A person who does not love their mother is a person I almost always do not trust. Call me a momma’s boy all you want, I take it as a compliment. At the same time, some moms can be crazy personalities yet also unforgettable. In honor of Mother’s Day, these are my Top 10 Mom’s in Movie history.
10. Philomena Lee (“Philomena”):
A great mother will never let a child go no matter how many years pass. Based on a true story, director Stephen Frears’s “Philomena” chronicles the tragic story of a young girl becoming pregnant and having her child ripped away and then being forced to live in a convent. Many years later with a world of guilt weighing on her, the elder Philomena (Judi Dench) is determined to find her lost child. She turns to a burned out journalist (Steve Coogan) who thinks this is a waste of time fluff piece story. Turns out it was the humanistic piece needed to re-direct his career by connecting a mother with the son that she lost.
9. Elastigirl (“The Incredibles”):
Pixar’s breakout animated superhero hit “The Incredibles” is beloved to this day. A fun family of undercover superheroes led by the seemingly unstoppable Mr. Incredible save lives while also adjusting to suburban life. What keeps the family afloat when ‘Supers’ are forced into hiding is Elastigirl. Voiced by Holly Hunter, the female Stretch Armstrong replica is the center of the crew while fighting villains and also at home. She is the calming force in the suburban world for Mr. Incredible and the ultimate protector of her up-and-coming gifted children. If you want to mess with the “Incredibles” family, you will have to go through Elastigirl. Good luck.
8. Estelle Getty (“Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot”):
This is by far the dumbest movie on this list. Sylvester Stallone’s attempt at comedy in “Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot” is notoriously referenced as part of the Mount Rushmore when it comes to crappy movies. Stallone’s attempt to break into comedy at the same time Arnold is makes “Kindergarten Cop” look like an opus. Still, Estelle Getty’s I don’t give a damn portrayal towards the end of her career is ridiculously awesome. When an action hero cannot defeat a criminal organization, call your mom. It is guaranteed, ‘SHE WILL SHOOT!’.
7. Mother (“Psycho”):
For every woman constantly battling her man’s mother, you have no ground to stand on compared to Norman Bates in “Psycho”. Hitchcock’s ultimate classic is about a young man who became a maniac growing up with a mentally challenged mother who would not let her dead body go next to the hotel they ran together. He is so attached to his mother that, after her death, uses her likeness to kill people. Talk about being obsessed with motherly love. “Psycho” is the greatest movie about the opposite of what a mother is while also a look at being attached to a mom.
6. Olivia (“Boyhood”):
Growing up in the midst of a broken marriage is tough. The important thing is that both parents care for the children’s welfare as they grow up. Director Richard Linklater’s 12 year shot marathon “Boyhood” epitomizes dealing with such a situation and a mother that makes every mistake on the billboard in her love life yet never stops and will never stop supporting her children. If you are looking for a blueprint for love in the romantic sense, Olivia is garbage when it comes to finding a good guy. But when it comes to caring about your children she is an absolute all-star.
5. Simin (“A Separation”):
This is a rock and a hard place situation the loving mother Simin (Leila Hatami) finds herself in during the captivating drama “A Separation”. On the one hand, she wants to move abroad so that her 11-year-old daughter can have better opportunities without the constraints of a hostile Iranian dictatorship. Her husband of more than 14 years refuses to leave due to his obligation of caring for his father who has Alzheimer’s disease. The couple with more than a decade of loving each other under their belt unfortunately become rivals in the real world as they both want different things. Whether or not the outcome, Simin does everything possible to make sure her daughter is safe and set up for a positive future.
4. Jules/Nic (“The Kids Are Alright”):
How lucky can you get to have two mothers who love you no matter what. How unlucky can a kid be at school with lesbian parents. “The Kids Are Alright” is a complex story about two parents that love each other but are unable to conceive for basic genetic reasons. The ladies, played by the great Annette Benning and Julianne Moore, need that aspect of birth that is sperm. Having had two children with a biological father’s sperm, the kids naturally become curious of where they came from. Fortunately for them, despite being in an unconventional family, “The Kids Are Alright”.
3. Ma (“Room”):
Have you ever been in a situation in which all hope seems lost? Yes, of course. Have you ever been trapped in a corner that seems like there is no way of escaping? Who hasn’t? Combine those two scenarios, throw in being kidnapped and raped, and you get Brie Larson’s brilliant portrayal as simply Ma in the Oscar winner “Room”. Ma and her son have been imprisoned for seven years in a shed behind her kidnappers house. No matter the day, particularly when she gives her son the chance to escape, Ma always does her best to protect her child. A task unfair to ask a young woman who was kidnapped without the opportunity to grow up herself.
2. Mrs. Robinson (“The Graduate”):
There are two types of men. Those that claim they never wanted to sleep with one of the hot moms in her parents inner circle during high school/college. Then there are liars. “The Graduate” highlighted this concept in the most unique, hilarious, and twisted of ways. A college grad starts screwing his parents best friend’s wife because her husband has become boring. Why not? Mrs. Robinson epitomizes the idea of an older woman teaching a young man how to get it on while also getting her jolly off at the same time. In the historic words of Simon & Garfunkle; “AND HERE’S TO YOU MRS. ROBINSON…”
1. Sarah Connor (“Terminator 2: Judgement Day”):
Greg Squared Films 