CHRISTMAS SPECIAL! - The 12 Days of Pop Culture

For my final post of 2012, I thought I would do something special for Christmas (as it is in two days!).  I wanted to go through some of the things our wonderful Pop Culture has given us that are influences in my life.  Some of them are franchises, some of them are TV shows and some of them are just good plain fun!  So without further adieu, here is my special:

THE 12 DAYS OF POP CULTURE!

ON THE 12TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

12 Star Trek Movies

There is a theory that certain Star Trek films (Wrath of Khan, Undiscovered Country, First Contact) are better than others (The Motion Picture, Generations, Insurrection).  And though I don't really disagree, overall I would say this franchise has certainly made me quite happy (flaws and all!).  And with the 12th Trek film (Star Trek Into Darkness) coming out in Summer 2013, I will certainly be one of the "Trekkies" standing in line on opening day!

ON THE 11TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

11 Disney Princesses

Growing up with Disney as a major influence in my life, I certainly cannot ignore the numerous Princesses they have in their film line-up.  It was in the early 2000s though that someone in the Disney Marketing Department decided to turn these singing ladies into a diabolical money-making franchise.  They started with six initially (Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Belle and Jasmine).  They soon added Pocahontas and Mulan to the mix (despite the former only "technically" a Princess and the latter not being one at all!!!).  With the recent releases of The Princess and the Frog and Tangled, in came Tiana and Rapunzel.  And now with the Disney/Pixar flick Brave, lead character Merida will be added to the group come the new year.  (For those who agree with me and don't like counting Mulan, you can throw Enchanted's Gisele in her place despite that being mostly a live-action Disney film!)

ON THE 10TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

10 Seth MacFarlanes

It seems like Seth MacFarlane is everywhere now!  He had a hit movie over the summer (Ted) and will be hosting the 2013 Academy Awards (censors be on guard!!!).  And, of course, we cannot forget his immensely popular TV empire: his FOX Animated sitcoms Family Guy, American Dad! and The Cleveland Show.  Within this empire, MacFarlane himself voices 10 regular characters on all three shows together.  On Family Guy, he voices Griffin family members Peter, Brian and Stewie along with neighbor Glenn Quagmire, Carter Pewterschmidt (Peter's father-in-law), newsman Tom Tucker and Quahog's resident physician Dr. Hartman.  On American Dad!, he voices lead characters Stan Smith and alien Roger; while over on spin-off Cleveland Show, he voices neighbor Tim the Bear (if you've never seen the show, don't ask!).  That's a lot of personalities for one man to have inside him (and yes, I know what I just said!).

ON THE 9TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

9 Christmas Specials

In my childhood, Christmas was a time to watch some great Holiday TV.  And there were 9 Animated ones that were musts in my family.  There was A Garfield Christmas and A Claymation Christmas Special that were new during my childhood.  There were always the Rankin/Bass specials, of which 3 were the best: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Coming to Town and Frosty the Snowman.  There were two very important Animated versions of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol: Mr. Magoo's and Mickey Mouse's. But the two that were the most important were Dr. Seuss' classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas (not the Jim Carrey one!) and the beloved A Charlie Brown Christmas.

ON THE 8TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

8 Harry Potters

He's protected a stone, escaped a secret chamber, hidden a prisoner, "gobletted" his way through a tournament, joined an order, studied a half-blood prince and even faced death itself.  No matter how you cut it, we're just wild about Harry Potter!  Though J.K. Rowling only wrote 7 books, the people at Warner Brothers decided to split the final book into two installments.  Therefore, they gave audiences 8 chances to put the boy wizard with the lightning scar and his friends in film franchise history as the biggest money-making movie series of all time.  However, this has now spawned a bunch of copycats in that they want to split a book (or a series' final book) into two or three films (see Twilight, The Hunger Games and The Hobbit!).

