Rainy days: 12 TV shows and movies to stream for the whole family
TV shows and films to watch with the family over the Easter holidays.
The Easter holidays continue and unfortunately, it seems the weather has not gotten the memo. But the good news is, there are plenty of TV shows and movies on Disney +, Netflix, NOW, and more if you’re looking for something to entertain the kids.
Brand new to the streaming platform, Chupa is brought to us by the people behind Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The fantasy film follows a young boy called Alex who heads to Mexico to meet his family. While visiting his grandfather, he discovers a baby chupacabra and before he knows it, he and his new furry friend are off on an epic adventure.
You have probably seen a lot about the second installment of this Netflix original movie, considering it stars Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. The sequel to 2019’s Murder Mystery, this comedy sees the now private detectives in the middle of an international investigation following the abduction of a friend.
Starring Jim Parsons, Rihanna and Steve Martin, Home is a cosmic adventure suitable for the whole family. This film tells the story of a misfit alien who mistakenly sends an invite to the whole galaxy and is forced to go on the run before finding a human friend called Tip.
After Dwayne Johnson teased a live-action remake of Disney’s Moana last week, it might just be the perfect time to watch or re-watch the 2016 hit. Set on the fictional island of Motunui, the film follows Moana on an action-packed quest to save her people. With catchy songs, stunning settings, and the obligatory hilarious sidekick (in the form of Hei Hei the chicken) this is a great escape for rainy days.
Unsurprisingly, Bluey is currently trending on Disney +. Everyone’s favourite blue dog has three seasons’ worth of adventures available on the streaming platform so there are plenty of episodes to entertain little ones. Created by Joe Bruman, this animation has been a major hit since its release in 2018. It is aimed at five to seven-year-olds, with Bluey being age six, but this cartoon is loved by all ages.
If the family fancy a good mystery to sink their teeth into, The Portable Door on Sky Cinema could be a perfect choice. Starring Patrick Gibson, Miranda Otto and Christoph Waltz, the new fantasy film follows two interns at a mysterious London firm that has rather unconventional employees. It is based on Tom Holt’s book of the same name.
Based on the children’s classic, Peter Rabbit Special is available on NOW TV. Suitable for under-fives, there are over 100 episodes on the streaming platform, meaning there is no shortage of Easter-themed entertainment for little ones.
Everyone loves the minions and NOW TV has just added a new helping of our funny yellow friends. This prequel features the usual star-studded voices of Steve Carrell, Julie Andrews and Michelle Yeoh and has almost five stars on Sky Cinema.
Keeping with the theme of Easter, the original Peter Rabbit movie is available to watch on Amazon Prime. The 2018 film sees the mischievous Peter Rabbit in a battle of wits with the nephew of Mr McGregor.
If a musical is more your thing, the 2022 Matilda the Musical is also available on the streaming site. Starring Emma Thompson and Dubliner Alisha Wier as Matilda, our reviewer gave this flick a solid four stars. “Emma Thompson is a delight as the former Olympic hammer-throwing champion Mrs Trunchbull, but young Alisha Weir steals the show with an effervescent performance of irrepressible wit and warmth,” writes film reviewer, Declan Burke.
For the teens and adults, the Oscar-winning Everything, Everywhere All At Once is available exclusively on Amazon Prime. The film cleaned up at this year’s Academy Awards and is well worth a watch.
If you want to test your knowledge after the long weekend, you can re-watch Ireland’s Smartest with Claire Byrne on the RTÉ Player. The first episode of the new quiz show aired on April 2 with episodes one and two currently available on the player. The show sees our host put Ireland’s most intelligent quizzers through their paces.
