7 movies to watch this Easter season

Movie-goers may not associate Easter with Hollywood blockbusters. However, there's an entire cache of films that align well with Easter. When spending time with family and friends for the Easter holiday, consider these movies.

1. "It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown!": This 1974 classic puts The Peanuts' heartwarming spin on another holiday theme. The gang gets ready for Easter in the only ways they can - with lots of love and laughs.

2. "The Prince of Egypt": This 1998 animated film tells the tale of Moses and Pharoah, and features the voices of Val Kilmer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, and Ralph Fiennes, among others.

3. "Hop": This combination of live action and animation tells the story of the Easter Bunny's teenage son "E.B.," who wants to move to L.A. to pursue his passion for music, rather than be next in line for the family business.

4. "The Greatest Story Ever Told": This 1965 epic tells the story of Jesus of Nazareth and follows His life from the nativity through to the crucifixion. At a whopping four hours and 20 minutes, it may be best to watch this in sessions, especially when watching with youngsters.

5. "The Dog Who Saved Easter": A cuddly canine makes it his business to save Easter when three criminals try to sabotage it in this 2014 film. Mario Lopez voices the pup "Zeus" in this family-friendly flick.

6. "The Ten Commandments": Audiences continue to enjoy this beloved 1956 film staring Charlton Heston as Moses every Easter. With stunning special effects of the Burning Bush and parting of the Red Sea in the era before CGI, this story of faith wows audiences every time.

7. "The Passion of the Christ": Released in 2004 and directed by Mel Gibson, this movie chronicles the final twelve hours of Jesus' agony. The movie doesn't shy away from violence as it attempts to bring audiences closer to the suffering of Christ, which earned it an R rating. This is likely a film for adults only.

Easter presents a time when families can enjoy religious-themed movies that share stories of faith or fun flicks with positive messages.