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5 Movie Moms we love and 5 We Fear for Mother’s Day!

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Last week shared some amazing ways to show Mom just how much you love her and one our suggestions was to spend time with her doing something she loves.  If your mom is a movie lover then make some popcorn and pick out a movie where “mom” has a starring role! Movies have the most spectacular array of “Mom” characters. They can be warm and nurturing like Ellen Griswold, a tough provider like Erin Brockovich or downright scary like Mommie Dearest. You probably have a few in mind yourself, but just in case, we’ve picked out some of our favorites!

Movie moms we love:

The Blind Side – Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock)

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Leigh Anne doesn’t think twice about making room in her heart for homeless student and football player, Michael. Her warmth and guidance gives him just the boost he needs to become a star on the field and a better man off it.  Three cheers for Leigh Anne, and this movie! 

Mamma Mia – Donna Sheridan Carmichael (Meryl Streep)

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What’s not to love about Donna? Her cheerful attitude and strong bond with her daughter Sophie is endearing. You can’t help but ride the emotional roller coaster with both mom and daughter as they explore their relationship with each other through all the great Abba songs. Meryl Streep and Abba – what a great combo for Mother’s Day!

The Grapes of Wrath – Ma Joad (Jane Darwell)

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She’s the backbone of the family keeping it together through adversity. She’s feisty, strong, and has a heart as big as the plains. It’s no wonder that Tom exhibits his mother’s strength and resolve, earning respect from just about everyone who knows him. A classic movie from the 1940’s, this is a mom and a movie worth watching today, 

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand)

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Hard-as-nails, that’s how we describe Mildred who bravely takes on the police in her town to find her daughter’s killer. Driven by her grief throughout the movie, her personal and parenting imperfections are glaring.  However it’s because of these imperfections that we easily forgive her and hope for closure for this prickly mom.

Life is Sweet – Wendy (Alison Steadman)

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Billed as a tragicomedy, the mom in this film is the comedy while her family and friends make up the tragedy. Everyone in this film is undergoing a personal crisis except mom, who manages to support each one, while laughing after every sentence. It may seem insensitive at times but it’s her kind way of dealing with the accumulating difficulties her family and friends throw at her. You’ll root for mom while she roots for everyone else! 

Movie moms we fear:

I Tonya – LaVona (Allison Janney)

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Poor Tonya Harding!  She dodges a knife attack and has to fend off beatings by a mother who also happens to sip a thermos full of coffee and brandy throughout the day. There won’t be any Mother’s Day awards given out for that behavior, although an Oscar was awarded for Janney’s portrayal of Tonya’s mother.

Precious – Mary (Monique Angela Hicks)

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Not only is Claireece “Precious” Jones illiterate, but she winds up pregnant twice by her own father while her narcissistic and abusive mother Mary turns a blind eye.  Mary is an oppressive and evil character in her daughters life ultimately blaming Precious for “stealing her man”. Once Precious gains control of her life with some outside help she starts to blossom but not until she is far, far away from Mary.

Psycho – Norma Bates

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You know you’ve got mommy issues when you kill your mother, steal her corpse and mummify it in your fruit cellar.   Norman Bates was raised by a cruel mom and when his personality splits after her murder he becomes his “Mother” in all of her evil glory.  

Grifters – Lilly Dillon (Anjelica Huston)

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The cold and calculating mother in this movie is Lilly who saves her son (John Cusack), who is only slightly less cold and calculating, only to take his life later in the movie to save her own. Oh, and that was after she killed his girlfriend, went to steal all his money, and tried to seduce him!   

Manchurian Candidate – Eleanor Iselin (Angela Landsbury)

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If you ever saw Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts and Jessica Fletcher, watching her as Eleanor Iselin may cause some cognitive dissonance. She is frightening and powerful and has the ultimate control over her son John as she grooms him to become an assassin of all things! Definitely not what is meant by the term “Power Mom”.

Don’t forget Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 12th!  It’s never too late to get her something amazing, or let her choose her own fabulous something with a Gift Card!

Deb Fries is a freelance designer and writer and has worked with Julianna Rae in graphics and customer service, she now writes lifestyle pieces for the blog at http://www.juliannarae.com/blog.