64 Movies About Grief and Loss
The movies are so different and diverse, which is of no surprise because grief is so unique from person to person. Technically, not all these movies are about grief and loss, but they all depict elements of the emotional struggles around death, dying, grief, and bereavement.
1. Steel Magnolias
M'Lynn (Sally Field) is the mother of bride-to-be Shelby Eatenton (Julia Roberts), and as friend Truvy Jones (Dolly Parton) fixes the women's hair for the ceremony, they welcome a helping hand from aspiring beautician Annelle Dupuy Desoto (Daryl Hannah). Diabetic Shelby has a health scare, which isaverted but
2. Beaches
Hillary (Barbara Hershey) and CC (Bette Midler) meet as children vacationing in Atlantic City, N.J., and remain friends throughout the decades. As CC, a loud New Yorker, pursues a singing career, Hillary, a staid Californian, becomes a successful lawyer. Over the years, they often quarrel or compete, but, as other relationships flourish and die, the two women are always there for each other, traveling from coast to coast through the most tumultuous times.
3. Tender Mercies
Down-on-his-luck country singer Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall) has nowhere to turn when he wakes up in a motel, short on cash. So he takes a job from Rosa Lee (Tess Harper), the kindly widow who runs the place. Mac begins to fall for Rosa, who helps him confront his drinking and also finds an unexpected bond with Rosa's young son (Allan Hubbard). When the opportunity for a career comeback surfaces, Mac must choose between his new life and the life he let slip through his hands.
4. Bonneville
When her husband dies, Arvilla Holden (Jessica Lange) wants to scatter his ashes per his request. However, the daughter from his previous marriage intervenes, demanding that her father's remainsbe
5. Terms of Endearment
Widow Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter, Emma (Debra Winger), have a strong bond, but Emma marries teacher Flap Horton (Jeff Daniels) against her mother's wishes. When the marriage grows sour due to Flap's cheating, Emma eventually splits from him, returning to her mother, who is involved with a former astronaut (Jack Nicholson). Soon, Emma learns that she has terminal cancer. In the hospital, supported by Aurora, she tries to make peace with Flap and her children.
6. Truly Madly Deeply
A woman struggles to cope with the death of her lover, only to find that his ghost magically appears and moves back into her flat. When she falls in love with another man, she faces a choice between holding onto the past and facing the future.
7. PS I Love You
When Gerry (Gerard Butler), the husband of Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank), dies from an illness, she loses the love of her life. Knowing how hard Holly will take his death, Gerry plans ahead. Beginningon
8. The Notebook
In 1940s South Carolina, mill worker Noah Calhorn (Ryan Gosling) and rich girl Allie (Rachel McAdams) are desperately in love. But her parents don't approve. When Noah goes off to serve in World War II, it seems to mark the end of their love affair. In the interim, Allie becomes involved with another man (James Marsden). But when Noah returns to their small town years later, on the cusp of Allie's marriage, it soon becomes clear that their romance is anything but over.
9. One True Thing
Kate (Meryl Streep), the undervalued matriarch of the Gulden family, is diagnosed with cancer. Daughter and journalist Ellen (Renee Zellweger) returns from New York City to care for her mother at the request of her father (William Hurt). During the time Kate spends with her parents, she discovers secrets that she was never privy to in her childhood. Though Ellen has always idolized her father, she learns that her mother has had a much more difficult life than she knew.
10. The Bucket List
Billionaire Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and car mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) are complete strangers until fate lands them in the same hospital room. The men find they have two things in common: a need to come to terms with who they are and what they have done with their lives, and a desire to complete a list of things they want to see and do before they die. Against their doctor's advice, the men leave the hospital and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.
11. Rabbit Hole
Eight months after the accidental death of their 4-year-old son, Howie (Aaron Eckhart) and Becca (Nicole Kidman) are trying to overcome their grief. He wants to hold on to everything that reminds him of Danny, while she would rather sell their home and make a fresh start. Cracks begin to appear in the relationship as Howie bonds with a member of his therapy group and Becca reaches out to a teenage boy with telling facial scars. Based on the play by David Lindsay-Abaire.
12. Ghost
Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) is a banker, Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) is an artist, and the two are madly in love. However, when Sam is murdered by friend and corrupt business partner Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn) over a shady business deal, he is left to roam the earth as a powerless spirit. When he learns of Carl's betrayal, Sam must seek the help of psychic Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg) to set things right and protect Molly from Carl and his goons.
13. The Other Woman
New York lawyer Carly Whitten (Cameron Diaz) Lives by strict rules when it comes to romantic relationships, but when she falls for a suave, handsome Mark King (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), she begins an affair with him. A surprise visit to Mark's home reveals that he is married todevoted
14. My Life
A terminally ill man prepares for his death.
15. Philadelphia
Fearing it would compromise his career, lawyer Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) hides his homosexuality and HIV status at the powerful Philadelphia law firm. But his secret is exposed when a colleague spots the illness's telltale lesions. Fired shortly afterward, Beckett resolves to sue for discrimination, teaming up with Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), the only lawyer willing to help. In court, they face one of his ex-employers top litigators, Belinda Conine (Mary Steenburgen).
