Assassin Moms, Mean Moms, and Mermaid Moms: Get Your Reps In

Pay tribute to Mother's Day with this watchlist devoted to women who have complicated relationships with their offspring.

By Mia Vicino

While local rep theaters are out of commission, we'll be putting together weekly watchlists of films readily available to stream. In honor of Mother's Day, this week's theme is dedicated to the joys (and pitfalls) of motherhood.


20th Century Women (2016)

Director Mike Mills' ode to the women who raised him chronicles the coming of age of 15-year-old Jamie, as well as his bonds with his zealous mother, Dorothea (Annette Bening), the tenants (Greta Gerwig and Billy Crudup) in the boarding house she runs, and his crush (Elle Fanning). Tender, funny and achingly authentic. Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Kanopy, Netflix, Vudu, YouTube.


Mermaids (1990)

Cher headlines this dramedy as a free-spirited single mother who moves with her daughters—perpetually embarrassed teen Charlotte (Winona Ryder) and young Kate (Christina Ricci)—every time she goes through a breakup. After settling in a small Massachusetts town, Charlotte and her mom find love, upending the family dynamic for both better and worse. Tubi, Vudu.

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)

Set five years after the original 2008 jukebox musical messterpiece, this prequel/sequel follows Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) as she preps for her Greek hotel's grand reopening. Through flashbacks—and a plethora of delightful ABBA numbers—she learns how her mother came to meet her three dads that fateful summer of 1979. Amazon Prime, HBO, Hulu, Vudu, YouTube.

Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)

The second installment of Quentin Tarantino's martial arts revenge series is less action-packed and more personal than the first, instead focusing on the relationships of Beatrix "The Bride" Kiddo (Uma Thurman) with Bill and her daughter. Deadly assassins can be moms, too! If you wanna catch up on the ass-kicking events of Volume 1, it's also streaming. Amazon Prime, Google Play, Hulu, Vudu, YouTube.

Autumn Sonata (1978)

Swedish auteur Ingmar Bergman's penultimate drama is also one of his most acclaimed, centering on a self-effacing daughter (Liv Ullmann) as she confronts her cold and neglectful pianist mother (Ingrid Bergman, in her final film role) whose affection she's always craved but never received. This one goes out to all those whose relationships with their moms are strained, to say the least. Criterion Channel, Google Play, Vudu, YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHd4ymdGAGA

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20th Century WomenAutumn SonataKill Bill: Volume 2Mamma Mia! Here We Go AgainMermaidsreps

Mia Vicino

Mia Vicino

Mia Vicino moved to Portland at the tender age of 11 months. She spent her teen years dancing to alt-rock bands at the Crystal Ballroom, but has since moved on to fawning over 70mm film screenings at the Hollywood Theatre.

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