ON THE 7TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

7 Star Wars Movies

Growing up, George Lucas' first three Star Wars films (Episodes IV through VI, if you're counting!) were like a religion in my household (thanks to my brother!).  And while the prequels have gone down as paling in comparison to the glory that is the original trilogy, I was still there on opening day of all three of those bastards!  And even though the Animated Clone Wars film made me want to throw an Ewok off the Endor moon, I'm still excited by the possibility of yet another Star Wars movie now that Disney has picked up the franchise and future development rights.

ON THE 6TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

6 Different Bonds

I already spoke this year about my appreciation for the James Bond films.  And on that list, there was at least one film of each of the six actors who have taken on the role of the superspy (especially in George Lazenby's case!).

ON THE 5TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

5 Muppet Show Seasons!

This one is fairly self-explanatory (and if it isn't, you can all brush up on your Googling!).

ON THE 4TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

4 Jack Sparrows

Who knew Disney could manage to make a lot of money and some pretty exciting films (though the fourth one is kind of a tedious vehicle!) based on a singular Disney ride?  The popular attraction has now resurrected Johnny Depp as a bankable movie star and produced some very interesting characters (from Orlando Bloom's Errol Flynn-like Will Turner to Keira Knightley's lovely Elizabeth Swann or Geoffrey Rush's opportunistic Barbosa to Ian McShane's wicked Blackbeard!).

ON THE 3RD DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

3 Frodo Films

With the first of Peter Jackson's three Hobbit prequels out this month, I was greatly reminded of Jackson's brilliant trilogy which basically began the 21st Century.  All three films got nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award in their respective years and the final installment triumphed in winning all 11 of the categories for which it was nominated (including Best Picture!).

ON THE 2ND DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

2 Brothers Grimm

This one has a double meaning!  It is true that there were two Grimm Brothers (Jacob and Wilhelm) who helped to popularize the classic folk and fairy tales for Western Culture.  And it has been said that the two brothers were completely different in personality.  It is believed that elder brother Jacob, the philosopher, had an affinity for the darker side of the tales; while younger brother Wilhelm had a yen for the romantic side of them (as Romanticism was becoming quite popular throughout Europe at the time!).  And now it seems that things have come full circle as two extremely popular and extremely different drama series air on TV.  On NBC, Grimm modernizes the tales and fits them more into a dark and gritty crime procedural that Jacob might have enjoyed.  Meanwhile over on ABC, Once Upon a Time's modernization is mixed with the romanticism (and serial soap opera-style) of the fairy tale world that would have appealed to young Wilhelm.

AND..

ON THE 1ST DAY OF CHRISTMAS, POP CULTURE GAVE TO ME...

A Road Made of Yellow Brick!

And what Holiday season would be complete without a trip over the rainbow?  During my childhood, L. Frank Baum's glorious and magical land of Oz was quite a favorite of mine.  It was brilliantly showcased on the big screen in 1939's classic movie musical (a gem for all to see!) and has been adapted in several ways from books (novels and comic books!) to the stage (see Wicked!).  Sometimes I feel all I need is a walk down a Yellow Brick Road to make me feel in good spirits.  Perfect for any season (Holiday or no Holiday!).

HAPPY CHRISTMAKWANZUKUH!

AND SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR!

IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS: Happy New Year!

With the New Year soon approaching, I wanted to share a poem I wrote a few years ago that sums up how I feel at the end of every year.  I'm not going to go on and on telling you what the poem is about, so I'm just going to let you read it.

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

IN REVIEW

Happy New Year!

Let old acquaintance be forgot

In fact, let it vanish from the minds

As we make our resolutions…

And then break our resolutions,

We celebrate the men with dreams,

And inaugurate the elected (not selected),

After Phil sees a shadow,

Past leaders become a sales weekend,

Hearts become candies and cards,

We kiss the irish (and pinch the non-irish),

Hunt for the eggs and pay the government,

Embrace our mothers and remember the fallen,

Finish school and re-gift our fathers,

Watch the fireworks and complete the vacation,

Celebrate labor (by not laboring) and go back to school,

Become patriots and trick for the treat,

Elect the leaders and remember more soldiers,

Consume the turkey and purchase the gifts,

(Light the menorah, if applicable)

Decorate the tree and visit family,

Then think back on the past year,

Then drink the champagne,

Then kiss at the stroke of 12,

Then make our resolutions and…

Happy New Year!

