating Oceans Eleven to Unsane(a psychological thriller filmed on an IPhone, although people don’t really ‘count’ this one). I think this is the most charming movie in his line of films. After Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) is fired from his construction job for the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina, he Teams up with his Brother Clyde (Adam Driver) who is a one armed amputee and his sister Mellie (Riley Keough) to rob the speedway while teaming up with an imprisoned theif played by (Daniel Craig) and his two brothers (Jack Quaid, Brian Gleeson). There’s a southern aspect that lingers over the films characters that makes the time with these characters seem endearing. It makes me upset when people don’t know this movie exists and it ended up underperforming at the box office, because it’s so much fun and surprisingly has a lot of heart in it. This is something I recommend you catch before 2020, I’m really grad I gave it a shot. (Alex Henderson)
Watching one guy sit in his car and talk on the phone for 90 minutes probably sounds like the most boring movie ever. But somehow it ranks near the top of movies released by A24 and Tom Hardy performances. We sometimes don’t realize how frail life is, and how one misstep can make our house of cards go tumbling in an instant. But that’s just what Ivan Locke learns over the course of his car ride. In a movie that will leave you floored as the credits roll, you’ll be pondering your own existence and morals. It is an ultimate example of doing a lot with a little. (Robert Bouffard)
What’s more fun than watching a high chase high class action movie? Close to nothing. The cast is elite. The sound track is elite. The charm is elite. How much more can I gush on this movie? If you enjoy enjoying movies, this is must watch cinema. This is the movie that will have us asking for many generations: “What if the MCU just let Edgar Wright make his Ant-Man movie?” (Blake Hodges)
Whoever said trailers are not art is wrong. At a time when we saw first trailers for Interstellar, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, here came a franchise that was making a long-awaited return. Mad Max: Fury Road. Describing the way I felt when I saw the first trailer is indescribable. Experiencing this on the big screen (in 3D, no less) was, without a doubt, one of the best experiences of my life. This film takes you on a journey, not unlike a road trip movie. Once Max revs his engine, there’s no time for a pit stop. It’s just pure adrenaline, whether it comes from the lightning sandstorm, The Doof Warrior who is providing the soundtrack or Furiosa’s one-armed reign of terror against Immortan Joe. You’re sure to have a glorious day watching it. (Austin Belzer)
Honorable Mentions
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Oh Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, our fine four fendered friend. What a delight it was to watch Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a kid. As an adult, it feels bloated and dated but there is something about the wonderful charm that this film delivers that makes it worth the extended runtime. And let’s be real here, what musical of that era did not have an obnoxious runtime? My point exactly. Dick Van Dyke is charming as ever as Caractacus Potts (and if you think that is the only weird name in this movie, you would be mistaken) an inventor who builds a mystical car for his children. They go on an adventure with the lovely and charming Truly Scrumptious (told you) as they sing wonderful little tunes like “Me ‘Ol Bam-boo” and “Toot Sweet”. Is this film absolutely ridiculous? Yeah it is but it has a wonderful charm to it. Hell, this film even has Goldfinger and Benny Hill in it! Enjoy this absurd and musical romp made for the whole family. (Shane Conto)
Casino Royale
I’m sorry. That last hand… nearly killed me. James Bond is one of the best franchises of all time. While definitely not all of the entries are a hit, when they do hit, they hit hard. While I think there are several good answers for someone’s favorite Bond movie, this one is the one I lean on. Daniel Craig does an astounding job in the titular role, the screenplay brings such a fresh breath of air into a franchise that was dying, and it brought a sense of realism after a number of ridiculous Bond movies. Casino Royale was the absolute perfect movie for James Bond to live. And for this week’s BEC, I think this holds an argument to be #1 because the car in this movie is absolutely gorgeous. When we think of the gadgets in Bond movies, we often think of the various watches, pens, glasses, shoes, and whatnot but more often we first think of the car. Bond is nearly always given a beauty of a car with all the bells and whistles to make someone who doesn’t care at all about cars (me) drool. And Casino Royale winds up being the perfect choice for this BEC because it is the best example of a Bond car that is gorgeous, very useful and actually used, and when the car is gone, you really feel like Bond has a significant disadvantage. At the end of the day, when thinking about movies with cars, the existence of the car has to define a movie and the Aston Martin DBS V12 works its way to be so iconic in this film. (Aaron Schweitzer)
Also see:
Gone in 60 Seconds, Christine, Days of Thunder, The Transporter, The Love Bug, Cars, Talladega Nights, The World’s Fastest Indian, Taxi Driver, Collateral