It's Thursday. I put this post together now from my vacation spot, the destination of a Road Trip. I am in South Carolina, near Charleston, on "the Edge of America," the Town of Folly Beach. My Grandfather lives here with my uncle, so I afford myself a visit down here every year. It is hot. But beautiful and the Atlantic is magnificent.
So, here's a short and sweet post for you as part of Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks. The perfect topic for me this week: Road Trip Movies.
Here are my picks:
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Dir. John Hughes, 1987
A stuffy jerk (Steve Martin) and a happy-go-lucky salesman (John Candy) endure a series of mishaps on the road from New York to Chicago in the days before Thanksgiving. Funny. Heartfelt. Iconic. I watch it at least once a year.
Duets
Dir. Bruce Paltrow, 2000
Three unlikely pairs (Huey Lewis/Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Giamatti/Andre Brauer, Maria Bello/Scott Speedman) travel to Omaha for the National Karaoke Competition. Underseen. Unsung. Unbelievable. Paul Giamatti doing "Try a Little Tenderness." Enough said.
Y Tu Mamá También
Dir. Alfonso Cuarón, 2001
Dir. Alfonso Cuarón, 2001
Two best friends, close as brothers, the wealthy Tenoch (Diego Luna) and the middle class Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal), embark on a journey from Mexico City to a hidden Pacific beach with an unlikely companion in Tenoch's older cousin's wife, Luisa (Maribel Verdú). Sexy, passionate, honest, heartbreaking. My heart aches just thinking about it. Quite simply one of the best movies ever made.
Oh man, how did I forget Y Tu Mamá También? That's PERFECT! I haven't seen Duets. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is an excellent choice too, even if I didn't care for the film. For some reason him yelling at the rental car lady at the counter really bothered me, and I never got back in the right frame of mind after that. It's weird. lol
ReplyDeleteIt's so good. It was fresh on my mind as I recently bought the Criterion Blu-Ray. Duets is a lot of fun. Nothing seriously great. Just fun. I LOVE THAT SCENE in PT&A. It's seriously the best scene in the movie. So well-written, so well-performed by both actors. The looks on her face are priceless as is her reply.
DeleteOMG! Y Tu Mamá También!!! Why didn't I think of this one?
ReplyDeleteYep. Great one!
DeleteI've been DYING to see Duets AND Planes Tarins & Automobiles for YEARS but haven't gotten around to them. Paul Giamatti doing Try A Little Tenderness? AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteY Tu Mama Tambien is PERFECT and I almost picked it.
Duets is, like I told Britt, a lot of fun. It's not any major masterpiece or anything but its fun and the karaoke is great! PT&A has to be seen. Watch it around Thanksgiving.
DeleteIt's a great movie!
I've only seen two of these. Y Tu Mamá También is a great choice, so fitting and a terrific film. I put off seeing Planes, Trains for years because I thought it looked stupid but it turned out to be goofy, breezy fun. I can barely tolerate Paltrow at the best of times and watching her sing karaoke (a thing that I can't abide) might send me over the edge.
ReplyDeleteHere's my three for the week:
The Trip (2002)-The multi decade story of Alan and Tommy, soulmates that are drawn together and pulled apart by love, differing beliefs, fears, secrets and the machinations of others over the turbulent 70’s and 80’s. Low budget (some of the period wigs are beyond terrible), moving comedy/drama, with a better than average cast for something this small-one-time Bond girl Jill St. John is a hoot as Alan’s former showgirl mom, looks at the rise of the gay rights movement, the shame inflicted by Anita Bryant’s hate crusade and the beginnings of the AIDS crisis. The road trip in the film only comprises the final act of the picture but all that comes before is a lead up to that journey.
The Daytrippers (1996)-A young suburban wife, Eliza (Hope Davis), discovers what seems to be a love note shortly after her husband Louis (Stanley Tucci) leaves for work one morning. Unsure what to do she turns to her mother (the recently departed Anne Meara) for advice who encourages her to drive into the city and get an explanation from her husband. So Eliza, both her parents, her sister and her sister's boyfriend (Parker Posey & Liev Schreiber) pile into the station wagon and hit the road to the city and so starts an odyssey as they travel from place to place trying to find him and discovering far more than they bargained for. Quirky and engaging.
The Sure Thing (1985)-Walter “Gib” Gibson is a freshman at a Northern college whose sole desire over his Christmas break is to somehow get to his friend Lance’s college in L.A. where a “sure thing” awaits, a tan, blonde and very young Nicolette Sheridan. Short on cash he answers an ad to share the ride out West which is also being taken by Alison, a classmate who can’t stand him. Once they’re on the road many adventures and calamities come between him and his goal, among them show tune loving drivers, money troubles and unexpected feelings. Engaging comedy made a star out of John Cusack who is quite brilliant in the lead.
Thanks. Y Tu Mama Tambien just blew me away when I first saw it and it has gotten better with each re-watch. PT&A is exactly what you said and that's why I love it. It's also quite touching at times. As far as Duets, if you don't like those two things, you just won't like it. I happen to enjoy Gwyneth...at times. She's cute here. And I LOVE karaoke! I used to do it in college often.
DeleteI am not familiar with any of your picks, but thanks so much for sharing them here. They all sound really good. I am especially interested in The Sure Thing. Big fan of Cusack.
If you like Cusack, especially the young him-my preferred time period of his career-you'll LOVE Sure Thing. I wouldn't say he's the whole show but it would be fair to say he's about 85% if not more of it.
DeleteDuets is probably the finest karaoke movie ever made. Okay there haven't been too many, but this one has a first rate cast, a top notch soundtrack and well rounded characters. Its sad it doesn't get the respect it deserves, because it's a very heart-warming story about music and life.
ReplyDeleteYou got that right. I love the soundtrack. It really is a fun movie. Totally underseen and underappreciated.
DeleteBelieve it or not I've never watched Planes, Trains, and Automobiles all the way through. Have to change that. Not seen Duets, either. I've come across the title a time or two, but had no interest. I have seen Y tu Mama Tambien and that's just perfect.
ReplyDeleteYou should, man. That and Hannah and Her Sisters are as important at Thanksgiving as the booze and turkey in my house. Duets is fun and worth a watch just to see Huey Lewis kick ass and Paul Giamatti simply sing. You are so right on Y Tu Mama Tambien.
DeleteI've only seen PLANES, TRAINS & AUTOMOBILES from your list. Loved that movie, I also watch it every year (usually around Thanksgiving).
ReplyDeleteMike's Cinema
See my comment to Wendell. Yes. Thanksgiving. Such a good one.
DeleteI can't believe I forgot about Planes, Trains and Automobiles! That's an awesome one. I haven't seen your other two picks but Duets sounds like something I want to watch :)
ReplyDelete- Allie
Thanks! It really is a great Hughes comedy. Duets is a fun movie, especially if you're a karaoke fan.
DeleteI think your description of Duets has sold me finally on seeing it. And Y Tu Mamá También, is a great classic road trip movie. Its the film that made me obsessed with Bernal and Luna!
ReplyDeleteYes! See it. It's not the best movie ever made, but if you like comedy and karaoke, it's for you. Y Tu Mama Tambien has that effect. I find Maribel Verdu to be one of the most beautiful women on Earth. And those two dudes are incredible actors.
DeleteAnother Planes, Trains & Automobiles - I feel like I've seen it but can't remember. Oh I think I enjoyed Duets quite a bit. Totally forgot about the road trip aspect of it, but completely remember the singing aspect.
ReplyDeletePT&A is a great comedy. Great! Duets is a lot of fun for sure.
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