SW finds family films
By Arlyssa P. Supangkasen
Photos courtesy of Walt Disney,
20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures,
Universal Pictures and CJ Entertainment
Did you know
The stage musical version of Mamma Mia! opened in New York in 2001.
National Mother’s Day is here again on August 12. As always, this is the perfect time for everybody to acknowledge the love and dedication of their mothers.
Many movies with maternal themes have been made over the years, and lots of them have influenced the way that children think about their family relationships.
Student Weekly trawled through the movie archives to find five classic movies about moms — from a hard-working mother to teen mom, a single parent and even an elephant’s parent. While not all the movies feature heart-warming stories, they're all entertaining in their own way and worth watching. Happy Mother's Day viewing!
Dumbo (1941)
This Disney movie has made many kids fall in love with elephants over the years. Dumbo also won Best Animated Design at Cannes Film Festival in 1947.
The movie is about a baby elephant with unusually big ears named Dumbo. He is mocked and bullied by other elephants, and eventually separated from his beloved mother. Fortunately, Dumbo meets a tiny mouse who helps him to discover that his big ears actually give him the ability to fly.
The feelings between Dumbo and his mother might make viewers feel a little sad, but overall this is a heart-warming classic about loveable pachyderms that viewers will never forget.
Juno (2007)
Directed by Jason Reitman, Juno is a smart, funny and touching film. The film stars Ellen Page as Juno MacGuff, a 16-year-old girl who becomes pregnant.
The film covers Juno's nine months of pregnancy, from the time she first tells her parents to meeting the adoptive parents, having the baby and finally falling in love again.
Through the various characters in the film, Juno presents different aspects of motherhood. It's a movie viewers can learn a lot more from than they might imagine.
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Julia Roberts stars as Erin Brockovich, the title character in this legal drama based on a true story about the uncovering of an infamous environmental crime.
As a single mother of three, Erin fights for a job in a law firm. She runs across some information about a little-known case filed against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Erin soon discovers that the industry is poisoning the city’s water supply, which threatens the health of everybody in the community.
Along the way, Erin also falls in love with her neighbour George (Aaron Eckhart), a Harley-Davidson rider who becomes a babysitter for Erin's kids.
This is a great movie for showing how hard-working mothers can be, especially single moms with three kids to take care of.
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Featuring loads of ABBA hits like “Dancing Queen,” this film is a nostalgic look at motherhood, marriage and family.
The musical was filmed in Greece, where the character Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is getting married with the stunning sea as a backdrop. Sophie was raised by her mother and never knew who her father was.
Throughout the various twists and turns in the plot of Mamma Mia!, the story shows how caring a mother can be, and how it feels for a parent on the day of her daughter's wedding. This is a great film to watch with your mom.
Mother (2009)
Directed by renowned Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho, Mother isn't a typical heart-warming movie about mom. It's a mysterious and moody thriller.
Korean actress Kim Hye Ja plays a protective mother who makes a living selling herbs and acupuncture treatments. Her 20-something son Do-joon (Won Bin) is introverted and intellectually disabled.
One day, a school girl is murdered and the evidence points to Do-joon being the killer. With her beloved son locked up in a prison, the mother tries everything she can to prove Do-joon's innocence.
Mother is full of suspense and deception. It has a great script, brilliant acting, and an unexpected outcome that viewers will never forget.
Vocabulary
- maternal (adj): connected with being a mother
trawl through (phrasal v): to search through a large amount of information, etc. looking for a particular thing
archive (n): a collection of historical documents, photographs, films, etc.
pachyderms (n): a type of animal with a very thick skin, for example an elephant
adoptive (adj): an adoptive parent or family is one that has legally taken care of a child that is not their own
infamous (adj): well known for being bad
protective (adj): having a wish to protect somebody or something
acupuncture (n): a Chinese method of treating pain and illness using special thin needles which are pushed into particular parts of the body
introverted (adj): more interested in your own thoughts and feelings than in spending time with other people
suspense (n): a feeling of worry or excitement that you have when you feel that something exciting or dramatic is going to happen
