Browsing the internet, one can find a vast array of car-centered movies. Some are better than others, and since cars are such a general topic, they can differentiate immensely, resulting in a type of car movie for everyone. Though I’ve barely skimmed the surface of the cinematic world of automobile transportation, I watched and reviewed a few of these movies in an attempt to interest people in a subject I love.
Ferrari
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This is complicated to review, because while I liked the movie, I watched it for the racing, and it was nearly all about Enzo Ferrari’s complicated relationships. This wasn’t awfully uninteresting, and I thought Penélope Cruz did a lovely job as Laura Ferrari, so overall I enjoyed parts of it. On the topic of the cast, I was tripped up by the fact Enzo Ferrari was played by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), and Lina Lardi was played by Tris from Divergent (Shailene Woodley). That, obviously, was no fault of the movie and my own personal perception, but it was still hard to take either of them seriously. Lastly, the animation of the two major car crashes was a bit of a stretch. I am not a physicist, but in the first crash, the driver flew a little too high for me to consider realistic. I wasn’t quite sold on the graphics of the second crash either, (and again, might just be me, but this is my review). I thought the filming and acting were done well and I overall enjoyed this movie, though I’m not convinced I need to watch it again.
Cars
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I love animated movies, especially targeted at kids, so it wasn’t hard for me to enjoy this. It’s kind of silly to put this in a review next to the other movies I watched, but nobody can say this movie isn’t about cars, so I think it doesn’t hurt to add it. I loved the characters, I loved the animations, and like many Disney/Pixar movies, it had a feel-good ending. Also, the fact the Micheal Schumacher Ferrari at the end is actually voiced by Micheal Schumacher made me happy. I didn’t see this movie when I was a child like many kids did, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and I’d still recommend it for older ages as a comforting movie to watch.
Schumacher
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I enjoyed this movie, despite the fact it was a documentary (occasionally documentaries bore me). It’s exactly as it’s titled, an hour and fifty-two minutes on Ferrari racing legend and seven-time world champion Micheal Schumacher. I did not know all that much about Schumacher before watching this, so I found the entirety of it fascinating. Even if you’re not that into Formula 1, any remote curiosity could make this movie an enjoyable watch. I thought the clips were put together well, there were various interviews from friends, teammates, competitors, and family members, and it was overall a good documentary. I’m probably going to end up watching this again and I’d absolutely recommend giving it a try.
Senna
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Senna is another documentary about a racing legend. The Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna, famed for his three-time world champion wins, brilliant driving, and ultimately disastrous death. I’ve seen his crash a dozen times, and I still cried watching this – even knowing what was coming. The man wasn’t perfect, but with everything he did for Brasil, everything he contributed to the world of racing, everything he contributed as a human, he was good. I am amazed how they found so much footage of even the smallest parts of his life, but everything put on the screen was enlightening. I loved watching this, and my mom, who doesn’t share my love for racing, enjoyed it as well, so I recommend it to everyone.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
🚗🚗🚗🚗.5
This is one of my favorite movies: dog, cars, Amanda Seyfried and Milo Ventimiglia. From my standpoint, it doesn’t get much better than that. You don’t need to know anything about cars for this movie to be interesting, but knowing enough to recognize some of the things casually mentioned makes it even better. It follows the life of driver Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia) while pursuing his dream to become a Formula 1 driver. The story is told from the eyes of Denny’s dog, a wise golden called Enzo (named appropriately). I’ve seen this movie many times and it never disappoints, and I will recommend it to anyone.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
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This is the only Fast and Furious movie I’ve seen, and while I’m under the impression it’s a bit of a spin-off, it didn’t motivate me to watch the other nine. I watched this on the plane due to a lack of better options, and though the plot was insufferably un-creative, it was executed well enough. I have no idea what drifting a car is actually supposed to look like, nor if the movie accurately portrayed street racing, but could have fooled me. It wasn’t terrible, it wasn’t exceptional, so it scores right around the middle.
FINAL RANKINGS
| Senna | documentary | 5 |
| Schumacher | documentary | 5 |
| The Art of Racing in the Rain | comedy/romance | 4.5 |
| Cars | animated/kids | 4 |
| Ferrari | drama | 3.5 |
| Tokyo Drift | action | 3 |