As we remember and thank those who have served our country and defended our freedom, these movies help us begin to understand their contribution.
"The Messenger" (in theaters next week) One of the finest young actors working today, Ben Foster, stars with Woody Harrelson and Samantha Morton in this powerful story of an injured soldier assigned to visit the families of soldiers to deliver the news that they have been killed.
"Gardens of Stone" (on DVD) The detail assigned to Arlington Cemetery is responsible for honoring the war dead. James Caan, James Earl Jones, and D.B. Sweeney star in this moving tribute to the soldiers who pay tribute.
"Taking Chance" (on DVD) Kevin Bacon stars in this fact-based story of Lt. Col. Michael Strobl who volunteered to escort a fallen soldier's remains when he found out they shared the same home town. It is a quietly touching drama about how the journey affected Strobl and the people along the way.
The athletes have worked harder than they ever imagined, pushing themselves to the limits of their endurance. They've learned how to run faster and hit, kick, or shoot harder. They've watched tape of the other team, the champions, the ones who seem unbeatable. They've learned that there is no "I" in "team," and then they learned it again. And then comes that moment when they feel that they have nothing left. It is time for some encouragement and motivation. They need some words that can remind the players that what they are doing matters, that it is worth stretching their souls and bodies to the limit, that this is a defining moment that will tell them and everyone who knows them and everyone who will ever know them who they are. They need to know that it is not about scoring or medals or applause; it is about courage, determination, loyalty, and knowing you have given your entire heart to something. That is when they need a great coach.
Movie coaches, most of them real-life characters, have provided some of the most memorable moments in film history, inspiring us in the audience as they inspire the athletes on screen. And, in our own private, faint-hearted moments, we often think back on those "Win one for the Gipper" speeches for our own sense of meaning, purpose, and confidence. When you feel as though you can use a pep talk, these coaches are always available on DVD.
12. A League of Their Own Sometimes the coach is the one who needs some inspiration. In this movie, Tom Hanks is a former baseball player who is bitter following an injury. He has a drinking problem, but his former fame gets him a position as the coach in an all-female league, created to keep the fans happy while the male players were fighting in World War II. It is the heart, dedication, and ability of the players that inspires him to become the coach they need. Quote: "There's no crying in baseball!"
11. Personal Best Scott Glenn plays the coach of women training for the Olympics. In one memorable scene, he has a monologue as he watches one of his athletes run around a track, and shows his frustration on both of their behalfs at the second-class treatment of women athletes and and his fierce pride in watching her beat a man. Quote: "The high jump is a masochist's event--it always ends on failure."
10. Knute Rockne All American The legendary Notre Dame coach was an innovator who changed the game of football by popularizing the forward pass and set many records including five undefeated seasons. Pat O'Brien plays Rockne in this film, and Ronald Reagan plans the player whose death inspired the most famous locker room speech in history. Quote: " I'm going to tell you something I've kept to myself for years -- None of you ever knew George Gipp. It was long before your time. But you know what a tradition he is at Notre Dame...And the last thing he said to me -- "Rock," he said -- "sometime, when the team is up against it -- and the breaks are beating the boys -- tell them to go out there with all they got and win just one for the Gipper."
9. Remember the Titans When an Alexandria, Virginia school was integrated for the first time, it wasn't just the teammates who had to learn to work together. Coach Boone (Denzel Washington) and Coach Yoast (Will Patton) had to become a team as well. This true story of their first team and its undefeated season, and if you plan to watch, bring a handkerchief. Maybe two. Quote: "In Greek mythology, the Titans were greater even than the gods. They ruled their universe with absolute power. Well that football field out there, that's our universe. Let's rule it like Titans."
8. Coach Carter The great thing about Coach Carter is that after he turns his rag-tag players into a disciplined, winning team, he benches them. Samuel L. Jackson plays real-life coach Ken Carter, who benched the team and locked the gym to insist that his team members could not play unless they did their schoolwork and got good grades. Quote: "You really need to consider the message you're sending this boys by ending the lockout. It's the same message that we as a culture send to our professional athletes; and that is that they are above the law. If these boys cannot honor the simple rules of a basketball contract, how long do you think it will be before they're out there breaking the law?"
