We’ve officially reached the up-is-down-and-left-is-right time between winter and spring. This is the part of the year when the weather can’t seem to decide what season it is and man do I feel it. To pass these final (fingers crossed) weeks of cold, I try to manifest springtime however I can. One way is to watch a movie full of the signs of spring — think fresh flowers, baseball, and an over-the-top musical number or two.
If you’re also in need of that spring feeling, here are 10 movies to watch now:
1. Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Spring is the season for fresh starts, especially in the love department. And nothing says romance like a little Jane Austen. In this big-screen version of Austen’s 1813 novel, Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen (Tom Wambsgans in the house!) take on the iconic roles of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.
2. Big Fish (2003)
When I think of a Tim Burton movie, words like “bright” and “colorful” don’t typically come to mind. But this fantastical tale based on Daniel Wallace’s novel about an ailing father and his son finding a way to reconcile could really only be brought to life by him. The cast is also pretty major and includes Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney and Jessica Lange.
Baseball is the official sport of springtime, which is why I always come back to this classic inspired by the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. You also can’t do much better than a cast that includes Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, and Madonna. I’ve repurposed “There’s no crying in baseball!” far too many ways to count.
4. The Sound of Music (1965)
If spring makes you think of frolicking through the hillside a la Julie Andrews, this one’s for you. While the World War II element makes this film adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical a bit heavy at times, the picturesque landscape and themes of family, love, and new beginnings make it a perfect spring watch.
5. Easter Parade (1948)
Many of us celebrate the Easter holiday each spring with plenty of chocolate and marshmallow chicks (well now you can buy them year-round but we’ll table that rant). Why not add this musical set during Easter time and featuring a love triangle between Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, and Peter Lawford to your annual list of traditions?
6. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
When was the last time you played hooky? Come on, I won’t tell! If we’re talking about calling in sick, no one did it better (or worse) than Chicago high schooler Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) and his friends in this iconic John Hughes film. If only those school nightmares I still get ended with a parade instead of me realizing I’m pantsless.
I told you Jane Austen novels make great spring flicks, didn’t I? In this period comedy, Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Emma Woodhouse, a sometimes silly, wannabe matchmaker. Between the picnic and wedding scenes and the flowy, Regency-era frocks, it’s spring magic from start to finish.
8. The Prom (2020)
I am so glad social media didn’t exist when I went to the prom because that dress belongs exactly where it is, in the past. But if you want a bit of nostalgia and a whole lot of A-listers, check out the film version of this hit Broadway musical about acceptance. The more movies with a singing Meryl Streep the better, if you ask me.
9. Marie Antoinette (2006)
Everything about this Sofia Coppola-directed drama starring Kirsten Dunst is a feast for the eyes. The beautiful dresses, epic wigs, and spreads of sweets will fill your screen with the pastel colors of spring (and your tummy with rumbles). Gobbling down cupcakes while you watch this doomed queen’s tale is practically a requirement.
10. The Secret Garden (1993)
Perhaps the most famous adaptation of the 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this film centers on an orphaned girl sent to live with her ill cousin (“The spores!”). Together, they discover a sprawling, neglected garden and set about bringing it back to life. In the end, the garden serves as a new beginning in more ways than one.
I can’t promise you any of these films will keep those spring showers or final snowfalls from coming, but they’ll definitely make it feel a little more like spring. Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.
