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I love watching movies. Who doesn’t? They show you a whole new world in a matter of a few hours. It’s like traveling without leaving home. The films that inspired me in some way are the ones I keep watching over and over again. Most frequently, they inspire me to travel.
I love movies to be set in another part of the world, or another world altogether. The unfamiliar is what I want to see in a movie and maybe learn something new along the way. Movies can influence us in ways we may not expect. They can teach us about a different culture while still entertaining, show us hard realities, and teach us about a multitude of things we don’t understand.
These movies definitely fed my own desire to travel. Whether they inspired me to visit a certain destination or gave me the courage to go outside my comfort zone abroad, they have given me the desire to travel more. These movies are the best for travel inspiration (in my opinion)!
Spirited Away
Bet you didn’t think I would start with an animated film, did you? I am a Studio Ghibli junkie. Spirited Away is probably the best known Studio Ghibli film in the U.S. It won a ton of awards and was dubbed in English by Walt Disney Studios.
The story is about a young girl, Chihiro, who is moving with her parents to a new town. She is not happy about moving and leaving her old friends behind. They get lost on the way to their new home and stumble upon an abandoned theme park. Things happen, her parents are turned into pigs, and Chihiro has to work in a bathhouse full of spirits and monsters while she tries to figure out how to save her parents. The story has young love, friendship, and everything in between. I cannot recommend it enough.
Spirits and monsters aside, the picture of Japan that is drawn in this film is absolutely stunning. From the landscapes to the architecture to the food, you will find yourself wondering how you can be spirited away to Japan. Every Studio Ghibli film is a work of art and teaches you some important lesson. This one teaches you not to be afraid of change and to believe in yourself, which is something that travelers learn every time they visit a new place.
If you have never watched a Studio Ghibli Film before, I recommend starting with this one. My personal favorite is Princess Mononoke, but that one doesn’t exactly inspire travel, so…
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
I like fantasy movies, ok? This film is one that I watched when I was young, and then watched again later in life and wondered how I didn’t remember the more adult scenes. I guess I was distracted by all of the people flying around fighting each other.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon follows warriors who are hoping to settle down when the Green Destiny sword is stolen and they have to get it back. It also follows a young woman who is trying to escape an arranged marriage because she is in love with another man. This film has epic fight scenes and adventures spanning across different locations in China.
This movie makes me want to visit the more rural parts of China. Bamboo forests, epic mountains, and sharp cliffs beckon me. If you enjoy martial arts movies, this one also has a good storyline, which doesn’t always happen with martial arts films.
Hidalgo
I used to watch this movie at least once a week. I am a horse person (or was), so I love a good horse movie. I also have a horse that kind of looks like Hidalgo, so there was that too.
Hidalgo follows Frank T. Hopkins, a long distance horse racer who is invited to travel to Saudi Arabia and enter a 3,000-mile long race called the “Ocean of Fire”. Sounds peachy. Watching a Mustang race across the desert against a bunch of Arabian horses is a trial, to say the least.
Hidalgo is loosely based on a true story in that the race actually happened and Hopkins did participate in it. The movie will inspire your own desire for adventure, though you will likely not want to join a race across the desert. It is pretty extreme. I imagined seeing the deserts in Saudi Arabia after watching Hidalgo. Hopefully one day I can see them in person.
The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit
Is it even me if I don’t bring Tolkein into this? Okay, in this context it is Peter Jackson. Though I did include these in my books to inspire wanderlust post as well. The Lord of the Rings is such an epic adventure, it inspires in whatever form it comes in.
The Hobbit precedes The Lord of the Rings and follows Bilbo Baggins on an unexpected journey for treasure. Bilbo joins a group of dwarves and a wizard to steal back a treasure that belongs to the dwarves. There is singing, trolls, battles, and dragons. What more could you need?
After Bilbo’s journey, The Lord of the Rings picks up years later and follows Bilbo’s nephew Frodo. On his journey across Middle Earth, Bilbo picked up a ring, which is then (reluctantly) passed on to Frodo. When it comes to light that the ring is, in fact, the Ring of Power, Frodo sets out to destroy the ring with a motley crew of companions. These films all take you on a journey through Middle Earth that you will not soon forget.
