Ten Films to Feed Your Wanderlust
It's happened to all of us, I'm sure. You're sitting, watching a movie and all of sudden - you want to travel. You want to see the shooting location of the film or the plot makes you want to visit. Here are ten films* your Wanderlust wants you to see.
Roman Holiday
In 1953 Audrey Hepburn won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal as Princess Ann in William Wyer’s Roman Holiday. Tired of the rigidity and schedule of her European Good Will Tour, Ann embarks on a day of undercover exploration with Joe Bradley around the streets of Rome. With locations including the Coliseum, Trevi Fountain and the Castel Sant'Angelo, this film stops at many of the iconic landmarks Rome is known for.
Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Walter Mitty is a fantastic film about turning dreams into reality and living life fully. One of my absolute favourites that speaks directly to my Wanderlusting heart, it is beautifully shot, with the film taking on more colour and depth as the story progresses along culminating in some of the most amazing shots of the Icelandic landscape. The best is the long boarding scene going down into Seyðisfjörður. Even the scenes in Afghanistan were actually shot in Iceland at Vatnajökull National Park, and despite knowing that, it still makes me want to go find Ghost Cats in the Himalayas.
P.S. I Love You
My heart is in Ireland, as many who know me know. The movie is filmed largely around the Wicklow Mountains just an hour south of Dublin. The Wicklow Mountains are a gorgeous area of Ireland. Easily accessible by Dublin, including day tours that take you to Glendalough and the Powerscourt Estate; this is indeed a gorgeous area of Ireland.
Midnight in Paris
There are several films that could satiate one’s Wanderlust for France (I'm looking at you Ratatouille), but one of my favourites is Midnight in Paris. It’s a unique and quirky film that has characters including Hemingway and Dali and shifts between nightlife during the 1920s and present day as Owen Wilson’s character explores the nostalgic Golden Age of Paris. Fans of literature, music and art will also get a kick out of this flick.
Jurassic World
Ok, so I know a film about dinosaurs is stretching the Wanderlust Space/Time Continuum, but it's hard not to be charmed by the visual appeal that is this film. Shot on location in Hawaii, the rugged mountain ranges, lush tropical jungle and towering waterfalls are enough to make you forget about the Indominus Rex for a second and dream instead of pineapples and chocolate while swinging in a hammock waiting for your luau to start.
The Holiday
I’m not going to lie, The Holiday had me googling “home swap programs”. Save for the disaster that is Cameron Diaz, The Holiday is a fun and cheeky story about healing and relationships that takes place for two women between L.A. and a small little village in England. This movie makes me want a thatched roof and to make friends with a 90 year old filmmaker.
Mending the Line
In 1944, Frank Moore landed on the beaches of Normandy. During the war, Frank dreamt of returning to France to fly fish. In 2014 at the age of 90, Frank and his family return, fulfilling his dream, thanks to a small documentary crew that raised the funds through a crowd fund campaign. I didn't think I was going to enjoy a film about fly fishing, but if you can get your hands on it, this film is a rare treasure.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson comes out strong with this gem of a film. Set in the fictitious Republic of Zubrowka (with Germany and Poland serving as filming location to represent Zubrowka) between World War I and World War II, this film has some beautiful cinematography throughout as well as a wickedly smart and funny script and an all star cast, including Jeff Goldblum.
Sound of Music
Am I the only who really does feel like the hills are alive when Maria goes prancing through the Alps? Set in Salzburg, movie fans can go on a Sound of Music tour that will explore all the key sites and filming locations of the movie while sharing the real life story of the Von Trapp family.
Up
Pixar’s Up is 100% a homage to adventure and exploration. Every time I watch it it’s like a Chuck Norris round house kick to my heart. While the falls in the film is not a real location, the film team did explore several waterfalls in South America to base Paradise off, visiting what are known as Tepuis. They visited three of the largest: Mount Roraima, Kukenan, and Auyantepui (home to Angel Falls).
*The films on this list are all American produced. There will be a top ten list of foreign films coming to the blog one day as well.
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