Last Updated on August 3, 2021
Whether you are a fan of live car racing or not, there is no arguing that they represent one of the coolest forms of action scenes on the big screen. From classic movies to contemporary ones, car chases are featured in every genre. But, the movies about the sport of racing can often have some of the most thrilling sequences of all. With FORD V FERRARI hitting screens this weekend, here is our ranking of the ten best movies specifically about car racing. If you think we missed one or want to chime in with your own ranking, let us know in the comments below.
FORD V FERRARI is now playing.
RUSH
Ron Howard's biopic of James Hunt and Niki Lauda was critically acclaimed upon release but barely scratched the box office despite a pair of stunning acting performances from Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl. While the story is enthralling and heartbreaking, RUSH features some astounding racing scenes that are almost without equal. In all ways, RUSH is a perfect movie that balances story, action, and acting. It easily wins the race and earns the top spot on this ranking.
SPEED RACER
A massive box office bomb, SPEED RACER is pure unadulterated insanity and the best live action adaptation of a Japanese anime ever. The Wachowskis made a living breathing cartoon come to life with all of the conceits and over-the-top elements that make Asian cartoons so fun. But, the racing is what sets this movie apart with gravity-defying sequences that break the laws of physics and feel like a thrill ride. A very cool movie that deserves so much more recognition that it ever got.
THE CANNONBALL RUN
One of the top grossing films of 1981, Hal Needham's comedy movie takes the humor of IT'S A MAD MAD MAD WORLD coupled with a cross-country race for one of the funniest movies of the last fifty years. With an all star cast led by Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise along with a ton of famous faces ranging from Jackie Chan and Dean Martin to Adrienne Barbeau, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett and many more, THE CANNONBALL RUN inspired a slew of copycats as well as one sequel and a real life annual race as well. Even four decades later, this movie is still utterly hilarious.
TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY
Will Ferrell has made some bad movies, but his parternships with Adam McKay and John C Reilly remain some of the funniest movies in recent memory. TALLADEGA NIGHTS openly mocks the world of NASCAR racing but with a lot of heart, giving this movie a balance of gross out humor and Ferrell's trademark weirdness. With a great supporting cast including Amy Adams and Sacha Baron Cohen, TALLADEGA NIGHTS is infinitely quotable and silly to the extreme while still featuring some cool racing scenes.
LE MANS
While FORD V FERRARI focuses heavily on the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, it is the titular focus of this 1971 Steve McQueen film. Made three years after THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR while still at the height of his fame, LE MANS was a box office disappointment and yet remains a very cool movie to watch. McQueen himself is worth watching this movie for, but incorporating actual racing footage into the mix, this is a unique look at a sporting event caught on film.
THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS
We are on the verge of the ninth film in this franchise but only the first three really focused on the racing aspect of the story. The first movie is a look inside the world of illegal street racing and therefore is really the only one that deserves a spot on this list. Still, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker's comraderie in this movie paved the way for twenty years of sequels that have high octane stunts and still pres the importance of family. For that run of success alone, I am including it here.
GRAND PRIX
Most car racing movies either focus on street racing or stock car racing, but the 1966 John Frankenheimer film GRAND PRIX gave us a look into the world of Formula 1 racing. Led by James Garner and Eva Marie Saint, GRAND PRIX is notable for the 70mm racing sequences which are almost unrivaled on the big screen. Winner of three Academy Awards, GRAND PRIX is not as memorable for story or acting but damn if those racing scenes aren't amazing to watch.
CARS
Disney and Pixar hit paydirt with the CARS franchise simply due to the merchandising power of boys and car toys. While the three films vary wildly in terms of quality, the heart and soul is the racing element. The first and third films focus more on Lightning McQueen going from a vainglorious racer to a mentor for the next generation while the second is a James Bond homage, but all three have their heart in the right place. Whether the plot is your speed or not, the racing sequences match almost any live action movie.
DEATH RACE 2000
Roger Corman's dystopian B-movie is violent, bleak and a lot of fun. Starring David Carradine and a very young Sylvester Stallone, DEATH RACE 2000 spawned a remake franchise starring Jason Statham that just cannot match the pulpy goodness of the original movie. It has not aged well, but this 1975 movie is still pure low budget entertainment.
DAYS OF THUNDER
Tony Scott reunited with Tom Cruise for this follow-up to TOP GUN that was incredibly cheesy and nowhere near as good as it should have been. But, that doesn't mean it doesn't have some seriously cool racing sequences. Using actual NASCAR races as a backdrop, this movie is low on brain cells but high on flashy, high octane races.
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