In this new feature, MHT gives a list of movies to celebrate birthdays, commemorate deaths, recognize what happened in history and observe holidays. This week features Earth Day, the birth of Shakespeare, the death of the Red Baron and more:
April 21st: The Red Baron Is Killed In Action
Watch: The Peanuts Movie (2015)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
Sure, the Red Baron was shot down in battle on 1918 after winning 80 air battles but his mythical battle with Snoopy lives on and was even reignited in the reboot of the cartoon franchise in 2015. Snoopy vs. The Red Baron is one of those iconic moments in Charlie Brown lore and there’s no better day to relive it than the day The Red Baron was finally bested.
April 22: Earth Day
Watch: Earth (2009)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
Disneynature will launch their 10th film this year and Born In China marks their 7th release on Earth Day. In 2009, Earth was the first Disneynature film launched and its spectacular visuals married to a James Earl Jones narration is impressive to watch.
April 23: William Shakespeare Was Born & Died
Watch: Shakespeare In Love (1998)
Available on Netflix, Amazon & iTunes
Born in 1564, the world’s greatest playwright William Shakespeare died on the same date in 1616 at the age of 52. While there’s a plethora of Shakespeare plays adapted into movies, Shakespeare In Love is my favorite way to celebrate the life and times of the man who brought us Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and more.
April 24: A Tornado Flattens Towns In Louisiana and Mississippi In 1908
Watch: Twister (1996)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
A single tornado wiped out the towns of Amite, Louisiana and Purvis, Mississippi and registered as the 8th deadliest tornado in U.S. history killing 143. Another tornado on the same day hit Natchez, Mississippi and killed 91 which was the 21st deadliest tornado in U.S. history. What better way to celebrate deadly tornados than by watching Jan De Bont’s action thriller Twister which was a box office juggernaut in 1996.
April 25: Al Pacino’s Birthday
Watch: Any Given Sunday (1999)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
There are plenty of films on Al Pacino’s resume you could choose to watch to celebrate his birthday and the obvious choice is 1992’s Scent of a Woman since it earned Pacino an Academy Award for Best Actor. However, MHT is going with Any Given Sunday since the NFL Draft starts 2 days later and we don’t want those around you getting annoyed all week when you shout, “Hoo-ah!” after re-watching Scent of a Woman.
April 26: Administrative Professional Day
Watch: Working Girl (1988)
Available on Netflix, Amazon & iTunes
While it isn’t called Secretaries Day anymore, what better way to celebrate the day than by watching the film whose most memorable line was, “This woman is my secretary!” In 1988, Working Girl also scored a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. It also possesses an impressive cast including Melanie Griffith, Michael Douglas, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Cusack, Alec Baldwin, Nora Dunn, Kevin Spacey, Oliver Platt and Olympia Dukakis. If you pay real close attention, you’ll see David Duchovny as Tess’s Birthday Party Friend and Ricki Lake as a Bridesmaid.
April 27: Take Your Daughter To Work Day
Watch: Bronco Billy (1980)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
Are you thinking, “How the heck does Bronco Billy tie into Take Your Daughter To Work Day?” Keep an eye out for an uncredited appearance by Clint Eastwood’s daughter Alison who appears as a child at an orphanage in the film and now you get it. Alison also appeared in Any Which Way You Can (1980), Tightrope (1984) and Absolute Power (1997) before branching off on her own career.