The 7 Best Springtime Movies to Stream
This spring, I’m chasing the ultimate high: those movies that feel like sunny Sunday afternoons, where you're home with the windows open, the birds singing, the flowers blooming and the dust particles shining in beams of light. With that in mind, I put together a list of cozy films filled with magic and dreams, so good you’ll forget about Tax Day coming up.
Most of these were made before the year 2000 and have a certain hazy Vaseline-smear on the lens. There’s a soft, dreamy quality to the camerawork and an aura of escapism. Take a peek at some options as you come out of your winter cocoon to celebrate new life and nature—from French New Wave classics to childhood favorites.
Happy watching and happy springtime!
The Secret Garden (1993)
Available for rent on Apple TV
This is a nostalgia pick for me, but it does seem like the ultimate springtime movie with its themes of transformation and coming back to life—and of course, a beautiful garden as the centerpiece. Directed by Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland and filmed at an actual old English castle, it captures that feeling of watching a VHS tape after school as a kid.
The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
Available to stream on Max, The Criterion Channel
Jacques Demy’s 1967 musical, which features both Catherine Deneuve and Gene Kelly, is so full of color, joy and whimsy. The movie has that excitement that comes with change, which to me is what spring brings about. And lucky for those in Austin, we’re playing it at the clubhouse on April 10!
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
Available to stream on Max
The most beautiful ending to an incredible career, Isao Takahata’s swan song is as close to perfection as any film has come before. It’s a painting come to life: a beautiful watercolor animated film centering the passing of time and a sense of renewal. It embodies that ephemeral nature of spring.
The Company of Strangers (1990)
Available to stream on Tubi, Kanopy
I’m always trying to put people onto this underseen Canadian film from director Cynthia Scott. It follows a group of older women whose bus breaks down in the middle of a tour, leaving them stranded in the Canadian wilderness and driving them to rely on each other to survive in an abandoned cottage. It's one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen and it's going to make you cry a million times.
Garlic Is as Good as 10 Mothers (1980)
Available to stream on The Criterion Channel, YouTube
I'm a big Les Blank-head. He's one of my favorite documentarians, and something about the energy of his documentaries always evokes springtime to me. As the title suggests, this short documentary is quite literally a celebration of garlic and sharing food with the ones you love.
The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)
Available to stream on Kanopy, Hoopla, Starz
This gentle Irish folktale from writer-director John Sayles tells the story of a young girl uncovering her family's connection to selkies, fantastical beings that transform from seals to human form. Taking place on the Irish coast, the movie is steeped in both magic and nature.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1999)
Available to stream on Fubo
I have fond memories of watching this while growing up, and its stacked cast (Michelle Pfeiffer, Christian Bale, Stanley Tucci) ensures it holds up over two decades later. Shot in Rome, this Shakespearean tale is filled with lush cinematography and has a little bit of everything: a dreamy countryside, fairies, romance and chaos.
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Jenni Kaye is the co-founder of Hyperreal Film Club and Content Producer at Mondo. In her free time she’s making TikToks, roller skating, and convincing more people to watch BREATHING FIRE.