by MCDave Happy Easter: The Top 5 Movies With Rabbits

It’s around this time every year that we come out of our cruise-controlled desolation and get rejuvenated by the uplifting Spring weather. The birds start chirping, the house windows open up, and happiness prevails. But it isn’t until Easter when you finally know you’ve successfully turned the corner on Winter. Therefore, with Easter fast approaching this Sunday and nothing more symbolic of Easter than bunny rabbits, I decided to comprise a list of the top 5 movies to feature rabbits. My roommates and I put our heads together and reeled off a pretty strong list of films, but as always not all of them can make the cut. Before we get started, let me acknowledge the honorable mention: Space Jam, Alice in Wonderland (the cartoon), and Harvey. Now to the Top 5!

#5 Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Slightly a stretch, but who can forget the Rabbit of Caerbannog? In the 1975 British comedy Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Arthur and the knights find their quest for the Holy Grail leading them to some mystic caves. In order to gain entrance, they are forced to defeat the killer rabbit. Arthur and company do so by using the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch. Now, the Rabbit of Caerbannog sure looks sweet and lovable, but we all know what he’s capable of.

#4 Bambi

No one’s too man enough to downplay the sadness that we all felt from the 1942 (WOW!) animated Disney film, Bambi. When Bambi’s mom falls victim to the hunter, a little piece of each of us dies along with her. But thanks to the aid of Bambi’s big-eared sidekick Thumper, the pain subsides. And not only is Thumper a dose of good times, but the pink-nosed rabbit is also something of a philosophical humanitarian. Always remember, “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all”.

#3 Watership Down

My list of the top 5 movies featuring rabbits finds itself following up Bambi with a lesser known, but equally awesome, animated film called Watership Down. The 1978 film, which was an adaptation of an English novel, centers around the epic journey of a bunch of rabbits who are forced to seek a new home after the destruction of their warren. There’s no shortage of rabbits here, and that easily helps propel Watership Down to #3 on my countdown.

#2 Donnie Darko

No hesitation required, we all loved the 2001 sci-fi drama Donnie Darko. But before Jake Gyllenhaal turned into a beefcake (please don’t question my heterosexuality), the actor began his career as the title character in Donnie Darko. Having intense visions of a demonic rabbit named Frank, the outcast teen struggles to piece everything together. After some partying and life sacrificing time travel, the credits roll and we finally understand the true purpose behind Frank. Nowhere near as lovable as our animated friends previously mentioned, Frank’s still every bit as effective.

#1 Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Cue the boos. It may be an unpopular pick (I sure hope not), but my number 1 movie to feature a rabbit is the 1988 fantasy-comedy-noir Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Having been born in 1983, you can call me a sentimentalist and I’ll gladly accept (or maybe I just have a thing for Jessica Rabbit … hubba hubba). There’s very little greater than Toontown, a suburb of Hollywood where toons and humans coexist. Roger Rabbit is the quintessential hardworking husband who just wants to know that his foxy wife isn’t sleeping around. Who can’t appreciate that? Serving up laugh after laugh, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is an obvious no-brainer for the best movie to ever feature a rabbit.

What did I miss, and what did I get right? You tell me. Leave a comment and spark a debate.

When MCDave isn’t on Geekscape he’s being more cordial at MOVIE REVIEWS BY DAVE