6 movies that'll make you wish you were travelling right now

Midnight in Paris (2011)

A movie that will undoubtedly make you want to leave your life behind and move to Paris to become a philosophising, wine-drinking artist. The nuance and idealistic romance of Paris have never been captured as beautifully on-screen as within Midnight in Paris. The story follows Gil (Owen Wilson), an American screenwriter who is trying to finish his novel while on holiday in Paris with his fiancee. Struggling to find inspiration to write, Gil begins to wander the streets of Paris at midnight where he is mysteriously transported back in time to Paris in the 1920s. There are never-ending shots of cafe's and markets, amber-lit Parisian streets at midnight and of course your favourite landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame. A beautiful film that will leave you saying Au Revoir to your friends and family as you board your post quarantine flight to Paris. 

Spectre (2015)

It's a matter of fact that when you watch any James Bond movie, you'll be cinematically travelling around the world to the most exciting, luxurious and culturally rich places this planet has to offer, and Spectre is no exception. In this film, James Bond (Daniel Craig) undergoes a mission to uncover the secrets behind a mysterious and ruthless organisation known as SPECTRE, all the while unravelling shocking truths about his past. In Spectre, you'll have the pleasure of seeing the Mexican festival of El Dia de Muertos (Day of the dead) in Mexico City. From there, you'll go to Rome where exquisite villas and historical museums are the backdrops for one of Bond's many confrontations. Then you'll follow Bond north to Austria to ski, wine, dine (and kill) in luxury at the Das Central Hotel's Restaurant Ice-Q atop Mt. Gaislachkogel. From snow to desert, you, Bond and his lady friend end up in Morocco where you'll ride on the Oriental Desert Express and experience all the dry stillness the Moroccan desert has to offer. I wouldn't mind taking this trip in real life, and I wouldn't mind if Daniel Craig were there either.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) (1995)

The rolling green hills, snowcapped mountains and neverending blue skies of Switzerland serve as the backdrop for the beginning of Simran (Kajol) and Raj's (Shahrukh Khan) untimely but unstoppable love story. The young, naive pair meet and fall in love while on a trip across Europe. All is well until Simran reveals to Raj that she is going to India to fulfil her duty of an arranged marriage. Bright yellow mustard fields, rooftop dance sequences and an Indian cow wearing a Swiss cowbell set the scene for the second half of the movie, where Raj travels to India to win over Simran and her father. This movie will make you fall in love, either with a guy named Raj, a girl named Simran or with the beautiful scenery of two diverse but aesthetically and culturally appealing countries like Switzerland and India. This Hindi film is 3 hours long, and it's the best way to be taken to faraway lands with no expense at all. 

Lost in Translation (2003) 

This movie has to be one of my absolute all-time favourite films. Lost in Translation is a heart-wrenching film that explores new beginnings and a mid-life crisis all against the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, Japan. The film revolves around Bob (Bill Murray), a famous middle-aged Hollywood actor who has come to Japan to film a TV commercial and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a young newlywed who has chosen to stay in Tokyo while her photographer husband works around Japan. What follows is an unlikely friendship and complete understanding of one another even in times of considerable uncertainty. This film gives a great look into the city that is Tokyo. Karaoke bars, arcades and traditional Japanese food all grace the screen throughout this film. If I ever find my self completely lost in life, Tokyo will be the place to find myself again, and you'll understand why if you watch this film. 

Un Plan Parfait (A Perfect Plan) (2012)

You would assume that a French film would be showcasing the best France has to offer, right? Well, unexpectedly, the backdrop heroes and heroines of this quirky but intriguing film are Kenya and Russia. In Isabelle's (Diane Kruger) family, everybody's first marriage is cursed and always ends in divorce. To avoid inevitably divorcing her soon to be husband, Isabelle plans to quickly marry and divorce a university student in Denmark to break the curse. When the student fails to turn up, she sets her eye on Jean Yves (Danny Boon), an editor who is on his way to Kenya. She then plans to make him fall in love with her. What unfolds next is just out there and hilarious. I like this movie for giving a good insight into Kenya and its culture. You get to see traditional foods, markets, some beautiful Kenyan scenery and even a Maasai wedding. On the flip side, Russia is as equally explored and exploited for all its cultural richness. Russian bars, Polka dancing, the Museum of Cosmonauts and Moscow by night. So the next holiday, is it going to be Kenya or Russia, or both?

The Mummy (1999)

Ancient history buffs rejoice in this film! If you're anything like me and have a considerable interest in the ancient world, then this 90's movies is just the one for you! The Mummy sees quick-witted adventurer Rick O'Connell (Brendan Fraser) and clumsy Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz) accidentally bring to life a 3000-year-old mummy while on an archaeological excavation. As you could imagine, Rick and Evelyn now have to figure out a way to send this guy back to where he came from, the grave or sarcophagus if we're technical. Although this film takes place in the 1920s, you get a full taste of the Egyptian landscape in all its glory. Pyramids to the left, the Nile to the right and Egyptian desert all around, this film will without a doubt have you reading up on your Ancient Egyptian history all in preparation for when you finally book that flight to Egypt. 

 

-JK