It’s that time of year again when the Easter Bunny visits at the same time as a religious holiday takes place: Easter. You may love Easter for what it means to your religion or enjoy the abundance of chocolate everywhere, plus a great Easter egg hunt. Just because it is a family-oriented holiday does not mean there will not be Easter movie-watching going on. In fact, there may be more need for Easter movies than usual when the adults need a break from the hunting or the kids need to come down off the sugar.
That is where the Easter movies guide comes in – for your survival on Easter Sunday depending on your circumstances. The following includes Easter movies for kids, adults, those who don’t celebrate Easter and simply want to watch movies all day, and anyone else who likes Easter bunny movies or movies featuring chocolate. There are options on the Easter movies survival guide list because I aim to make it as inclusive as possible.
An Easter Movie for Parents Who Need a Break
Dilemma: I have children, and I will do anything to get them to sit still after eating all the candy the Easter Bunny brought them in their basket.
What to watch: Hop
Hop is nothing great, believe me, I have seen it, but it’s got an Easter Bunny who is more “hip” than most and features the occasional musical interlude. Children love music and bright colors, so this makes the Easter movies for kids list without question because it is sure to distract them.
An Easter Movie That Will Get You Some Peace
Dilemma: Help! I’m stuck with my family and they won’t leave me alone!
What to watch: Donnie Darko
Go ahead and tell them it is an Easter-themed film, bunny and all. Then slowly watch as one-by-one individuals start to leave the room during this twisted tale. Finding alone time on Easter has just been solved.
Make Easter a Horrifying Affair Thanks to a Movie
What to watch: Atrocious
Atrocious may be what you are looking for when you’re searching for Easter movies that will disturb all who watch. Utilizing the found footage horror genre technique, Atrocious tells the story of a Paranormal Investigator and his sister who come into contact with a terrifying evil while spending Easter at their family’s country house. Beware, the only thing that remains is the videotape they left behind.
A Classic Family-Oriented Easter Movie That Never Gets Old
What to watch: Easter Parade
In 1948 Fred Astaire and Judy Garland teamed up for this musical gem about a dancer who teams up with an inexperienced chorus girl in order to show up his former partner. Easter Parade is simple to follow, but it is Irving Berlin’s music that makes this a romantic musical of the classic nature that’s also a great addition to your Easter movies watch-list. Fun for everyone, indeed.
Easter Is an Epic Holiday, So Watch an Epic
What to watch: Ben Hur
It may not seem like a likely choice for an Easter movies list but the entire film is interlaced with the story of Christ. You get the tension-filled fast-paced chariot races and a dose of religion on the side.
I Want Chocolate; Give Me Chocolate
What to watch: Chocolat
If you cannot satiate your cravings with your taste buds use another of the five senses–your eyes–with Chocolat. It even works if you want to sit down with Easter chocolates and go to town. The delectable creations in Chocolat will curb your desires or intensify how great chocolate tastes because of Johnny Depp in one of his sexiest roles.
Easter Movie Musical? Yes, Please.
What to watch: Jesus Christ Superstar
Andrew Lloyd Webber adapted this gem for the screen, creating a musical adaptation of the life of Christ. What better way to spend a couple of hours on Easter than watching Mary Magdalene belt out a love song for Jesus Christ.
I Prefer Easter Movies From an Auteur
What to watch: The Last Temptation of Christ
This one is easy for all the film-snobs out there: The Last Temptation of Christ, directed by Martin Scorsese. Not only do you get Scorsese, but Willem Dafoe plays Christ, Harvey Keitel as Judas, and rounding out the cast is Barbara Hershey as Mary Magdalene, David Bowie (yes, BOWIE) as Pontius, and Harry Dean Stanton (Yes, STANTON too) as Paul.
The Last Temptation of Christ depicts the life of Christ and all the temptations he encountered–including imagining sexual activities. This is not the pro-Christian film one would show their Prayer Group, nor does it claim to be. A disclaimer on the film actually says it is not based on the Gospels. Watch this addition to the Easter movies list at your own risk, a risk worth taking.
Easter Movies Should Strike Up Debates
Watch to watch: The Passion of the Christ
The Passion of the Christ will suit all of you debate-eager movie watchers perfectly. You can debate whether the film is, in fact, anti-semitic, thanks to the stigma placed upon Director Mel Gibson nowadays. You can also debate if the added pieces on Jesus’ life could, in fact, be given merit, even though the Catholic Church did not agree. Lastly, try having a poll afterward of who thought the film was overly violent–many viewers and critics did.
I Have No Interest In Easter Movies or the Easter Bunny
Well, then head to Alamo Drafthouse and catch a new movie, see what’s new on Hulu, or read a great book before the movie arrives. You don’t have to watch Easter movies on Easter or any other time of the year. And if the Easter Bunny or bunnies, in general, aren’t your thing, there is nothing wrong with that either.