Top 5 Easter Movies

This being Easter (Resurrection Day) Weekend and all, I found it fitting to mention a few Easter movies/televison specials out there.


5. The Miracle Maker (2000) Starring Ralph Fiennes as Jesus in this stop motion animated movie now showing free on Hulu.com.

http://http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi1869676569/

I first saw this animated special about eight or nine years ago on television and was pleasantly surprised at the numerous voice talents involved such as Ralph Fiennes, Julie Christie, and William Hurt in this new annual classic.

4. Ben Hur (1959) One of Charleston Heston's great masterpieces, cannot forget the chariot race scene ever since I saw it as a little kid. They really don't make movies like this anymore.


3. Any Charlie Brown Holiday Special Okay, I kinda dig almost all of the Charles Schulz Peanuts specials, especially the earlier cartoon specials. Here's an example of the humor from It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown part 1


2. The Passion of the Christ (2004)

No matter what drunken Anti-Semitic remarks the director Mel Gibbson may have spoken on an "bad" night, the movie still stands up, five years later, to what millions of Christians profess in the biblical scripture John 3:16. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
And with those words, for two hours, the audience is visually shown, the graphic measure of this son of God beaten, tortured, and killed on a cross in his final hours of life. Concluding (major spoiler alert !!!) with his resurrection 3 days later. Starring Jim Caviezel in his most dramatic role.




1. The Ten Commandments (1956)

Cecil B. DeMille's greatest movie and Charleston Heston's other great biblical movie role as Moses. No matter what your religious beliefs are, this story of one man's personal journey from prince, to shepard, prophet and leader is exceptionally well made considering there were no computer effects back then and the huge amount of people used in the background shots. How DeMille kept from going crazy with all the logistics of the movie, is amazing.



A few honorable mentions include Barrabas starring Anthony Quinn, The Robe, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Easter Parade (1948) Judy Garland, and Here Comes Peter Cotontail (1971) starring Danny Kaye by Rankin Bass.

Okay, this is just a quick list of some of my favorite Easter movies, not counting some musicals my grandmother made us watch after Easter Dinner every year when I was a little kid, like The Sound of Music or Funny Girl featuring Barbara Streisand.

What are your guys favorites this time of year?