Many people find traveling and exploring new places exciting. However, long and tedious flights can make the journey quite dull. Therefore, passengers tend to seek various entertainment options to help pass the time. With that said, we can all agree that movies are an excellent way to keep boredom away while on flights. But which films are the most suitable to watch while up in the air?
Whether a feature takes place in the sky or is so entertaining that it is guaranteed to make time fly, there are a plethora of movies to choose from while at the airport. Without further ado, prepare to fasten your belts: fromThe Wind RisestoTop Gun: Maverick,these are the 10 best movies to watch on an airplane, according to Letterboxd users.
10’The Wind Rises' (2013)
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Directed byHayao Miyazaki, the founder of the incomparable animation film company, the JapaneseThe Wind Risesis among themost touching Studio Ghibli moviesdue to the themes it tackles. The fictionalized biography provides audiences with a look at the life ofJiroHorikoshi, voiced byHideaki Anno, and depicts his journey as an aspiring plane designer who ends up creating the A-6M World War II fighter plane.
Despite being a slightly controversial film when it premiered — mostly given how most Studio Ghibli films are usually anti-war and this conflicted with the studio’s stance —The Wind Risesis a top-notch animation feature about planesthat can certainly be enjoyed while in one. As expected, Miyazaki’s Oscar-nominated film is beautifully animated, with a moving plot that keeps audiences invested.
The Wind Rises
Watch on Max
9’Inception' (2010)
Director: Christopher Nolan
AlthoughChristopher Nolanhas an extensive catalog of undeniably memorable films, the complexInceptiontakes place among his most career-defining. The 2010 featureis not as hard to understand as some people say it is. Still, its plot is far from simplistic — it starsLeonardo DiCaprioas a thief able to enter people’s dreams and steal their secrets from their subconscious. Things get more complicated, however, when he is offered a seemingly impossible task: to plant an idea in someone’s mind.
The fourth-highest-grossing film of 2010 (earning over$837 million worldwide), Nolan’s film was an undeniable success, standing tall among the best sci-fi films of the decade. Considering how some poignant scenes were filmed on a plane, it makes sense how Letterboxd users would think this is a great pick to watch during a flight. Moreover,Inception’s trippy plot will make anyone’s voyage more enjoyable.
Watch on Peacock
8’Planes, Trains, and Automobiles' (1987)
Director: John Hughes
While most popularJohn Hughesfilms are teen comedies (at least untilPlanes, Trains and Automobileswas released, anyway), this 1987 movie proved that the filmmaker surely knew how to make more mature pictures. The plot centers aroundSteve Martin’s Neal Page, whose flight is rerouted to a distant city when he attempts to get home to spend Thanksgiving with his family. Sharing a household withJohn Candy’s talkative Del Griffith, the two are forced to overcome holiday travel to reach their final destinations.
Praised for branching the filmmaker out of the genre he was most comfortable in,Planes, Trains and Automobilesis an engaging, sharply written, and at times even hilarious film elevated by great performances by comedic geniuses Candy and Martin.On top of beingthe ideal Thanksgiving watchfor obvious reasons, Hughes' movie is arguably even more suitable to watch during a flight, at least according to the majority of Letterboxd users.
Watch on DirecTV
7’Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' (2018)
Directors: Rodney Rothman, Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti
With so much praise forthe beautifully stylized animated filmsofSpider-Man, it is unlikely for readers not to have at least heard ofInto the Spider-VerseandAcross the Spider-Verseat this point. The first installment in the franchise introduces audiences to Miles Morales (voiced byShameik Moore) as he becomes the Spider-Man of his universe and teams up with five spider-powered individuals to stop a massive threat.
