Fast, flying, or killing. . . whatever kind of car you’re looking for we’ve got it on this list. Yes, killing cars too (see #5).
Our list of best car movies is a diverse journey through Hollywood car-time. Some so old, you may have forgotten how much you love them.
Want to judge our selections? See our picks below.
Contents
1. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Though it’s not a modern or a glamorous movie, what sparked more fits of imagination when you were a child as this film? Not only could this car fly but it could transform into a boat as needed.
The car always had its inhabitants best interest at heart and as the song goes “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang loves us too“. If you haven’t seen this movie since you were a kid, it’s worth re-watching.
Yes, the special effects are laughable compared to this day and age but don’t write it off. The family-friendly themes and cute songs still stand and earn this classic a spot on our list.
2. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
In a quick pivot from our last entry, this movie is not family friendly (at least for small kids). But it is full of cool cars going fast. The funny one-liners and great actors helped it make this list too.
We love the way the movie centers on racing without making it too technical or official. It made the sport accessible to people who knew nothing about racing and we’re willing to bet there are few more racing fans in the world because of it.
3. Mad Max: Fury Road
Don’t say this list wasn’t diverse. We’ve covered family movies, comedies, and now post-apocalyptic action.
The cars in Mad Max: Fury Road excited anyone who is mentally or actually preparing for the end.
The cars were specially designed for the movie and some of the car scenes were so intense, they had to be green screened.
But not all of them. Most of the flips and car jumps you see are real stunts, with real cars. It kind of made us excited about a potential world-ending situation.
Charlize Theron doesn’t hurt the cause either.
4. The Fast and the Furious: Any/All of Them
We couldn’t publish a list about car movies without talking about one of the longest running car movie franchises of all time. The fast and the furious is all about fantastically expensive cars and their mods.
You can’t watch it without wanting to whip around some dangerous turns of your own. The franchise has seen numerous celebrities and car crash scenes so intense they can make a grown man cover his eyes.
You probably can’t afford the mods from the movie, but you can still fake it. Check out 4WD Supacentre for inspiration.
5. Death Proof
Let’s get a horror flick on this list – Death Proof is a gem from 2007 that features two must-have movie components: good cars and murder.
If you’re looking for a dark flick but still want to think “nice wheels” give this film a watch. Quentin Tarantino directed it, so you really can’t go wrong.
6. Bullitt
Closing out our list is the 1968 classic, Bullitt. If you like classic cars and police chases, how haven’t you seen this yet?
It’s a Steve McQueen movie, with ten minutes of uninterrupted car chase footage. It’s a legend – and it should be on your watch list immediately.
The Best Car Movies
There are hundreds of movies we could have chosen for this list, but the ones you see are what we kept coming back to. They’re all classic movies everyone should see once, if not twice in their life.
Even if our best car movies don’t line up with yours, you can still admire the machines in each one. They’re beautiful and the stories are pretty much playing second fiddle.
In the mood for a different kind of chase film? Hunt down our review of Boone: The Bounty Hunter here.