7. Glory Road Josh Lucas plays real-life coach Texas Western Don Haskins, who coached the first NCAA basketball team with an all-black starting line-up in 1966. Haskins did not intend to be a civil rights pioneer. He just wanted the best players he could find. And in that era, there were plenty of black basketball players who were not getting offers from anyone else. So Haskins put together a team with a lot of talent and a lot of passion for the game, and then he showed them how to be better players and an even better team than they had ever imagined. Quote: "Your dignity's inside you. Nobody can take something away from you you don't give them."
6. Miracle And don't miss the documentary: Do You Believe in Miracles? The Story of the 1980 U.S. Hockey Team. It's still referred to as the "Miracle on Ice." No one thought the American hockey players had a chance against the Soviet team in the 1980 Olympics. The Americans were amateurs from different teams. The Soviets were the world champions. The David and Goliath game that resulted was voted the number one international game in hockey history on the 100th anniversary of the game. The American team beat the Soviets because they had coach Herb Brooks, played here by Kurt Russell. Brooks said he won because he picked "not the best players but the right players." Quote: "Great moments... are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here, tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game. If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game. Not tonight."
5. Friday Night Lights Before the television show, there was a book and there was this movie, with Billy Bob Thornton as coach Gary Gaines. In small-town Texas, everyone in town goes to the high school football games, everyone thinks they know what the coach should be doing, and every player knows that he may never do anything again that matters to as many people as winning the season. Quote: "Being perfect means going onto the field knowing that you did everything you could have done, with clear eyes, love in your heart, joy in your heart."
4. Hoosiers Gene Hackman plays Norman Dale, who must battle his own demons to be the coach his high school basketball team deserves in this quietly powerful film inspired by the real-life story of the small-town team that took the Indiana state championship in 1951. Quote: "These six individuals have made a choice to work, a choice to sacrifice, to put themselves on the line 23 nights for the next 4 months, to represent you, this high school. That kind of commitment and effort deserves and demands your respect. This is your team."
3. Chariots of Fire A competitor in the 1924 Olympics took the unusual step of seeking a coach, considered vaguely unsporting in those days of the gentleman athlete. And the coach, Sam Mussabini (Ian Holm) was an unconventional choice. So overcome he cannot bear to watch the race, Mussabini sits in his hotel room. When the word comes in that his runner has won, he quietly punches out the crown of his straw hat. Quote: "A short sprint is run on nerves."
2. Stick It (and also see Bridges as a coach in Surf's Up) Jeff Bridges is so natural as the coach of girl gymnasts in "Stick It" and a surfing penguin in "Surf's Up" that if feels like he was born to play the perfect disciplinarian/mentor/source of inspiration. In the underrated "Stick It," his toughest challenge is a gifted athlete who quit gymnastics and is then sentenced to compete again to stay out of juvenile detention. He has to teach her to trust him before he can begin to coach her. Quote: "This isn't the real world. This is my world. You don't have to like me or like it here, but you do have to respect it."
1. The Heart of the Game Bill Resler is a tax law professor who agrees to coach a girls' high school basketball team in this spellbinding and documentary about the quintessentially American themes: race, gender, class, lawsuits, heart, skill, optimism, despair, setbacks, and triumph. Unforgettable. Quote: "Devour the moose!"
Halloween gives kids a thrilling opportunity to act out their dreams and pretend to be characters with great power. But it can also be scary and even overwhelming for the littlest trick-or-treaters. An introduction to the holiday with videos from trusted friends can help make them feel comfortable and excited about even the spookier aspects of the holiday.
Kids ages 3-5 will enjoy Barney's Halloween Party, with a visit to the pumpkin farm, some ideas for Halloween party games and for making Halloween decorations at home, and some safety tips for trick-or-treating at night. They will also get a kick out of Richard Scarry's The First Halloween Ever, which is Scarry, but not at all scary! Witches in Stitches, about witches who find it very funny when they turn their sister into a jack o'lantern. And speaking of jack o'lanterns, Spookley the Square Pumpkin is sort of the Rudolph of pumpkins. The round pumpkins make fun of him for being different until a big storm comes and his unusual shape turns out to have some benefits.
Kids from 7-11 will enjoy the classic It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and the silly fun of What's New Scooby-Doo, Vol. 3 - Halloween Boos and Clues. Try The Worst Witch and its sequel, about a young witch in training who keeps getting everything wrong. Kids will also enjoy Halloween Tree, an animated version of a story by science fiction author Ray Bradbury about four kids who are trying to save the life of their friend. Leonard Nimoy (Dr. Spock on the original "Star Trek") provides the voice of the mysterious resident of a haunted house, who explains the origins of Halloween and challenges them to think about how they can help their sick friend. The loyalty and courage of the kids is very touching.
