From adrenaline-fuelled action films to insightful documentaries, here are some movies and shows for gearheads to indulge in.
As Formula 1 (F1) season heats up, get into the driver’s seat with a wide selection of car-themed movies and TV shows, from a behind-the-scenes look at the business behind F1 and an animated spy movie to pulse-pounding heist flicks and a home-brewed racing drama.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Director George Miller returns to the post-apocalyptic, vehicle-dominated wasteland he created with 1979’s Mad Max in this prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road. Here, he explores the backstory of Furiosa, first played by Charlize Theron with fiery intensity in the latter movie.
In post-apocalyptic Australia, young Furiosa (Alyla Browne and Anya Taylor-Joy at different ages) lives in the Green Place of Many Mothers, an oasis amidst scorched earth. She is kidnapped by the Biker Horde, disciples of the tyrannical warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Furiosa’s mother, Mary Jabassa (Charlee Fraser), attempts to rescue her. Furiosa eventually becomes caught up in a negotiation between Dementus and rival warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), who presides over the Citadel. Furiosa teams up with war rig driver Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), learning to drive the rig herself and earning the title of Imperator. She plots her revenge on Dementus and endeavours to return to the Green Place.
As with other Mad Max movies, you can expect many thrilling sequences in Furiosa. Its standout action set piece is a breathtaking 15-minute-long car chase involving powered paragliders swooping down onto a ‘war rig’ and Furiosa clambering underneath the chassis.
As the world fell, young Furiosa was snatched from the Green Place of Many Mothers and fell into the hands of a great Biker Horde led by the Warlord Dementus.
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#RACEGIRL: The Comeback of Sophia Flörsch
This inspiring documentary follows German driver Sophia Flörsch, who developed an obsession with motorsport racing by the time she started go-karting at the age of four. Flörsch began establishing herself in the racing scene, becoming the first woman to score points in Formula 4 in 2016. Two years later, at age 17, Flörsch got into a horrifying crash at the F3 Macau Grand Prix, sustaining serious injuries. Follow her journey to recovery as she faces additional obstacles, including losing her sponsors and two drivers on her team. Flörsch’s indomitable spirit sees her overcome various setbacks, making a name for herself in a dangerous and traditionally male-dominated sport.
Sophia Flörsch has dreamt of F1 since age four. Everything was going well until the accident in 2018. #RACEGIRL follows Sophia in her gruelling battle to get back on the racetrack.
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Inside Track: The Business of Formula One
So much happens off the track. In this documentary series from CNBC, correspondent Sara Eisen takes viewers into the rarefied world behind the high-speed and high-stakes F1 racing leagues. She interviews the heads of several F1 racing teams, including Toto Wolff of Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Christian Horner of Oracle Red Bull, and Guenther Steiner of Haas. Learn about what is fuelling the sport’s lucrative expansion, uncover the business strategies behind F1’s growing popularity in the US, including the involvement of big-named brands, and glimpse what the future of F1 might look like.
Formula 1 is the world’s most elite racing league. CNBC Documentaries find out what is fueling its popularity.
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The Italian Job
The 1969 movie The Italian Job made unlikely stars out of the Mini Cooper, and the Minis are back in action-hero mode in this loose remake of that film. Mark Wahlberg plays Charlie Croker, a professional thief. After he is betrayed by Steve Frazelli (Edward Norton), a member of his crew, during a heist in Venice, Charlie vows revenge. Charlie’s team comprises safecracker Stella Bridger (Charlize Theron), the daughter of Charlie’s late mentor John (Donald Sutherland), getaway driver Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), tech guy Lyle (Seth Green), explosives expert Gilligan ‘Left Ear’ (Mos Def), and mechanic Wrench (Franky G). They must steal the gold in Steve’s vault from his LA mansion. The movie features an elaborate car chase through Los Angeles with the production using 300 cars to create a traffic jam at the intersection of Hollywood and Highland. Action-packed, funny, and carried by a charismatic cast, The Italian Job is often cited as a remake done right.
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Charlie Croker pulled off the crime of a lifetime. He didn't plan on being double-crossed. Now he wants payback. Croker and his team take off to re-steal the loot and end up in a chase.
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Cars 2
Piston Cup champion Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and friends are back in this sequel to Pixar’s hit animated movie Cars. Lightning is invited to compete in the prestigious World Grand Prix, facing off against his rival, Italian formula race car Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro). On the sidelines, Lightning’s gormless friend Tow Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) unwittingly finds himself embroiled in high-stakes international espionage. British spies Finn McMissile (Michael Caine) and Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer) mistake Mater for American agent Rod ‘Torque’ Redline (Bruce Campbell) as the intrigue unfolds from Tokyo to Paris to Porto Corsa, culminating in the World Grand Prix’s final race in London.
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From Disney and Pixar comes a laugh-out-loud adventure - Cars 2! Lightning McQueen and best friend Mater compete in the World Grand Prix and the road is filled with hilarious surprises...
