We all have different perspectives on life. When I say April, for instance, some of you will think of sunny spring days, budding trees, Easter morning. Others might drift toward cloudy thoughts of dripping rain, April Fools’ Day and, everyone’s favorite, tax day.
If you’re trending toward the murky over the merry, you might need a nice family movie night to cheer you up. So, here’s a few sunny streaming suggestions for April 2022.
Netflix
How to Train Your Dragon (PG, 2010):
A Norse teen named Hiccup lives in a village that’s all about fighting dragons. But when he befriends an injured dragon he names Toothless, he has the chance to plot a new course for his people’s future. There are some tense moments here between Hiccup and his dad, but our Paul Asay summed up the pic like this: “How to Train Your Dragon may actually be DreamWorks Animation’s best movie yet—a fun, thrilling Viking voyage that, in the end, is a simple yet salient story about a dragon and his boy.”
The Blind Side (PG-13, 2009):
It’s the story of a homeless Black teen—drifting in and out of the school system for years—who’s adopted by a white couple. And how that choice positively changes everyone involved. Based on the life of NFL player Michael Oher, this film is moving and uplifting. It’s not a flawless film, but as I said in my review: “Issues of class, race and family are all enthusiastically grappled with—and the good guys doggedly work their way to the end zone, making a couple of extra points to boot.
Puss in Boots (PG, 2011):
Puss may be a fairy-tale character, but in his world, he’s a swashbuckling bad-cat-turned-hero who’s been falsely accused. This is a fun, family friendly movie. Or as I said in my review, it “gives families a character-driven, intelligently conceived story that practically dares us all to earn our own pair of boots for our own acts of heroism and efforts to do the right thing.” So there!
HBO Max
Hugo (PG, 2011):
Director Martin Scorsese applies his Oscar-winning panache to the tale of a wily and resourceful boy who sets off to unlock the secret of a broken automaton left to him by his father. Plugged In reviewer Adam Holz earmarked this film as a great pic for both kids and adults. “Hugo is one of those rare films that works on practically every level … for practically every audience. Visually, Scorsese’s first foray into 3-D filmmaking is a sumptuous masterpiece. His rendering of Paris, of Hugo’s essentially subterranean environs and of his characters’ expressions make this film a case study in cinematic excellence.” Adam also noted that “Friendship and family, perseverance and hope all take center stage” in this fun adventure.
Les Misérables (PG-13, 2012):
This film tells Victor Hugo’s classic tale of love, loss and redemption, delivered through the musical gifts of stars such as Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne. As I noted in my review, this pic’s mixture of realistic images and musical sensibilities often results in some rough-edged moments. “But at its immersive and orchestrally soaring heart, Les Misérables makes it clear that we wretched humans can only truly find freedom by forgiving and loving one another.”
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (PG, 2013):
This pic tells the story of a man who escapes the tedium of his day-to-day life by jumping into his own exciting daydreams in which he is a hero. It’s an enjoyable pic. As I said in my review: “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty has some rough edges. It also proves to be positive, optimistic and, yes, surprising.”
Hulu
Mr. Popper’s Penguins (PG, 2011):
Jim Carrey plays a successful real estate developer named Popper whose life changes radically when he receives a final gift from his late father—a live penguin, which is soon joined by five more. Pretty soon these critters start to thaw out this guy’s frozen life. OK, there are a few icebergs along the way that parents will want to navigate with their kids, including bathroom humor and a little chilly language. But Popper’s newfound love for his family and his Grinch-like discovery of the size of his own heart are still great and grin-worthy.
Radio (PG, 2003):
In a racially divided town, a local coach spots a mentally disabled Black student named Radio near his practice field and befriends him. Lessons of kindness permeate this inspiring true story that our Bob Smithouser called a “a very pleasant, refreshingly moral diversion.”
Prime Video
Unbreakable (PG-13, 2000):
David Dunn is a blue-collar guy from Philadelphia who emerges unharmed as the sole survivor of a devastating train accident. He then meets a mysterious stranger who suggests that David might well be a very real superhero, a member of a small group of advanced people that comic books tell us about. This M. Night Shyamalan psychological thriller has its weaknesses in some of its violent depictions, but it’s also quite fun and raises some solid thoughts about heroic choices and the positives of working through marital woes. Or as Bob Smithouser put it: “Unbreakable has honorable intentions and gives mature viewers a lot to think about.”
Cast Away (PG-13, 2000):
A FedEx exec is en route to Malaysia when his plane crashes over the Pacific Ocean and he becomes the sole survivor on a deserted island—changing his well-planned life forever. This pic is an immersive tale of hope and, in a sense, redemption. Viewers must navigate a few moral questions. But the questions and thoughts this film raises could make for a solid movie night with your teens.
And how about one more, just for the kids.
Disney+
Herbie: Fully Loaded (G, 2005):
Teen Maggie wants to become a NASCAR driver. But her dad isn’t hearing it. But when Maggie heads off to a junkyard, she finds a little Volkswagen Beetle—named Herbie—that might just change everything. A car with a mind of its own, anybody? Plugged In’s Jamie Maxfield said that “Fully Loaded maintains both the spirit and integrity of the original story, making this chapter in the Herbie narrative a welcome addition.”
4 Responses
Great recommendations for this month. For an upcoming movie review suggestion I was wondering if you would consider The Case for Heaven documentary which you could find more about on Fathom Events and IMDb.
“Hugo” was a WONDERFUL film, bordering on sublime for all visual resonance. Too few people saw it.
-I love Hugo, Cast Away, Mr. Popper’s Penguins and Herbie Fully Loaded.
-How to train your dragon!! Yes, honestly one of the best movies ever!