Travel Movie: Roman Holiday

This classic 1953 travel film practically invented a genre. Since then Gidget, Lizzie McGuire, and even Sabrina the Teenage Witch have all had their own Roman Holidays. In fact, there are over 60 films set in Rome, not even counting ancient sword-and-sandals epics.

But this is the original Rome-antic comedy. Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck fall in love while whizzing around the city on a Vespa and taking in sites like the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, the Trastevere, and other iconic Roman attractions.

The movie introduced Audrey Hepburn to American audiences, and won her an Oscar to boot.

Verdict: Buy it

Travel Movie: Eat Pray Love

Who doesn’t want an all-expenses-paid trip around the world to get over a divorce? Based on the best-selling memoir by Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat Pray Love follows her journey to Italy, where she learns to eat; India, where she learns to pray; and Bali, where she finds love.

Played by queen of quirk Julia Roberts, the film has largely fallen flat with critics who adore the beautiful settings but can't quite reconcile the fast-food spiritualism. Nevertheless, it has grossed over $80 million dollars in the US.

Whether or not you're excited by the idea of a paint-by-numbers journey of spiritual discovery, the cinematography captures the charm of Rome and gorgeous Balinese vistas, with some mouth-watering shots of food (and Javier Bardem!) thrown in as a side dish.

Eat Pray Love is currently showing in South African theaters, and will be available on DVD in the US from November 23rd.