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Fast & Furious
The Fast & Furious franchise went from ‘Point Break with street racing’ to a world-dominating action franchise. The fourth movie, Fast & Furious, marks a turning point in the series’ trajectory as the last one to heavily feature street racing. Promoted with the tagline “New Model. Original Parts”, this movie sees Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto and Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner reuniting for the first time since the first Fast & Furious movie.
After Dom’s girlfriend, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), is apparently murdered, Dom investigates her death. Meanwhile, Brian is working for the FBI to track down notorious Mexican drug lord Arturo Braga (John Ortiz). When Arturo puts out the call for couriers, Brian and Dom go undercover, entering a street race to infiltrate his circle. They find out Arturo is smuggling heroin across the border from Mexico to the United States using hidden tunnels. Dom seeks to avenge Letty, and Brian attempts to bring Arturo to justice.
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Heading back to the streets where it all began, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles.
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Death Race
Jason Statham has found himself behind the wheel many times in his career, including in the Transporter and Fast & Furious franchises and the abovementioned The Italian Job. In this dystopian action movie, Statham drives for his life. He plays Jensen Ames, a steelworker framed for murdering his wife. At Terminal Island Penitentiary, Jensen is forced to assume the identity of ‘Frankenstein’ and enter the Death Race, a deadly competition in which drivers kill each other as audiences watch online. The race is overseen by the sadistic prison warden Claire Hennessey (Joan Allen), and viewership and profits have dropped since the original Frankenstein died. The cast also includes Ian McShane as head mechanic Coach, Tyrese Gibson as rival racer Machine Gun Joe, and Natalie Martinez as navigator Case. Directed by Paul W S Anderson (Resident Evil, Alien vs. Predator), Death Race is a remake of the 1975 cult film Death Race 2000.
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A penitentiary full of felons inspired jailers to create a grisly pastime. Adrenalised inmates, a global audience hungry for violence and a spectacular arena come together to form the Death Race.
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Speed Racer
The classic ’60s manga and anime Speed Racer comes to life in this Hollywood adaptation of the same name. Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is part of a family whose lives revolve around automotive racing: his parents, Mom (Susan Sarandon) and Pops (John Goodman), run Racer Motors. Speed has a younger brother named Spritle (Paulie Litt); his race-record-setting older brother Rex, whom he idolised, apparently died in a crash. E P Arnold Royalton (Roger Allam), the corrupt CEO of Royalton Industries, makes Speed a generous offer to sign with the company. Speed refuses, uncovering a conspiracy to fix the races. Speed faces off against the enigmatic Racer X (Matthew Fox) in the Casa Cristo 5000, the same cross-country rally race that killed Rex. Directed by the Wachowskis (The Matrix), Speed Racer was not warmly received at the time of its release but has since gained a cult following for its frenetic style and eye-poppingly vibrant visuals.
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When Speed turns down a lucrative offer from Royalton Industries, he uncovers a terrible secret—some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls!
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Oversteer
Billed as “Singapore’s first car-racing movie”, director Derrick Lui’s Oversteer is an ambitious film that was 10 years in the making. Car enthusiast Fung (Aden Tan) dreams of running his own auto shop despite opposition from his strict father, Tony (Zhang Yaodong). Struggling to fund his business, Fung enters illegal street races with his girlfriend Yu (Jannassa Neo) and his best friend Foo (Hanrey Low) by his side. Shot in Malaysia, the film features cameos from prominent figures in the Malaysian racing scene, including ‘Drift Princess’ Ashley Wong, Formula Drift Asia Technical team manager Kazuto Soon, and former Team Petronas driver Fariqe Hairuman. A labour of love for Lui and his cast and crew, Oversteer might not possess the glossiness of its Hollywood counterparts, but it has scrappy underdog heart.
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"Oversteer" follows protagonist Wind as he navigates an estranged family, perseverance, and car racing in Singapore. It's inspired by a true story, which he came across in a car workshop.
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Initial D
If automotive racing makes you think of tofu, you’re probably an Initial D fan. The manga and anime series about a tofu deliveryman turned street racer gets the live-action treatment here. Takumi Fujiwara (Jay Chou) works for his father, Bunta (Anthony Wong), a former racer who now owns a tofu shop. Takumi makes delivery runs in his Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 and is friends with street racer Itsuki (Chapman To) of the Akina SpeedStars. Takumi discovers that his experience as a delivery driver has unwittingly made him a skilled racer. He faces off against experienced racers, including Ryosuke Takahashi (Edison Chen) of the RedSuns, Takeshi Nakazato (Shawn Yue) of the NightKids, and Kyoichi Sudo (Jordan Chan) of Team Emperor. Helmed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak (Infernal Affairs), Initial D marks the film acting debut of pop star Chou.
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Takumi delivers tofu in an old Toyota AE86 Sprinter Trueno using a route that traverses along the treacherous hairpin curves of Mount Akina. In the process, he has become a skilled racer.
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