Reminiscent of ‘Taste of Cherry’, Jafar Panahi’s ‘Taxi’ (2015) is a docu-fiction film that takes place in Tehran. Due to political dissent, director Panahi has been banned from filming in Iran for twenty years. Undeterred, he has made three internationally acclaimed movies since then, and ‘Taxi’ is one of them. He produced, directed, wrote, and starred in the movie. He did everything, including music and cinematography.
Obviously, a taxicab features predominately. Panahi mounted a camera on the dash of his yellow cab and drove around the streets of Tehran transporting people to their destinations. Meanwhile, he is recording the conversations which are often touching and philosophical. As a political dissident, he’s well known, and the self-aware commentary serves as documentary of his exile from filmmaking.
Smokey and the Bandit
That sleek 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am driven by Burt Reynolds in 'Smokey and the Bandit' made the Trans Am a very popular American car for Pontiac. The Bandit (Reynolds) is a vigilante race-car driver who makes a deal to deliver a shipment of beer all the way from Georgia to Texas in just 28 hours. Thing is, shipping alcohol without a permit is illegal. The adventure is rollicking fun. A love triangle tangentially involves Smokey the cop, who is after the Bandit. The Bandit, our suave male lead, is directly involved, to no one’s surprise.
Besides Burt Reynolds, 'Smokey and the Bandit' stars Sally Field as the love-triangle-interest, Jerry Reed, and Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Smokey. It was the number two highest-grossing box office hit of 1977, second only to 'Star Wars'.
Corvette Summer
In 1978, Warner Bros. studio billed its summer action-adventure comedy 'Corvette Summer', “a fiberglass romance.” And that’s exactly what it is. 'Corvette Summer' is fun and playful and revolves around a Stingray Corvette that is especially precious to one young man who is just finishing high school. The action lights up when the spicy red and flame-licked orange Corvette vanishes. Ken Dantley (Mark Hamill) and his classmates from auto shop poured their hearts into restoring the Corvette, and suddenly, one day, it is gone.
You can expect spectacular car chase scenes on par with those the 'Fast and the Furious' franchise created decades later. This movie is also extraordinary because it stars Mark Hamill right off the heels of Luke Skywalker in the epic 'Star Wars' trilogy. His co-star Annie Potts shines as Vanessa, a would-be prostitute who is thrown off track after meeting Ken. Watch it and see what happens!
The Cars That Ate Paris
Deadpan comedy, 'The Cars That Ate Paris', is a classic B-movie from 1974. The absurdist plot finds townsmen plotting car accidents on unsuspecting travelers after an economic downturn besieged the town of Paris, Australia. Scrap parts becomes the most lucrative business in Paris. Plotting against random drivers, the townsmen convert the local dirt road into a hellish path that heads straight into a ravine. Enter, a twist of horror. Following the crash, parts are scavenged and resold or repurposed.
'The Cars that Ate Paris' is a surreal sci-fi, horror-suspense that predates the scavenger economy of 'Mad Max'. One of its unforgettable creations is a VW Bug covered in sharpened steel spikes.
Hell or High Water
'Hell or High Water' premiered at Cannes in 2016 and hit the big screen in August of that year. The film received four Oscar nominations. Movie studio Film 44 brought the neo-Western drama-suspense directed by Englishman David Mackenzie to theaters. 'Hell or High Water' stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, and Dale Dickey.
Critics loved it. Vulture magazine wrote, "Hell or High Water" is a rare humanist Western: Finality is the true villain.” A masterful score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis leads the mood. It takes place in Texas, where a pair of bank-robbing brothers (Pine and Foster) stalk small-scale banks for quick cash. For a Western, it’s dialogue-heavy, and the commentary of its final scene outdoes any Western in the genre, according to Vulture. And, of course, there is a car in the picture. The brothers use a 1987 Chevy Camaro as their get-away vehicle. Plenty of other vintage cars co-star.