Journeys

I grew up on Route 66 and have road trips in my veins. I’ve driven all over this great country, visited every single state and seen thousands of interesting things. Nothing inspires me more than a good road trip film — if you’re the same way, check out one of this week’s recommendations. All of the my picks on this week’s list are pretty well known, which makes them so much fun to revisit. If you haven’t seen one or all of them in a few years, what better time to revisit them?

Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

There’s nothing Pee-wee Herman loves more than his bicycle. Unfortunately for him, spoiled frenemie Francis Buxton loves it to, and hires someone to steal it for him. A distraught Pee-wee organizes a search party to find his bicycle and eventually hits the road and crosses multiple states in search of his irreplicable bike. Join Pee-wee and all the friends he meets along the way as he goes on his adventure.

The Muppet Movie (1979)

Life’s like a movie, write your own ending! In the first full-length Muppet film, Kermit is convinced by a lost agent to head to Hollywood to fulfill his dream of making millions of people happy. Along his journey, Kermit meets a joke-telling bear named Fozzie, a weirdo named Gonzo, a rock band called the Electric Mayhem (led by Dr. Teeth), and the world’s most beautiful women, Miss Piggy. Will Kermit and his friends reach Hollywood before Doc Hopper catches Kermit and forces him to become the mascot for his restaurant? I hope so, because there are a lot more Muppet movies after this one!

The NeverEnding Story (1984)

While hiding from school bullies, young Bastion acquires a book promising a never ending story and skips school, hiding in the attic to read it. The book tells the story of Atreyu and his quest to save Fantasia from a darkness known as The Nothing. The more Bastian reads, the more it seems his own life is becoming entertwined with the book itself! Featuring a hit theme song and a luck dragon, The NeverEnding Story is a journey not to be missed.

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

If you’ve ever gone on a road trip, either as a child or a parent, you’ll relate to the Griswolds as they drive across the country in their new station wagon from Chicago to Wallyworld! Directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Anthony Michael Hall, and Dana Barron, and Randy Quaid, and featuring cameos from comedians including Eugene Levy and John Candy, among others. As a kid I identified as oldest sibling Rusty, and as a parent I can’t help but see a little bit of Clark in the rearview mirror.

Spring is here and there’s no better time to roll down your windows, put the pedal to the metal, and hit the open road. If you can’t fit a road trip into your current schedule, watching one of these movies about journeys is the next best thing!