Celebrate Mother’s Day with These Unstoppable Movie Moms
- May 7
- 3 min read
This year, Mother's Day falls on May 10, and we're ready for our celebratory movie marathon. There is a myriad of fantastic movie moms who embody the strength, dedication, and love that make mothers as special as they are. Keep reading to learn all about what sets our top 3 favorite movie moms above the rest.
1) Ellen Ripley / Queen Mother - Aliens (1986)
This film is widely considered to be both one of the best sequels and one of the best sci-fi thrillers of all time. Perfect to watch on Mother's Day, Aliens also features some of the fiercest movie moms of all time. In fact, Time Magazine listed the Queen Mother alien as one of the "Top 10 Best Moms Ever." After the alien slaughters her crew (in the first Alien film), Ellen Ripley voyages back to exterminate any eggs that may lie within. Once Ripley lands, she finds a destroyed colony with one lone survivor, a young girl named Newt. Ripley immediately steps up as a mother figure, prioritizing Newt's safety. Meanwhile, the Queen Mother stays laser-focused on her own babies' safety, hunting down Ripley (and Newt) for attempting to destroy her eggs. The alien mom's ferocity demonstrates that some moms will do anything and everything for their kids' safety--including being literally out for blood when they're in danger. In many ways, this film is a battle between two very dedicated mothers. It's also terrifying, keeping you on the edge of your seat for the entire movie. Aliens is a much-watch for all sci-fi fans (and their mothers!).
2) Ed McDunnough - Raising Arizona (1987)
Just to be clear: We're certainly not condoning kidnapping. We're just saying, kidnapping aside, Ed McDunnough is a dedicated, passionate mother. Raising Arizona is the hilarious and off-beat story of an infertile couple (Hi and Ed) who are unable to adopt due to a prior criminal record. When news breaks that one of the town's richest couples just gave birth to quintuplets, Hi and Ed see it as an opportunity to start their own family--by stealing one of the babies. Wanting nothing more than to be good parents, the couple does everything they can to keep their baby safe. Navigating the escape (and return) of Hi's old cell mates, a bounty hunter, and yet another couple determined to steal the baby, Ed is everything a loving, protective, and compassionate mother should be. We also love her because (similar to Ripley) she demonstrates that a mother's love does not have to be biological. Despite the kidnapping of it all, we never once doubt her maternal instincts, dedication, and love that Ed practices for the baby.
3) Helen Parr - The Incredibles (2004)
It's no secret that moms are superheroes; we love Helen Parr (aka Elastigirl) because she embodies exactly how they earn that title. Helen and her husband Bob are retired superheroes, living a quiet life in anonymity as they raise three children. When Bob starts getting involved with mysterious missions and villains, Helen brings the family together to save the day. The filmmakers' not-so-subtle nod to the working mom who is "stretched thin" taking care of the house, the kids, and a job is not lost on us. While moms should not be expected to do it all, Helen can and does to protect her kids. Not only does she literally stretch herself across the house to balance tasks, she goes on a journey to save her husband (and the world) WHILE actively protecting her children. She even contorts her body in various ways throughout the ordeal to keep everyone safe. Helen reminds us that women can step up to the plate, no hesitation, to do and be everything when disaster strikes. She is unapologetically herself and knows her worth throughout it all, exemplifying incredible moms everywhere.
