As pleasant as the recent snow has been, it’s safe to say that most of us are ready for spring time to hit. It’s time to trade snowball fights on the quad with picnics in the sun and walks in the park. Warm breezes, blooming flowers, cherry blossoms, and the sweet sound of birds chirping – all this and more to come in the next few months! To get you ready for the season, here’s a few movies that either take place in the Spring, or just emulate the energy of the season.
The Sound of Music
Doesn’t the excitement of the season just make you want to sing? No? Well, it does for nun-in-training Maria, and the children she tutors from the Von Trapp family. Set in the rolling hills of the Austrian countryside, this movie musical (which is actually based on a true story) follows the free-spirited Maria, as she brings joy and playfulness back into the Von Trapp household. Similar to Bambi, though, the movie takes a dark turn in its second half. The story takes place during the brink of World War II, and the family (plus Maria) must find a way to escape the rising Nazi regime. Despite the dark undertones, it truly is an absolute treat, filled with sing-along-worthy music, vibrant colors, and breathtaking scenery.
10 Things I Hate About You
This romcom takes place during prom season – in fact, the plot revolves around the springtime tradition. School bad boy Patrick Verona is enlisted into fake dating the romance-opposed, social outcast Kat Stratford, when he unexpectedly falls in love with her in the process. At the same time, new kid Cameron James (who is paying Patrick to date Kat) attempts to romance Kat’s total-opposite sister, the bubbly Bianca. If you don’t watch the entire thing, at least watch the iconic scene in which Patrick professes his love for Kat in the form of song (Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Valli), backed by an entire high school marching band!
Fun Fact: 10 Things I Hate About You is actually a modernization of Shakespeare’s comedy A Taming of the Shrew!
My Neighbor Totoro
When sisters Mei and Satsuki move to an old country house in rural Japan, they discover enchanting spirits known as soot sprites, or Susuwatari—tiny, fuzzy black creatures that dwell in abandoned homes. The Susuwatari lead the young Mei into the hollow of a massive tree, where she discvoer the large, furry and gentle forest spirit, Totoro, who Mei names him as such after the sound of his roars. As Satsuki and Mei embark on magical adventures with their newfound friend, they frolick through fields of green, dense, lush forests, and even soar through the night sky in a cat-shaped bus! Studio Ghibli is known for their for its enchanting blend of fantasy and playfulness, and My Neighbor Totoro best exemplifies this; the perfect way to welcome the arrival of spring.
Bambi
Bambi has just about everything you could want from a spring movie: baby animals, blooming flowers, greenery, and stunning music! The shy fawn, Bambi, befriends two woodland creatures, and eventually takes on the role of protector of the forest. If you haven’t already watched this classic, it’s a great time to finally check it off your list, just be warned that you may cry at some point. It’s not all warm and fuzzy!
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
On one particularly beautiful day in Chicago, teenage delinquent Ferris Bueller decides the day is too pleasant to waste stuck in school, and cleverly tricks his parents into believing he is sick at home while he sneaks into the city with his best friend and girlfriend. This movie is just about as carefree as it gets – joyriding in a Ferrari, going to a baseball game, and even crashing a parade. Although the plot takes place near the end of the semester, I’m sure soon we’ll all be wishing we could be skipping class just like Ferris during those first few warm, sunny, refreshing days of Spring.