Movies to Ease Your Wanderlust

Have a bad case of wanderlust? Watch a movie! I don't have to tell you that the pandemic is really cramping our style. Travel just isn't happening for most of us right now, except perhaps for day trips close to home. A number of us have had to cancel or reschedule those fun, big vacations to distant places or longer trips to family in other parts of the country or world.

Although we may have put our travel plans on hold, movies are a great way for us to "visit" exotic places and see views other than those outside our own windows. Sometimes, besides having a great story, a movie filmed in a beautiful setting can make us feel as if we're in that location. There are so many movies that can bring the world to us. In alphabetical order, here is my personal top ten list of movies perfect for "cinematravel," as I like to call it, all of which are available at the library on DVD or Blu-ray for curbside pickup:

• Crazy Rich Asians (Malaysia, Singapore) It's stressful enough to meet your significant other's parents, but finding out they're super-rich, super-snobbish, and the crème de la crème of Singapore takes things to another level in this rom-com.
• The DaVinci Code (England, France, Scotland) This fast-paced thriller takes you to various landmarks around Paris and the UK in a quest for the Holy Grail.
• Eat Pray Love (India, Indonesia, Italy, New York) The main character takes us along on her journey to eat her way through Italy, pray in an ashram in India, and find new love in Bali.
• Enchanted (New York) This family favorite about a princess finding her prince sings and dances its way around New York City.
• E.T. (California) The lovable movie about an extraterrestrial left behind on Earth presents the California redwoods in all their giant glory.
• Leap Year (Ireland) A woman traipses around Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day according to Irish tradition.
• The Lord of the Rings (New Zealand) If this trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien's books doesn't sell New Zealand's varied and breathtaking scenery to you, nothing will.
• Mamma Mia (Greece) Colorful characters sing and dance along to upbeat ABBA tunes on a spectacular Greek island--we could all use that about now, don't you think?
• A River Runs Through It (Montana) Nearby Montana may feel far away at the moment, but this movie will bring all the beauty of Big Sky Country and fly fishing home to you.
• Twilight (Oregon) Maybe this popular teen vampire flick wasn't actually filmed in Forks, WA, but Oregon's Columbia River Gorge is a stunning substitute.

Of course, ten movies don't even begin to scratch the tip of the iceberg, so here is a list of other movies notable for cinematravel:

• 127 Hours (Utah)
• About Time (England)
• Australia (Australia)
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (England, India)
• Cast Away (California, Fiji, Philippines, Russia, Tennessee, Texas)
• Harry Potter Series (England, Scotland)
• The Hundred-Foot Journey (France)
• Into the Wild (Alaska, Arizona, California, Georgia, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington)
• Joy Luck Club (California, China)
• The Kite Runner (Afghanistan, California, China)
• Letters to Juliet (Italy, New York)
• A Man Called Ove (Spain, Sweden)
• An Officer and a Gentleman (Philippines, Washington)
• The Revenant (Arizona, Canada, Mexico, Montana)
• The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (Greenland, Iceland, New York)
• Under the Tuscan Sun (California, Italy)
• Wild (California, Oregon)
• Yentl (Czech Republic, England)

Do you have some favorite movies that are great for easing wanderlust? Share them with us!

Wishing you happy cinematravels from the perch.