National Lampoon's European Vacation (PG-13, 1985)

The Griswold family, who made such a mess on their way to Wally World in National Lampoon's Vacation, sets off on a similar journey in Europe. After winning a globe-trotting trip on a Family Feud-style game show, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and his wife Ellen (Bevery D'Angelo) and teenage children Audrey (Dana Hill) and Rusty (Jason Lively) race through England, France, Germany, and Italy, packing in all the sights they can manage. Guided by jolly and oblivious father Clark, the family nearly kills several Brits while driving on the wrong side of the road, knocks down Stonehenge, mangles the French language, gets chased by Germans in lederhosen, and becomes involved in a kidnapping and robbery scheme that ends in a dramatic car chase. Along the way, Audrey pines for the boyfriend she lefts back home and Rusty flirts with every girl he sees.

The movie touches on all the funny and awful elements of family travel, from bickering siblings to managing unfamiliar customs, and these things will resonate with parents more than teens. But teens will see themselves in the film too -- the girl obsessed with her boyfriend, the boy testing out his macho side -- all while struggling to get along with their parents. Some scenes are typical slapstick stuff -- poking someone in the groin, silly car chases, etc. -- and provide mild amusement. But a few scenes, like when the family loses their luggage and goes boutique shopping in Italy, are truly laugh-out-loud moments. The themes that are played for laughs, like the teen girl binging and starving herself or the adult passionately kissing the teen girl, are touchy subjects. While the movie clearly aims to poke fun at extreme behaviors, some younger viewers might not understand the complexity of the issues.