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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

IMDb takes us behind the scenes of ‘Need for Speed’

Dan Webster

I've been a fan of the Internet Movie Database, better known as IMDb, since its inception. It made my job as The Spokesman-Review's movie critic so much easier; before then, I had to depend on other sources, mainly film bookers and PR types for local theater chains who had little first-hand information. (It was much easier to write a video column, because written sources — such as Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide — could offer most of what I needed.)

Now, of course, film information can be found all over the Internet. Sites as diverse as Variety.com to Indiewire.comFilm School Rejects to Rotten Tomatoes offer everything from reviews to interviews to all the background information you need concerning both your favorite movie or television show and the people who create them.

IMDb, though, remains the go-to source. And recently, the site has initiated a What to Watch Web Series, which provides features and interviews with current movie releases. Take, for example, the action film "Need for Speed," which opens officially tomorrow (but will have screenings tonight). IMDb taped an interview with star Aaron Paul and director Scott Waugh, which you can access by clicking here.

The interview is definitely worth checking out. If nothing else, it shows the efforts that film producers make to induce positive publicity. And, it turns out, "Need for Speed" could use the help. Most legitimate critics are slamming the film pretty hard.