Older children will appreciate The Witches, based on the popular book by Roald Dahl and Hocus Pocus, with children battling three witches played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. And of course there is the deliciously ghoulish double feature The Addams Family and Addams Family Values based on the cartoons by Charles Addams.
The Nightmare Before Christmas has gorgeous music from Danny Elfman and stunningly imaginative visuals from Tim Burton in a story about a Halloween character who wonders what it would be like to be part of a happy holiday like Christmas. And don't forget some old classics like "The Cat and the Canary" (a classic of horror/comedy) and the omnibus ghost story films "Dead of Night" (recommended by the New York Times' A.O. Scott), and "The House that Dripped Blood."
As I noted last week in my discussion of the recent outbreak of rudeness, courtesy is a neglected virtue, often dismissed as tangential or even hypocritical. But courtesy is sincere, based on a recognition of the dignity deserved by all people, and it is crucially important, requiring us to be sensitive to the feelings of others, and to show respect for them and for ourselves. Some movies teach us that being treated with courtesy can be a transforming experience, a lesson well worth family discussion. And this is particularly important because so many of today's movies seem to depict lack of courtesy as somehow brave, honest, or funny.
In "To Sir With Love," it is not being treated courteously by the teacher that changes the way the students think about themselves and each other as much as it is being required to change their behavior and treat each other with courtesy. In the delightful "Babe," our porcine hero becomes the greatest shepherd of all time by asking the sheep to move politely instead of nipping at their heels. "My Fair Lady" has one of the most famous exchanges on the subject of courtesy in all of literature, when Eliza explains that Colonel Pickering treats a flower girl like a duchess, and Professor Higgins treats a duchess like a flower girl. As Americans, we are inclined to agree when Higgins says that the great thing is to have one manner for all people, but we also agree with Eliza when she says she learned more from Pickering's courteous manners than from Higgins elocution lessons.
"To Kill a Mockingbird" is a movie that resonates on many levels and has much to teach us about many subjects. But I recommend watching it at least once with attention to its emphasis on courtesy, which serves as a beacon in the most troubled and unsettling circumstances.
Babe "This is a tale about an unprejudiced heart, and how it changed our valley forever." So begins this lovely story about a pig who lives his dream (and saves his life) by learning to herd sheep. Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell) wins the little pig at a fair. Back at his farm, Babe is adopted by Fly, the sheepdog, who treats him like one of her puppies. Babe learns the ways of the farm and the barnyard, and is very distressed to hear from Maa the sheep that she thinks Fly is cruel, and even more distressed to learn from Ferdinand the duck that humans eat animals. Hoggett enters Babe into competition at the fair, submitting him as the best sheepdog. At first, the sheep at the fair won't listen to Babe, but when Rex finds out the sheep password (by promising to be kind and respectful to sheep in the future), Babe uses it, along with his unique style of courteous friendliness, to manage the sheep so brilliantly that he wins the competition.
This movie is a delight for the eye, heart, and spirit. And it deals very well with many important issues. The movie is really a tale of two "unprejudiced hearts." And one of its themes is the importance of kindness--Hoggett's to Babe, Fly's to Babe, Babe's to the sheep, and ultimately Rex's to Babe, and how it transforms both the giver and the recipient.
My Fair Lady On a rainy night in Covent Garden, Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) meets Colonel Pickering (Wilfred Hyde-White), a fellow linguistics scholar, as he is correctly identifying accents of all those around him. Offhandedly commenting that in England people are defined by their accents, he says that he could even teach a poor Cockney flower girl to speak like a lady. The next day, the flower girl (Audrey Hepburn) comes to see him, to offer to pay Higgins for language lessons. She wants to be "a lady in a flower shop," and that requires a more bourgeois accent and manner. Higgins proposes to teach her to talk like a society lady and bets Pickering that he can pass her off. This musical was based on "Pygmalion," written in 1912 by George Bernard Shaw. In this era, and in this country, it is hard to imagine how genuinely revolutionary it was for Shaw to say that the only difference between the classes was accent and demeanor. It is worth discussing the way that language and accent defined people in this era, and asking children about the conclusions people draw from accents today.
