Easter Weekend Movies: Why You Should Watch These Nine Films Over Holiday
With the holiday weekend coming up, many families will want to stay home to celebrate Easter.
They will ignore the current movie fare at the box office including "Furious 7," "Cinderella," "Home" and "Insurgent." For those not interested in this type of fare, there are a number of films with the theme of Easter to watch with the family.
Latin Post presents nine movies you absolutely must watch this Easter:
Religious Films
For those interested in watching something a bit more spiritual and close to the Bible, there are a number of great films based on the book. "Ben-Hur" is one of the best scriptural films starring Charlton Heston and it won 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture. While the film is 212 minutes long, it is still considered one of the greatest epics in cinema history.
However, if this movie is a bit long, Mel Gibson's demanding "Passion of the Christ" could be a good watch. The film was criticized and controversial when it came out in 2004 but it quickly became a classic. While it is not the easiest watch, it is a powerful and visceral experience.
If Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" is too grueling, then "Son of God" is an alternative with a very faithful and subdued telling of Jesus' life story.
"The Robe" starring Richard Burton is worth watching as is "The Last Temptation of Christ," which earned Martin Scorsese an Oscar nomination.
Family Films
For families interested in something less serious "Hop" is a great selection for kids and families. The 2011 film tells the story of E.B., the Easter Bunny's teenage son, who heads to Hollywood, determined to become a drummer in a rock 'n' roll band. In L.A., he's taken in by Fred after the out-of-work slacker hits E.B. with his car. The film received mixed reviews when it opened, but it was a huge box office hit. "Hop" is the type of movie that does not need reviews to gain interest and it surely is a seasonal film that families will want to watch again during Easter.
The Oscar-winning film "Easter Parade" is also a good treat for the families. The movie starring Fred Astaire and Judy Garland tells the story of a nightclub performer who hires a naive chorus girl to become his new dance partner to make his former partner jealous and to prove he can make any partner a star. The film was praised when it was released in 1948 and it is something that will please families all around.
Horror
For those interested in getting scared during Easter, Hollywood has a number of Easter themed horror flicks. The 2009 Norwegian film "Dead Snow" is a good starting point. The movie tells the story of a ski vacation that turns horrific for a group of medical students, as they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies. Director Tommy Wirkola mixes horror with humor and turns a solid horror film with many twists and turns.
For those not interested in a foreign language film, the 1999 film "Resurrection" could be a better option. Starring Christopher Lambert, the 2009 film tells the story of Chicago homicide detectives John Prudhome and Andrew "Andy" Hollingsworth, who are assigned to investigate a gruesome murder, and both become entangled in the plot of a serial killer whose goal is to recreate the body of Christ. While reviews were not strong, there were many comparisons to David Fincher's "Seven" and it was a modest success when it was released.