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Traveling by Screen

Let the destination come to you

By Chelsey BurdenPublished 3 years ago 7 min read
Second Place in If This, Then That Challenge
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Traveling by Screen
Photo by Mantas Hesthaven on Unsplash

In the time of not being able to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one way to mentally transport yourself to another place is through the magic of cinema.

The right movies and television shows can immerse us in the micro worlds of other countries, regions, and towns. And of course, different movies and shows can cast the exact same place in a drastically different light. The following are some of my personal favorites, with a place-based formula as your tour guide.

If you want to immerse yourself in various locations, read on for your "travel" itinerary.

Destination: Italy

If you enjoyed The Talented Mr. Ripley, try Call Me by Your Name. If you want to experience that otherworldly, sun-drenched atmosphere of Italy, this movie's sensory details will accomplish that. You can practically smell the sea breeze, can almost taste the peach juice. Where The Talented Mr. Ripley is more intellectually thrilling, Call Me by Your Name is more sensual and viscerally emotional. The restrained desire between main characters Elio and Oliver permeates every move they make through the Italian countryside. They take us to many gorgeous sights—worth rewatching for if you were too distracted by the tension. Some of these sights include the Cascate del Serio waterfall, the sunset on Jamaica Beach, the Crema Cathedral, the city of Bergamo, and Elio's secret place in the Fontanile Quarantina nature reserve.

Detour option: To Rome With Love. The title sums it up. The film is an excuse to see all the tourist spots and classic architecture of Rome. Through four vignettes that wander among cobblestones and cafes, we encounter everything from the Spanish Steps to the Villa Borghese to the Teatro Argentina.

Destination: Los Angeles, California

If you enjoyed La La Land, try Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Both of these revolve around a young woman pursuing something (a Hollywood dream or, well, this guy Josh) and singing about it. The Crazy Ex-Girlfriend TV series is a musical comedy/self-deprecating commentary on gender, social life, and mental health. Filmed partially in Los Angeles and mostly in neighboring West Covina, the series is reminiscent of La La Land's fun spin on the less glamorous moments—think the dance number atop a traffic jam. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend stays there in the non-glamorous and revels in it. Viewers will thoroughly feel transported to Southern California suburbia.

Detour option: Love. The TV series Love is another avenue to palm trees, strip malls, and the art of scraping by in L.A. While this Judd Apatow story centers on a dysfunctional couple, the influence of L.A. colors in the details, from the profession of screenwriter wannabe/tutor for child actors, to the real life date night locales.

Destination: West Texas

If you enjoyed No Country for Old Men, try Hell or High Water. Both of these modern day Westerns are set in West Texas, but were mostly filmed in New Mexico. Nonetheless, the desert backdrop draws you in. In fact, that Wild West backdrop is what allows the brother duo of Hell or High Water to read as charming outlaws rather than disgruntled jerks. Another context that allows you to root for the brotherly bank robbers? The recession. Predatory loans. Bailouts for banks but not people. Graffiti in one shot reads: "THREE TOURS IN IRAQ BUT NO BAILOUT FOR PEOPLE LIKE US." With the economic crisis setting the stage as the real villain, viewers are along for the ride.

Detour option: Friday Night Lights. The TV series (based on the movie and book) depicts a small West Texas community, deeply interwoven and threaded together through the high school football team. It accurately portrays the markers of poverty and small town life without being quaint, pitiful, or reductive. As someone from a small desert town, I find this portrayal painfully and wonderfully realistic.

Destination: Toronto, Canada

If you enjoyed Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, try The Imposters. Like Scott Pilgrim, The Imposters TV series similarly brings viewers into the city through the venues, diners, neighborhoods, parks, and other landmarks locals will recognize. Season 1 is filmed primarily in Vancouver, and season 2 in Toronto. Another similarity is that both Scott Pilgrim and The Imposters revolve around a ragtag group of one of the character's exes. But in The Imposters, the exes band together to find their mutual con-artist ex. This takes viewers on wickedly fun missions through Canada and eventually through the U.S. and Mexico. These characters feel so real and strangely endearing, they'll hook you in and you'll want to follow them anywhere.

