By: JJ Vega

Traveling is a fun activity to do, for many is a luxury, for many is a must-do, for some it just sort of happens depending on the way the wind is flying. Regardless of your point of view on traveling, there are certain movies you should not see before your next trip if you want to be able to enjoy your vacation. There are many ways to travel: whether through plane, train, cruising or automobiles. 

If you are planning on flying on your next adventure – you should definitely avoid these films prior to your trip:

1. Airport – released in 1970. The movie is about an airport trying to remain open during a snowstorm, while a bomber plots to blow up a plane in the middle of the snowstorm. The movie spun three sequels: Airport 1975, Airport '77 and The Concorde - Airport '79, each with their own plots.

2. Alive – released in 1993. Alive tells the real story of a rugby sports team survival in the Andes after their plane crashes. The surviving team members decide to eat the flesh of their dead relatives and friends. Have you decided which of your family members and/or friends would be eaten first? This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “finger food.”

3. Air Force One – released in 1997. What happens when a group of terrorists decide to hijack USA President’s plane, Air Force One? Starring Harrison Ford as US President James Marshall, who is described as being a “Popular President” and a family man who loves his wife and daughter, and is a decorated Vietnam veteran and a Medal of Honor winner, who also speaks Russian.

4. Final Destination – released in 2000. Imagine you are a high school student traveling on a field trip to Paris with your school. As you are boarding Flight 180 en route to Paris, you have a premonition that the plane will explode in mid-air, killing everyone on board. What do you do? This is what happens to Alex as he is boarding Flight 180, which gets him of the plane along with others and setting off a chain of events. As the series of events begin to unravel, something starts happening to the survivors as they begin to die one by one through a series of bizarre accidents, and Alex looks for a way to cheat death's plan before it is too late. This movie grossed over $112 million worldwide and spun off 4 sequels and earning over $665 million worldwide. This movie made flying scary.

5. United 93 – released in 2006. Biographical film chronicling the real events of hijacked United Airlines flight 93 which occurred on September 11, 2001.

​6. Executive Decision – released in 1996. The story of a terrorist hijacked plane demanding release of a political prisoner. Halle Berry plays Jean, the flight attendant who helps to take back control of the plane. Halle Berry became a hero for flight attendants everywhere for her magnificent portrayal of a woman in charge.

If you are traveling by Cars – then you should avoid watching these movies before your trip:

1. Wrong Turn – released in 2003. Spun off 5 more Wrong Turn movies, with the last one: Wrong Turn 6 The Last Resort. When friends drive for a vacation break and end up getting lost in different place and/or end up arriving at their destination, where all the horrific “fun” begins.

2. The Hills Have Eyes – released in 2006. A family trip, ends up a disaster, when an “accident” derails them and forces them to wait for help in the middle of a desert. They find themselves near a site where nuclear testing had taken place and mutant “monsters” who have developed cravings for flesh.

​3. Extraterrestrial – released in 2014. A group of friends who were going away on a trip, suddenly find themselves terrorized by aliens from outer space. 

4. Backcountry – released in 2014. A couple decides to go on a camping trip. They get lost along the way and find themselves lost in the woods in the territory of a black bear who begins to haunt them.

​5. Jeepers Creepers – released in 2001. Two siblings heading back from college find themselves haunted by an indestructible monster looking to replenish his body parts by feeding off of humans.

​If Cruising is on your itinerary, then these movies should NOT be on your list:

1. Titanic – released in 1997. Deadly shipwrecked after hitting an iceberg. Celine Dion’s heart is still going on.  Kate Winslet promises to never let go of Jack, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, as she lets him go, instead of making room for him on the door that allows her to float to safety. But alas, the movie was a world phenomenon and broke all sorts of box office records. Did we mention that Celine’s heart is still going on?

​2. The perfect Storm – released in 2000. The story of a small commercial fishing vessel lost at sea with all hands after being caught in the Perfect Storm of 1991, starring George Clooney, and Marky Mark - Mark Wahlberg.

3. Speed 2: Cruise Control – released in 1997. Cruise Control follows Sandra Bullock vacationing in the Caribbean aboard a luxury cruise ship, that gets hijacked by a terrorist. It’s a sequel to the movie Speed starring Keanu Reeves.

4. Poseidon Adventure – released in 1972. The original “Titanic,” kind of. A luxurious cruise ship encounters a tsunami during a New Year’s Eve celebration. The ensemble cast make this movie a work of art with some unforgettable performances. My favorite scene is the one when Shelly Winters has to relive her days as a swimming champion.

​5. Poseidon – released in 2006. Luxury Ocean liner capsize after encountering a rogue wave. Think of the “sorta kinda remake” of Titanic, which is a “sorta kinda remake” of Poseidon Adventure. 

If you are planning to do any site seeing of land marks, bridges, buildings, tunnels, on your next trip - you should certainly avoid watching these movies:
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​1. Die Hard – series with first movie released in 1988. John McClane (Bruce Willis), a police detective who often finds himself in the middle of violent crises and explosions of buildings and bridges, where he the hero. Might scare you enough to avoid tall buildings.

​2. The Towering Inferno – released in 1974. Movie revolves around the Glass Tower, the world's tallest building catching on fire. Smoke begins on the 81st floor and the 138 stories tall building is evacuated. People die it’s a burning inferno or in this case a burning tower!​

3. Skyscraper – released in 2018.  Dwayne Johnson & Neve Campbell are a super cute couple with 2 kids. He is a former FBI agent who needs to rescue his family from a newly built humongous and beautiful skyscraper, the tallest in the world (we must erect them bigger!). Neve is not a damsel in distress, even doing some great stunts in high heel boots!

4. Ladder 49 – released in 2004. Starring hotties Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta as firefighters fighting a massive fire in a 20-story concrete warehouse.

​5. 2012 - released in 2009 (go figure!). Epic science fiction disaster film, where just about every major and remote city and landmarks are destroyed by earthquakes, floods, fire, you name it it’s in there.