America is automobile nation. And so many motion pictures made right here mirror that.

There are tons of roadtrip movies, like Little Miss Sunshine, The Blues Brothers, Thelma & Louise, and extra. There’s a purpose why so many nice American movies are about individuals in automobiles going locations and discovering themselves on the best way.

In contrast to different industrialized nations, we do not need an interconnected cross-country prepare system that may simply get us from level A to level B. Because the mid Fifties, the nation has spent nearly $10 trillion on roads and highways, but businesses have solely invested 1 / 4 of that on trains and buses. A 2017 Census evaluation discovered that driving to work is way faster than utilizing public transportation in most U.S. cities, as a result of automobiles are prioritized.

There’s the Amtrak prepare system, after all, which is proscribed in scope and costly. And there are native prepare methods, just like the MTA in New York Metropolis. However in lots of elements of the nation, automobiles and flights are the one dependable option to get anyplace.

Different elements of the world are marvelously well-connected by rail. Europe has so many prepare choices that, on the finish of 2022, the European Fee permitted a call to ban brief flights in France, as long as there’s a handy prepare route that connects the 2 areas. In Japan, Shinkansen bullet trains quickly and comfortably carry passengers between cities throughout the nation.

And all these trains make nice dramatic settings. These motion pictures are enjoyable watches, however they might by no means happen within the U.S. Warning: some spoilers forward.