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Sometimes you just can’t remember enough details to Google the movie title... - by Rhys McKay
It’s really annoying when something’s on the tip of your tongue, but you just can’t remember what it was.
This happens a lot with names, words, and songs, but it seems to happen most with movie titles. After all, thousands of movies are released in cinemas each year (not to mention streaming platforms), so it’s understandable if you can’t name that movie.
Save yourself the trouble next time and follow these tips to find that elusive movie name!
WATCH: The trailer for The Watcher
How Do You Find The Title Of That Movie You Can’t Remember?
Even if you forget the title of a movie, there are plenty of ways to find a movie title you can’t remember. You can Google the plot details, any actors you remember, or even quotes from the film itself. If that doesn’t work, then your best is to use a movie finder website or tool.
How To Find The Name Of A Movie You Can’t Remember
Name The Actors
One of the easiest ways to find a movie title is by searching the actors who were in it. You can look up an actor’s Wikipedia or IMDb page to check their filmography, and you should find the movie you’re looking for there.
This also works even if you don’t remember the name of the actor – as long as you know another movie they were in. If for some reason you’re more familiar with the director than the actors, you can use that data to narrow down your search.
Remember As Many Plot Details As Possible
Unfortunately, not all movies have actors you recognise. So if you can’t look it up via an actor’s name, the next best thing would be to remember as many scenes as you can. Do you remember a particular line or story arc? Google plot keywords, and you might just find the movie you’re looking for.
This technique extends to technical details as well. If you watched it in an IMAX theatre, you know to look for movies that have a 3D version. You might also remember colour schemes, stylistic editing choices, and more.
For example, in a movie about a kidnapping, you could search for “movie kidnapping daughter”. You’ll get suggestions like Taken, Prisoners, and Stolen. This works for just about any genre.
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Scroll Through Netflix Or IMDb
Most people will find the movie they were looking for using the previous method, but there are still a lot of cases where that doesn’t yield the right results. Perhaps there are just too many movies that have a similar plotline or your keywords weren’t specific enough.
In that case, you can try finding the movie via IMDb or Netflix’s related films. Look up a movie that has a similar genre or story, then scroll to find similar recommendations. It’s not the most effective method, but it does occasionally get it right.
IMDb also has an advanced title search feature where you can enter in some of the details you know, like the director, general topic or issue tackled by the movie, and more. You can use their keywords list to find movies with a certain motif. These tools are a forgetful movie fan’s best friend!
Use A Movie Finder Website
Finally, you can leverage the power of the internet and use a movie finder website or forum. With these tools, you can find the name of a movie by a scene or a few details!
There are also internet forums or online groups dedicated to mishaps like these – post in one of those channels, and you’ll soon have suggestions from dozens of kind internet strangers. Plus, even if you don’t find the exact movie you’re looking for, you’ll get a lot of recommendations for things to watch in the future!
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What Was The Name Of That Movie? Movie Search Websites/Tools
R/TipOfMyTongue
Technically, Tip Of My Tongue (TOMT) is not strictly a movie finder forum. You can post about anything – music, video games, quotes, art, historical figures, words, concepts, and so much more. Of course, a lot of people use it to dig up old movies whose titles they just can’t put a finger on.
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What Was The Thing?
‘What was the thing?’ is another generic online group similar to TOMT, except it’s hosted on Facebook. You’ll need to join the group, but once you’re in, you get to post and participate in lively discussions about…well, what that thing is. There are tons of movie buffs from all over the world in the group so the chances you’ll get the right answer are high.
What Is My Movie
When all else fails, there’s always What Is My Movie. This useful tool generates a list of movies based on your keywords (which could be directors, actors, genres, or even descriptions). You can even use it when you just want to find recommendations, too!
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