New book provides movie recommendations for all kinds of travelers to all kinds of places.
Book Review:
Films to Go
By Jay Boyar; Capital Books, Inc.
ISBN-13: 978-1-933102-30-6
215 Pages; $14.95
Films to Go takes readers on an enjoyable trip through the movies. The book serves three purposes: it prepares travelers for visiting a specific location; occupies their time during a long car ride, train trip or flight; and entertains armchair travelers who merely want to learn more about a place they will never get the chance to visit. Boyar selects films that capture the essence of particular cities or countries through cinematography, characters, locations, landmarks, and culture.
The book includes 40 brief chapters that describe particular types of travel (e.g., family travel, business trips, romantic getaways, holiday excursions) or places (e.g., San Francisco, Orlando, New York, Rome, Japan) by using up to four films as examples. The movie selections range from classics such as Casablanca to newer releases including Spider-Man. His choices were based on the overall quality of the films and on their significance to travelers.
Unusual Connections to Specific Locations
Boyar’s extensive knowledge of film and travel comes in handy when discussing movies with unusual connections to specific locations, like how The Maltese Falcon depicts San Francisco although it was shot elsewhere or that watching Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl will get travelers in the mood for a visit to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando. Movie reviews (and in this case movie selections and reviews) are by nature very subjective, so even if you disagree with one of the author’s choices as an outstanding cinematic example, you’ll still get the benefit of experiencing a distant place (and often time). In fact, watching a few of these films – Titanic, for example – might even inspire you to change your plans for a specific destination or form of travel.
The book provides basic information on each of the 100 selected films, brief reviews, and a quotation from each movie which usually relates to either literal or figurative forms of travel. Films to Go offers great choices for movie lovers who also love to travel (and even gives suggestions about where to find films to rent or purchase). At 215 pages, this fun and informative soft cover book should fit nicely into your piece of carry-on luggage as you leave for your next trip.
About Jay Boyar
Pulitzer Prize nominee Jay Boyar has worked as a movie reviewer, travel editor, and college professor. His movie reviews have been featured in print, broadcast, and online media throughout the United States. An Orlando-area resident, he founded the Florida Film Critics Circle and served as a juror for the American Film Institute.
For more information about road trip movies, read Wild Hogs on DVD and Bonneville Production Highlights.
