10 Films That Feel Like Spring
by Sydney Preston
@sydney_17
Spring is a season of rebirth and redirection after shedding what no longer serves you. It is a time when gentle breezes and soft sunshine melt away the last remnants of winter. It is also a time for drastic weather and unpredictability. Anything can happen on any given day, sun, rain, or storms.
It is not just a season but a way of life, and these 10 films represent all aspects of this beautiful time.
Set It Up- Set It Up is a Netflix original Rom Com that stars none other than Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs. This film follows two assistants who have been tirelessly working their lives away in order to move up in their respective companies. They devise a plan to set up their over-working bosses in order to give them free time to actually live their lives.
With New York City as its background, Set It Up is a classic yet underrated Rom Com. As the characters figure out what is actually important to them, they go through an endearing journey of self-discovery. The film feels like a beautiful New York spring day going to baseball games and eating the most perfect pizza on the fire escape. This is a must watch spring comfort film.
Breathless- If spring was a film, it would be Jean-Luc Goddard’s 1960’s film Breathless. In this classic, a criminal Frenchman is on the run after killing a cop. He hides out in Paris where he is attempting to secure enough money to continue journey to Italy with his American girlfriend.
This film has the most interesting pacing that feels like spring itself. Fast where everything is blooming at the same time and then it slows right down like a gentle breeze only for the it to pick up again like a classic spring shower. It is a story of figuring out what direction you want to go in and making the hard choices to get there.
Not only does this film feel like Parisian spring, it also started a brand-new era of film. The French New Wave was a rebirth of cinema, much like spring. If you’re interested in more from this film, I highly suggest Nouvelle Vague (2025) which follows the making of the film starring Zoey Deutch.
Emma (2020)- Is it possible to have a spring films list without something from the Jane Austen Cinematic Universe? I don’t think that is possible. Emma (2020) is based on the classic novel following a young woman (Anya Taylor Joy) in regency era England who plays matchmaker. While trying to find the perfect someone for her new friend, Emma gets herself into many different scenarios where she is tested and forced to grow.
This coming-of- age film is depicted with the most vibrant pastels perfectly resembling Spring. We watch as Emma and Harriet (Mia Goth) both discover to follow and listen to their hearts instead of what is “expected” of them. With an excellent cast, beautifully witty writing and two Oscar nominations for best costuming and hair/makeup, this film is a must watch.
Kiki’s Delivery Service- A young witch moves into a coastal town to officially start her witch training in this animated film from Studio Ghibli. Kiki and her black cat JiJi live above a bakery and run a delivery business for the people in town. Through this job, she is able to meet people who offer her new perspectives on the world that stick with her.
This film is as gentle as a soft breeze over spring green grass. The vibes of this film are immaculate. The coming-of-age story is so grounded for a main character who is constantly flying high in the sky on her broom. We follow Kiki as she navigates the limbo period of no longer being who she was but also not quite who she is becoming. Director Hayao Miyazaki is a genius in his craft.
Alice in Wonderland- Spring is all about rebirth, nature is coming back to life, and so are we. It is a beautiful season that shows the prosperity that comes with letting go and evolving. Alice in Wonderland is the perfect film to represent that. Alice, who was always seen as being quite odd, falls down a rabbit hole and is transported into a world that is even stranger than she.
It is a thought-provoking story that questions all beliefs. What if up is down, and this way is that way, and what if everything is no longer as clear as it once seemed? With garden parties and vibrant characters, we realize that maybe we really cannot go back to yesterday because we were different people then.
Lost in Translation- Lost in Translation is a bit different from the others on this list. The film follows two people (Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray) who are utterly lost in life. While visiting Tokyo, the two find each other and develop an earnest and intimate friendship while away from the lives they live in America.
This slow-paced film, directed by Sophia Coppola, explores what is said in silence and the importance of reading between the lines. Melancholia ripples throughout this film like the fog that rolls off the hills in Spring. It is the showers that later bring the flowers. The cosmic timing of two lost souls colliding and rediscovering the beauty of life.
Challengers- What happens when you wake up one day and you’re in a completely new season of your life, one that you never could have imagined, and where nothing feels quite right? Tashi was the tennis prodigy coming for every title until she shattered her knee doing the thing she loves most. This is a story of obsession and control, and Zendaya captures it perfectly.
There are many layers to the spring season, after a season of shedding and hibernating it is a time where you step back into the light and that exposure can make you unsteady. Having to rediscover who you are and the differences between what you want and what you need is difficult but necessary, and this film explores that gray area.
Crazy Rich Asians- A woman (Constance Wu) who is in love with the man of her dreams (Henry Golding) discovers that he is actually from one of the most prominent families in China. Instead of the typical “meet-the-family” experience, she is quickly thrown into a world of chaos. Navigating ancient traditions, celebrity status, and a particularly hard-to-please mother (Michelle Yeoh), she has to carve out her place in this new world.
A blossoming new chapter brings hardship and rediscovery of self. Crazy Rich Asians has the humor, the depth, and the beauty that make it a perfect spring film. And if there is one thing director Jon M Chu knows how to do, it is a wedding scene. This wedding makes me believe in love every time I watch it.
Marie Antoinette- 14-year-old Marie Antoinette arrives in France from Austria to marry the grandson of the King of France. Throughout this film we see her grow up in a court that does not go out of its way to make her feel welcome. In her time, she relishes in all the queen life has to offer as France descends into madness.
In a very Sophia Coppola way this film moves slowly but intentionally. It doesn’t drag on, it glides beautifully. The rich and luxurious pastels bring out the innocence of two children who were put in charge of an entire country. It shows gentleness in contrast to a very harsh reality.
Tinker Bell- Everyone knows Tinker Bell and the curious things she gets up to, but there is a whole world of Tinker Bell films that some might say are completely underrated. Whether they are prepping for spring’s arrival, resolving the turmoil between seasons or even chasing down a pirate fairy, they are all great reminders of the importance of friendship and working together while also trusting your gut. A little faith, trust, and pixie dust go a long way.
New seasons of life can be difficult, but hopefully you will find solace in these films, maybe a new favorite. Happy Spring!