16. What Dreams May Come
After Chris Nielsen (Robin Williams) dies in a car accident, he is guided through the afterlife by his spirit guide, Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.). His new world is beautiful and can be whatever Chris imagines. Even his children are there. But, when his wife, Annie (Annabella Sciorra), commits suicide and is sent to hell, Chris ignores Albert's warnings and journeys there to save her. Upon arrival, Chris finds that rescuing Annie will be more difficult than he'd imagined.
17.Ponette
After losing her mother in a car accident that leaves her with a broken arm, 4-year-old Ponette (Victoire Thivisol) struggles with anguish and fear. Left by her father with caring Aung (Claire Nebout) and her children, Ponette grieves, secretly hoping her mother will somehow come back. Confused by the religious explanations provided by adults, and challenged by the cruel taunts of a few children at school, little Ponette must make her way through her emotional turmoil.
18. Delores Claiborne
In a small New England town, Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates) works as a housekeeper for the rich, but heartless Vera Donovan (Judy Parfitt). When Vera turns up dead, Dolores is accused of killing her elderly employer -- so her estranged daughter, Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a well-respected New York City journalist, decides to visit her mother and investigate the matter for herself. As Selena digs deeper into the case, she uncovers shocking truths about the murder and her own childhood.
19. Wuthering Heights
In this adaptation of the classic Emily Bronte novel set in 19th-century England, wealthy young Cathy Earnshaw (Merle Oberon) shares a loving bond with Heathcliff (Laurence Olivier), a poor childhood friend who now works in her stables. Unfortunately, things become complicated when the affluent Edgar Linton (David Niven) decides to pursue Cathy, and Heathcliff leaves out of resentment. Though Heathcliff returns with a self-made fortune, he realizes he may have lost Cathy in his absence.
20. Ordinary People
Tormented by guilt following the death of his older brother, Buck, in a sailing accident, alienated teenager Conrad Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) attempts suicide. Returning home following an extended stay in a psychiatric hospital, Conrad tries to deal with his mental anguish and also reconnect with his mother, Beth (Mary Tyler Moore), who has grown cold and angry, and his emotionally wounded father, Calvin (Donald Sutherland), with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch).
21. Out of Africa
Initially set on being a dairy farmer, the aristocratic Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) travels to Africa to join her husband, Bror (Klaus Maria Brandauer), who instead spends their money on a coffee plantation. After discovering Bror is unfaithful, Karen develops feelings for hunter Denys (Robert Redford) but realizes he prefers a simplistic lifestyle compared to her upper-class background. The two continue on until a series of events force Karen to choose between her love and her personal growth.
22. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Oskar (Thomas Horn), who lost his father (Tom Hanks) in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, is convinced that his dad left a final messagefrom
23. Step Mom
Three years after divorcing Jackie (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his children, LukeHarrison
24. The Kite Runner
Afghani immigrant Amir is summoned from his California home to Pakistan by Rahim Khan, an old, dying friend of his father. As a boy in Afghanistan, wealthy Amir was best friends with a servant's son Hassan, but when Hassan was brutally assaulted by a local bully, Amir was too scared to save him and has been tormented by guilt ever since.
25. Mystic River
When the daughter (Emmy Rossum) of ex-con Jimmy Marcus (Sean Penn) is murdered, two of his childhood friends from the neighborhood are involved. Dave (Tim Robbins), a blue-collar worker, was the last person to see her alive, while Sean (Kevin Bacon), a homicide detective, is heading up the case. As Sean proceeds with his investigation, Jimmy conducts one of his own through neighborhood contacts. Eventually, Jimmy suspects
26. The Descendants
Native islander Matt King (George Clooney) lives with his family in Hawaii. Their world shatters when a tragic accident leaves his wife in a coma. Not only must Matt struggle with the stipulation in hiswife's
27. Two Weeks
North Carolina matriarch Anita Bergman (Sally Field) enters the final stage of her battle with cancer, and her four adult children, Keith (Ben Chaplin), Barry (Tom Cavanagh), Emily (Julianne Nicholson) and Matthew (Glenn Howerton), gather at her bedside. As the siblings face their mother's imminent demise, home movies provide insight into family relationships.
28. Miss Potter
Based on the life of early 29th-century author Beatrix Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit. As a young woman, Potter rails against her parents' wishes for her to marry and settle down. Instead, she continues to write about and draw the animals she has adored since childhood. Her early attempts to find a publisher for her children's stories are unsuccessful, but an offer from a small firm will turn her into a literary phenomenon.
29. The Lovely Bones
After being brutally murdered, 14-year-old Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) watches from heaven over her grief-stricken family (Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz) - and her killer (Stanley Tucci). As she observes their daily lives, she must balance her thirst for revenge with her desire for her family to heal.
30. The Doctor
Ace surgeon Jack McKee (William Hurt) is emotionally disconnected from his wife (Christine Lahti), his son (Charlie Korsmo) and the people he operates on. After Jack develops a life-threatening tumor, he sees life from apatients perspective. He then meets a courageous, fatally ill woman named June (Elizabeth Perkins) and begins to realize the necessity of showing kindness in the medical profession. Jack vows to treat his family and patients with more compassion if he survives.
31. Alex, the Life of a Child
Based on sportswriter Frank Deford's (Craig T. Nelson) book about his 8-year-old daughter (Gennie James) dying with grace of cystic fibrosis.
