You may never think about it this way, but movies and cars have always been alongside each other, ever since they emerged in the 19th century. Although the list changes every year, there are some fundamental movies we think every car enthusiast should see. After all, car movies don't have to belong to any specific genre. All they have to do is show the magic and beauty of these machines we all love.
In fact, telling a car enthusiast to make a numbered list about cars, is like telling a food fanatic to mention only their favorite meals: there's no such a thing. The utter quantity of all the movies made over the years has overwhelmed our senses. Nevertheless, we tried to be diverse in our list, but if you think there's something missing - let us know.
10 Drive (2011)
If you cannot help but love thriller movies with an existentialist twist than this movie is for you. If you're someone who loves seeing a 1955 Ford Thunderbird, a 1967 Oldsmobile Cutlass, a 1967 Pontiac GTO, or the iconic 1973 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu all in one movie, then you've got no second to lose.
The star of this movie, Ryan Gosling plays a stunt-get-away driver trying to help a friend. But the most interesting bits of this movie are all the pop influences emerging together. The cars from the '70s, the New Age styles of the '80s, and of course the irony of the Millenials. It's a real graphic movie that will please all your gearhead senses to the maximum.
9 Gone In 60 Seconds (2000)
There are two movies of the same name made in different years. The first one in 1974, directed by H. B. Halicki, is one of the dullest and weirdest films that you'll ever watch. A bunch of car scenes, with stunts that make no sense. The remake of it, however, in 2000 is one of the most enjoyable car movies.
The whole movie is about Nicolas Cage trying to steal 50 cars in 96 minutes. So how can it not be fun? And of course, there's an absolute beauty that will make you fall in love immediately, and we're not talking about Angelina Jolie. It's the Shelby GT500 Elenor that stole our hearts.
8 Talladega Nights (2006)
Will Ferrell is the star of this movie and not only because he is the protagonist. He represents the perfect image of the American gearhead, obsessed, and almost delusional. And he does it while smiling in NASCAR races. The whole movie follows the rise and the fall of racer Ricky Bobby, which nowadays is a reference in pop culture.
Talladega Nights shows a bunch of racing, which, if you ask us is quite convincing. After all, the races were photographed by Oliver Wood, who knows how to shoot movies with automobiles. But the most enjoyable parts of this movie are about the personal life of Ricky, his relationships with his best friend and fellow racer, and the rivalry with a Frenchman.
7 Bullitt (1968)
We all know the legendary and iconic Steve McQueen loved cars, but in fact, Bullitt was never meant to be a car movie. It only became iconic because of the driving stunts McQueen requested to do. Everyone loves the epic car chase scene where you can see a 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT Fastback chase a Dodge Charger 440 R/T of the same year.
And we hope we're not being too star-struck, but McQueen is the exact reason why the Bullitt is so good. The director Peter Yates understands the image and myth that surrounds McQueen and he plays around with that. Other than that, Bullitt is quite a typical detective movie with a forgettable plot except for the legendary car chase.
6 The Cannonball Run (1981)
Have you ever fancied seeing a Lamborghini Countach racing illegally? Well, if that's the case, you should immediately open another tab and search for The Cannoball Run. In fact, the movie has two sequels, and both are based on a real story: an illegal race that happened during the 70s.
The whole movie has one goal: drive from New York to Los Angeled while beating the record time. If that doesn't sound that hard to you, think about all the cops you need to avoid and all the helicopters you need to hide from. All that while trying not to kill anyone and impress the hot girls.
5 Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Let's forget Fast and Furious movies for a couple of minutes, and let's agree that the Mad Max series has always been the greatest movie franchise. George Miller's dystopian universe is highly stylized with real-life car stunts and jaw-dropping film effects. Whether the Road Warrior or Fury Road is better, is a debate that's probably never going to end.
However, we prefer the Fury Road from 2015 a tiny bit more. If you ask us, the dystopia is much more thrilling and darker, the stunts are crazier and Tom Hardy is just too good of an actor to ignore. Anyhow, the action sequences and the fact that the movie never stops for one second of being extremely captivating is what we truly love.
4 Italian Job (1963)
The first thing we think about when The Italian Job is mentioned is this sentence: You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off. One cannot help but remember the fascinating and fun details about a movie they love. And what's not to love about the Italian Job?
First of all, Michael Caine's crazy heist plan of stealing $4 million from the Mafia in Turin while using only Mini Coopers is just the kind of fun we love to see in movies. It's truly an odd movie that you cannot help but love and laugh at the same time. In fact, if you ask us Fast and Furious owes a lot to this classic.
3 Le Mans (1971)
The 1971 classic Le Mans movie is a truly interesting and challenging movie to make. Only someone like Steve McQueen could pull it off. Only someone who has a true passion for cars as he does can risk his place in Hollywood, to create an homage to one of the most loved events of all time.
After Steve McQueen's success in Bullit, Hollywood was on their knees, asking him about any kind of movie he wants to make. And the exact uncompromised and natural representation of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is what made the movie so iconic. Plus, they used real racing cars like the Ford GT40 and Porsche 917. There's nothing in the world that's cooler than that. Period.
2 The Love Bug (1969)
The Love Bug is the kind of movie you watch when you come home tired from work, and you don't want to tire yourself with anything too complex. You just want to sit down, laugh, and relax. And that's why it's so perfect. It's almost childlike in a fun way.
But besides that, the Love Bug made in 1968 is the first of many Herbie cars, the idea that you should buy a Volkswagen for the personality it possesses. Well, here the Beetle makes his own decisions and joins forces with Jim Douglas to win a race. They are a powerful sweet duo, that you can re-watch for as many times as you want.
1 Tucker: The Man And His Dream (1988)
We're ending this list with a true masterpiece directed by one of the cinema's icons: Francis Ford Coppola. It's the kind of movie that not only gearheads will find fascinating, but anyone who loves cinema. It's a movie for people who dare to dream big, no matter the circumstances.
The movie essentially is a biopic of Preston Tucker's life. The genius automaker whose career got crushed. Anyhow, the movie is quite different in the sense that it portrays Preston as a triumph, not a looser. After all, we still use his inventions every day. Only someone like Coppola could create such an emotional biopic about a man who dreamt big but was crushed by the ruthless world of corporations.