Entertainment
11 Movies To Stream On Mother's Day That Honor Women Of Color
For many of us across the globe, Mother's Day is a time to think about how strong our own moms are and the bonds we share. And for moms and daughters of color, watching and discussing movies featuring other women of color can be a great way to connect. Spending time with your mom while watching movies you both love can give you the chance to talk about the complexities of motherhood and the challenging world we face every day as women of color. So if you're lucky enough to spend Mother's Day with your mom — whether in person or even over something like Facetime — take some time out to plan a movie night with her and watch these great streaming movies featuring mothers of color.
Movies like Soul Food and The Joy Luck Club will undoubtedly allow both you and your mom to reflect over your relationship. Then there are films like Kidnap and Enough, which depict how a mother's love can be enough to overcome even the toughest circumstance. And really, that's what Mother's Day is all about; it's a day dedicated to celebrating your bond with your mom or any other mother figure in your life. So settle in on the couch and watch these 11 great movies featuring mothers of color on Sunday, May 13.
1. Karla Dyson, Kidnap
Halle Berry plays Karla Dyson, a newly divorced mother whose son gets kidnapped at a carnival. Karla goes through hell and high water to fight her child's abductors.
2. Slim, Enough
Slim (Jennifer Lopez) has had, well, enough. Her abusive husband Mitch (Billy Campbell) behaves so terribly that she's forced to fight him and search for a better life.
3. Sharon Charles, Obsessed
Sharon (Beyoncé) plays no games and will fight anyone who comes after her husband Derek (Idris Elba) and their son after a stalker (Ali Larter) tries to jeopardize her marriage.
4. Katherine Johnson, Hidden Figures
Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson) is the embodiment of strength and tenacity. She overcomes work adversity, finds love, and takes care of her children all on her own. She is one badass mom.
Watch it on HBO GO.
5. The Joy Luck Club
All the mothers in The Joy Luck Club deserve to be recognized. The film is based on Amy Tan's best-selling novel of the same name and tells the story of four women who were born in China but made America their new home. As they adapt to the new lives, they have to make some tough decisions as they raise daughters who are caught between two cultures.
6. Big Mama, Soul Food
Josephine "Big Mama" Joseph (Irma P. Hall) is the thread that keeps the family together. Her Sunday tradition of family dinners, alongside her reliable wisdom, is key to the group's bonds with each other.
7. Verona De Tessant, Away We Go
Maya Rudolph stars as expectant mother Verona who is traversing North America with her husband (John Krasinski), as they try to find a place to call home. This dramedy will surely give you and your mom the feels.
8. Val, The Second Mother
This movie follows a live-in housekeeper, Val, who takes care of a wealthy family's only child but gets thrown for a loop when her own daughter shows up at the family's home.
9. Pimmi Verma, Monsoon Wedding
Pimmi Verma (Lillete Dubey) is a wife and overbearing mother who just wants the best for her soon-to-be-married daughter Adita (Vasundhara Das).
10. Tanya Anderson, Akeelah And The Bee
Akeelah (Keke Palmer) and her mom, Tanya (Angela Bassett), have different dreams for her life. Akeelah wants to be a spelling champ and make her way to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, while her mother wants her to focus on just school. But sooner than later, her mom comes around and supports her daughter as she preps for the spelling bee.
Watch Akeelah And The Bee on Amazon.
11. Rosaleen Daise, The Secret Life Of Bees
The mother figure in your life may not be biological, and Secret Life of Bees explores that concept. 14-year-old Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning) runs away from her abusive father with her caregiver (Jennifer Hudson) and the duo are taken in by the Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo). Soon, Lily learns that the sisters are connected to her deceased mother's past.
So snuggle up, grab a bowl of popcorn, and enjoy a night of marathoning movies with your mom this Mother's Day.