Let old acquaintance be forgot

And so on…And so on…And so on…

HAVE A

HAPPY NEW YEAR

EVERYONE!!!

10 FAVORITES (37) - Tip-Top TV Dads

Fathers.  So many things come to mind when you say the word.  Stern, decisive, strong, hard-working and smart are just a few of the adjectives that pop up when we describe our Fathers (for most of us at least!).  But what makes a great Father?  Like I did for Mother's Day, I want to explore some the best depictions of Dads in our media.  And with Father's Day coming up this weekend, what better time than now?  But where are the best depictions of Fathers in the culture.  Unfortunately, film has to many for me to comb through in enough time for this post (and so many of them fall in "The Worst" category) and I have grown tired of focusing on the Worst Dads in popular culture (sometimes it can be just depressing!).  So, this week's 10 FAVORITES is devoted to:

THE 10 BEST DADS

IN TELEVISION HISTORY

TV DAD #10
Tom Bradford, Eight Is Enough
As the father of 8 (yes, 8!!!) children, holding it all together with a mixture of laughter and tears was all that Tom Bradford (played by Dick Van Patten) could do on this late 1970s/early 1980s "dramedy."

TV DAD #9
Danny Tanner, Full House
One would think after losing your wife in an accident with a drunk-driver that a man who had three young daughters to raise would completely fall apart, but not Danny Tanner (the unforgettable Bob Saget).  He called in reinforcements: brother-in-law Jesse (John Stamos) and best pal Joey (Dave Coullier) on ABC's TGIF staple.

TV DAD #8
Sheriff Andy Taylor, The Andy Griffith Show
Wholesome and straightforward, Sheriff Taylor was as laid back at home as he was in the Mayberry Sheriff's Office.  Every time Opie (little Ronny Howard!) got into a "scrape," Andy was there to help guide him to the right path. 

TV DAD #7
Ben Cartwright, Bonanza
Property take-overs, petty thieves and everyone out for themselves, no this was not gritty New York City, this was Virginia City, Nevada in the mid-1800s.  And who could guide 3 sons to master the rough terrain but Ben Cartwright (the late Lorne Greene), master of the Ponderosa.

TV DAD #6
Howard Cunningham, Happy Days
Okay, despite the fact that his oldest son went upstairs and never came down again, Mr. C (played by the late Tom Bosley) was a great throwback to the exasperated-yet-understanding father we all wanted in the 1950s.  He even got respect from the Fonz!

TV DAD #5
Charles Ingalls, Little House On the Prairie
Maybe Michael Landon learned how to play a good father by watching Lorne Greene all those years on Bonanza.  Charles Ingalls was a caring and patient man who let his children be themselves (with his strong guidance), I mean he let his little girl (Melissa Gilbert) frolic in a meadow every week!  Who doesn't love a good frolic?!?!

TV DAD #4
Mike Brady, The Brady Bunch
Not only was he a father to "the three boys of his own," but he took on the challenge of helping to raise 3 girls "with hair of gold like their mother."  The blended family never looked so shiny!

TV DAD #3
Ward Cleaver, Leave It To Beaver
For fans of Leave It To Beaver, Ward gave audiences a weekly dose of inspiration and moral guidance when Wally or the Beav would stray from the path.  It must have been Hugh Beaumont's calming and sometimes commanding presence in the role that gave us such comfort.

TV DAD #2
Steven Keaton, Family Ties
I've said this to my father (and he shrugs it off like he doesn't believe me!), but Steven Keaton (played perfectly by Michael Gross) reminded me a lot of my own father.  He was loving, patient (usually), dedicated, comforting and often quite funny.  He was a welcome weekly addition to my childhood that reminded me of the daily addition I had in my father.  Plus, like my dad, he was a big old hippie!