Detour option: Take This Waltz. Sarah Polley's film is shot and set in her hometown of Toronto, her love of which shines through as she brings viewers to places like Kensington Market, Centreville Amusement Park, and Kew Beach. The storyline follows a married woman's interest in her neighbor in Toronto's Little Portugal neighborhood.

Destination: Paris, France

If you enjoyed Midnight in Paris, try Emily in Paris. Like Midnight in Paris, the TV series Emily in Paris immerses us in this enchanting city through the doe-eyed wonder (and ignorance) of an American visitor. It also gives us a sort of Disneyland version of the city and life itself: clean, bright, magical. The problems stay pretty cute. But during the pandemic, this escapist fantasy may be just what you need. Emily in Paris is also more self-aware than it gets credit for. Emily's cringeworthy faux pas aren't conveyed as defensible; they are used to cheekily illuminate cultural differences, critique American presumptiveness, and play with clichés. And personally, I don't need to like the main character to enjoy watching the action unfold, especially within this scenery. If you can relish an unlikeable character, this one's for you.

Detour option: Personal Shopper. Maureen is also an American visiting Paris, but the tone is less Disneyland and more Haunted Mansion. Grief looms as an almost physical presence within this shadowy version of Paris. Kristen Stewart's historically underrated subtlety is entrancing.

Destination: New York City

If you enjoyed Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, try Dash and Lily's Book of Dares. If you want your New York "travel" experience to pick up in the world where the former left off, the TV series Dash and Lily's Book of Dares is the perfect next stop. Both are based on books of the same titles by author duo Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. Just like Nick and Norah, Dash and Lily are coy yet adventurous teens who will show you New York City through their quirky scavenger hunts. Continuing to follow suit with Nick and Norah, Dash and Lily's explorations take viewers to many beloved NYC spots, including The Strand Bookstore, Two Boots Pizza, Macy's Herald Square, and a Jewish punk show in the basement of Yonah Schimmel's Knish Bakery, to name just a few. It's forgivably escapist in plot, but realistic in showcasing real NYC locations.

Detour option: They Came Together. For viewers who are sick of movies that try a little too hard to make "the city itself a character," this refreshing rom-com satire will tick the box of providing classic New York visuals while also poking (or perhaps stabbing) fun at the romanticization of both New York City and the rom-com genre.

Destination: The Open Road

If you enjoyed Into the Wild, try American Honey. The common thread is the potent mixture of freedom and vulnerability found in life on the road. Both movies have a strong sense of place across changing landscapes. Where Into the Wild traces the true story of one individual, American Honey imagines the gritty reality of countless young people on "mag crews," who travel the country to sell door-to-door magazine subscriptions. This industry has long been investigated for fraud, exploitation, and abuse. American Honey is steeped in these realities, but the film's focus is on teenage Star and her experience joining the crew as they cross the Midwest. From the heartland cinematography to the soundtrack to the fashion choices, creator Andrea Arnold is on the pulse of this world in a way I've never seen so meticulously captured and crystallized.

Detour option: Nomadland. Despite their coming to the nomad life for different reasons, the protagonists of Into the Wild and Nomadland share emotional and geographical terrain, including the outsider communities, campsites, and natural harsh beauty of South Dakota, Arizona, Nevada, and California. Each of their rugged individual paths ends up being populated with actual (non-actor) fellow wanderers and chosen family. From the Badlands to the Redwoods, Nomadland provides an inside view from the outskirts, a view from a home on the move.

That's it for this travel itinerary! Happy trails to you.

travel
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About the Creator

Chelsey Burden

Freelance writer, proofreader, and library specialist with an affinity for tortoises.

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