20 fantastic films to watch when you want to escape from reality

National Lampoon's Vacation, the most famous of all vacation movies, is the iconic ‘80s comedy that spawned an entire franchise surrounding the Griswold family. Dad Clark Griswold takes his family on a road trip to the Walley World theme park, but their journey is one of chaos and disaster. Nothing goes smoothly for the Griswolds despite Clark’s best efforts. Chevy Chase led the film, which became a worldwide hit and saw the Griswolds return for many more vacations.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall makes for one of the best raunchy rom-coms of the 2000s. When Peter is dumped by his TV star girlfriend, the titular Sarah Marshall, he takes a vacation to Hawaii. However, he is shocked to find out that Sarah is staying at the same resort and has brought along her new boyfriend. Starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, and more, this Hawaiian vacation is full of awkward encounters, over-the-top laughs, and new romance.

Some may not remember it, but Disney gave Goofy his own movie back in 1995. The film primarily follows Goofy’s teenage son, Max, who lands a date with Roxanne, his crush. When he makes a huge promise to her, he struggles to keep his word as his dad takes him on a father-son cross-country trip. This wild ride is full of Goofy’s slapstick comedy, hilarious characters, and plenty of ‘90s music. It’s a little hidden gem in the extensive Disney catalog. 

Detective Benoit Blanc returns to solve another whodunnit in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery . This time, the mystery takes place on a Greek getaway. Tech millionaire Miles Bron invites many of his wealthy friends to stay on his private Greek island until one of them turns up dead. Any relaxation during this vacation is instead replaced with fear, suspicion, and danger. Craig is joined by a massive cast that includes Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Edward Norton, and more.

Summer vacation and the changes that can occur during it make for the backdrop of the coming-of-age film The Way Way Back. Duncan is a shy teenager spending the summer at a beach house owned by his mother’s overbearing boyfriend. He has a rough time fitting in around town until he meets Owen, the manager of a local water park. It’s a very funny and moving story about growing up, featuring big names like Steve Carrell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, and more.

A remake of the 2022 Danish film of the same name (also worth checking out), Speak No Evil depicts a holiday from hell. After meeting on vacation, an American and British couple become friends. The latter invites the former to stay at their idyllic country house for the weekend. What starts as a pleasant and hospitable stay turns into a violent and uncomfortable nightmare. This film is sure to prevent anyone from getting too comfortable with strangers. 

The directorial debut of actress Zoë Kravitz, Blink Twice is a thriller full of intrigue, paranoia, and brutality. When waitress Frida meets tech billionaire Slater King, she is invited to his private island for a getaway. While enjoying endless cocktails and sun-soaked days, Frida slowly begins to question her sanity as disturbing events start to occur. Blink Twice is not for the faint of heart and even has a trigger warning at the film's start. It goes to some truly shocking places.

From the team behind Bridesmaids, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is an outrageous comedic romp starring Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo. They play best friends Barb and Star, who leave their small town for the first time to holiday in Vista Del Mar, Florida. There, they become involved in an elaborate plot that features adventure, romance, and a villainous threat. Ridiculous, colorful, and abashedly over the top, the film makes for a lot of fun and great escapism.

The third film in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Dog Days, sees Greg Heffley try to have the best summer ever, which doesn’t go to plan. While Greg just wants to stay inside and play video games, he is dragged on a camping trip and lies to his family about having a job at the local country club. He finds himself in a number of embarrassing and chaotic situations, usually involving his friend Rowley and brother Rodrick. This one is a great pick for the whole family.

Force Majeure is a Swedish dark comedy from Triangle of Sadness director Ruben Östlund. The film follows a Swedish family vacationing in the French Alps when an avalanche occurs. The father runs away while the mother stays to protect her children, leaving a fracture in their family. The real disaster itself isn’t the avalanche but rather family dilemmas and relationships. Viewers may be familiar with its American remake, Downhill, but the original is far better.

