Wonder

Auggie has facial deformities. The movie begins as he’s about to enter into public school for the first time. He’s faced with bullies, friendlessness, and the sadness that comes from being different. The moral of the movie is that no matter how different you are, you can still be a wonder. Everyone is different, and those differences should be accepted and celebrated. Auggie’s positive attitude allows him to persevere. And his mom, played by Julia Roberts, is one of the main reasons Auggie was prepared to face the world. The scene where Auggie walks past his mom with his newly made friend like it’s no big deal…every parent that has ever worried about their kid’s feelings will know exactly how she’s feeling when she almost tears up!

*Not only is this viewable by all ages…all ages SHOULD watch it for its message.

Incredibles

Elastigirl is a tough superhero that takes time to discipline her kids and make them eat their vegetables. When her husband gets in trouble with a supervillain? She rushes off to save the day.Talk about girl power!

*This one can be enjoyed over and over by all ages.

Mermaids

Cher and Wynona Ryder play a mother and daughter in the 60’s. Wynona wants to be nothing like her unconventional mom. But, after making some life changing decisions of her own (that involve a scene that probably shouldn’t be viewed by younger audiences), she finds out that she is more like her mom than she’d care to admit.It’s a bittersweet and complex mother-daughter relationship…because for much of the movie, Cher isn’t a great mom. But, she improves.

*Older kids

Mother's Day

This is a cool movie with an ensemble cast. The movie follows a number of families as Mother’s Day approaches. Each family is different, with different mother relationships ranging from a new moms and a mom with grown kids who disagrees with her daughters’ decisions to a single father whose wife passed away a year earlier and a divorcee who is struggling with the fact her kids have a new stepmom. It’s interesting to see how each deal’s with Mother’s Day in their as it relates to their situations.

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*Most ages

Stepmom

Susan Sarandon doesn’t like that her ex-husband, Ed Harris has moved on and re-married Julia Roberts. Sarandon especially doesn’t like that Roberts wants to bond with her children, as she feels this younger, cooler mom is trying to replace her. She goes out of her way to make life difficult for Roberts as the stepmom. Roberts doubles down and tries twice as hard to get the kids to like her. Tragedy, unfortunately, has to happen for these two to come to terms with one another and see that neither is so bad. So…you know, tearjerker alert.

*Older kids

Brave

One overbearing mom that expects her daughter to be something she doesn’t want to be plus one daughter who is rebellious and refuses to become what her mom wants. That’s normally a recipe for disaster that ends in a bad relationship between mom and daughter. But, with Disney’s Pixar, that disaster turns out to be funny as mom gets turned into a BEAR! Hilarity ensues and life lessons are learned.

*All Ages

Steel Magnolias

This is a great movie about the bonds of mother and daughter as well as the bonds of friendship. Much more about this movie would count as spoilers…and if you don’t already know, you shouldn’t know before watching. But, as for a mother’s day movie, Sally Field and Julia Roberts’ mother/daughter relationship in this movie is really cute and fun to watch. And, Sally Field’s pure love for her daughter can be seen and experienced while watching those not to be talked about spoiler moments. Plus, Tom Skerritt is hilarious in this movie as Julia’s dad. Again…tearjerker alert! I’m starting to see a theme in these Mother’s Day movies…

And, with that being number Julia’s 4th movie on this list, she takes the record for being in the most movies perfect for Mother’s Day.

*Most ages could watch this, but younger audiences will likely be bored and uninterested.

Dumbo

Little Dumbo with the giant ears is made fun of virtually from birth. Later, he discovers that his differences make him special and learns to celebrate those differences. But, before he gets to that point, when people are making fun of him? His mom goes wild in his defense and gets locked up for her outbreak in one of Disney’s saddest scenes ever.

*All ages.

Room

So, a girl is taken captive by a sicko and kept in an inescapable room…for years. She has a child while in this captivity. Since she can’t leave, neither can the child. So, this room is the whole world to the boy. Depressing, right? Well, yeah, it is. But, the mom does everything in her power to keep the boy happy, entertained, safe, and as normal as possible in such an abnormal reality. That ol’ “Mama Bear” motif kicks in again!

*Based on content, this isn’t for younger viewers.

Troop Beverly Hills

“Mama Bear” strikes again. But this time, there’s no sadness.Whew! Shelley Long is at her snobby best and completely out of touch with anything other than being rich. Her daughter’s a girl scout. As Shelley is going through a divorce, she decides to deepen her connection with her daughter by going completely into unfamiliar territory and becoming her daughter’s den leader.  Shelley’s comfort level does not include camping!

*All ages.

Freaky Friday

A magic spell makes a mom and daughter, who do NOT get along, switch bodies. Ever heard the expression, “If you could walk a mile in my shoes”? That’s what happens here. As the daughter experiences the mom’s life from her perspective and the mom experiences the daughters, a mutual understanding helps repair their relationship.

*All ages

Terminator 2...

OK…Sarah Connor is the toughest mom on this list, hands down. And she goes beyond tough, she tries VERY hard to be a great mom. Everything she does, she does for her son. Guns, bombs, if it can help her son, John, be more prepared for his future battling the terminator robots, she learns it and teaches him. Talk about “Mama Bear”!

*Most ages…there are some violent scenes.

Home Alone

Let’s go ahead and put it out on the table. This mom leaves her kid at home…alone. And, she does it more than once! (There is a sequel after all.)So, while you’re thinking “she can’t be a great mom”, you’d be wrong. The movie shows a really plausible way that Kevin was mistakenly left at home by himself (both times). But, once she knew? Absolutely NOTHING could keep this Mama Bear from getting home to her baby!

*All ages.

Terms of Endearment

This movie is the ultimate mother-daughter bonding movie. Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger are polar opposites in this movie and often don’t get along, but their bond is so great that, no matter what, they’re always there for each other. “Mama Bear” moment? When Shirley MacLaine is demanding the medicine for her daughter.

*Teens

Poltergeist

So your daughter gets taken by ghosts into the TV…what the heck can you do? Well the mom in this movie ties herself to a rope anchored in this world and jumps into the TV to save her daughter, saying the daughter will only come to her mom.Talk about “Mama Bear”!

*Older kids.