After a particularly unrelenting winter, it looks like we’re almost out of the woods and into the sunshine.
As the days are finally long again and we anticipate tossing our winter coats into storage, we’re in the mood to watch movies with the right atmosphere to get us hyped for the new season.
Watch With Us has curated a list of movies that offer the perfect “spring vibes” — flowers, greenery, sunshine and pastel colors.
Our first pick isn’t quite feel-good, but it is very warm and sunny: horror movie Midsommar, starring Florence Pugh.
Read on for our full list.
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‘Midsommar’ (2019) — Tubi
After experiencing an unthinkable tragedy, college student Dani (Florence Pugh) goes on a trip to attend a nine-day midsummer festival in a Swedish commune called the Hårga, with her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor), friends Mark (Will Poulter) and Josh (William Jackson Harper) and their native Hårgan friend Pelle (Vilhelm Blomgren). But as increasingly bizarre events unfold, what starts as a relaxing, sun-drenched dream becomes a waking nightmare, as the friends come to realize that the commune is actually a pagan cult.
The washed-out pastels and blinding sunlight of Midsommar run in sharp contrast to the grisly tone and bloody imagery, but that doesn’t make it any less chilling (although the movie does have numerous moments of overt humor). Hereditary director Ari Aster‘s sophomore film proves his chops as a masterful horror auteur, with a formidable command of tone, form, suspense and images you won’t forget.
‘Bambi’ (1942) — Disney+
Keep the tissues handy for this classic Disney film with a heartbreaking scene still makes us cry to this day. Bambi tells the story of the titular fawn (Hardie Albright), who grows up in his woodland home and meets other forest friends like Thumper the rabbit (Tim Davis) and Flower the skunk (Davis). Guided by his mother (Paula Winslowe), Bambi understands that he will one day replace his father as the Great Prince of the Woods, but he must be mindful of the dangers that lurk just around the corner in open meadows. Bambi experiences both grief and love as he journeys on the perilous path to adulthood.
Bambi takes place across all four seasons, but it ends on a note of joyous rejuvenation and rebirth in the springtime. The film is a childhood staple for many, and quite possibly the most tear-jerking Golden Age animated Disney film of all time. But the tears shed during Bambi are well-earned, in this artistic and gorgeously rendered story of love, loss and growing up. The movie is a lasting and unforgettable triumph of animation.
‘Sense and Sensibility’ (1995) — BritBox
Based on the Jane Austen novel of the same name, Sense and Sensibility follows the Dashwood sisters Elinor (Emma Thompson), Marianne (Kate Winslet) and Margaret (Emilie François), who hail from a wealthy family but are left with little in the wake of their father’s death. After the sisters and their mother (Gemma Jones) relocate to a humble cottage in Devonshire, the elder sisters, Marianne and Elinor, begin seeking out suitors to ensure their financial security. Prospects include the dashing Edward Ferrars (Hugh Grant) and the much older Colonel Brandon (Alan Rickman).
This adaptation of Sense and Sensibility is particularly great, balancing emotional depth with humor, social satire and ravishing romantic drama. Director Ang Lee and screenwriter Thompson do a great job making the classic Austen story accessible to audiences, while giving it a fantastic visual aesthetic, a beautiful, melancholic score and exquisite performances from its all-star cast. For her screenplay, Thompson deservedly received an Academy Award.
‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ (1986) — Paramount+
Charismatic high school slacker Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is two months away from graduating high school, and one day he decides to come down with a terminal case of “senioritis” and skip school for the day. While Ferris successfully fools his parents, his older sister, Jeanie (Jennifer Grey), sees through his ruse. Nevertheless, Ferris gets to stay home and recruits his girlfriend, Sloane (Mia Sara), and best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) to join in on his springtime reverie cavorting in Chicago. Meanwhile, his school’s dean (Jeffrey Jones) is determined to expose Ferris as a liar.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a classic ’80s high school flick from the king of ’80s high school flicks, John Hughes, and it still persists as a fun, warm-hearted comedy 40 years since its debut. In addition to being a movie with a surprisingly life-affirming message about learning to appreciate the beauty of existence, it’s a perfect distillation of the youthful desire for freedom from adults that is funny, engaging, subversive (at least for the time period) and still captures the spirit of adolescence.
‘The Sound of Music’ (1965) — Disney+
The Sound of Music is possibly the quintessential springtime movie for the title musical sequence alone. The story takes place immediately before World War II and follows free-spirited young Austrian nun-in-training Maria (Julie Andrews), whose lack of discipline causes concern amongst her abbey. She is thus sent to be the governess for the seven children of a retired naval officer named Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer), and her presence brings not just fun and joy for the children, but new love for the captain. However, the rise of the Third Reich forces the Von Trapp family to flee their home.
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It’s hard not to love this classic musical film, which is based on the true story of Maria Von Trapp and the Trapp Family Singers. The infectious, timeless songs, stirring romance between Maria and Captain Von Trapp and a particularly unforgettable performance from Andrews are just a few of the reasons why The Sound of Music remains one of the best movie musicals of all time. The film blends the historical backdrop of a dark time in world history with an inspiring, triumphant story of hope and love.