32. Love Story
When wealthy Harvard University law student Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O'Neal) meets Jenny Cavilleri (Ali MacGraw), a middle-class girl who is studying music at Radcliffe College, it's love at first sight. Despite the protests of Oliver's father (Ray Milland), the young couplemarry
33. Patch Adams
After struggling with depression in a mental hospital, Hunter "Patch" Adams (Robin Williams) decides he wants to become a doctor. He enrolls at Virginia Medical University but is disillusioned by the school's clinical perspective on patient care. With the aid of a wealthy friend, Adams opens his own medical clinic for those without insurance. He forms a deep bond with fellow medical student Carin Fisher (Monica Potter) before a tragedy causes Adams to re-evaluate his approach.
34. Up
Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream. Trying thousands of balloons to his house, he flies away to the South American wilderness. But curmudgeonly Carl's worst nightmare comes true when he discovers a little boy named Russell is a stowaway aboard the balloon-powered house. A Pixar animation.
35. Burning Man
After the death of his wife (Bojana Novakovic), a father (Matthew Goode) gives in to grief and anger and uses casual sex to cope with his pain.
36. The Sweet Hereafter
A small mountain community in Canada is devastated when a school bus accident leaves more than a dozen of its children dead. A big-city lawyer (Ian Holm) arrives to help the survivors' and victims' families prepare a class-action suit, but his efforts only seem to push the townspeople further apart. At the same time, one teenage survivor of the accident (Sarah Polley) has to reckon with the loss of innocence brought about by a different kind of damage.
37. Last Tango in Paris
Distraught following his wife's suicide, American hotelier Paul (Marlon Brando) becomes transfixed by the beautiful younger Frenchwoman Jeanne (Maria Schneider) when he meets her by chance at an apartment both are attempting to rent. The couplebegins an extended but purely anonymous sexual relationship in which they do not even tell each other their names, but it soon becomes clear that the couple's deliberate level of disassociation cannot continue.
38. Seven Pounds
Ben Thomas is a man on a mission. Giving vital parts of his body to those desperately in need of a donor. Ben meets Emily Posa, a beautiful young woman at risk from a deadly heart condition. As Ben falls for Emily and begins to open up to her, it becomes clear there is something dark in his past that compels him to commit these apparent random acts of kindness.
39. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
In 2001, 28-year-old Dr. Andrew Bagby is found dead in a park in Pennsylvania. He had been shot by his ex-girlfriend, who then fled to Canada, where she was able to walk free on bail, pregnant with Andrew's child. Andrew's enraged parents' campaign to gain custody of the child and convict their son's killer. Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne pairs this story with home movies and interviews with those who knew Andrew, hoping to give his best friend's son an opportunity to discover who his dad was.
40. My Sister's Keeper
Conceived as a marrow donor for her gravely ill sister, Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) has undergone countless surgeries and medical procedures in her short life. Though their older daughter's life has no doubt been prolonged, the unorthodox decision of Anna's parents has cracked the entire family's foundation. When Anna sues her parents for emancipation, it sets off a court case that threatens to destroy the family for good.
41. Sophie's Choice
Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie (Meryl Streep) and her lover Nathan (Kevin Kline), he learns that Sophie is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In the present, Sophie and Nathan's relationshipincreasingly unravels as Stingo grows closer to Sophie and Nathan's fragile mental state becomes even more apparent.
42. Catch and Release
A woman (Jennifer Garner) struggles to rebuild her life in the wake of her fiance's untimely death and the discovery of secrets he kept from her. Along the way, she bonds with her best pals (Sam Jaeger, Kevin Smith), including an'er -do-well (Timothy Olyphant) she initially disliked.
43. Moonlight Mile
When Joe Nast's (Jake Gyllenhaal)plans for marriage change due to an unexpected loss, he wants to be the man he believes everyone wants him to be - dutifully bereaved husband-to-be, and perfect would-be son-in-law to Ben (Dustin Hoffman) and JoJo (Susan Sarandon). But when another woman unexpectedly enters his life, he's quickly torn between fulfilling his new role and following his heart.
44. White Oleander
Powerfully acted adaptation of Janet Fitch's best-selling novel. With her mother serving a life sentence for murdering her boyfriend, a teenage girl enters the foster care system. As she moves from one troubled foster home to another, each with its own rules and lessons to be learned, she begins a journey of self discovery. Trying to forge her own identity proves difficult under the coldhearted influence of her mother.
45. Monster's Ball
Hank Grotowski is a prison guard whose son, who works on the prison's death row, commits suicide. Grotowski spirals into depression until one night he helps Leticia Musgrove's injured son. When he dies, the couples are united by grief, but as their relationship develops, he learns he and his son were parties to the execution of her husband.
46. Things We Lost In the Fire
After her husband dies in an act of senseless violence, Audrey Burke (Halle Berry) is left alone with two young children and no idea how to cope. Nearly paralyzed by grief, Audrey tracks down her husband's childhood friend, Jerry (Benicio Del Toro). Jerry is a drug addict, but Audrey invites him to move into her home nevertheless, and a mutually dependent relationship develops between the two damaged souls.
47. Reign Over Me
Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler), who lost his family in the terrorist attacks of September 11, still grieves over their deaths. He runs into his former college roommate, Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle), and the two rekindle their friendship. Alan himself is feeling the strainof family and professional responsibilities, and his renewed bond with Charlie gives both men the strength to carry on during a turning point in their lives.
