Guest post by Laura Zizek

Laura is currently a journalism student at Ryerson University and an editorial intern at Canadian Living. She is a lover of film, literature and food.

        “Let’s go to the movies; let’s go see the stars!” Going to the movies may not be as exciting as the scene from Annie. (Instead of a Ziegfeld follies-esque preshow performance, we get commercials.) But going to the movies can still be a thrill. Here are some of the films I am itching to watch this spring. Cas & Dylan Genre: Comedy-drama Length: 90 minutes Plot: A dying doctor (Richard Dreyfuss) plans to end his life, but winds up taking an unwanted detour when he meets Dylan Morgan (Tatiana Maslany), a carefree 22-year-old aspiring writer who convinces Cas to give her a lift. Why you should watch it: Jason Priestley’s directorial debut into the world of feature films, this road trip flick has two powerhouses anchoring it: Canadian Maslany, who continues to show her acting chops, and Dreyfuss, who so frequently plays the lovable grump. This movie looks like the perfect remedy to a rainy afternoon and is currently playing in select theatres.  

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  The Grand Seduction Genre: Comedy Length: 115 minutes Plot: Tickle Cove needs a doctor in order to land a factory contract, which would save the small town from financial ruin. Murray French (Brendan Gleeson), a resident of Tickle Cove, finds Dr. Paul Lewis (Taylor Kitsch) and convinces him to visit, then, along with his neighbours, tries to trick him into staying permanently. Why you should watch it: Based on the 2003 Québécois film Seducing Doctor Lewis, this Canadian flick has lots of small-town charm. If you're a fan of the film Waking Ned Devine (1998), The Grand Seduction, in theatres May 30, is reminiscent of this sweet and funny movie.  

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  Maleficent Genre: Fairy tale/drama Length: 135 minutes Plot: Remember Sleeping Beauty? Well, this is the untold tale of the story's "villain," Maleficent (Angelina Jolie), and what drove her to curse its protagonist, Aurora, as a baby. Why you should watch it: Hollywood is on a fairy-tale kick right now and that’s OK with me. Like Angela Carter’s fairy tales—which took traditional fables and gave them a modern, feminist twist— Maleficent is presented the same way, and we finally discover why she acted the way she did. Plus, Angelina Jolie looks impressive as Maleficent—hello, most popular Halloween costume of 2014. This movie opens in theatres May 30.  

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  The Fault in Our Stars Genre: Drama Length: Unreleased. Plot: Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort) are two teenagers who happen to fall in love. They are witty and unconventional, and both have cancer—but this is not a movie about cancer. Why you should watch it: Before you enter the theatres June 6, you need to read the book by John Green. You will laugh, cry, then laugh and cry at the same time; it will be messy but worth it. The day it was announced that this beautiful book was being turned into a movie, I was over the moon with excitement. I cannot wait to see how the film adaptation turned out. And if you suddenly find yourself reading more of John Green's work, read all of his books, but my personal favourite is Paper Towns (Penguin Young Reader Group, 2008).  

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  Tracks Genre: Adventure/biography Length: 112 minutes Plot: A young woman (Mia Wasikowska) goes on a solo 1,700-mile trek through the West Australian dessert with her four camels and dog. Rick Smolan (Adam Driver), a National Geographic photographer, documents her journey at several points. Why you should watch it: Tracks is the true story of Robyn Davidson, who wrote a memoir after her trek through the dessert. This film is visually stunning and tells a wonderful tale. It will be in theatres June 6.  

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(Feature image courtesy Entertainment One)