4. THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
Robert Ford has an obsession with Jesse James in a film that appears to be set in the American Midwest. The movie's real backdrop: Canada.

Riding the Rails James (Brad Pitt) robs a steam train in Blue Cut, Mo.; the scene was filmed at Fort Edmonton Park, a living-history village in Alberta (780/496-8787, edmonton.ca/fort, $13).

MOVIE QUEST! See Bud Travel star in our picks for the year's most travel-inspiring movies. • Launch the slide show

On Frozen Pond Gun in hand, James walks across an icy lake, contemplating suicide. "We wanted James to look like Jesus walking on water," says producer David Valdés of the scene shot on Wedge Pond, about 60 miles southwest of Calgary. GearUp Mountain Sports and Rentals has canoes and kayaks (403/678-1636, gearupsport.com, from $45 per day).

Crime Scene The house where James met his demise, in St. Joseph, Mo., is now a museum. A wall still bears a hole from the bullet that pierced his head (816/232-8206, stjoseph.net/ponyexpress, $2).

3. RATATOUILLE
Remy, a cartoon rat, teams up with a kitchen worker and revives a formerly top-tier restaurant in Paris.

The Silver Standard The fictional Gusteau's was modeled after La Tour d'Argent, a legendary restaurant on the Left Bank that dates to 1582. The opulent dining room, on the top floor of a quay-side building, has a view of Notre-Dame (011-33/1-43-54-23-31, latourdargent.com, three-course lunch $100).

Anyone Can Cook Le Cordon Bleu offers three-hour, translated cooking demonstrations on the art of making ratatouille and duck à l'orange (011-33/1-53-68-22-50, cordonbleu.com, $60).

Subterranean City Pixar's team scoped out Paris's sewers to create the tunnels inhabited by Remy's family. At the Paris Sewer Museum, you can tour a section of tunnels not in use (011-33/1-53-68-27-81, egouts.idf.st, $5.50).

2. ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE
Queen Elizabeth I of England fends off Spain's powerful armada--and her attraction to Sir Walter Raleigh.

Romantic Backdrop Sir Walter (Clive Owen) and Queen Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett) race horses through Petworth Park, a 700-acre estate in West Sussex that houses part of the National Trust's art collection (011-44/1798-342-207, nationaltrust.org.uk, museum $19).

English Cathedral When Queen Elizabeth confronts the Spanish ambassador in Ely Cathedral, about 70 miles northeast of London, her threats echo within the Norman church's vast nave (011-44/1353-667-735, cathedral.ely.anglican.org, one-hour tour $11).

Cliff-Top Pep Talk As the Spanish Armada sails into sight, Queen Elizabeth delivers a fiery speech to her troops. The scene was filmed at Brean Down, a coastal headland in North Somerset. (For more locations, download a free map at visitbritain.com/thegoldenage.)

1. THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
Matt Damon reprises his role as Jason Bourne, a former CIA assassin. It's the wildest ride yet in the series: The film was shot in six countries.

A London Minute The tête-à-tête between investigator Pamela Landy (Joan Allen) and program head Noah Vosen (David Strathairn), a scene supposedly set at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, was actually filmed at the Renaissance Chancery Court in London (252 High Holborn, 011-44/207-829-9888, marriott.com, from $255).

Madrid Café Journalist Simon Ross and bureau chief Neal Daniels meet at Café del Príncipe, near Puerta del Sol (5 Plaza Canalejas, 011-34/91-531-8183).

Hot Pursuit Bourne and agent Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles) are chased through Tangier's medina. "We filmed during Ramadan, and fights would break out around 4 p.m. because no one had eaten all day," says producer Patrick Crowley. Casablanca Travel and Tours lead excursions that include lunch (800/624-4732, casablancatravelandtours.travel, $120).