This story has its parallels to Cinderella; it has its climax at a ball, which our heroine attends in borrowed finery. But Higgins and Pickering are far from fairy godfathers. Their interest is not in rewarding Eliza for a virtuous life; they want to show off their own achievement, and play something of a joke on high society. And Higgins is not a prince. In a way he reveals the princess inside of Eliza, though he never intended to, or even took the time to imagine it to be possible.
One of Shaw's most important insights in this story is of the role of courtesy, and the different characters' ideas of its importance provide an excellent opportunity for discussion. Pickering's treating Eliza like a lady has as much to do with her becoming one as all of the training about diction and appropriate topics for conversation. As she says, he treats a flower girl like a duchess. When she says that Higgins treats a duchess like a flower girl, Higgins says that "the great thing" is to treat everyone the same way. That may be, but Pickering is able to treat everyone (even Eliza at her Cockney-ist) with equal courtesy, instead of equal brusqueness. Mrs. Higgins is also courteous to everyone (with the exception of her son); her concern over having Eliza at Ascot is at least as much for Eliza's comfort as her own.
To Kill a Mockingbird The story is about prejudice and injustice, seen through the eyes of a little girl, the daughter of a lawyer who defends a black man against a trumped up rape charge in 1930s Georgia. The lawyer, Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), is the essence of quiet dignity, integrity, and courtesy. His efforts to teach his son and daughter the values he believes in, which the community they live in does not always honor, are moving and inspiring.
There is a great deal of emphasis in the movie on courtesy and sensitivity to the feelings of others. In the first scene, Atticus tells Scout not to embarrass a client named Walter Cunningham, when he comes by to drop off some food as payment for legal services. Later, when Scout brings Walter, Jr. home for lunch, she is told not to say anything when he pours syrup all over his food. Atticus treats mean old Mrs. Dubose with gallantry, disarming her. Atticus' courtesy in cross-examining Mayella Ewell is so unfamiliar to her that she assumes it is some new sort of insult. The black people in the courtroom balcony stand as a courtesy to Atticus. And Sheriff Heck Tate explains why the official record will show that Bob Ewell fell on his knife. He wants to protect Boo "with his shy ways" from the well-meaning gratitude (and curiosity) of the "good ladies" of the town.
To Sir, With Love Released the same year as "Up the Down Staircase" this is also the story of a new teacher in an inner-city school, although this time the city is London, and the teacher is Sidney Poitier. An outsider by virtue of his country (West Indies) more than his color, Poitier becomes impatient with the insolence and narrow-mindedness of his students and imposes his own set of rules, foremost of which is courtesy to him and to each other. At first, they are embarrassed and awkward, as though they don't want to believe that they could deserve such treatment. The other teachers make it quite clear that they don't think the students deserve it. But soon the exaggerated sarcasm of "Miss Dare" and "Sir" falls away, and we see a superb example of the transforming nature of being treated with -- and treating others with -- respect.
1. The Magic School Bus Oh, if only every school field trip could be as exciting and informative as the ones the indefatigable Miss Frizzle goes on with her students. From the farthest reaches of the solar system to the smallest cells of the human body, Miss Frizzle and her students take us with them.
2. Miss Nelson Has a Field Day Miss Nelson is a sweet-tempered soul, but when students do not behave, watch out! Miss Viola Swamp is the substitute teacher. Between them, they teach their students many very important lessons.
3. High School Musical Go Wildcats! Jocks and brainiacs find common ground in singing and dancing in these tuneful, irresistibly disarming instant classics from Disney.
4. Lucas Everyone -- yes everyone -- feels like an insecure outsider at some point in school. I like the way this film shows us from the beginning that while its main character may still be a caterpillar, we know he will be a butterfly long before he does. Great performances by all, including a young Charlie Sheen, and props to the film-makers for staying far away from easy stereotypes.
5. Mad Hot Ballroom A program to teach ballroom dancing to New York City 5th graders in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens sounds like the last thing in the world that would be interesting or relevant to today's 5th graders. But the beauty of this movie is the way that it shows that grace, dignity, elegance, and pride in mastering a skill are important, thrilling, and transformational.
Humanity's earliest stories were about heroes. I'm sure that the same people who created those breathtaking cave paintings up to 25 thousand years ago sat around the campfire telling stories of people who triumphed over charging sabertooth tigers or assaults...
