With spring in the air (rather reluctantly), so are the hopeful ideologies of spring break, walks in the park, and a calm lull into the warmer weather. Whether you’re in the mood for a healthy dosage of existential wonder, a joyful sixties adventure, or a tantalizing taste of summer, the Buzz has you covered for all your springtime movies.
- The Buzz picks…Eternity
Hypothetically, if you had to choose between the love of your life or the person you spent your whole life married to…who would you choose? Seems like a silly question, but it’s Joan’s reality after she passes away – except she does not arrive in any of the traditional ideas of the afterlife we’ve come to know. In a strangely hotel-like building, Joan has a single week to figure out which Eternity she wants, a permanent timeshare in the world of her choosing (Space World, Mountain World, Beach World, Man-Free World, Queer World, etc.) and find her husband Larry, who died only a week before her passing. But as soon as she finds him, she collides with Luke, the dashing young man she fell in love with before they were ripped apart by the world. Despite a somewhat unsuspecting premise and a considerable amount of comedic tug-of-war between the three characters, it carries a surprisingly beautiful and introspective message that allows for gentle self reflection. Would you want to spend eternity with someone? What does eternity mean to you? And almost as importantly, could you love someone for eternity?
Stars: Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, Callum Turner, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, & John Early
MPA: PG-13
Rating (IMDb): 6.9
Director: David Freyne
Awards: 2 wins & 8 nominations
- Vintage Find! That Thing You Do!
A guileless and naive film at heart, it captures the very essence of wishing your dreams to come true. We travel back to the sunny 1960’s to meet Guy Patterson whose father owns the record store that he fondly wanders around; accompanying the tracks playing from the turntables around the store with his upbeat drumming style. On a stroke of luck, he joins a small band with an awkward name, “The One-ders” and picks up the tempo to their hit song “That Thing You Do!” to faintly resemble The Beatles – a sound that had taken the world by storm. In a whirlwind of events, they sign with a music agent who rockets them into Hollywood stardom as “The Wonders.” But the cost of fame is always high, and Guy (affectionately deemed, “Shades” because of his signature glasses) soon realizes that their dream is crumbling from the inside out as the bandmates chase other sources of temporary happiness. It’s a somewhat innocent movie shot in an addictive retro style, full of puppy-love, and a fluffy rags-to-riches story. Directed and produced by renowned actor Tom Hanks, it’s a film of honesty and great music with endless quips and cameos.
Stars: Tom Everett Scott, Tom Hanks, Liv Tyler, Charlize Theron, & Ethan Embry
MPA: PG
Rating (IMDb): 7.0
Director: Tom Hanks
Awards: 1 Oscar nomination, 3 wins, and 8 nominations total
- Family Friendly: Luca
In a recent Pixar classic, Luca is the story of unexpected friendship and the surprising beauty of being exactly who you are. On the coast of Italy, adolescent sea monsters Luca and Alberto attempt to fight off their incandescent curiosity of the human world (and inevitably fail, though this is to the benefit of the viewer). Against Luca’s loving yet overbearing parents, they set off into the seaside town as shapeshifted human boys. Overcome by the perplexity of walking, cherry-red Vespa’s, and football, they befriend the energetic young girl, Giulia, and together they compete for the Portorosso cup – a local triathlon consisting of cycling, swimming, and (arguably the most important) eating pasta. Though the threat of exposure haunts the boys, they learn that there is strength in vulnerability and reward in silencing the negative voice in your head – or rather, “Silencio, Bruno!”
Stars: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Jim Gaffigan, & Maya Rudolph
MPA: PG
Rating (IMDb): 7.4
Director: Enrico Casarosa
Awards: 1 Oscar nomination, 6 wins, and 83 nominations total
The Buzz 
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