AND...

TV DAD #1
Dr. Cliff Huxtable, The Cosby Show
I think it is fitting that Bill Cosby's Dr. Huxtable is #1 on the TV Dads list as his lovely wife, Clair, was #1 on the TV Moms list.  Their parental combination helped to make The Cosby Show one of my all-time favorite shows.  Who couldn't relate (or want to relate) to Sandra or Denise or Theo or Vanessa or even little Rudy?!?!  Ah, good times (no, wait...wrong series!).

Next week, I will discuss some of the bad casting choices many Movie Musicals have made over the years (I know another "Worst," but I promise it will be the last one for a while!).  In the meantime, to all the Dads out there:

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

10 FAVORITES (33) - Bad Small and Silver Screen Moms

Last week, I gave you all a list of the best Mothers from both TV and Film.  This week, I've decided to give you the opposite.  If Bambi's Mother and Claire Huxtable qualify as the best Moms in the fictional mediums, then which mothers qualify as the worst?  There are plenty to choose from, so let's get started.  Like last week, we'll begin with:

THE 10 WORST TV MOMS

TV MOM #10

Lwaxana Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation
She's self-absorbed, man-hungry, extravagant and extremely intrusive...oh, and she's an alien.  Lwaxana Troi (played with great flair by the late Majel Barrett-Roddenberry) was every one of those adjectives and more as Counselor Deanna Troi's Beta-Zed mother.  She cared more about finding a husband and reading people's thoughts than her own "little one."  Yet, in her own "warped" way, she had great affection for Deanna.

TV MOM #9

Estelle Costanza from Seinfeld
It's often thought that the louder the voice, the more of a pain the mother is.  Well, Estelle Costanza (played to annoying perfection by Estelle Harris) certainly fits that bill.  She made George's life a living hell and she was unapologetic about it.  She was just being herself, which can be quite admirable, only some times.

TV MOM #8

Lois Griffin from Family Guy
Compared to her husband, Lois Griffin is the perfect parent.  That being said though, she still is extremely selfish and has a sense of humor that is way out of control (perfect for the show that she's on, but still...WOW!).  Plus, she is the worst role model for her teenage daughter Meg, whom she seems to just despise (like everyone else on the show).

TV MOM #7

Benny Lopez from George Lopez
Loosely based on his grandmother (as talked about in his stand-up), George Lopez created the character of Benny Lopez, George's abusive and lazy mother (played by Belita Moreno).  Every hateful word that spread from her mouth was just awful, but half of the time it was excused because Benny was just as emotionally damaged as she tried to make other people.

TV MOM #6

Endora from Bewitched
What's worse than a mother who is absolutely un-supportive of your life choices? Try dealing with her when she has magical powers and uses them to make your life (and the life of your spouse) miserable. You know life won't be easy when your mother is constantly (and often purposefully) getting your husband's name wrong.

TV MOM #5

Liane Cartman from South Park
Eric Cartman may be one of the most vicious and evil characters ever created for a TV show, but you might forgive some faults when you look at his mother.  Liane Cartman is probably the biggest tramp in the entire fictional universe.  She'll do it with anyone (and I mean ANYONE!).  For a little while, through some strange and twisted plot device, it was thought that Liane was both Eric's Mother AND Eric's Father (don't ask!).

TV MOM #4

Marie Barone from Everybody Loves Raymond
She was a master at giving an insult with a smile, especially to her daughter-in-law.  Marie (the delightful Emmy-winner Doris Roberts) held firmly on to her sons (namely Raymond) and made it her business to deal with everything in her family.  She defended her actions by claiming that's what a Mother does, but she constantly undermined her son's respective marriages all while doing it in the name of Motherhood.  Can you say "Manipulative?"

TV MOM #3

Lucille Bluth from Arrested Development
Some women just shouldn't have children and Lucille Bluth (brilliantly played by Jessica Walter) would be the first one to say that...about other people.  She loved to drink and gossip and drink and spend money and (did I mention?) drink.  The messes she made of her four children is a testament to the kind of Mother she was.