48. In the Bedroom
Summertime on the coast of Maine, "In the Bedroom" centers on the inner dynamics of a family in transition. Matt Fowler (Tom Wilkinson) is a doctor practicing in his native Maine and is married to New Yori born Ruth Fowler (Sissy Spacek), a music teacher. He is involved in a love affair with a local single mother (Marisa Tomei). As the beauty of Maine's brief and fleeting summer comes to an end, thesecharacters find themselves in the midst of unimaginable tragedy.
49. To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday
Two years ago, David Lewis' (Peter Gallagher) wife, Gillian (Michelle Pfeiffer), fell from their sailboat and died, and since then he's been uninterested in other relationships. Rachel (Claire Danes), their daughter, has been suffering during this period, as David ignores her and goes walking on the nearby beach, where he communicates with Gillian's ghost. Gillian's sister, Esther (Kathy Baker), brings a friend to the house in hopes of sparking his interest, but that only leads to complications.
50. The Big Chill
A once close-knit gang of friends - including an actor (JoBeth Williams), a doctor (Glenn Close) and her husband (Kevin Kline), a Vietnam veteran (William Hurt), and a journalist (Tom Berenger) - meets for a weekend after the funeral of their much-envied friend Alex, who committed suicide. The friends spend the weekend confronting the personal truths, sacrifices, and betrayals that have left them disenchanted. Each must contend with unresolved issues they have with Alex, and with one another.
51. About Schmidt
Warren Schmidt, a quiet ex-insurance actuary, is unhappily married to Helen and brooding over the forthcoming wedding of his daughter Jeannie to Randall Hertzel. When Helen suddenly dies and he finds love letters to her from his best friend, he is inspired to try and stop the wedding, but standing in his way is Randall's feisty mother, and slowly, herealizes he must make the most of his remaining life.
52. Nights in Rodanthe
When Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) arrives at the coastal town of Rodanthe, N.C., her life is in chaos. There, she hopes to sort through the trouble surrounding her, while tending a friend's inn for the weekend. The only guest at the inn is Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere), a man tormented by a crisis of conscience. As a storm approaches the coast, Paul and Adrienne find comfort and a life-changing romance.
53. Taking Chance
Lance Corporal Chance Phelps (USMC)was just nineteen years old when he was killed during active duty. Now, as Lance Corporal Phelps is prepared for his final journey back home, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl (USMC) makes it his personal mission to ensure that his fallen brother is laid to rest with the proper respect.
54. In the Gloaming
In this drama that marks the directorial debut of Christopher Reeve, 33-year-old AIDS sufferer Danny (Robert Sean Leonard) returns to his parents' home in the New York suburbs to spend his final days. While his father, Martin (David Strathairn), finds it difficult to accept his son's sexuality, and his self-concerned sister, Anne (Bridget Fonda), avoids the issue, his mother, Janet (Glenn Close), forges a deeper and more honest relationship with her dying son.
55. Wit
Professor Vivian Bearing (Emma Thompson), an expert on the work of 17th-century British poet John Donne, has spent her adult life contemplating religion and death as literary motifs. Diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer, she consents to an aggressive and experimental form of chemotherapy administered by Dr.Kelekian (Christopher Llyod) and his assistant, Dr. Posner (Jonathan M. Woodward), her former student. Facing death on a personal level, she reflects on her life and work.
56. Message in a Bottle
During her morning jog on the beach, journalist Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright Penn) discovers a bottle protruding from the sand.Inside it, she finds a heartbreaking, anonymous love letter. After her paper publishes the letter, Osborne tracks down the letter's reclusive author, world-weary widower Garret Blake (Kevin Costner), in the Carolinas. But, as Osborne finds herself falling hopelessly in love with Blake, she becomes wracked with guilt over the real impetus for her visit.
57. Lorenzo's Oil
True-life drama of a father andmother who battled against the odds to save their son's life. Augusto and Michaela Odone are dealt a cruel blow by fate: five -year-old Lorenzo is diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease, but the Odones' persistence and faith leads to the cure which saves their boy and re-writes medical history.
58. We Bought a Zoo
Following his wife's untimely death, Los Angeles journalist Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) decides to make a fresh start by quitting his job and moving his children (Collin Ford, Maggie Elizabeth Jones) to an 18-acre property containing the Rosemoor Wildlife Park. Though closed for years, Rosemoor is still home to many animals, cared for by Kelly Foster (Scarlett Johansson) and her small staff.Mee opens his heart and his checkbook as he, Kelly and the others work to renovate and reopen the zoo.
59. Beautiful Boy
Teenager Nicolas Sheff seems to have it all with good grades and being an actor, athlete, and editor of the school newspaper. When Nic's addiction to meth threatens to destroy him, his father does whatever he can to save his son and family.
60. The Laramie Project
"The Laramie Project" is set in and around Laramie, Wyoming, in the aftermath of the murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard. To create the stage version of "The Laramie Project," the eight-member New York-based Tectonic Theatre Project traveled to Laramie, Wyoming, recording hours of interviews with the town's citizens over a two-year period. The film adaptation dramatizes the troupe's visit, using the actual words from the transcripts to create a portrait of a town forced to confront itself.
61. Marley and Me
Newlyweds John and Jenny Grogan (Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston) leave behind snowy Michigan and move to Florida, where they buy their first home and find jobs at competing newspapers. Soon afterward, the Grogans adopt Marley, an adorable yellow Labrador pup. But Marley soon grows up to be a mischievous handful. Still, even while he's destroying the furniture and failing obedience school, he always manages to bring out the best in John, Jenny and their growing family.
