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Movies To Get You in the Mood for Spring

by Kevin Faber

Winter can seem to drag on interminably. Depending on where you live, you may see snowstorms well into April and even May. Nevertheless, even when the weather seems to indicate otherwise, spring is on its way. The lengthening days alone are probably enough to lighten your mood, but if you need some help getting out of the winter doldrums and into the spring mindset, here are some movies to watch that may help.

Birdemic

One caveat right off the bat: Birdemic is not a good movie. It wants to be a cautionary tale about climate change and an homage to Alfred Hitchcock but ends up being an unintentional comedy. Nevertheless, the ingenuous amateur effort put into it is endearing, and if nothing else, it may remind you of the chores you'll have to take care of for spring, such as finding out where to buy solar panels and preparing your fishing rod and tackle.

The Shawshank Redemption

Some may recommend 1994 Academy Award winner Forrest Gump to get you into the spring mood because the title character spends a lot of time outdoors. Not to take anything away from one of Tom Hanks' most memorable roles, but Best Picture runner-up The Shawshank Redemption arguably has a much stronger connection to the season.

Many people don't realize this, but The Shawshank Redemption was based on a story by Stephen King. It was published in an anthology called Different Seasons consisting of four stories that roughly correspond to the seasons of the year in theme. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption was the entry for spring because of its emphasis on hope. Admittedly, this movie has some heavy scenes, but the payoff in the end, in which the good guys are rewarded and the bad guys punished, makes it all worth it.

You've Got Mail

Spring is traditionally the time for romance, and this entry makes it up to Tom Hanks for having passed him over in the previous one. You've Got Mail is the charming story of two people in a bitter business rivalry who unknowingly strike up an online relationship with one another. Spring is a variable season, and You've Got Mail may well have you laughing and crying by different turns.

10 Things I Hate About You

How do you make a classic but problematic text by Shakespeare palatable for a modern audience? You set it in a modern high school and cast talented young actors like Julia Stiles and the late, lamented Heath Ledger. The climax of this abrasive but good-hearted teen flick takes place at prom, a well-established springtime rite of passage for high school students.

The Sound of Music

If it's still too cold to go out and frolic in the springtime flowers yourself, the next best thing may be watching Maria and her young charges do so, singing all the way, in The Sound of Music. Based on the true story of the talented von Trapp family and their escape from the Nazis, the movie takes a lot of liberties with historical facts. Nevertheless, it features memorable songs by iconic musical scribes Rodgers and Hammerstein and gorgeous cinematography of the Austrian Alps. This is a good family movie because even little ones who are two young to follow the story can enjoy the songs.

The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden is based on a beloved children's book of the same name. The transition from winter to spring and dark to light symbolizes the renewal that the main characters go through in the story. However, even an illustrated edition of the book cannot recreate the beautiful floral imagery depicted on screen. Much like The Sound of Music, this is a great spring movie for family viewing.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

The turn of the seasons may make you feel rebellious. You may want to blow off work and spend the day outside. Watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off provides you with the vicarious thrill of playing hooky without having to face the consequences.

Spring is a time for hope and renewal, perhaps even new love or a little mischief. Each of these movies involves at least one of these themes.