In the Hotel Transylvania movies, Dracula runs a hotel exclusively for monsters. However, he finally gets his own vacation in Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation. Due to the stress of running the hotel, Drac’s family and friends book a luxury cruise exclusively for monsters. What they don’t know is that the ship is being helmed by the monster-hating Van Helsing family. This trip is anything but smooth sailing, and honestly, Drac deserves another vacation after this one.

The final film in Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy, Before Midnight sees Jesse and Celine reunite one last time. Now a couple, they visit Greece with their daughters and friends. On the last night, they reminisce and question their relationship. Greece makes for a stunning backdrop for the last hurrah of one of cinema’s most iconic couples, with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s chemistry still radiating after all these years. A more than fitting conclusion.

Call Me by Your Name makes for the ultimate summer romance movie filled with melancholy dreaminess. Elio is staying with his family at their villa in Northern Italy for the summer and meets Oliver, his father’s new intern. They develop a secret romance that they know is temporary but is full of passion. It’s a beautiful film about the experience of first love and is complemented by exquisite visuals that will leave viewers envious and wanting to go to Italy.

What We Did on Our Holiday is a charming British indie film starring David Tennant, Rosamund Pike, and Billy Connolly. Doug and Abi are a married couple on the verge of divorce and take their children on a holiday to Scotland to celebrate their grandpa’s birthday. They don’t want anybody to know they are separated, but of course, their kids spill the beans. It’s a humorous, touching, and surprisingly tragic film with excellent performances from its talented child stars.

The Oscar-nominated and Palme d’Or-winning black comedy Triangle of Sadness is an outrageous and satirical take on class warfare and status in society. Several wealthy guests set sail on a lavish cruise for the rich and famous, which is a picture of luxury and beauty. When the ship unexpectedly sinks, its survivors are left stranded on a desert island. The social hierarchy is reversed, with the lower-class workers taking power over their guests as they try to survive.

Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean is one of the most famous comedic characters of all time, and stars in his second feature film, Mr. Bean’s Holiday. Mr. Bean wins a trip to Cannes, where he helps a young boy reunite with his father. On his journey, he learns to ride a bicycle and discovers the meaning of love. While it’s not as genius as the Mr. Bean series, the film still makes for a laugh-out-loud adventure that is full of Atkinson’s signature physical and expressive comedy. 

Aftersun is a melancholic and poignant reflection of childhood memories and growing up. Sophie reflects on a holiday she took twenty years earlier as an eleven-year-old with her father. She tries to connect the dots and understand the man she didn’t know, as her father clearly had battles outside of fatherhood. Much simmers beneath the tranquility of the resort they stay at, with Oscar-nominee Paul Mescal and newcomer Frankie Corio making the perfect pairing. 

If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Sweden and immerse yourself in its traditions, it’s probably best to skip watching Midsommar. The film follows Dani and Christian, a fractured couple who take an idyllic retreat to Sweden to experience the country's fabled midsummer festival. What starts as a normal trip quickly turns into a violent and disturbing nightmare. The sun-soaked Swedish countryside is beautiful to look at, but there is so much visceral horror on screen in contrast.

Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck star in the delightful Hollywood classic Roman Holiday. Hepburn plays Princess Ann, who is on tour in Europe and lives a luxurious yet confined life. One day, she escapes and falls for American news reporter Joe Bradley on the streets of Rome. The film will immediately have viewers wanting to book a ticket to Rome, with its beauty on full display as Hepburn and Peck travel the streets on a Vespa. Hepburn won an Oscar for the role.

People usually say that you are your own worst enemy, and this concept takes on a whole new meaning in Jordan Peele’s Us. The Wilson family takes a vacation to Santa Cruz in California, and stays in mother Adelaide’s childhood home. One night, they are attacked by intruders dressed in red and who appear as their doppelgangers. Filled with horrific thrills and social commentary, the film is a heart-pounding ride that features an incredible dual performance from Lupita Nyong’o.