Great Car Films (That Aren’t Fast & Furious)

If the Fast and Furious series has taught us anything, it’s that there is nothing more important than family. Not really. It has demonstrated that there is nothing cooler than a movie with fast cars. The rev of the engine, the sound of it tearing down a stretch of asphalt, and the shot of the cool car flying past the camera. That is what the series has taught us. With the recent release of Fast X, we see that there is still a lot of life left in movies about the need for speed. What are some of the best car movies to get your engine revving?

Christine (1983)

Okay, so maybe this one isn’t so much about fast cars as it is about falling in love with your car. Not as much as Titane, but the love story is still there. Arnie finds himself obsessed with rebuilding an old car he bought but soon learns that the car may be taking revenge on those who cross him. This John Carpenter classic is a great film that shows a lot of car action, even if it’s not about going fast. Worth a watch for anyone that loves a good-looking car.

Mad Max (1979)

The Mad Max series would become more of a post-apocalyptic action series, but initially, it started out as a world that was on the brink of collapse. An Australian police officer is trying to keep the peace, but Max decides to take revenge when a violent motorcycle gang violently kills his partner. The film is filled with crazy car chases, and Max’s Interceptor quickly becomes a classic film car. This film’s stunts alone make it worth the watch, as Australian stunt performers had a crazy reputation back then. Check out Not Quite Hollywood to learn how Australia made some fantastic action films.

Gone In 60 Seconds (2000)

Made during Nic Cage’s late 90s action run, this film was built around the idea of fast cars and big action scenes. This film is a remake of a 1974 film but brought to it the high-octane intensity we had been seeing out of Michael Bay films of the era. Memphis Raines (Cage) is brought back into the world of stealing cars when his younger brother (Giovanni Ribisi) gets caught up with a crime lord. Now he must steal 50 cars in one night to erase his debt. The film is star-studded, with Angelina Jolie, Timothy Olyphant, Robert Duvall, and Scott Caan co-starring.

The Italian Job (1969)

The original Michael Caine version had some great car chases using some Mimi Coopers, which was unheard of at the time. Charlie (Caine) gets out of prison and finds that his friend tried to pull a high-risk job under the watchful eye of the Italian mafia. Now he has to take the job over, and he hopes to be able to bring Turin to a standstill as his crew escapes with a large amount of gold. This was remade in the early 2000s with Mark Wahlberg, but it doesn’t reach the action heights that this original does for car chases. Worth seeking out.

The Transporter (2002)

Nothing says action in the 2000s like Jason Statham. The Transporter series helped put him on the map. Frank (Statham) is a retired military officer who offers his transportation services for a price. He adheres to a strict set of rules to keep himself safe. When he breaks one of his rules and looks at what he is transporting, he finds a young girl kidnapped. Now he has to figure out what to do with the girl and decide if he will deliver her to the intended destination. The main character has an amazing set of driving skills, and it helps turn this film into a fast-paced action film that uses the car as a weapon.

Vanishing Point (1971)

Kowalski works for a car delivery service. He makes a bet that he can get from Colorado to San Francisco in 15 hours. On his trip, he meets all sorts of characters, including some police officers and a motorcycle gang that end up in a high-speed chase. He has to shake all of them and make it to his destination on time while driving a 1970 White Dodge Challenger. The film is a lot of fun while being an excellent chase film. Quentin Tarantino was a big fan of it, so the classic car made its way into . . .

Death Proof (2007)

Tarantino’s half of Grindhouse is this great car film where the subject is used as an instrument of murder. A former stuntman, affectionally named Stuntman Mike, uses his car to murder those that he sets his sights on. The first is a group of young girls trying to have a fun night out. The film’s second half has Stuntman Mike looking at a group of women working on a local film shoot. They go to look at a car for sale that is the same as the one from Vanishing Point. Once they take it out for a test drive, Mike sets out to strike. He quickly finds himself in over his head as they fight back.

Baby Driver (2017)

Edgar Wright wanted to put out his own entry into the fast car genre and have his own spin on it. We’re introduced to Baby, a driver for a local crime lord. Different teams are assembled for various jobs, but Baby is always the getaway driver. We quickly find that he has amazing driving skills. Due to tinnitus, he constantly listens to music to keep from focusing on the ringing in his ears. A lot of the action scenes are edited perfectly to different music tracks so that the driving and music meld together seamlessly.

Drive (2011)

Ryan Gosling plays the mysterious Driver. He works as a mechanic in a garage and is a stuntman on occasion. On the side, he takes jobs being a getaway driver. Outside of all this, he tries to keep to himself and have as few attachments as possible. He becomes interested in his neighbor, who is raising a son by herself. Just as they get closer, her husband is released from jail. He tries to help him but is pulled into a situation that will bring him into a confrontation with the mafia. The driving scenes here are great, and mixed in with some of the great visuals from Nicolas Winding Refn; it makes this a must-watch film.

Smokey And The Bandit (1977)

Made during filmgoers’ obsession with the trucker lifestyle, this film stars Burt Reynolds and Sally Field. Two friends accept a job driving a truckload of beer across state lines. Everything seems fine until Bandit(Reynolds) picks up a hitchhiker (Field). She ran out on her wedding to the local sheriff’s son. When he finds out where she is, a car chase ensues, and Bandit has to elude the police while helping his partner get the truckload of beer to their destination. Trans-Ams were already cool, but his movie helped make them into legendary status.

What do you think are some of the best car films? Let us know in the comments.