Mary Shelley, daughter of two leading intellectuals and wife of a brilliant poet, was a teenager when she was challenged to write a ghost story and came up with one of the most enduring and often-filmed scary stories of all...
Ellen Leventry's list of post-1990 angels on movies and television got me thinking about some of my favorites from the old days. Hard to believe that performers from Jack Benny to Cary Grant to Donald Duck have taken on an...
The magazine of the country's largest organization of lawyers, the American Bar Associaton has published its list of the 25 all-time greatest legal television shows from enduring classics like "LA Law," "Law & Order," and "Perry Mason" to some quirkier...
My dear friend and fellow critic Tim Gordon always has something interesting to say about movies. I love to talk to him after screenings about what we've just seen and how it compares to some of our favorites (and least...
Salute the 40th anniversary of the Apollo moon mission with some moon-y movies (but my favorite is Monday's DVD pick of the week, so stay tuned). 1. Moonstruck Cher won an Oscar for her performance in one of the most...
My fellow Beliefnet blogger Susan Gregg, has a new post about her favorite angel characters in movies and a link to a Beliefnet gallery about angels in movies and television in the past 20 years. These are all good choices...
As I was watching Year One, I thought about why the Michael Cera/Jack Black teaming does not work very well. They are both very funny guys, and they have that yin/yang element that propels most comedy teams, with one expansive...
My gallery of great movie dads and list of daddy-daughter movies include wonderful films for families to watch together and talk about the great fathers in their own families. Some of the best dads on film appear on television, which...
I believe that happiness is a choice, and one that requires courage and honesty. And I believe that happiness is a moral choice. We spend so much time thinking that we would be happy if we only had this or...
In honor of Eddie Murphy's new release, "Imagine That," Father's Day, and the two best dads I know, my own dear father and my darling husband, here's a list of great movie dads and daughters. 1. A Little Princess I...
A thoughtful commenter named Richard S. Webster added some superb suggestions to the list I published last year for Memorial Day, and I wanted to post them for families to have as they salute the courage and sacrifice of our...
Reposting from 2008: In honor of Memorial Day, take a break from picnics and sales and share one of these great films about American soldiers, sailors, and Marines. And be sure to take time thank the military and veterans in...
My friend Tim Gordon salutes five of of the all-time great movie mothers on his blog, FilmGordon. I was especially glad to see that he mentioned "Claudine," a neglected gem that is very dear to my heart. I love that...
Re-posting from 2008--Happy Mother's Day to all mothers and children! Here are 10 great movie mothers every family should enjoy. Many were based on real-life mothers, with stories and screenplays in some cases written by their grateful families. And don't...
As President Obama thinks about his selection to replace Supreme Court Justice David Souter, it is a good time to take a look at some memorable movie judges. 1. Anatomy of a Murder Real-life lawyer -- and real-life American hero...
Jezebel has a marvelous list of 90's teen movies and the lessons we learn from them and it includes some of my favorite guilty pleasures like The Craft, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead, and Can't Hardly Wait. An alert...
Douglas Howe has a great list of rain scenes in movies over on Idol Chatter, including two of my favorites, "Singin' in the Rain" with Gene Kelly and "Say Anything" with John Cusack. Cusack for some reason is always getting...
It's Shakespeare's birthday! Try to talk like Shakespeare. Or check out Turner Classic Movie Channel's list of their favorite Shakespeare adaptations. Can you name three movies inspired by Shakespeare set in high school? Two that became Broadway musicals? Or one...
In addition to last year's recommended Earth Day movies, take a look at these gorgeous documentaries about the creatures with whom we share this great planet: 1. March of the Penguins This worldwide sensation takes us to Antarctica, where these...
The New York Times interviewed me for its "Corner Office" section and asked me for a list of my favorite movies about corporate governance. "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" (2005). Must viewing for an almost operatic rise-and-fall story...
This week's release of "17 Again," starring Zac Efron and Matthew Perry, about a middle-aged man who finds himself turned back into a teenager, reminded me of some of my favorite "body-switching" movies. 1. Freaky Friday Both feature film versions...
Reposting -- Hag Sameach! Passover is not just about remembering the story of the Exodus from Egypt. It is about telling the story. Thousands of years before people talked about "learning styles," the Seder included many different ways of telling...