There is a theme of discovery and adventure in these films, but also a longing for home. I think this is super important for travelers. Even the most experienced travelers feel homesick at some point. The epic adventure portrayed in these films will have you wanting to hop on over to New Zealand where they were filmed to see it all. It is number one on my travel bucket list for this very reason!
Pride and Prejudice
I have seen more film versions of this book than I can count. My personal favorite is the mini-series with Colin Firth, but the Keira Knightly version is excellent as well.
This classic story follows Miss Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters and parents. Her mother is desperate for her girls to be married to respectable gentlemen, and is very pushy about this (understatement). Elizabeth is not so sure that marriage is what she wants. She is more of a free spirit. When Mr. Bingley moves into a nearby manor, the girls are elated. With Mr. Bingley, they also meet Mr. Darcy, a cold but wealthy man. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy don’t see eye to eye at first, but they start to grow towards each other after many events take place.
The part that gets me wanting to travel is when Elizabeth travels with her aunt and uncle to Derbyshire in England and they visit Pemberley, Mr. Darcy’s estate. The views will make you yearn for the English countryside, as well as a spot of tea.
The Mummy
Ah, The Mummy. There is nothing like watching Brendan Frasier run around Egypt being super American to make you really want to go to Egypt. If you somehow haven’t seen the Mummy, it is about treasure hunters who find an abandoned tomb and release a super old mummy into the world. Then, they have to put him back. Plenty of action and zombie mummies make this film a classic in my opinion.
Parts of the movie are kind of ridiculous, but it is entertaining, and it really made me want to go on an adventure in Egypt when I was a kid. Maybe without the mummy, though. The pyramids and ancient artifacts are enough to make anyone want to learn more about Egyptian history and culture.
Crazy Rich Asians
If you haven’t seen Crazy Rich Asians yet, go watch it now. This is seriously the best romantic comedy I have seen in years. This film has an all Asian cast, which hadn’t happened since the 90s with Joy Luck Club. The acting is amazing and you will feel great after watching it. I promise.
The movie is about Rachel Chu going to meet her boyfriend, Nick Young’s family in Singapore. As it turns out his family is filthy rich. Rachel learns how to navigate among these wealthy people and wonders if there is a place for her with them.
You will find yourself wanting to see Singapore and eat the food and learn more about the culture. The film balances comedy with drama and romance perfectly. I cannot recommend it enough.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
I chose this movie on an airplane once and thought I would sleep through it. Boy was I wrong. This movie is about a group of retired British people who move to a retirement home in India, the Marigold Hotel.
As you can guess, India was not what they expected, but the characters grow and change and learn to love their new home. There is heartbreak, romance, and comedy in this film. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel teaches us that it is never too late to travel to an exotic new place and start over.
India was never high on my bucket list until after I saw this film. The culture is incredible, and the food and people and sights look so inviting. If you have been to India, let me know what you thought. Should I go soon?
What Should I Watch?
Movies can have more influence than we imagine. A good movie set in a faraway place may not mean much to one person, but to another, it could be the realization that they can go out and see the world. There is so much out there to discover and explore.
Do you have a favorite film that inspires you to travel? What kind of movie inspires you the most? Let me know!
I love how movies can inspire us, including the desire to travel. This is a great list of movies that would make anyone want to visit those or similar locations. It brings me such joy to see that the first movie listed is a Studio Ghibli movie. Spirited Away is by far my favorite Ghibli film, well technically I always say that Princess Mononoke is but that’s technically not a Ghibli film (it was a made before the studio was created). I would absolutely love to visit Japan one day, and watching movies like Spirit Away brings that desire to the surface every time. This list makes me want to watch all of these movies again.
When you make it to Japan, make sure to get tickets to the Studio Ghibli museum! It is incredible and makes you feel like a kid again. I believe they are making a theme park as well, which I will have to return to see. Thanks for commenting, I love connecting with other Studio Ghibli lovers!!