7 Movies for Mom

With Mother’s Day around the corner it makes me think of how I love spending my special day with my children. We usually visit church that Sunday morning, have lunch with my mom and then either go out to the local theater to see a new film or snuggle up on the couch at home and watch one of our favorites.

Here are 7 of my favorite mom movies {in no particular order}:

The Perfect Man

From the time my daughter and I started watching movies together she was a Hilary Duff fan.  From A Cinderella Story and Cadet Kelly to Lizzie McGuire.  The Perfect Man hit home for us since it is about a single mom raising her two beautiful daughters in a crazy, busy world.  For many years I was a single mom and it was just the three of us.  Hilary Duff’s role reminded me of my daughter back then, always dreaming of the day her mom would get married.

 

Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear and Chris Noth star in this hilarious yet heartwarming comedy about mothers, daughters and the outrageous lengths people will go to for love. Holly Hamilton (Duff) is on a mission to find her single mom (Locklear) a perfect man….Even if she has to make that man up! Without other options, she creates an imaginary secret admirer based on a charming restaurateur (Noth). But this scheme keeps Holly on her toes more than it actually sweeps her mother off her feet. One crazy mishap after another leads the two of them to discover that sometimes what you’re looking for is already right in front of you.

Because I Said So 

What I love most about my oldest daughter is her leadership skills and her desire to save the world.  She dreams of going on mission trips to other countries and traveling far after college.  She has big goals and no thoughts of settling down and getting married.  She hasn’t even decided if she ever wants kids.  So when it comes to the movie, Because I Said So, I can see myself in the character played by Diane Keaton.  Begging her to get married and give me grand-babies one day.

Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton stars with Mandy Moore, Lauren Graham and Piper Perabo in this heartwarming comedy about mothers, daughters and cutting the apron strings. When it comes to her three free-spirited daughters, Daphne (Keaton) is just your normal overprotective, overbearing, over-the-top mother. Worried that her youngest daughter, Millie (Moore), will end up alone, Daphne meddles in her daughter’s love life until she ends up doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons…and all in the name of motherly love.

 Mom’s Night Out

This movie is a more recent one.  Even though it is a little far-fetched, it is still pretty comical.  Our entire family enjoyed watching it together.  I think all mothers can relate to the stress of everyday life and trying to get it all done.  We can also relate to the idea of needing a break and a night out with the ladies.  This quirky movie demonstrates the need to sometimes just let go and have faith.  It shows moms that it is not only okay but totally normal to ask for help and that even the most put together and well dressed moms struggle.

All Allyson and her friends want is a peaceful, grown-up evening of dinner and conversation… a long-needed moms’ night out. But in order to enjoy high heels, adult conversation and food not served in a paper bag, they need their husbands to watch the kids for three hours—what could go wrong?

Eat Pray Love

This movie speaks to me in the sense that I love to travel and experience other cultures.  My oldest daughter and I took a trip with my mother for two weeks around Europe.  We visited Greece, Italy and Croatia.  I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything.  When all of my kids are gone off to college I plan to spend months abroad.  I have instilled those same goals – experiencing the world – in my children.  Sometimes we feel the need to go out and find ourselves again, that’s what the character played by Julia Roberts did in this film.

Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) is a modern woman on a quest to marvel at and travel the world while rediscovering and reconnecting with her true inner self in Eat Pray Love. At a crossroads after a divorce, Gilbert takes a year-long sabbatical from her job and steps uncharacteristically out of her comfort zone, risking everything to change her life. In her wondrous and exotic travels, she experiences the simple pleasure of nourishment by eating in Italy; the power of prayer in India, and, finally and unexpectedly, the inner peace and balance of love in Bali. Based on an inspiring true story, Eat Pray Love proves that there really is more than one way to let yourself go and see the world.

 The Wedding Planner

My daughter and I have always enjoyed watching films with Jennifer Lopez in them.  The Wedding Planner is another old favorite.  Maybe we enjoy this one because it is another sweet love story or maybe because it shows all the glamorous wedding planning in action.  In this film, the character played by Jennifer Lopez no longer has a living mother.  Since she has dreamed of her own wedding her entire life she works around the clock to make the big day of other brides perfectly special.

Mary Fiore (Jennifer Lopez) is the wedding planner. She’s ambitious, hard-working, extremely organized, and she knows exactly what to do and say to make any wedding a spectacular event. But, when Mary falls (literally) for a handsome doctor, (Matthew McConaughey), her busy yet uncomplicated life is turned upside down – he’s the groom in the biggest wedding of her career! Will she help him walk down the aisle with his internet tycoon girlfriend (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras), or will Mary finally get to be the bride, herself? As this sweet romantic comedy proves, when it comes to love, you can never plan what’s going to happen.

 Monster In Law

Another Jennifer Lopez film… and another wedding flick.  This movie is hands-down hilarious.  The lengths this mother goes to keep her son all to herself is crazy.  My teen and I joke about me acting like the character played by Jane Fonda when my son grows up and decides to get married.  No woman will ever be good enough… If anything this movie is a great lesson on what not to do as a mom.

 

The love life of Charlotte is reduced to an endless string of disastrous blind dates, until she meets the perfect man, Kevin. Unfortunately, his merciless mother will do anything to destroy their relationship.

 The Blind Side

Last but not least.  This is my all time favorite movie.  Not only is it inspiring, it is also based on a true story which makes it even more touching.  One day I hope to be a foster mom. It is one thing that is still on my Life List.  I love mentoring teens and want to be able to provide a home to a child in need.  Last year our family had a foreign-exchange student live with us for a year and I hope we touched her life in as many ways as she touched ours.  This film is my number one recommendation for a Mother’s Day feel good watch.

The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

How do you celebrate Mother’s Day?  What is your all-time favorite film to watch with your mom or with your children?

For more ideas for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Teacher Appreciation Day, visit a few of my favorite bloggers.

• Father’s Day Books for Preschoolers by In Our Spare Time
• DIY Mother’s Day Movie Night Gift Basket by Mom Does it All
• Must Have Movies for Young Adult Men by Day by Day in Our World
• Spectacular Mother’s Day Gifts for Writers by Pretty Opinionated
• 6 Beautiful Baby Books for New Moms by Our Family World
• Mother/Daughter Movies for Teens & Moms by My Kids Guide
• Five Mother’s Journals That Mom Will Actually Use by The Guavalicious Life