Car culture is a big deal at my house. Models of cars are on our shelves, videos of car experts are often playing on our tv, and we frequently stop to admire an especially rare car when we see it on the street (or "in the wild"). If you love cars as much as my family, here are a few movies to check out from Chicago Public Library.
Do you love racing movies like Ford v Ferrari? I recommend Senna, a documentary about legendary Formula One racing driver Ayrton Senna. Senna's life was tragically cut short at age 34, but he managed to win the F1 world championship three times before his death. The documentary is almost entirely footage from Senna's racing career and home videos provided by his family.
Of course I must add a James Bond movie to this list, but which one to choose? Goldfinger has the first appearance of the iconic Aston Martin DB5, and The Spy Who Loved Me features the Lotus Esprit, but I'm going to have to choose Goldeneye. Goldeneye has it all— the Aston, a Ferrari F355, the debut of a BMW Z3, and of course a tank chase (yes, you read that right).
Anime and cars have often gone hand in hand and I cannot think of a movie that beats Akira. This 1988 Japanese cyberpunk film follows the leader of a biker gang and his best friend who recently acquired telekinetic powers. The animation of the cars is impeccable, earning the film the title of one of the most important animated features in cinematic history.
Lowrider culture has been important in Chicano communities as early as the 1960's. In the movie Lowriders, Danny Alvarez is caught at a crossroads: he must decide between pursuing his dream as a graffiti artist or working in his family's auto shop in East LA. Much like the Fast and the Furious series, this movie has cool cars and a lot of heart.
Death Proof is one of director Quentin Tarantino's lesser-known films, which heavily mimics the exploitative grindhouse movies most popular in the 1970s. In this film, a deranged stuntman goes on a bloody killing spree across the country. Car lovers will appreciate Tarantino paying homage to classic car films.
What movies are you racing to put on hold at the library?
Add a comment to: Racing To The Library: Top Movies for Car Lovers