For Women's History Month, try some of these feature films about women of extraordinary courage, intelligence, determination, and achievement. 1. Erin Brockovich Julia Roberts won an Oscar for this story about a clerk in a law firm who helped win...
Movies have enormous power to inspire us and some of their best lines stay with us long after we leave the theater. Here are some of the lines that always make me try a little harder, risk a little more,...
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Here are five great movies from or set in Ireland to enjoy: 1. The Quiet Man John Wayne plays American Sean Thornton (John Wayne), who returns to in Innisfree, the small, beautiful Irish village where he...
I've already provided some of my favorite comfort movies, one from Cinematical, and a list from Idol Chatter's Kris Rasmussen. Want some more ideas? Take a look at this list of comfort movies from Betsy Sharkey of the LA Times....
Entertainment Weekly has a list of 12 memorable cinematic portrayals of Jesus. After centuries of telling the story of Jesus in paintings, sculpture, and theater, the 20th century provided an opportunity to show him on screen and this list includes...
Today we send birthday greetings to one of Hollywood's all-time most enduring and alluring stars, Elizabeth Taylor. Here are some of my favorite Taylor movies for family viewing: 1. Lassie Come Home Taylor co-stars with Roddy McDowall and cinema's most...
Every family should observe Black History Month and movies like these are a good way to begin discussions and further study. 1. Glory The true story of the US Civil War's first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of their own...
The National Review has updated its 1994 list of the top conservative movies with selections from the best conservative movies of the past 25 years, including films like The Incredibles, 300, Forrest Gump, and Braveheart. As with their last list,...
On Idol Chatter, Kris Rasmussen has come up with a two-part list of haunting moments in movies that is well worth exploring and every one of the films and those added by the commenters is a worthy addition to your...
As a tribute to Hotel for Dogs, Yahoo Movies has assembled their list of the greatest movie dogs (and one Dogg). Check out this wonderful compilation of movie pooches from the silent era to the present. Probably the most comprehensive...
Today we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King and every family should take time to talk about this great American leader and hero of the Civil Rights Movement. There are outstanding films for all ages. Every family should watch...
Esther Kustanowitz posted her list of the top 10 Jewish movie characters on Idol Chatter. Some are a bit of a stretch -- Obi-Wan Kenobi? Melanie Griffith in "A Stranger Among Us?" Aside from the fact that she is only...
My gallery about the best movies to watch when you're in bed with the sniffles or flu has been posted. The right movies can help you pass the time until you feel better. They can even help you recover faster,...
Den of Geek has made a list of the best movie special effects shots of all time -- and the worst. Special effects go back to the very beginning of film. The first great genius of special effects was George...
When Harry Met Sally... is a sweet, funny love story starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal as two people who took a very long time to realize they were meant for each other. A series of New Year's Eves punctuate...
Top Ten 2008 1. Frost/Nixon 2. Rachel Getting Married 3. Milk 4. Wall∙E 5. I've Loved You So Long 6. The Visitor 7. Be Kind Rewind 8. Doubt 9. Iron Man 10. Son of Rambow Slumdog Millionaire, Shine a Light,...
Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol is my favorite Christmas story and I love it in just about any of its movie incarnations. "Bah, humbugs" have been muttered by Scrooges played by top-notch dramatic actors like George C. Scott and Albert...
Reprising from 2007: I love It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, and A Christmas Story as much as anyone. I love the bittersweet struggles of George Bailey and never get tired of seeing him try to resist falling in love...
Sometimes it seems that every movie family is dysfunctional. That is because it is much easier to create drama -- and comedy -- from failures of communication and absence of support. But the movies have also given us some wonderfully...
Christian Toto's participation in the movie blog alphabet soup meme started by blogcabins inspired me to create my own alphabetical list of movie titles. My theme is "the second 200" -- these are movies that may not be in my...
Kris Rasmussen's comfort movie list from Idol Chatter is filled with great choices, including You've Got Mail (and don't miss the two earlier versions, The Shop Around the Corner with Jimmy Stewart and In the Good Old Summertime with Judy...
Thanks very much to blogs.com for asking me for my list of the best blogs about children's entertainment. Please check them out, especially Elizabeth's Children's Books Blog, Kids Music that Rocks, Zooglobble (where I found this adorable clip), and, for...
We just looked at long movie titles, so let's take a look at short ones. The release of "W" inspired NPR's Bob Mondello to ask whether you could put together an entire alphabet of movies with one-letter titles. Of course...