62. The Broken Circle Breakdown
The loss of their young daughter threatens to destroy the love and faith of two married musicians (Veerle Beatens, Johan Heldenbergh).
63. August: Osage County
The death and funeral of their father brings three sisters to the home of their mother, Violet (Meryl Streep), and acid-tongued, pill-popping cancer patient. Daughters Barbara (Julia Roberts), Karen (Juliette Lewis) and Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) - along with their significant others and various other kin - take the full brunt of their dysfunctional matriarch's venom, for Violet tells every one of them exactly what shethings of them. Based on the play by Tracy Letts.
64. The Family Stone
Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney) wants to bring his girlfriend, Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker), to meet his bohemian Connecticut family at Christmas. Straitlaced Meredith, feeling she needs backup, asks her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to come along. Hoping to win the approval of her boyfriend's parents Sybil (Diane Keaton) and Kelly (Craig T. Nelson) and the rest of the family, instead, Meredith succeeds only in highlighting her uptight personality and making Everett doubt his intentions.
1. Steel Magnolias
M'Lynn (Sally Field) is the mother of bride-to-be Shelby Eatenton (Julia Roberts), and as friend Truvy Jones (Dolly Parton) fixes the women's hair for the ceremony, they welcome a helping hand from aspiring beautician Annelle Dupuy Desoto (Daryl Hannah). Diabetic Shelby has a health scare, which is
2. Beaches
Hillary (Barbara Hershey) and CC (Bette Midler) meet as children vacationing in Atlantic City, N.J., and remain friends throughout the decades. As CC, a loud New Yorker, pursues a singing career, Hillary, a staid Californian, becomes a successful lawyer. Over the years, they often quarrel or compete, but, as other relationships flourish and die, the two women are always there for each other, traveling from coast to coast through the most tumultuous times.
3. Tender Mercies
Down-on-his-luck country singer Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall) has nowhere to turn when he wakes up in a motel, short on cash. So he takes a job from Rosa Lee (Tess Harper), the kindly widow who runs the place. Mac begins to fall for Rosa, who helps him confront his drinking and also finds an unexpected bond with Rosa's young son (Allan Hubbard). When the opportunity for a career comeback surfaces, Mac must choose between his new life and the life he let slip through his hands.
4. Bonneville
When her husband dies, Arvilla Holden (Jessica Lange) wants to scatter his ashes per his request. However, the daughter from his previous marriage intervenes, demanding that her father's remains
5. Terms of Endearment
Widow Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter, Emma (Debra Winger), have a strong bond, but Emma marries teacher Flap Horton (Jeff Daniels) against her mother's wishes. When the marriage grows sour due to Flap's cheating, Emma eventually splits from him, returning to her mother, who is involved with a former astronaut (Jack Nicholson). Soon, Emma learns that she has terminal cancer. In the hospital, supported by Aurora, she tries to make peace with Flap and her children.
6. Truly Madly Deeply
A woman struggles to cope with the death of her lover, only to find that his ghost magically appears and moves back into her flat. When she falls in love with another man, she faces a choice between holding onto the past and facing the future.
7. PS I Love You
When Gerry (Gerard Butler), the husband of Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank), dies from an illness, she loses the love of her life. Knowing how hard Holly will take his death, Gerry plans ahead. Beginning
8. The Notebook
In 1940s South Carolina, mill worker Noah Calhorn (Ryan Gosling) and rich girl Allie (Rachel McAdams) are desperately in love. But her parents don't approve. When Noah goes off to serve in World War II, it seems to mark the end of their love affair. In the interim, Allie becomes involved with another man (James Marsden). But when Noah returns to their small town years later, on the cusp of Allie's marriage, it soon becomes clear that their romance is anything but over.
9. One True Thing
Kate (Meryl Streep), the undervalued matriarch of the Gulden family, is diagnosed with cancer. Daughter and journalist Ellen (Renee Zellweger) returns from New York City to care for her mother at the request of her father (William Hurt). During the time Kate spends with her parents, she discovers secrets that she was never privy to in her childhood. Though Ellen has always idolized her father, she learns that her mother has had a much more difficult life than she knew.
10. The Bucket List
Billionaire Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and car mechanic Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) are complete strangers until fate lands them in the same hospital room. The men find they have two things in common: a need to come to terms with who they are and what they have done with their lives, and a desire to complete a list of things they want to see and do before they die. Against their doctor's advice, the men leave the hospital and set out on the adventure of a lifetime.
11. Rabbit Hole
Eight months after the accidental death of their 4-year-old son, Howie (Aaron Eckhart) and Becca (Nicole Kidman) are trying to overcome their grief. He wants to hold on to everything that reminds him of Danny, while she would rather sell their home and make a fresh start. Cracks begin to appear in the relationship as Howie bonds with a member of his therapy group and Becca reaches out to a teenage boy with telling facial scars. Based on the play by David Lindsay-Abaire.
12. Ghost
Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) is a banker, Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) is an artist, and the two are madly in love. However, when Sam is murdered by friend and corrupt business partner Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn) over a shady business deal, he is left to roam the earth as a powerless spirit. When he learns of Carl's betrayal, Sam must seek the help of psychic Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg) to set things right and protect Molly from Carl and his goons.