TV MOM #2

Peg Bundy from Married...With Children
The original dysfunctional mother and the perfect stereotype for the bored housewife.  Peg Bundy (the amazing Katey Sagal) loved her bon-bons more than she loved Kelly or Bud (her children).  Maybe she felt neglected by her husband Al (the equally amazing Ed O'Neill) or maybe she just didn't care about anything.  Whatever the reason, Peg nearly tops the list of the Worst Mothers on TV.

AND...

TV MOM #1

Evelyn Harper from Two and a Half Men
Now that the news has come that the show will return next season (with Ashton Kutcher replacing Charlie Sheen), audiences who love this show (for some reason!) will get to see more of Holland Taylor's Emmy nominated performance as the most selfish Mother one will ever see on TV.  Evelyn always only thinks of herself and how much money she can make off of anyone (through her realty business).  It's no wonder her two sons turned out the way they did...tiger-blood and all!

AND NOW...

THE 10 WORST MOMS ON FILM

FILM MOM #10

Mama Fratelli from The Goonies
Played by the late Anne Ramsey, Mama Fratelli was a piece of work. Not only is she a vicious criminal (like Ma Barker, but meaner), but she chains up her deformed son, Sloth, in a basement. Thank God for Chunk! (I never thought I'd say that statement!)

FILM MOM #9

Queen Gertrude from Hamlet
William Shakespeare knew how much a Mother's betrayal could affect the psyche of a young man and he made it the central conflict of his most famous play. Whether Gertrude is played by a great actress (like Glenn Close or Julie Christie) or is played by an unknown in a regional (or high school) production, her relationship with Hamlet and how she reacts to her son's treatment of her new marriage (to her late husband's brother and murderer!) is key to the personality of this ambitious and terrified Queen.

FILM MOM #8

Kate McCallister from Home Alone
Every time I watch Home Alone (or it's New York sequel), I am constantly frustrated and angry at the mother and how easily Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) forgives her for LEAVING HIM HOME ALONE! I mean, I know kids love their mothers, but this woman shows how much Kevin means to her by punishing him the night before they leave and then leaving (albeit accidentally) him home by himself. Though she is perfectly played by Catherine O'Hara, I just think some things are unforgivable (at least immediately).

FILM MOM #7

Mary from Precious - Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
Comedienne Mo'Nique transformed herself and completely shocked audiences with her Oscar-winning performance as Mary, Precious' abusive and hateful mother. But it is in her last scene in the film where audiences realize how damaged Mary is herself and how the cycle of dysfunction continues.

FILM MOM #6

The Alien Queen from Aliens
The Queen has one purpose in her whole existence and that is to destroy all human life and infest the world with her alien progeny. The only thing standing in her way: the heroic and feisty Ripley (the indomitable Sigourney Weaver), who is as nurturing as the Queen is destructive.

FILM MOM #5

Disney's Wicked Stepmothers from Snow White and Cinderella
As part of Disney's Princess franchise, they should have a small sect including the two Wickedest Stepmothers in fairy tale history. The Wicked Queen (from Snow White) and Lady Tremaine (from Cinderella) are both filled with villainy and jealousy when they look at their respective stepdaughters. So they proceed to make the pretty Princesses life as miserable as possible. Not the best kind of Mother-figure in a girl's life, is it?

   

FILM MOM #4

Beth from Ordinary People
One of the worst kind of Mothers is the kind of Mother who just gives up. Beth (as played by a stoic and reserved Mary Tyler Moore) gives up on everything especially her surviving son Conrad (Oscar-winner Timothy Hutton). Just watch her face as her son tries to hug her towards the end of the film.

FILM MOM #3

Mrs. Robinson from The Graduate
Talk about a selfish rich bitch! Anne Bancroft will forever be remembered as the ultimate cougar Mrs. Robinson, who seduces young Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) and proceeds to let him date her daughter (the innocent Katharine Ross). She doesn't care about anything but her own desires.