Deletionpedia is a site that scoops up all the articles considered unworthy of being included in Wikipedia because they are not important or not documented or just silly. What a magnificent concept! One example is the list of movies with...
In honor of one of the most exciting elections in American history, here is a list of ten classic documentaries about elections and politics. 1. Primary This pioneering political documentary from Robert Drew, the first in a trilogy, shows candidate...
Idol Chatter has a great post with a list of the best movies about putting your faith in love (and cry in the process). I don't agree with all of the choices -- I find "The Other Sister" and "Stepmom"...
In honor of the upcoming election, a bi-partisan listing of classic movies featuring those two symbols of the political parties, the elephant and the donkey, with a tip of the hat to cartoonist Thomas Nast, who first assigned those animals...
Arrrrrrrrrrr! Avast me hearties, it be Talk Like a Pirate Day! If you have not read the classic Dave Barry tribute to this most wonderfully silly of holidays, you are in for a treat. And what better way to celebrate...
Scott Weinberg of Cinematical is recovering from oral surgery, which is of course the perfect time to watch some "comfort movies." I often say that movies should be rated on two scales -- good to bad, of course (and we...
Loyal reader jestrfyl left a provocative comment about my post on the 1939 and 2008 versions of "The Women." He's a skeptic about all-star casts. He writes: There is no Constellation that is made of all first magnitude stars, and...
In honor of the first day of school, I am following my my lists of great movie high school teachers and great movie college professors with a look at some of my favorite movie teachers in elementary and middle school....
In honor of the new Republican nominee for Vice-President, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, here's a list of movies that take place in Alaska: 1. North to Alaska This easy-going comic "Northern" (that's a western set up north) stars John Wayne...
Just in time for the political conventions, NPR lists the best political movies. Bob Mondello divides them into three categories: manipulating the media, manipulating the candidate, and manipulating the process. Well, if someone isn't manipulating something, there's no need for...
Inspired by "Tropic Thunder," Keith Demko of Reel Fanatic created a superb list from one of my favorite categories: movies about making movies. On his list: critic-turned-director Francois Truffaut's bittersweet Day for Night, the trenchant satire Living in Oblivion, the...
Authors and consultants Kathlyn and Gay Hendricks (Conscious Loving, Attracting Genuine Love, Five Wishes, and The Corporate Mystic) teach seminars in conscious relationships and "bodymind vibrance." They have complied a list of their top relationship movies, movies that combine "artistic...
10. The Heart of the Game A dedicated girls' basketball coach and a talented player with some daunting challenges make this an unforgettable story. 9. 16 Days of Glory Bud Greenspan's documentary series about the Olympics give you a front-row...
The magazine published by the American Bar Association has assembled a list of the 25 best movies about the law, with another 25 on the list of runners-up. I am a lawyer from a family of lawyers and we all...
Nametapes ironed on? Bugspray and sunscreen packed? As kids depart for camp, it is fun to watch some classic movies about the joys and terrors of life among the bunk beds and color wars. 1. Meatballs Bill Murray was the...
Beliefnet's Paul Asay has put together a gallery list of movies about the apocalypse or the end of the world. Some are better as movies than others -- I thought "The Day After Tomorrow" was pretty poor. Some deal with...
Check out my Gallery of 10 of my all-time favorite movie dads. And check out Idol Chatter's list of the best TV dads. I love all the fathers on all the list and in the comments, especially Andy Griffith. I...
In honor of M. Night Shyamalan's new movie The Happening, Entertainment Weekly has prepared a list of the all-time best movies with twist endings. Don't worry -- the twists will not be revealed unless you ask for them. It's a...
The American Film Institute will be announcing the top movies in ten categories: Animated, Fantasy, Gangster, Sci-Fi, Western, Sports, Mystery, Romantic Comedy, Courtroom Drama and Epic Films. If you can guess #1 in each category, you can win $1000 in...
Computers can sometimes be full characters in movies -- they play an important part in stories of all kinds -- adventure, science-fiction, even romance. The one thing movie portrayals of computers seldom are is accurate and people who actually work...
Beliefnet's delightful Our Lady of Weight Loss is having a contest -- tell her your favorite food scene in a movie and you could win a copy of her book! Take a look and see if you can write a...
