Celebrating Spring Equinox with Five Animated Films

As Spring Equinox is officially in full bloom, just what I want to view is not your regular fare. My recommendations better reflect the season than any spiritual aspect; my top five favorite animated works include more than just current movies. I have short films on this list too.

And so I’m not spending the entire time indoors, what can be viewed can be done in an evening while the afternoon is spent hunting for eggs. Unfortunately, no bunnies are on this list. For part of this Easter Sunday, I’ll be enjoying:

To Spring (1936)

Very few tales acknowledge Spring Equinox as passionately as this classic produced by Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising, and directed by William Hanna before forming his own studio. It’s a simple tale where gnomes are helping the world transition to the new season. But challenges are in store for them….

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

With the tapestry of vast wide green fields, and a feel-good song that starts this little witch’s adventure into adulthood, nothing can go wrong. This film is about a young girl learning her place in a world has much to like, and a sarcastic cat to love. I’m still working on collecting as many stuffed dolls of Jiji as I can rather than Totoro.

While this other masterpiece also counts, unless the narrative deals with a completely different trope, I’ll lump the mascot of Studio Ghibli into one listing.

Mary Poppins (1964)

This Disney classic counts because no listing can be complete without mention of either this work or Bambi. When this work directed by Robert Stevenson wonderfully features Dick Van Dyke in his prime, I’ll be dancing to him in no time! The story is also timeless too; this actor’s performance is one of his best!

But in what makes this films work is that it acknowledges the literary work. That’s because on the first day of Spring, the wind has changed direction, something Mr Banks notes. Upon hearing this, the kids think their nanny will be gone for good, but when the air current changes for good, their worry is for naught. Although the cinematic sequel doesn’t directly recall past events, it’s worth mentioning because it contains enough references to suggest viewing these two films together.

Secret of Kells (2009)

Although this film takes place nowhere during this season, this movie’s unique tapestry and style sets it apart from others! Here, the tale concerns a young boy on an impossible task. He’s to assemble the pages and art that would make up The Book of Kells. And with Easter being a time to celebrate many cultural beliefs, this movie is great at bridging the gap without being preachy.

Spring (2019)

What’s presented here is a tale of a time long ago, where a young girl and her pet dog must face nature at its most primal. Together, they do what they can to help transition their little habitat from a cold wintry landscape to that of natural bloom.

It’s a beautiful short film that deserves top spot over all other works, and best of all, it’s free to see online!