We looked beyond the old standards (“Terms of Endearment,” anyone?) to bring you movies that will intrigue both mothers and daughters. Minimal tissues required!
Freaky Friday
Rating: PG
The best way to understand your mom is to spend a day in her shoes, as we learn from this wild, family-friendly film. The original, circa 1976, stars a tween Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris. The 2003 remake, with Lindsay Lohan (before her prison days) and Jamie Lee Curtis, is also lots of fun.
Roman Holiday
We couldn’t possibly make this list without including some Audrey Hepburn. In this 1963 flick, she plays a European princess who escapes her handlers to cut loose in Rome, where she befriends a journalist—played by Gregory Peck—and his photographer sidekick, who are looking for a sensational story.
Up in the Air
Rating: R
Hottie alert! This 2009 movie stars George Clooney (my mom’s man-candy of choice) as Ryan, a corporate employee who spends his life flying around the country firing people. When his gig is threatened, he finds himself developing an emotional tie (to Alex, played by Vera Farmiga) and reconnecting with his sibs.
Little Women
Rating: PG
The 1994 remake of the classic story is one of my ultimate favorite movies to watch with my mom. The all-star cast includes Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Claire Danes, and—hottie alert!—a young, clean-shaven Christian Bale as Laurie. Romance, death, betrayal … it’s a chick flick.
The American President
Rating: PG-13
What woman hasn’t dreamed of dating the most powerful man in the world? This 1995 movie has all the makings of chick-flick greatness: Annette Bening plays a lobbyist who falls in love with the president, played by dreamy Michael Douglas—never mind that their relationship wreaks havoc on their jobs. Witty and funny dialogue provided by Aaron Sorkin.
Juno
Rating: PG-13
Who can’t love this adorably quirky film about teenage pregnancy? In the story by Chicago-area native Diablo Cody, Juno MacGuff, played by Ellen Paige, finds herself pregnant in high school, while the yuppie Vanessa, played by Jennifer Garner, is desperate to adopt the baby. Allison Janney plays Juno’s endearing stepmom.
Tangled
Rating: PG
A 2010 Golden Globe nominee for Best Picture, this flick is Disney’s take on the classic story of Rapunzel, voiced by Mandy Moore. She falls in love with a bandit and has to venture out of her tower to find him—long tresses in tow—and escape her evil hag mother (so, all moms look good by comparison).
Black Swan
Rating: R
If you’re not close with your mom, sharing this acclaimed, ultra-creepy psycho-drama will be a bonding experience—and after seeing the mother-daughter relationship between Natalie Portman and Barbara Hershey, you might decide that closeness is overrated.