13. The Other Woman
New York lawyer Carly Whitten (Cameron Diaz) Lives by strict rules when it comes to romantic relationships, but when she falls for a suave, handsome Mark King (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), she begins an affair with him. A surprise visit to Mark's home reveals that he is married to
14. My Life
A terminally ill man prepares for his death.
15. Philadelphia
Fearing it would compromise his career, lawyer Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) hides his homosexuality and HIV status at the powerful Philadelphia law firm. But his secret is exposed when a colleague spots the illness's telltale lesions. Fired shortly afterward, Beckett resolves to sue for discrimination, teaming up with Joe Miller (Denzel Washington), the only lawyer willing to help. In court, they face one of his ex-employers top litigators, Belinda Conine (Mary Steenburgen).
16. What Dreams May Come
After Chris Nielsen (Robin Williams) dies in a car accident, he is guided through the afterlife by his spirit guide, Albert (Cuba Gooding Jr.). His new world is beautiful and can be whatever Chris imagines. Even his children are there. But, when his wife, Annie (Annabella Sciorra), commits suicide and is sent to hell, Chris ignores Albert's warnings and journeys there to save her. Upon arrival, Chris finds that rescuing Annie will be more difficult than he'd imagined.
17.
After losing her mother in a car accident that leaves her with a broken arm, 4-year-old Ponette (Victoire Thivisol) struggles with anguish and fear. Left by her father with caring Aung (Claire Nebout) and her children, Ponette grieves, secretly hoping her mother will somehow come back. Confused by the religious explanations provided by adults, and challenged by the cruel taunts of a few children at school, little Ponette must make her way through her emotional turmoil.
18. Delores Claiborne
In a small New England town, Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates) works as a housekeeper for the rich, but heartless Vera Donovan (Judy Parfitt). When Vera turns up dead, Dolores is accused of killing her elderly employer -- so her estranged daughter, Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a well-respected New York City journalist, decides to visit her mother and investigate the matter for herself. As Selena digs deeper into the case, she uncovers shocking truths about the murder and her own childhood.
19. Wuthering Heights
In this adaptation of the classic Emily Bronte novel set in 19th-century England, wealthy young Cathy Earnshaw (Merle Oberon) shares a loving bond with Heathcliff (
20. Ordinary People
Tormented by guilt following the death of his older brother, Buck, in a sailing accident, alienated teenager Conrad Jarrett (Timothy Hutton) attempts suicide. Returning home following an extended stay in a psychiatric hospital, Conrad tries to deal with his mental anguish and also reconnect with his mother, Beth (Mary Tyler Moore), who has grown cold and angry, and his emotionally wounded father, Calvin (Donald Sutherland), with the help of his psychiatrist, Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch).
21. Out of Africa
Initially set on being a dairy farmer, the aristocratic Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep) travels to Africa to join her husband, Bror (Klaus Maria Brandauer), who instead spends their money on a coffee plantation. After discovering Bror is unfaithful, Karen develops feelings for hunter Denys (Robert Redford) but realizes he prefers a simplistic lifestyle compared to her upper-class background. The two continue on until a series of events force Karen to choose between her love and her personal growth.
22. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Oskar (Thomas Horn), who lost his father (Tom Hanks) in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, is convinced that his dad left a final message
23. Step Mom
Three years after divorcing Jackie (Susan Sarandon), the mother of his children, Luke
24. The Kite Runner
Afghani immigrant Amir is summoned from his California home to Pakistan by Rahim Khan, an old, dying friend of his father. As a boy in Afghanistan, wealthy Amir was best friends with a servant's son Hassan, but when Hassan was brutally assaulted by a local bully, Amir was too scared to save him and has been tormented by guilt ever since.
25. Mystic River
When the daughter (Emmy Rossum) of ex-con Jimmy Marcus (Sean Penn) is murdered, two of his childhood friends from the neighborhood are involved. Dave (Tim Robbins), a blue-collar worker, was the last person to see her alive, while Sean (Kevin Bacon), a homicide detective, is heading up the case. As Sean proceeds with his investigation, Jimmy conducts one of his own through neighborhood contacts. Eventually, Jimmy suspects
26. The Descendants
Native islander Matt King (George Clooney) lives with his family in Hawaii. Their world shatters when a tragic accident leaves his wife in a coma. Not only must Matt struggle with the stipulation in his
27. Two Weeks
North Carolina matriarch Anita Bergman (Sally Field) enters the final stage of her battle with cancer, and her four adult children, Keith (Ben Chaplin), Barry (Tom Cavanagh), Emily (Julianne Nicholson) and Matthew (Glenn Howerton), gather at her bedside. As the siblings face their mother's imminent demise, home movies provide insight into family relationships.
28. Miss Potter
Based on the life of early 29th-century author Beatrix Potter, creator of Peter Rabbit. As a young woman, Potter rails against her parents' wishes for her to marry and settle down. Instead, she continues to write about and draw the animals she has adored since childhood. Her early attempts to find a publisher for her children's stories are unsuccessful, but an offer from a small firm will turn her into a literary phenomenon.
29. The Lovely Bones
After being brutally murdered, 14-year-old Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) watches from heaven over her grief-stricken family (Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz) - and her killer (Stanley Tucci). As she observes their daily lives, she must balance her thirst for revenge with her desire for her family to heal.