Directed byRodney Rothman,Peter Ramsey, andBob Persichetti, this visually striking film feels like a comic book coming to life. Like its precursor, the critically acclaimedInto the Spider-Verseis the perfect superhero animation movie, winning Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards. Furthermore, it features likable characters and an engaging plot, with tons of action-packed air stunt scenes guaranteed to improve viewers' sky trips.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Watch on FXNOW
6’Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' (2010)
Director: Edgar Wright
Thanks to its innovative plot that combines romance, fantasy, comedy, and action, the genre-bendingScott Pilgrim vs. The Worldis easily one ofthe best romantic comedies of the 2010s. StarringMichael Cerain the lead role, the film follows a bass guitarist whose world is rocked when an Amazon delivery girl (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) skates into his heart. The only drawback? An army of ex-boyfriends who will stop at nothing to eradicate him from her list of suitors.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the Worldhas garnered a cult following ever since it premiered, and it is not difficult to see why.Despite not doing so well at the box office,this highly entertaining Edgar Wright movie is a fantastic, peculiar effortthat ended up being one of the best comic book adaptations of all time. It is the perfect feel-good movie to watch just about anywhere, including airplanes.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Watch on Amazon Prime
5’Porco Rosso' (1992)
Porco Rossois yet another plane-related Studio Ghibli tale that deserves viewers' attention. The movie centers around a World War I flying ace named Marco Pagott (voiced byShûichirôMoriyama) who turns from a man into a pig after his comrades die in battle. Known as Porco Rosso, he carries on fighting air pirates while also finding a romance of his own on the ground.
According to movie enjoyers on Letterboxd,Miyazaki’s entrancing tale of perseverance is among the best films to watch during a flight. It sheds light on themes of war, identity, and social norms, being one of the company’s most political (if notthemost political) films. Furthermore,Porco Rossofeatures one ofthe most memorable Studio Ghibli quotes: “I’d rather be a pig than a fascist.”
4’Top Gun' (1986)
Director: Tony Scott
Following a hotshot fighter pilot (Tom Cruise) who is sent to the Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons as he adjusts to his surroundings with a reckless and cocky attitude (and falls head over heels for his beautiful flight instructor (Kelly McGillies),Tony Scott’s action adventureTop Gunis the obvious answer when it comes to recommendations for films to watch on airplanes.
Although the franchise’s first installment is the superior film out of the two, there is no denying that Scott’s film — also critically acclaimed visual-wise — has gathered the attention of many, especially when it was released, enduring an iconic, highly beloved movie today. Additionally,Top Gunwas a huge commercial success thanks to its entertaining premise and great acting.
Watch on Paramount+
3’Crazy Rich Asians' (2018)
Director: Jon M. Chu
A well-crafted rom-com through and through with amazing Asian leads (and representation),Crazy Rich Asiansis based on the satirical bestseller of the same name byKevinKwanand follows New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she heads to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s (Henry Golding) eccentric family.
John M. Chu’s visual feast, which provides a refreshing storyline that highlights the extravagant lifestyles of this fictional Asian elite, is nothing short of brilliant. Although the film does not represent Asians everywhere, it tackles social classes, tradition, and Asian family values intriguingly, making for a thoughtful, though also humorous watch.GivenCrazy Rich Asians’narrative about traveling, it is a suitable watch for airplane movie sessions, according to Letterboxd.
Crazy Rich Asians
Watch on Hulu
2’Knives Out' (2019)
Director: Rian Johnson
Thanks to its gripping narrative,Rian Johnson’s murder mystery is among the best of recent times.Daniel Craigputs on his most convincing Southern accent as detective Benoit Blanc, who is in charge of investigating the death of the patriarch (the lateChristopher Plummer) of an eccentric family.Ana de Armasdelivers one of her best performances as Marta Cabrera, who worked as the patriarch’s personal caretaker.
Conceived to modernize the iconic whodunits of the 20th century, John’sKnives Outis an incredible movie in its entirety, delivering an edge-of-your-seat premise that provides food for audiences' thoughts. It is noted for itssocio-political commentary and “eat the rich” plotthat highlights the political administration’s attitudes towards immigrants and meditates on white privilege.Knives Outis an all-around incredible movie, so it makes sense that people would want to cozy up on a plane while watching it.
Knives Out
Watch on Apple TV
1’Top Gun: Maverick' (2022)
Director: Joseph Kosinski
IfTop Gunmade it to the list, it only makes sense that its sequel also earned a spot among the best films to watch on planes. Featuring a thirty-year time jump,Maverickfollows the titular character as he confronts his deepest fears by leading TOP GUN’s elite — including Lt. Bradley Bradshaw, played byMiles Teller, the son of his late friend — graduates on a poignant mission.
Top Gun: Maverickcaptures the end of an eraand provides viewers with the nostalgic feeling of the first film but expands its universe with fantastic results. Furthermore, it features major technical improvements in every area, earning six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Sound. Fueled by adrenaline and action-packed scenes,Top Gun: Maverickis guaranteed to keep audiences' eyes glued to their screens during their flights.
