COLUMN: Top 5 Films to Watch While Moving Across the Country

(Image: thriveglobal.com)

(Image: thriveglobal.com)

Top 5 Films to Watch While Moving Across the Country

Let’s be real, moving can be an absolute nightmare. If you’re moving locally, there is a lot you need to sort out, but it’s nothing compared to a cross-country move. The logistics involved in the latter can make the experience feel like a trip to the dentist. Beyond the virtual house hunting, there is the planning and lengthy list of items to check off your moving list. Not to mention, of course, those all-too-important little things to think about like how you’re going to transport the dog or move your garden plants – if they’re allowed in your destination state in the first place. You could choose to sell off your stuff and simply purchase a ticket out of town, but even that is not without its challenges

If you’re like most people, it’s safe to assume you plan to consider the option of professional moving companies for your interstate move, including the folks at threemovers.com/ . That should make things much less stressful, no doubt. But still, there is the small matter of how you’re going to cope during the long haul, especially if you’re going to be on the road for an entire day, if not more. Unless of course, you’re one of those who are perfectly okay to be alone with their thoughts and actually consider the lengthy trip a great time to contemplate about life. For the rest of us, though, there is nothing like a good movie to kill the monotony of being on the road for hours on end. Here are some top 5 movie picks to add to the list for your next cross-country move.

1. Moving

What better way to enjoy a long-distance move than to watch the trouble people go through when dealing with movers? If you missed it, Moving will be a reminder that your moving day can’t be that bad really. The underrated comedy by comic king Richard Pryor sees civil engineer Arlo Pear (Pryor) lose his job, forcing him to sell his house and move with his family to Boise, Idaho. Relocating on a budget, he happens to hire a mover whose less-than-desirable services teach him the hard way the need to always hire pros for your move. It’s one of those films they don’t seem to make these days and is sure to leave you in splits.

2. Beetlejuice

Another movie that coincidentally came out in the same year as Moving, Beetlejuice is a family-horror comedy about a teen whose parents buy what turns out to be a haunted pad. As with most films around this time, the movie is a star-studded classic starring the likes of Winona Ryder (the teenage girl), Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara (the parents), and Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis (playing ghosts trapped in the house). The latter decides to hire the ghost Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to spook out the family. It’s a great comedy to watch on the road.

3. Cheaper By The Dozen

More recent than our previous two mentions, this is another film about moving that tells the story of a large family that has to pull up sticks and embark on an interstate move. The “dozen” in this instance alludes to the 12 children of Tom (Steve Martin) and Kate Baker (Bonnie Hunt). If you thought planning your long-distance move was hectic, you can imagine the misery the pair has to go through to execute such a large move. Funny, relatable, and heartfelt, Cheaper By The Dozen is great for watching with the kids.

4. The Money Pit

The title of the film is a reference to the money drain of a house that love birds Walter (Tom Hanks) and Anna (Shelley Long) end up throwing their savings on. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That’s what the couple realize when the beautiful mansion starts falling apart and it dawns on them that the house will need more work than they bargained for.

5. Blue Valentine

If you’re not in the mood for a laugh, Blue Valentine is a somber film that sheds light into the life of a professional mover and less into the moving process. Starring Ryan Gosling (Dean) and Michelle Williams (Cindy), the drama jumps back and forth in time between the beginning of the pair’s relationship and their inescapable separation years later. This is strictly not for watching with the kids, though.

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