30. The Doctor
Ace surgeon Jack McKee (William Hurt) is emotionally disconnected from his wife (Christine Lahti), his son (Charlie Korsmo) and the people he operates on. After Jack develops a life-threatening tumor, he sees life from a
Based on sportswriter Frank Deford's (Craig T. Nelson) book about his 8-year-old daughter (Gennie James) dying with grace of cystic fibrosis.
32. Love Story
When wealthy Harvard University law student Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O'Neal) meets Jenny Cavilleri (Ali MacGraw), a middle-class girl who is studying music at Radcliffe College, it's love at first sight. Despite the protests of Oliver's father (Ray Milland), the young couple
33. Patch Adams
After struggling with depression in a mental hospital, Hunter "Patch" Adams (Robin Williams) decides he wants to become a doctor. He enrolls at Virginia Medical University but is disillusioned by the school's clinical perspective on patient care. With the aid of a wealthy friend, Adams opens his own medical clinic for those without insurance. He forms a deep bond with fellow medical student Carin Fisher (Monica Potter) before a tragedy causes Adams to re-evaluate his approach.
34. Up
Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, is about to fulfill a lifelong dream. Trying thousands of balloons to his house, he flies away to the South American wilderness. But curmudgeonly Carl's worst nightmare comes true when he discovers a little boy named Russell is a stowaway aboard the balloon-powered house. A Pixar animation.
35. Burning Man
After the death of his wife (Bojana Novakovic), a father (Matthew Goode) gives in to grief and anger and uses casual sex to cope with his pain.
36. The Sweet Hereafter
A small mountain community in Canada is devastated when a school bus accident leaves more than a dozen of its children dead. A big-city lawyer (Ian Holm) arrives to help the survivors' and victims' families prepare a class-action suit, but his efforts only seem to push the townspeople further apart. At the same time, one teenage survivor of the accident (Sarah Polley) has to reckon with the loss of innocence brought about by a different kind of damage.
37. Last Tango in Paris
Distraught following his wife's suicide, American hotelier Paul (Marlon Brando) becomes transfixed by the beautiful younger Frenchwoman Jeanne (Maria Schneider) when he meets her by chance at an apartment both are attempting to rent. The couple
38. Seven Pounds
Ben Thomas is a man on a mission. Giving vital parts of his body to those desperately in need of a donor. Ben meets Emily Posa, a beautiful young woman at risk from a deadly heart condition. As Ben falls for Emily and begins to open up to her, it becomes clear there is something dark in his past that compels him to commit these apparent random acts of kindness.
39. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
In 2001, 28-year-old Dr. Andrew Bagby is found dead in a park in Pennsylvania. He had been shot by his ex-girlfriend, who then fled to Canada, where she was able to walk free on bail, pregnant with Andrew's child. Andrew's enraged parents' campaign to gain custody of the child and convict their son's killer. Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne pairs this story with home movies and interviews with those who knew Andrew, hoping to give his best friend's son an opportunity to discover who his dad was.
40. My Sister's Keeper
Conceived as a marrow donor for her gravely ill sister, Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) has undergone countless surgeries and medical procedures in her short life. Though their older daughter's life has no doubt been prolonged, the unorthodox decision of Anna's parents has cracked the entire family's foundation. When Anna sues her parents for emancipation, it sets off a court case that threatens to destroy the family for good.
41. Sophie's Choice
Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie (Meryl Streep) and her lover Nathan (Kevin Kline), he learns that Sophie is a Holocaust survivor. Flashbacks reveal her harrowing story, from pre-war prosperity to Auschwitz. In the present, Sophie and Nathan's relationship
42. Catch and Release
A woman (Jennifer Garner) struggles to rebuild her life in the wake of her fiance's untimely death and the discovery of secrets he kept from her. Along the way, she bonds with her best pals (Sam Jaeger, Kevin Smith), including a
43. Moonlight Mile
When Joe Nast's (Jake Gyllenhaal)
44. White Oleander
Powerfully acted adaptation of Janet Fitch's best-selling novel. With her mother serving a life sentence for murdering her boyfriend, a teenage girl enters the foster care system. As she moves from one troubled foster home to another, each with its own rules and lessons to be learned, she begins a journey of self discovery. Trying to forge her own identity proves difficult under the coldhearted influence of her mother.
45. Monster's Ball
Hank Grotowski is a prison guard whose son, who works on the prison's death row, commits suicide. Grotowski spirals into depression until one night he helps Leticia Musgrove's injured son. When he dies, the couples are united by grief, but as their relationship develops, he learns he and his son were parties to the execution of her husband.
46. Things We Lost In the Fire
After her husband dies in an act of senseless violence, Audrey Burke (Halle Berry) is left alone with two young children and no idea how to cope. Nearly paralyzed by grief, Audrey tracks down her husband's childhood friend, Jerry (Benicio Del Toro). Jerry is a drug addict, but Audrey invites him to move into her home nevertheless, and a mutually dependent relationship develops between the two damaged souls.
