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Editors MacKinley Lutes-Adlhoch and Grace Oldham eat their way through popular films, reviewing them and pairing them with the perfect movie snack.

From happy tears to devastating lows to pure shock, “Searching” is a rollercoaster of emotions worth riding. With a 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, this film is winning fans over with its interesting production style and thrilling plot. 

This film depicts the tragic disappearance of David Kim’s 15-year-old daughter through the perspective of computer, phone, TV and camera screens. Kim is searching for his daughter by exploring her computer and learning what she has been hiding from him online.

This movie undoubtedly has the audience on the edge of its seats, so the perfect snack to mindlessly munch on along this journey is a twist on classic movie theater popcorn. 

The sweet and salty flavors of chocolate and peanut butter serve to represent the ups and downs felt watching the film — and they’re just delicious too.


Arts and culture editor MacKinley Lutes-Adlhoch pairs "Searching" with cupcakes. Photo taken on Thursday, Sep. 13, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona.

Arts and culture editor MacKinley Lutes-Adlhoch pairs "Searching" with cupcakes. Photo taken on Thursday, Sep. 13, 2018 in Tempe, Arizona.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cups chocolate chips
  • Popcorn kernels, enough to cover bottom of pot
  • Coconut oil, enough to cover bottom of pot + 2 tsp
  • ¼ cup peanut butter

Directions:

  1. Pour coconut oil into a medium-sized pot, enough to make a thin layer about the depth of a popcorn kernel
  2. Pour popcorn kernels into the pot, so that there is an even layer soaked in oil
  3. Cover with pot lid, turn to high heat and keep and eye on the kernels as they pop — should take five to ten minutes
  4. Pour popcorn into a bowl and let cool
  5. Put chocolate chips in small microwave-safe bowl, add 1 tsp of coconut oil
  6. Microwave for 30-45 seconds in 15 second intervals to ensure it doesn’t burn
  7. Repeat steps 5-6 with peanut butter in a separate bowl
  8. Use spoon to drizzle chocolate and peanut on popcorn and enjoy!

Casting: 5/5

The last Movies and Munchies explored “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” a film with groundbreaking Asian-American representation. “Searching” follows this trend, as the lead John Cho and his family are played by Asian-American actors. 

Cho plays the concerned father role expertly, and Debra Messing, the second lead, plays her role of and investigator flawlessly. With only a few major characters, “Searching” found the perfect cast.

Story: 4/5

Even the most intuitive viewers will be shocked by this storyline. As the pieces of the puzzle of Margot Kim’s disappearance come together, the audience has little idea how they could possibly fit into one plot. The ending of the film seems a little rushed, but overall the story is surprising and well-written.

Soundtrack: 2.5/5

This film’s soundtrack isn’t much of a soundtrack at all. The background of this movie is often either silent or sound effects from the technology being used. Windows’ ‘new user’ sounds introduce the movie, and typing and clicking can be heard throughout. 

These sounds work well for the theme and style of the film, but it can’t really be considered a soundtrack.

Relevance: 5/5

The movie is seen through the lens of screens — browsing sites on an Apple desktop, FaceTiming a coworker, texting a family member, watching a newscast, viewing the tapes of a security camera and more. It’s a unique perspective that has been used many times in films before this one. However, this style seems more relevant than ever.

In a technology-obsessed world, people’s entire lives are often put online. “Searching” illustrates how easily people are able to learn personal information about others on the internet and manipulate that information for their own motives.

Overall: 4.25/5

With great casting, a thrilling story and a modern production style, “Searching” is not one to miss. Popcorn, peanut butter and chocolate are the perfect additions to an a-maze-ing movie night.


Reach the reporter at mlutesad@asu.edu or follow @mackinleyjade on Twitter. 

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