Popcorn alert: Seven movies to share with Mom on Mother’s Day.
Looking for some cinematic entertainment this Mother’s Day weekend? Here are seven movies, each setting a different mood, to enjoy while letting Mom know you love her:
“Lady Bird”
This 2017 Oscar-nominated dramedy starring Laurie Metcalf and Saiorse Ronan as a squabbling mother and daughter walks the tightrope between humor and heart with poise and insight. Even if you’ve seen it before, these characters are worth visiting again. Rated R. Available for streaming on Amazon and GooglePlay.
“Soul Food”
Texan Irma P. Hall stars as matriarch Mama Joe in this 1997 family drama also featuring Vanessa Williams, Vivica Fox, Mekhi Phifer and Nia Long. If there’s one thing that can bring a quarreling brood together, it’s a well-prepared Sunday dinner which just happens to be Mama Joe’s specialty, though her illness threatens the tradition. Don’t watch this one if you’re hungry. Rated R. Available for streaming on Amazon, YouTube, GooglePlay and Vudu.
“This Is Where We Live”
If you’re searching for a film that’s off the beaten path, try this small indie movie that unfortunately received little attention when it was released in 2013, even though it was one of the best movies of that year. Set in rural Central Texas, C.K. McFarland stars as a mom leading a hardscrabble life with a husband who has dementia, a son with cerebral palsy and a rebellious daughter who wants to be anywhere else. Get the handkerchiefs out as it’s a weeper but, as a celebration of a woman who totally has dedicated her life to her family, you might find yourself smiling through the tears. Unrated. Available for streaming on Amazon, GooglePlay, iTunes and YouTube.
“20th Century Women”
Annette Bening has made a couple of notable “mom” movies in the last few years, “The Kids Are All Right” in 2010 and this engaging story about a free-thinking mother raising a young boy in late ’70s California. Bening was nominated for a Golden Globe for her memorable performance. Rated R. Amazon, GooglePlay Vudu.
“Bad Moms”
While critics may not have been charmed by the madcap antics of Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn and Kristen Bell as moms playing hooky from their familial duties, that doesn’t mean you won’t find a lot to laugh at here. It’s rated R, so it’s not for the whole family. Available on Amazon, iTunes and YouTube.
“Lion”
This Oscar-nominated 2016 film is really about two moms. One in India whose young son goes missing and one in Australia (played by Nicole Kidman) who adopts the orphan and watches as he grows into a man (Dev Patel) yearning to reconnect with his Indian family. Moving and beautifully shot, “Lion” is a film nearly the entire family can appreciate. Rated PG-13. Available on iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, YouTube and GooglePlay.
“Mamma Mia!”
In advance of the upcoming film “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” Universal Pictures is offering free sing-along screenings of Mamma Mia! — starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried — on Mother’s Day at Edwards Greenway Grand Palace, 3839 Weslayan. Each guest who requests a ticket the day of the screening will be given one free admission to the 10 a.m. showing, up to theater capacity. Tickets will be available free on a firstcome, first-served basis.