Film Gecko Five: Easter and Passover Movies for Kids!

Chocolate bunnies, colorful eggs, frilly dresses, and happy kids scampering through the house looking for hidden baskets of treats. Nothing rivals the pure joy of Easter, as shown in my top five movies celebrating Easter and Passover. Check out my list, and feel free to add your own in the comments:

1. IT’S THE EASTER BEAGLE, CHARLIE BROWN. Easter is coming, and the gang is preparing for the spring holiday in their usual catastrophic way. Charlie Brown is frustrated over the Christmas pre-sales at the local department stores.

Sally wants a new pair of platform shoes (this movie was made in 1974!). Peppermint Patty is trying to teach a clueless Marcy how to color eggs. Snoopy is shopping for a new bachelor pad for Woodstock. And Linus is busy telling everyone about the Easter Beagle, who rises up on Easter morning to give eggs to all the children (sound familiar?). Buy it on Amazon.

2. YOGI, THE EASTER BEAR. When Yogi accidentally ruins the big Easter Jamboree at Jellystone Park right before hundreds of kids are set to arrive, he and Boo Boo go in search of the Easter Bunny to save the day, only to discover that he’s been kidnapped by a gang of criminals! The pair must work fast when they learn that Ranger Smith has arranged for them to join a circus in Siberia. Buy it on Amazon.

3. EASTER PARADE. Mention this 1948 classic and visions of Easter bonnets, snappy tunes, and sunny days spring to mind. It begins with the dance team of Don Hewes (Fred Astaire) and Nadine Hale (Ann Miller) breaking up because she wants to go it alone.

Determined to prove he can succeed without her, Hewes vows to pick any random chorus girl and make her a star. Fortunately for him, the girl he picks happens to be one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, Judy Garland. Sure, you could drive a truck through the flimsy storyline, but Astaire and Garland’s great chemistry more than makes up for it. Buy it on Amazon.

4. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. This lively celebration of the Jewish spirit takes place in pre-revolutionary Russia and centers on the life of Tevye (Topol), a poor milkman trying to keep his family’s traditions alive while marrying off three of his five daughters. But times are changing and the daughters want to make their own matches and break free of the customs of Judaism.

In the background, Russia is on the brink of revolution and Jews are feeling more and more unwelcome in their villages. This must-see musical is filled with familiar songs like “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were a Rich Man,” and “Tradition,” where Tevye sings of trying to keep everyone and everything as it has always been. Buy it on Amazon.

5. PETER COTTONTAIL: THE MOVIE. In 1971’s Here “Comes Peter Cottontail,” the evil Irontail wanted the job of Easter Bunny for himself, but lost out to Peter Cottontail. This sequel, released on DVD in 2006, picks up with Irontail back for revenge, teaming up with the icy Jackie Frost in a devious plot to plunge the world into permanent winter. Now it’s up to Peter Cottontail’s son, Junior, to save the day.

Joining forces with food-loving mouse Munch and flight-challenged bird Flutter, these unlikely heroes set out on the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, they’ll solve a mystery, travel to the edge of the Earth, and test their friendship. Christopher Lloyd, Roger Moore, and Molly Shannon provide voices. Buy it on Amazon.com.

Images: Amazon.com