47. Reign Over Me
Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler), who lost his family in the terrorist attacks of September 11, still grieves over their deaths. He runs into his former college roommate, Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle), and the two rekindle their friendship. Alan himself is feeling the strain
48. In the Bedroom
Summertime on the coast of Maine, "In the Bedroom" centers on the inner dynamics of a family in transition. Matt Fowler (Tom Wilkinson) is a doctor practicing in his native Maine and is married to New Yori born Ruth Fowler (Sissy Spacek), a music teacher. He is involved in a love affair with a local single mother (Marisa Tomei). As the beauty of Maine's brief and fleeting summer comes to an end, these
49. To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday
Two years ago, David Lewis' (Peter Gallagher) wife, Gillian (Michelle Pfeiffer), fell from their sailboat and died, and since then he's been uninterested in other relationships. Rachel (Claire Danes), their daughter, has been suffering during this period, as David ignores her and goes walking on the nearby beach, where he communicates with Gillian's ghost. Gillian's sister, Esther (Kathy Baker), brings a friend to the house in hopes of sparking his interest, but that only leads to complications.
50. The Big Chill
A once close-knit gang of friends - including an actor (JoBeth Williams), a doctor (Glenn Close) and her husband (Kevin Kline), a Vietnam veteran (William Hurt), and a journalist (Tom Berenger) - meets for a weekend after the funeral of their much-envied friend Alex, who committed suicide. The friends spend the weekend confronting the personal truths, sacrifices, and betrayals that have left them disenchanted. Each must contend with unresolved issues they have with Alex, and with one another.
51. About Schmidt
Warren Schmidt, a quiet ex-insurance actuary, is unhappily married to Helen and brooding over the forthcoming wedding of his daughter Jeannie to Randall Hertzel. When Helen suddenly dies and he finds love letters to her from his best friend, he is inspired to try and stop the wedding, but standing in his way is Randall's feisty mother, and slowly, he
52. Nights in Rodanthe
When Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) arrives at the coastal town of Rodanthe, N.C., her life is in chaos. There, she hopes to sort through the trouble surrounding her, while tending a friend's inn for the weekend. The only guest at the inn is Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere), a man tormented by a crisis of conscience. As a storm approaches the coast, Paul and Adrienne find comfort and a life-changing romance.
53. Taking Chance
Lance Corporal Chance Phelps (USMC)
54. In the Gloaming
In this drama that marks the directorial debut of Christopher Reeve, 33-year-old AIDS sufferer Danny (Robert Sean Leonard) returns to his parents' home in the New York suburbs to spend his final days. While his father, Martin (David Strathairn), finds it difficult to accept his son's sexuality, and his self-concerned sister, Anne (Bridget Fonda), avoids the issue, his mother, Janet (Glenn Close), forges a deeper and more honest relationship with her dying son.
55. Wit
Professor Vivian Bearing (Emma Thompson), an expert on the work of 17th-century British poet John Donne, has spent her adult life contemplating religion and death as literary motifs. Diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer, she consents to an aggressive and experimental form of chemotherapy administered by Dr.
56. Message in a Bottle
During her morning jog on the beach, journalist Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright Penn) discovers a bottle protruding from the sand.
57. Lorenzo's Oil
True-life drama of a father and
58. We Bought a Zoo
Following his wife's untimely death, Los Angeles journalist Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) decides to make a fresh start by quitting his job and moving his children (Collin Ford, Maggie Elizabeth Jones) to an 18-acre property containing the Rosemoor Wildlife Park. Though closed for years, Rosemoor is still home to many animals, cared for by Kelly Foster (Scarlett Johansson) and her small staff.
59. Beautiful Boy
Teenager Nicolas Sheff seems to have it all with good grades and being an actor, athlete, and editor of the school newspaper. When Nic's addiction to meth threatens to destroy him, his father does whatever he can to save his son and family.
60. The Laramie Project
"The Laramie Project" is set in and around Laramie, Wyoming, in the aftermath of the murder of 21-year-old Matthew Shepard. To create the stage version of "The Laramie Project," the eight-member New York-based Tectonic Theatre Project traveled to Laramie, Wyoming, recording hours of interviews with the town's citizens over a two-year period. The film adaptation dramatizes the troupe's visit, using the actual words from the transcripts to create a portrait of a town forced to confront itself.
61. Marley and Me
Newlyweds John and Jenny Grogan (Owen Wilson, Jennifer Aniston) leave behind snowy Michigan and move to Florida, where they buy their first home and find jobs at competing newspapers. Soon afterward, the Grogans adopt Marley, an adorable yellow Labrador pup. But Marley soon grows up to be a mischievous handful. Still, even while he's destroying the furniture and failing obedience school, he always manages to bring out the best in John, Jenny and their growing family.
62. The Broken Circle Breakdown
The loss of their young daughter threatens to destroy the love and faith of two married musicians (Veerle Beatens, Johan Heldenbergh).
63. August: Osage County
The death and funeral of their father brings three sisters to the home of their mother, Violet (Meryl Streep), and acid-tongued, pill-popping cancer patient. Daughters Barbara (Julia Roberts), Karen (Juliette Lewis) and Ivy (Julianne Nicholson) - along with their significant others and various other kin - take the full brunt of their dysfunctional matriarch's venom, for Violet tells every one of them exactly what she
64. The Family Stone
Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney) wants to bring his girlfriend, Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker), to meet his bohemian Connecticut family at Christmas. Straitlaced Meredith, feeling she needs backup, asks her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to come along. Hoping to win the approval of her boyfriend's parents Sybil (Diane Keaton) and Kelly (Craig T. Nelson) and the rest of the family, instead, Meredith succeeds only in highlighting her uptight personality and making Everett doubt his intentions.
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