Movies About Airplanes

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn
Rated PG

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a British-American black comedy film released in 1964. The film follows U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden), who orders a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union, against the wishes of his superiors. British Royal Air Force Officer Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (Peter Sellers), a U.S. President's immediate advisor (Peter Sellers again), and the president himself (Sellers for the third time) attempt to recall the bombers and prevent a nuclear war. They are aided by the wheelchair-bound former Nazi scientist, Dr. Strangelove (Sellers for the fourth time). The film is a dark comedy that satirizes the Cold War fears of a nuclear conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States. The movie has become a classic, and still stands as one of the greatest satirical films ever made.

From Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, starring Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Rated PG

Airplane! is a 1980 comedy film directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker. The film tells the story of Ted Striker, a former war pilot, who is on a mission to save an airplane full of passengers from crashing. Along the way, Ted has to deal with the eccentric crew and passengers, as well as the mysterious force that is threatening the plane's safety. The comedic ensemble cast features Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Lorna Patterson. The film has become a cult classic, and is often cited as one of the best comedies of all time. With its clever dialogue, ridiculous gags, and plethora of memorable characters, Airplane! is a must-see for anyone who loves comedy.

From Paul Greengrass, starring David Alan Basche, Olivia Thirlby, Liza Colón-Zayas, J.J. Johnson
Rated R

United 93 is an American drama film written and directed by Paul Greengrass. The film is a dramatization of the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in a rural field in Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001, during the September 11 attacks. The film chronicles the efforts of the passengers and crew to take back control of the plane from the four al-Qaeda hijackers. It stars a largely unknown cast as the passengers and crew members. The film focuses on the passengers and crew aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked by four al-Qaeda terrorists on September 11, 2001. The film follows the passengers and crew as they discover the terrorist plot, attempt to contact authorities on the ground, and ultimately try to retake control of the plane. The film culminates in the passengers and crew successfully taking back control of the plane, only to crash in a field in Pennsylvania. The film received positive reviews from critics and was nominated for two Academy Awards. It was also a box office success, grossing over $95 million worldwide.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly
Rated PG-13

The Aviator is a biographical drama directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as the reclusive billionaire, Howard Hughes. The film follows Hughes's life from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s, as he becomes a Hollywood mogul, his ambitious attempt to build the world's largest airplane, the Spruce Goose, and his mental illness. Along the way, Hughes struggles with his relationships with women, including Katharine Hepburn and Ava Gardner, and his relationships with powerful figures in the business world, such as Senator Owen Brewster, gangster Noah Dietrich, and Jean Harlow's husband, Paul Bern. The Aviator chronicles Hughes's successes and his battles with the US government, his paranoia and his deteriorating mental health, and the eventual downfall of his empire. At its core, The Aviator is a story of ambition, resilience, and the cost of pursuing greatness.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chi McBride, Stanley Tucci
Rated PG-13

From Jason Reitman, starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman
Rated R

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Denzel Washington, Nadine Velazquez, Don Cheadle, John Goodman
Rated R

From Renny Harlin, starring Bruce Willis, William Atherton, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson
Rated R

From Simon West, starring Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Colm Meaney
Rated R

From Tony Scott, starring Tom Cruise, Tim Robbins, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer
Rated PG

From Michael Caton-Jones, starring Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Tate Donovan, D.B. Sweeney
Rated PG-13

From Jaume Collet-Serra, starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery
Rated PG-13

From Jim Abrahams, starring Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges
Rated PG-13

From Directors: George Seaton, Henry Hathaway, starring Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, George Kennedy, Jean Seberg
Rated G

From Stuart Baird, starring Kurt Russell, Halle Berry, John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt
Rated R

From Wolfgang Petersen, starring Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, Glenn Close, Wendy Crewson
Rated R

From Wes Craven, starring Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox, Laura Johnson
Rated PG-13

From Directors: Joe Dante, John Landis, George Miller, Steven Spielberg, starring Dan Aykroyd, Albert Brooks, Vic Morrow, Doug McGrath
Rated PG

From Robert Schwentke, starring Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, Sean Bean, Kate Beahan
Rated PG-13

From Kevin Hooks, starring Wesley Snipes, Bruce Payne, Tom Sizemore, Alex Datcher
Rated R

From Anthony Hemingway, starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Gerald McRaney, David Oyelowo, Andre Royo
Rated PG-13

From Mira Nair, starring Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor, Christopher Eccleston
Rated PG

From Klay Hall, starring Carlos Alazraqui, Dane Cook, Stacy Keach, Brad Garrett
Rated PG

From David R. Ellis, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Nathan Phillips, Rachel Blanchard
Rated R