I could waste a lifetime on the IMDb, and I am definitely off to a good start. You aren’t a true IMDb-er until you pull it up to double-check the spelling of Soderbergh. Then you blink and, suddenly, it’s 20 minutes later and — look at that! — you’re reading film trivia for “Zoolander.” How exactly did you get there? The world may never know.
There are so many interesting movies you have to try to find. Some of them are earth-shatteringly good, and some are complete crap. Still, one of the greatest joys in life is finding those movies and watching them to your heart’s content. Naturally, that’s what I did with my spring break, and I’m here to report my findings.
**”Electrick Children”:** This movie is about 15-year-old Rachel (Julia Garner), a fundamentalist Mormon who discovers she’s pregnant after listening to a cassette tape. Is it immaculate conception? Her family doesn’t think so. Faced with an arranged marriage, she escapes to Las Vegas to try and find the man who sings on the cassette tape, the man she believes fathered her child. A coming-of-age adventure ensues.
I know, it sounds ridiculous. So ridiculous, in fact, that I couldn’t pass it up. And I’m glad I couldn’t, because “Electrick Children” is by far the best movie I’ve seen all year. It’s charming and sweet, captivating without being overly complex and visually gorgeous. And the acting, good Lord. Keep your eye on Julia Garner, she’s going to be huge. You heard it here first.
**”Another Earth:** After seeing this movie, I’m pretty convinced writer/actor Brit Marling will be around for a while. This film is about a woman (Marling) who develops a relationship with the man whose family she killed in a drunk driving accident. All while the discovery of another planet with alternate versions of the people on Earth looms over the both of them.
Marling is superb and graceful, and the movie itself is more thought provoking than it has any right to be. It’s dark though. I probably sat in my desk chair staring solemnly out my window for a solid half-hour after it was over.
**”LOL”:** I will probably never stop talking about how bad this movie was. It was just … it was so bad. I will never understand how people read this script and thought, “Yes, we’ll make this into a feature film, and it will be fine and dandy.” No. It was not fine and dandy. It was the opposite of that.
It was possibly the worst movie I’ve ever seen, complete with awful acting from both Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore, a soulless script and a meandering, nonsensical plot. I hated every single whiny character in this movie with a passion that I have never known. For the love of all things pure and good and holy, do not watch “LOL” unless you want to be in a bad mood for the rest of the week. Nay, the rest of the month. Nay, THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
**”Gosford Park”:** For this entry, I’m throwing it all the way back to 2001. This is a fantastic movie. It’s sharp, suspenseful and exciting in a way that only Dame Maggie Smith grumping at everyone around her can be. Also, the number of respected actors and actresses in the movie is astounding. There is so much talent onscreen at any given time, I don’t even know where to start.
Basically, if “Downton Abbey” and “Clue” had a perfect little baby, that baby would be “Gosford Park.” So if you have two and a half hours to burn, I highly recommend you watch this on Netflix. You’ll love it, trust me.
God bless IMDb, and God bless the discoveries it brings. If you’re ever bored, just pull up the website and go exploring. You might find “LOL” and hate yourself forever because of it, or you might find “Electrick Children” and be so impressed that you force all of your friends to watch it with you again (they’ll love it, by the way). I wish you luck on your quest to find some good movies to watch. They’re out there somewhere.