Movie maven Glenn Kenny has put together a list of the 25 top animated films for Moviefone. Lots of Disney classics, of course, like "Lady and the Tramp," "Dumbo," "Fantasia," "Cinderella," "Snow White," "Little Mermaid," and "Beauty and the Beast."...
As promised, here is my follow-up to the list of great movie professors, great movie high school teachers. Another list of grade school teachers is in the works so stay tuned. 10. Dead Poets Society Robin Williams inspires his students...
Jimmy Stewart, number 3 on the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 male movie stars of all time, was born 100 years ago today in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The Oscar he won for The Philadelphia Story was on display...
Celebrate Earth Day with some of these great films about our planet, its beauties and its challenges: 1. An Inconvenient Truth Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary makes a powerful case for the dire effects of climate change -- and an even...
Tim Ryan of Rotten Tomatoes picks the 20 greatest movie fights of all time, and as you can imagine, it has prompted some impassioned arguments, you might even say fights, in the comments. I love its scope -- it even...
Ann Hornaday's excellent Washington Post essay on college professors in movies included some of my favorites. I especially liked the comments from first-time screenwriter Mark Jude Poirier, the son of a college professor, who has spent time teaching himself. His...
Happy Spring! Celebrate with these wonderful films, all with "April" in the title: 1. Enchanted April Four women in post-WWI London get away from winter chill when they take a villa in Italy. All of their lives are transformed through...
My friend Hoppy Gillmore of Fargo's Froggy 99.9 has posted his list of the all-time best baseball movies, one for each inning. Here's his list, with some comments from me in italics. 9. The Bad News Bears Anyone who played...
When people think of the future we often -- influenced by sci-fi movies -- picture silvery jumpsuits, rayguns, and flying cars. Very often, the movies project the extremes of Utopian or distopian civilizations. But sometimes the movies get it right....
Rotten Tomatoes has a new list of movies that feature God. Not long ago, Beliefnet had its own list of memorable portrayals of God in the movies and television. I contributed a brief commentary on one of my favorites, Howie...
In honor of this week's release of "Horton Hears a Who," the best movie for the family in a long time, Entertainment Weekly has put together a list of the 20 all-time best movies for kids. These are not movies...
Why have there been no great films about George Washington? And why are there so many films featuring Abraham Lincoln? From the John Ford classic Young Mr. Lincoln, starring Henry Fonda, to Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, there is...
Mental Floss has a very intriguing list of 8 movie metaphors worth puzzling over. Yes, there's the knight playing chess with Death in "The Seventh Seal" in the intro, but the list also has some unexpected and thought-provoking items, including...
The movies have given us many memorable romantic teams, including Tracy and Hepburn, Bogart and Bacall, and of course the most adorable of all, Mickey and Minnie. In Mickey & Minnie's Sweetheart Stories, “Mickey’s Rival” provides an opportunity to...
My favorite movies this year, all pretty much tied for first place: The Namesake Charlie Wilson's War Atonement Gone Baby Gone Into the Wild No Country for Old Men Juno Once No End in Sight Lars and the Real Girl...
This was a very good year for family movies. Here are the best: Bridge to Terabithia Golden Compass Surf’s Up Enchanted Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hairspray Transformers Stardust The Water-Horse Ratatouille Runners-up: Bratz The Last Mimzy...
Some great lists from around the web: Cinematical's Seven Stupid Things Last Men on Earth Do (Hint: don't get too attached to one pet and do try to get out more) Entertainment Weekly's 25 Best Movie Musicals -- just in...
Gift ideas for the whole family: For the preschooler-2nd grader Scholastic's Treasury of 100 Storybook Classics is my very favorite DVD series ever for 3-8 year olds, with the very best in children's books. The visuals, narration, and musical accompaniment...
When all the world is caught up in Christmas, it can help to have some DVDs on hand to explain that some people celebrate a different holiday at this time of year, especially when the stories and songs are...
In honor of the release of the Coen brothers' "No Country for Old Men," Entertainment Weekly created a list of the greatest hired killer characters in movies. As with all lists, it's a conversation-starter, not ender. Some good choices, of...
Movies that make you cry (or sob or blubber uncontrollably) Desson Thomson has a wonderful piece in the Washington Post about movies that make us cry, and a list of some examples sent in by readers. The usual suspects...
Movie Mom's Archives
Movie Mom's full archives of more than 1,400 reviews (including her 200 best films for families) and 400 blog posts is now on Beliefnet for searching.