Holidays can be chaotic — cooking, hosting, cleaning or traveling can really take it out of you when all you really want is to spend time with your family.
This Easter, if you need a break from egg hunting, you might want to open up Hulu and put on one of these great movies. They all have themes of joy and renewal and are perfect to watch during the springtime holiday.
‘The Sound of Music’ (1965)
This classic musical is typically watched during Christmas , but it’s great for an Easter viewing as well. Maria (Julie Andrews), a nun with a passion for music and nature, is sent to work as a governess for the haughty Captain Von Trapp’s (Christopher Plummer) seven children.
Maria helps the Von Trapps rediscover joy, love and music while falling in love with the Captain along the way. The unforgettable songs will delight younger kids. For older audiences, the film’s setting and time give it more serious undertones since it takes place in Austria as the Nazi regime is rising to power.
The Von Trapp family’s refusal to give up on their values in the face of fascism is especially inspirational when you know it’s inspired by a true story. This family film is about far more than “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens” — but you’ll find yourself singing those lyrics long after the movie ends.
‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ (1993)
Robin Williams is at his wacky, motor-mouthed best in this hilarious movie, which won him the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. Williams plays Daniel, an irresponsible actor whose recent split from Miranda (Sally Field) has left him unable to spend time with their three children. Unable to find steady work, which is one of the conditions of an improved custody agreement, Daniel concocts a wild scheme. He disguises himself as an elderly Scottish woman named Iphigenia Doubtfire and becomes his children’s nanny and housekeeper.
In disguise, Daniel gains a better understanding of his family, including his ex-wife, but he’s always at risk of being found out, leading to several ridiculous scenes where he has to switch back and forth between his two personas. Nestled within the farcical humor, however, is a thoughtful story about divorce and how families can rebuild after a marriage is over.
‘FernGully: The Last Rainforest’ (1992)
It’s a shame that this animated movie never reached the icon status of some of its Disney or DreamWorks cousins. It’s about a tribe of fairies living in an Australian rainforest. When a young logger named Zak (Jonathan Ward) is accidentally shrunk down to fairy size by apprentice magician Crystal (Samantha Mathis), he ends up joining in the fairies’ quest to save the rainforest from an evil, polluting entity called Hexxus (Tim Curry).
The forest is home to a vibrant array of creatures, most notably Batty Koda (Robin Williams — is there any kids’ movie that wasn’t improved by his presence?), whose time being experimented on in a lab has made him crazy in an unsettling, endearing way.
FernGully is a colorful, romantic story with a strong environmental message that’s perfect for springtime.