I was writing out my Mother’s Day card, and suddenly I was thinking back to Mother’s Day 2004. That year, I took mom to see Kill Bill: Vol. 2 at the movie theater. She loved it (she had already seen and enjoyed Vol. 1). My mother’s taste in movies is probably not typical for a lady her age–she has adventurous taste. Although it might seem like an odd choice for the holiday (murder, revenge, kungfu), one of Kill Bill‘s major themes (especially in Vol. 2 is motherhood.
That got me thinking more generally about motherhood as a cinematic theme. There are the long-suffering mothers of weepy, maternal melodramas (Stella Dallas (1937), That Certain Woman (1937)); the monstrously bad mothers of horror cinema (Psycho (1960), Carrie (1976)); the ass-kicking maternal figures (Aliens (1986), Terminator 2 (1991) and of course Kill Bill (2003/4)). Certainly there are more types than this, but I mention these to illustrate variety. Below are my suggestions for holiday appropriate films that may or may not also be appropriate to watch with your mom. YMMV (Your Mileage Moms May Vary).
Serial Mom (1994)
Perhaps John Waters’ most mainstream/accessible movie, Serial Mom stars Kathleen Turner as the titular murderous mama. A send-up of suburban social mores and our culture’s tendency to treat mass murderers like celebrities, Serial Mom fires on all cylinders thanks largely to Turner’s bravado performance as Beverly Sutphin. The supporting cast includes Traci Lords and Patty Hearst. The soundtrack boasts a Barry Manilow song and L7 rocking out in disguise. Violent, vulgar and hysterical. Estimated Mom Appropriateness: 3/10
Mamma Roma (1962)
Another example of what is likely a director’s most accessible film, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Mamma Roma is the story of a prostitute trying to turn her life around. She reconnects with her son, but her past will not stay in the past. Anchored by Anna Magnani’s superb performance, the film’s most captivating sequences are long, unbroken takes of Mamma Roma strolling the streets of Rome at night, kibitzing with neighborhood folk. Estimated Mom Appropriateness: 7/10
All About My Mother (1999) / Volver (2006)
Okay, I’m cheating a bit here, but if any director deserves to have two films in this post, it’s Pedro Almodóvar. His treatment of motherhood and the mother/child relationship is refreshingly honest, funny and sad, melodramatic without being utterly trite and manipulative. These films are deeply felt and understood, the emotional impact of each staying with the viewer long after the credits have rolled. These two films are easily Almodóvar’s most personal. Estimated Mom Appropriateness: 4/10 / 7/10
Die, Mommie, Die! (2003)
Charles Busch’s parody of lady-centric melodramas of yesteryear is the perfect flick to giggle through on Mother’s Day! Save the Douglas Sirk movies for a rainy day, and watch this hilarious, winking love letter to Old Hollywood instead. Estimated Mom Appropriateness: 4/10
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
Chantal Akerman’s structuralist/experimental feminist masterwork gives an unparalleled focus and space to the domestic work of a mother. Akerman focuses on mundane, everyday activities, drawing us into Jeanne’s inner world, yet we are held at a distance by Delphine Seyrig’s largely opaque performance. So important are the details that we (must) read volumes into the smallest gestures: a facial tic, a sweeping glance, the drop of a utensil. Be sure to set aside the entire afternoon to take this one in–it’s nearly four hours long but well worth the time. I recommend doing a bit of research and reading before viewing–it will enrich the experience greatly. Estimated Mom Appropriateness: 4/10