FILM MOM #2

Joan Crawford from Mommie Dearest
Everyone remembers Faye Dunaway screaming "No Wire Hangers! EVER!" and proceeding to spank the little girl with the hanger.  Dunaway's over-the-top work as Crawford has become so iconic that, even though Joan Crawford was a real person, she has become a character all the same.

AND...

FILM MOM #1

Mrs. Iselin from The Manchurian Candidate
Brilliantly played by Angela Lansbury in the 1962 socio-political thriller, Mrs. Iselin is cold, over-bearing and absolutely manipulative. She even allows her son to become a Communist assassin and is willing to let him murder a political candidate to get ahead in Washington.  Just watch the chilling scene below.

There you have it, the Worst Mothers on TV and Film. Next week, we will explore the best moments and the best guest stars from one of my favorite shows of all-time: THE MUPPET SHOW!!!!!!

10 FAVORITES (32) - Great Silver and Small Screen Moms

As we head into this Mother's Day weekend, I wanted to make these next two installments of 10 FAVORITES really special.  Basically, because Moms deserve it.  Moms: It's the best job in the world and the pay-off (when done right) is so much better than cash, check or any of Oprah's Favorite Things.  So, I asked myself: "What do I love to talk about on this blog?" and "How can I make what I love to talk about special for all the Moms out there in the world?"  As I brainstormed, the answer came to me.  This week's 10 FAVORITES will be devoted to the Best Moms portrayed in both Television and Films.  (Next week, I'll do the Worst; but for now, we'll just focus on the Best!).  I dedicate this blog post to my beloved Mother, who I know is watching over me every step of the way (like a good Mother always does, no matter what!).  Here are:

THE 10 BEST TV MOMS

(FILM MOMS BELOW)

TV MOM #10

Caroline Ingalls from Little House On the Prairie

While Michael Landon's Charles Ingalls was the anchor of the popular series, Karen Grassle's Caroline Ingalls was its heart.  She was a woman who, at a time when women weren't in charge, certainly knew when to giver her emotional support and her wealth of wisdom.

TV MOM #9

Roseanne Conner from Roseanne

She is an unlikely choice, but you can't compile a list of TV moms without thinking of her.  Yes, she was in-your-face and sometimes venomously abusive (to mostly others, not necessarily her kids); she showed that a mother in the 1980s and early 1990s worked their a**es off for their families, and no one worked harder than Roseanne.

TV MOM #8

Marge Simpson from The Simpsons

Yet another unlikely choice (considering who she's married to!), but Marge is overtly devoted to her kids.  Her "special little guy" may very well be the Devil's Advocate, but she clearly loves every minute she spends with precocious Bart, brainy Lisa and unforgettable Maggie.

TV MOM #7

Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls

Though she became a mom at 16, the minute she held little Lorelai (aka Rory) in her arms they were bonded for life.  Their strong closeness kept fans cheerful and tearful (and extremely caffeinated) through seven years (ably helped by the charm and wit of star Lauren Graham).

TV MOM #6

Elyse Keaton from Family Ties

She was a flower child-turned-architect and we couldn't get enough of her.  Throughout the NBC hit's seven years, Elyse cared for her three (eventually four!) kids with love, understanding and compassion.  That's quite a feat considering her oldest was the very conservative Alex P. Keaton (the irrepressible Michael J. Fox).

TV MOM #5

Olivia Walton from The Waltons

If you were growing up in rural Appalachia during the Depression AND World War II, wouldn't you want a Mother like Michael Learned's patient, sweet and endearing Olivia guiding you through turbulent years? John Boy certainly turned out pretty good!

TV MOM #4

Carol Brady from The Brady Bunch

When you're blending two families together, you need a Mom who is strong and understanding but has a great sense of humor and fun.  Carol Brady (much like Florence Henderson herself) embodies every quality I just described.

TV MOM #3

June Cleaver from Leave It to Beaver

Several "Baby Boomers" I know have admitted to wanting a Mom like June Cleaver.  She was the quintessential housewife and can give those "Real" and "Desperate" ones a run for their money.

