Movies to watch this Easter

We compile a list of the best movies to watch this Easter weekend

It’s Easter, and since we all have a little down time with the double Bank Holiday, Movies.ie pulled together a list of the best Easter-themed films to watch this weekend.

Rise of the Guardians

Yes, the lead character is North (also known as Santa), but Hugh Jackman plays E. Aster Bunnymund; the Easter Bunny. Even though it seems that the film is set in a winter wonderland, Rise of the Guardians is actually set at Easter, and Bunnymund’s love for his magical eggs is rather adorable. Not only is the film beautifully animated, but it is a lot of fun too; perfect viewing for a lazy Sunday.

The Life of Brian

We were thinking of including Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ on this list, but then we remembered that it is dark, violent and ultimately depressing, so we decided to look on the bright side of life. Monty Python’s The Life of Brian is a pastiche of the Christ story that is silly, funny and endlessly quotable. It may be best to watch this with a glass of wine or two…

Hop

Hop was released in 2011 and features the voices of Russell Brand, Hugh Laurie and Hank Azaria, the film is the classic coming of age story, only the coming of age is done by the Easter Bunny’s son, who heads to Hollywood to become a drummer in a band. The film is definitely one for the kids, although it does feature a cameo from David Hasselhoff, and we all know he was our cheesy folk hero when we were in college.

Donnie Darko

Richard Kelly’s film features on this list for two reasons; it is a fantastic movie and also, one of the main characters is a giant hellish bunny. Anya from Buffy The Vampire Slayer was right; bunnies are terrifying. This time travel drama is brilliantly twisted and will definitely give you something to think about. As well as this, the film was both Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s breakout, so there are plenty of reasons to watch. Just steer clear of the Director’s Cut, it’s a mess.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Easter may be about celebrating the beginning of spring, but it is also about chocolate, and lots of it. What better way to celebrate chocolate than by watching Mel Stuart’s 1971 adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic book. Tim Burton’s film may have been more true to the book, but Gene Wilder’s performance as Willy Wonka is a delight, the boat scene truly terrifying and the Oompa Loompas just the right amount of creepy. There is a reason the film has been lampooned so may times; because it works, in all it’s dated tackiness… And Willy Wonka even sings a song about springtime… Perfect!