Entertainment

6 Alexis Bledel Movies That You Need To Watch

by Mary Grace Garis

Be honest with me: You've watched and re-watched Gilmore Girls so many times your brain plays "Where You Lead" by Carole King on a constant loop. Haven't you? It's OK, don't worry — you're in good company. Unfortunately, though, after a certain point, you have to inject some newer media into your life and find a Gilmore Girls substitute, and that's not easy to do. You can get emotionally invested in Lauren Graham's post-Gilmore show Parenthood (and honestly, you should do that at one point, because it's amazing), OR you can take a more committal road, and check in on some Alexis Bledel movies.

Yes, Bledel has been less out and about around TV in the past few years ( Mad Men cameo not included), but she has appeared in a lot of films worth watching. A lot of them, interestingly enough, tackle the same kind of coming-of-age topics that Rory Gilmore faced on the show. So the transition for you all as viewers should be seamless. (In fact, I still can't watch the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movies without squinting real hard and saying "Wait, Rory's not Greek!")

So for your consideration — and to keep you off the endless carousel of repetitive marathoning — here's six movies starring the youngest Gilmore girl.

Tuck Everlasting

If you have any doubts about the magic of this film, let me just point out Bledel nuzzling a baby deer. That aside, this is a tale about learning to find your own path and make your own choices...one of those choices being the choice to grow up. Literally. Bledel's character Winnie stumbles upon a family who drank mystical water that allows them immortality, and she spends a lot of time wondering if, you know, that's a thing she'd be interested in. (It's like True Blood in that sense, without the blood and sex and violence and Sooookeh.)

The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants

I've argued for what feels like centuries that this is a perfect movie, but let me reiterate that Lena Kaligaris was my Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants avatar. I never fell in love with a Greek boy who showed me it's OK to love and let my hair down, but you know, I was shy as hell.

Post-Grad

There are some cool things about the movie, like the very deep struggle of graduating from college, thinking you have all the qualities of an ideal applicant, then still getting stuck living at home with your parents as you work a dead-end job and begin to question your self-worth. (Rory could relate to that much, at least.) Also, one of the Friday Night Lights guys is in it.

The Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants 2

Sure, Lena's story is a bit fluffier, but you can't watch one without the other. YOU HAVE TO FIND OUT THE FATE OF THE PANTS!

The Good Guy

Drama! Romance! Another Friday Night Lights dude! Watch Bledel, set against the sophisticated world of Manhattan, mull over her options as she's stuck in the middle of another love triangle. Watch it if you're still an active voice in the Jess vs. Dean debate.

Violet And Daisy

OK, Violet and Daisy is a faaaar departure from all these other films...because, well, it's about adolescent assassins trying to rake up money to buy a designer dress. Obviously, I loved it, but it might not be for everyone. In any case, it's interesting to see things come full circle with Bledel starting out with Tuck Everlasting, a film that makes her choose to grow up, and then ending up here, playing a teenager who kills people for a living.

There you have it, kids. Set up some of these flicks in your queue and you should be able to go a full six or so hours before returning to Stars Hollow!