TV MOM #2

Marion Cunningham from Happy Days

Like June Cleaver, Marion Ross' Marion Cunningham was the perfect housewife.  In the 1970s, we were nostalgic for the 1950s and Mrs. C was the best at creating a loving home for Richie, Joanie and the forever lost Chuck.

AND...

TV MOM #1

Claire Huxtable from The Cosby Show

Since I grew up in the 1980s, there was one mother who always stood out in my mind as successful (whether as a woman, a career gal or especially a Mother): Claire Hanks Huxtable.  The level of trust and respect that Phylicia Rashad's indomitable character showed her children (and her husband!) was so appealing that I just felt privileged to watch her every week.  Every Thursday night was a delight thanks to characters like Claire.

AND NOW...

THE 10 BEST MOMS ON FILM

FILM MOM #10
Rusty Dennis from Mask
Cher's performance as Rusty Dennis (mother of disfigured Rocky Dennis) is powerful and poignant.  Rusty has her own problems, but she fights tooth and nail for her kid to be as normal as possible.

FILM MOM #9
Marta Hanson from I Remember Mama
For the longest time, Irene Dunne's heartbreaking performance in this film was the ultimate film Mother.

FILM MOM #8
Mama Gump from Forrest Gump
According to Forrest, Mama always said a lot of things from the definition of stupidity to the similarities between life and chocolates.  If she were played by anyone else besides Sally Field, we would never believe a single mother in that time period (and that location!) would be that determined.

FILM MOM #7
Elastigirl from The Incredibles
Not only is she a superhero, but she's a super-Mom!  Throughout PIXAR's action-filled delight, Helen "Elastigirl" Parr (charmingly voiced by Holly Hunter) is trying to adjust to her normal lifestyle and fighting to keep her family in tact. Pity some dejected fanboy has to ruin it all by kidnapping her husband!

FILM MOM #6
Mrs. Molly Weasley from The Harry Potter films
From the second she meets are titular hero, she wants to take him under her wing (which is pretty crowded with seven other Weasley kids!). J.K. Rowling had to know someone like Molly Weasley in her lifetime to make her so endearing (people with personalities like her exist, we just have to find them!). She is such a delight that I smile every time I see Julie Walters' interpretation in the hugely successful films.

FILM MOM #5
Sophie from Sophie's Choice
When one is faced with true evil and the most agonizing choice anyone can make, what is a Mother to do? In Meryl Streep's powerful Oscar-winning performance, she is forced by sadistic people to make that choice and is forever changed by the consequences. Wouldn't any Mother be? (See the original and absolutely heartbreaking scene here.)

FILM MOM #4
Mrs. Brisby from The Secret of NIMH
Yes, I know she's an animal but she still counts! Her entire motivation throughout the film (one of the greatest and most underrated animated films of all-time, I might add!) is her children, specifically her youngest Timothy. Timothy is gravely ill and she is striving to save his life. Isn't that what any Mother would do?

FILM MOM #3
Ma Joad from The Grapes of Wrath
If you were compiling the list from literary sources, Ma Joad would have to be at the top of the list.  She treks through the West with her impoverished clan in the era of the Great Depression and asks for nothing but faith from her family. Like the best Mothers, she is an eternal Teacher.

FILM MOM #2
Aurora Greenway from Terms of Endearment
We all remember the "Give My Daughter the Shot!" scene. Like Lorelai Gilmore in the TV Moms section, Aurora's friendship with her daughter (expertly played by Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger as Mother and Daughter, respectively) is complicated but everlasting.

AND...

FILM MOM #1
Bambi's Mother from Bambi
Yet another animal.  She makes the ultimate sacrifice a Mother can make.  Everyone remembers the first time they watched this pivotal and emotional scene.  Let's all cry together!

Next week, The Worst Moms from TV and Film!
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!


Dedicated to the Memory of
PATRICIA FRANCES BOEGEL
A Loving Mother and Eternal Teacher!