20 Rambling Road Movies
The Road (2009)
The Road Movie: Something has brought about the apocalypse (we never find out what), setting a man and his son on a never-ending trek towards the south, where they hope the warmth will warm their aching bones.
Most Rambling Scene: The entire movie is one rambling, ambling scene after another. (In a semi-brilliant way, hasten to add.) That bit with the cannibals is a bit squirm-inducing, though.
Thelma & Louise (1991)
The Road Movie: The titular gal pals hit the road for a fun-filled weekend away. But then some redneck ninny attempts to rape Thelma, prompting Louise to shoot the fella at point blank range. Now fugitives, the ladies spin off across America with the police on their tail(lights).
Most Rambling Scene: Thelma and Louise take a diversion to get revenge for all women who have been subjected to the loose-tongued approaches of horny truck drivers. How? They blow up one of their trucks. (NB: Not all truck drivers are actually like this.)
Zombieland (2009)
The Road Movie: The Earth’s come to a dead end as zombies are now the top of the food chain. A band of strangers named after their points of origin are lumped together as they cross America with their own individual agendas (gun-toting Tallahassee just wants to find the last ever Twinkie).
Most Rambling Scene: The characters divert onto Sunset Boulevard for a hilarious encounter with one of Hollywood's elite. It's rambling and indulgent, but oh so brilliant.
Road Trip (2000)
The Road Movie: Dumb lug Josh hooks up with a girl at college and records their steamy tryst. When he accidentally mails the tape (yeah, no DVDs here) to his girlfriend, he and his friends burn rubber to try to beat the package home…
Most Rambling Scene: The infamous mouse-eating bit seems to go on for twice as long as it really does - but only because we've stopped breathing.
Y tu mam tambin (2001)
The Road Movie: Two randy young buddies promise a beautiful older woman the time of her life at a beach called Heaven’s Mouth. Having started on their trek, the buddies decide to forget that Heaven’s Mouth doesn’t actually exist until it becomes absolutely necessary…
Most Rambling Scene: The trio get pissed together after (miraculously) discovering Heaven’s Mouth, and literally ramble rubbish at each other before getting into the hot and heavy.
The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert (1994)
The Road Movie: When two drag queens and a transsexual land a gig out in the middle of nowhere, they take their tour bus (‘Priscilla’) and drive her across Australia to get there. Cue catfights, big hair and some Oscar-winning threads.
Most Rambling Scene: When Priscilla breaks down, the guys are stranded in the desert. Cue an ambling walk to the top of the nearest earth mound for a bit of a pose…
The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
The Road Movie: Three brothers embark on a train journey across India in order to re-establish their fractured bond. But when they end up stranded in the desert with all of their luggage, their journey takes an unexpected u-turn into unusual terrain.
Most Rambling Scene: Having consumed various pharmaceuticals, the brothers explore the Indian province, visiting various diverse locations.
Easy Rider (1969)
The Road Movie: Two bikers on their way to New Orleans for Mardi Gras encounter a raft of colourful characters on their journey, including numerous hitchers, an intoxicated lawyer and a whorehouse.
Most Rambling Scene: A pit-stop with a rancher is cute if ultimately pace-testing.
Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas (1998)
The Road Movie: Searching for the American dream, a gonzo journalist hits the road with his lawyer buddy. The journey itself throws up all kinds of wacky, drug-fuelled misadventures, as the characters trip-out on their rambling trip.
Most Rambling Scene: Getting the plot out of the way, the journo and his lawyer explain what they're doing to a young Tobey Maguire. Unnecessary.
Into The Wild
The Road Movie: Rich kid Christopher decides to ditch the college fund and head into the wilds of America for a far more enriching experience than attending higher education.
Most Rambling Scene: Christopher's slow, undignified descent at the film's end is painful to watch for all the right reasons.
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
The Road Movie: The eponymous outlaws, leaders of the Hole-In-The-Wall gang, raid trains for cash – until they are caught in the act and chased out of town by a prestigious posse of law-makers. Crossing the dusty terrain of the Wild West, they end up in Bolivia.
Most Rambling Scene: From the moment the chase begins, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid lurch from one rambling scene to the next as their potential captors relentlessly close in on them.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
The Road Movie: Time-trippy apocalyptic actioner in which two Terminators are sent back in time - one to kill John Connor as a kid before he can form a human army in the future, the other to protect him. Having busted Connor’s mother from the nut house, John, the T-1000 and Sarah hit the road to formulate a plan.
Most Rambling Scene: Excised from the Theatrical Cut, the scene in which Sarah removes the T-1000’s chip and contemplates smashing it to smithereens is almost entirely sacrifices pace. Glad it got restored, though.
Wild Strawberries (1957)
The Road Movie: An old professor takes a (road) trip down memory lane on his way to pick up an award for his 50 years of practice. Reflecting on his life, he discovers how cold and empty it has been, while uncovering just which decisions led him to such a joyless existence.
Most Rambling Scene: Ingmar Bergman's tight grip on the film refuses the inclusion of any rambling.
Sideways (2004)
The Road Movie: Two buddies go on a boozy trip through California’s wine country, attempting to rediscover themselves amid the grapes of the vineyards.
Most Rambling Scene: Miles sneaks into Cammi's home to retrieve Jack's wedding bands, and is chased by Cammi's butt-naked hubbie.
Raising Arizona (1987)
The Road Movie: A robber and a beautiful officer fall for each other, then snatch a baby from another family in order to create the perfect family.
Most Rambling Scene: A fight scene between Hi and Smalls doesn’t half drag.
Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987)
The Road Movie: Ad exec Neal Page just wants to get home to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately for him, talky Del Griffith keeps getting in the way. As the two chalk-and-cheese strangers attempt to complete their journeys, they find themselves stuck together.
Most Rambling Scene: Any scene involving Del talking – what a rambler, God love him.
Mad Max (1979)
The Road Movie: Police officer Max is attempting to bring order to a post-apocalyptic Australia, where nutty outlaws have taken possession of the roads and enforce their own laws on the people who attempt to use them.
Most Rambling Scene: In a high-speed chase, Max tails the Nightrider. It ends in a big explosion.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
The Road Movie: The sublimely dysfunctional Hoover family rent a bright yellow VW and set out for Redondo Beach, California, where the youngest Hoover – Olive – is going to compete in a beauty pageant.
Most Rambling Scene: The Hoover’s journey screeches to a halt when self-imposed mute Dwayne discovers he’s colour blind and leaps from the bus to spew out a stream of profanities.
Kalifornia (1993)
The Road Movie: Two journalists research their dark subject matter by embarking on a whirlwind tour of serial killer murder sites. Sadly, they don’t realise that one of their two companions is a serial killer himself…
Most Rambling Scene: Carrie confronts Adele about her boyfriend, prompting the young wallflower to kick up a bit of a stink...
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
The Road Movie: Fugitive sibs the Gecko brothers kidnap the Fuller family after robbing a bank and drive to a Mexican bar which turns out to be inhabited by vampires.
Most Rambling Scene: The bloody, no-holds-barred shoot-out at the Titty Twister goes on without ever letting up.
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