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Easter
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Easter Movies on Netflix in 2024, From 'Over the Moon' to 'The Two Popes'
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Stream It Or Skip It: 'An Easter Bloom' on the Hallmark Channel, A Faith-Based Romance About A Flower Farmer Who Finds Love With A Minister
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Easter Movies on Disney+ That Are Great For Kids (And Some Shows, Too!)
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Stream It Or Skip It: 'On a Wing and a Prayer' on Amazon Prime Video, A Familiar Faith-Based Tale That Doesn’t Take Off
Easter means a lot of different things to people. For the more secular, it’s simply an excuse to decorate with bunny paraphernalia and eat seasonal Cadbury chocolates. (Personally I prefer the deliciously sticky-sweet Creme Eggs to the crunchy Mini Eggs, what about you?) For the religious, it’s the holiest of holidays commemorating the death and resurrection of Jesus. And for movie watchers, it can be any combination of things: bunnies, saviors, musical numbers, ham – take your pick.
If you’re looking for a fun Easter movie for kids, you could certainly start with an old fashioned movie musical like Easter Parade, which stars Fred Astaire and Judy Garland, and is a great introduction to the old-school song and dance movies of yore. Prefer a modern classics instead? The 2011 film Hop, about an Easter-bunny-in-waiting who actually just wants to play drums in a rock band, is a fun way to prepare for your egg hunt. Whatever genre you’re in the mood for, there’s an Easter-themed movie for just about every taste.
What to know where to watch Hop, Peter Rabbit, Easter Parade, and more? Here’s a list of some of the best Easter movies for kids and families to watch this year, and where you can find them.
'Hop'
CAST: Russell Brand, James Marsden, Kaley Cuoco, Gary Cole
RATING: PG
DESCRIPTION: Hop blends animation and live-action to tell the story of E.B (Russell Brand), the son of the Easter Bunny himself. Despite the fact that E.B. basically has his career all lined up, all he really wants to do is play the drums, so he decides to run off to Hollywood to fulfill his dream. While he’s there, he makes friends with a jobless slacker named Fred O’Hare (Marsden), and receives valuable career advice from David Hasselhoff, who plays himself as the host of a TV competition called “Hoff Knows Talent.”
'Winnie The Pooh: Springtime With Roo'
CAST: Jim Cummings, Ken Sansom
RATING: G
DESCRIPTION: Easter means springtime, and there’s no better place to celebrate the seasons than the Hundred Acre Wood. Unfortunately for you Easter purists who want your bunnies to reflect the hope and rebirth of the season, Rabbit is, as always, the killjoy of the group. While everyone excitedly prepares for Easter and the bounty of spring, Rabbit makes everyone wait to enjoy the outdoors until they finish their spring cleaning.
'Jesus Christ Superstar'
CAST: Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, Yvonne Elliman
RATING: G
DESCRIPTION: If you’re looking for a film that depicts the reason for the season, Jesus Christ Superstar, is it. Norman Jewison’s film version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical was actually endorsed by the Vatican for it’s interpretation of the Gospels, specifically the final week of Jesus’ life. The film has what I’ll call an “1970s G” rating, meaning that it’s not exactly for ALL audiences, as Jesus’ crucifixion and 39 lashes comprise a lengthy portion of the film’s climax, but you can argue that it doesn’t show anything that isn’t already clearly laid out in the Bible. But if you have a little theater aficionado on your hands, the movie’s legendary soundtrack, wardrobe, and the Carl Anderson of it all, is a true religious experience.
'It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown'
CAST: Todd Barbee, Melanie Kohn, Bill Melendez
RATING: TV-G
DESCRIPTION: After the success of It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and A Charlie Brown Christmas, there was no holiday the Peanuts gang didn’t tackle in a TV special. 1974’s It’s The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown, which is now streaming on Apple TV+, once again features eternal optimist Linus trying to convince the rest of his friends about the existence of a mythical creature known as the Easter Beagle, while the rest of them prepare for the holiday by dyeing and hunting for eggs.
'Peter Rabbit'
CAST: James Corden, Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson, Sam Neill, Margot Robbie
RATING: PG
DESCRIPTION: In 2018’s Peter Rabbit, James Corden voices the lovable, veggie-munching Peter Rabbit who was created by British author Beatrix Potter. In the film, Peter and his sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, and his cousin Benjamin Bunny spend their time hanging out in old Mr. McGregor’s garden, until the old man up and dies. Pretty soon, McGregor’s great-nephew, Thomas (Gleeson) takes over the farm and does everything he can to banish the bunnies from his turf. But thanks to a common interest, a kind local woman named Bea (Byrne) who cares for the rabbits and also ends up falling in love with Thomas, everyone lives hoppily ever after. And if you just can’t get enough of Peter Rabbit, you can also stream the sequel, Peter Rabbit 2, on Netflix!
'The Easter Bunny Is Comin' To Town'
CAST: Fred Astaire, Skip Hinnant
RATING: N/R
DESCRIPTION: Rankin and Bass were known for their stop-motion animated specials like Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty The Snowman but their lesser-known Easter special, 1977’s The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town was their attempt at a festive, springtime special. The special features Fred Astaire as the narrator (he also sings two of the songs) and features a bunny named Sunny who tries to spread cheer in the local town by bringing them things like colored eggs and jelly beans, despite the villainous Gadzooks trying to stop him. The show originally aired on ABC, and now, a newly restored version is available to stream on Prime Video.
'Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade'
CAST: John Leguizamo, Dennis Leary, Queen Latifah, Taraji P. Henson
RATING: TV-G
DESCRIPTION: This 25-minute Ice Age story features all your favorite characters like Sid (Leguizamo), Diego (Leary), Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah). Our favorite sloth, Sid, is tasked with egg-sitting, a seemingly simple job, but when the eggs are stolen, the whole crew needs to work together to find them.
'Easter Parade'
CAST: Judy Garland, Fred Astaire
RATING: G
DESCRIPTION: When it comes to movie musicals, you really can’t beat the combination of Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, and Irving Berlin, and 1948’s Easter Parade has all three. In the film, which is full of classic songs like “Steppin’ Out With My Baby,” Astaire plays a Broadway dancer named Don Hewes who’s on the hunt for a new partner. When he finds Hannah (Garland), she’s a diamond in the rough to be sure, but he sees her potential and can’t help falling for her, on and off the dance floor.
