Joel Siegel's Picks for Mother’s Day

May 9, 2007 — -- Mother's Day is a time to show that special lady just how much she means to you. It's also a great chance to get on her good side. And what says "I love you and appreciate all you've done for me" like a brand new DVD with digitally remastered audio and director commentary?

Experts agree, if you want to make this Mother's Day one to remember, head over to the local superstore and buy mom a movie she'll love.

Here's a selection of some recent releases that ABC's Joel Siegel thinks will make great Mother's Day gifts.

The Queen (2006)

Helen Mirren won her first Oscar for this spot-on performance as Queen Elizabeth II in the weeks after Princess Diana's death in Paris. The British media tried to make the aging monarch a caricature of regal frostiness, but Stephen Frears' film shows her conflicted inner workings. We also see the key role that then new Prime Minister Tony Blair had in convincing the queen to be more open with her private grief. If you saw anything of the real queen's recent visit to the states, you can understand why critics were so in awe of Mirren.

Joel Siegel says: "This is an excellent film — a great film to watch with mom. The way [Mirren] inhabits that role, we really believe we are in a room with the Queen of England. … Buy it!"

Dreamgirls (2006)

This popular movie musical was adapted from a 1981 Broadway show of the same name. "Dreamgirls" is the story of a Motown girl group that gets tripped up on their way to fame by some unsavory characters in the music industry. Nothing, though, could keep Jennifer Hudson from the recognition she deserved. Hudson won an Academy Award for her spectacular performance in the role once filled on stage by Jennifer Holliday. Co-stars include Beyonce Knowles and Eddie Murphy.

Joel Siegel says: "It's impossible for us to understand now, but we in this country were so nuts that music was segregated. … Every once in a while, there'd be a crossover star like Nat King Cole, but when I was a kid, listening to rock 'n' roll, we had to find the stations that came from South Central L.A. to hear the real groups sing the real songs. Elvis Presley changed it. Motown changed it. And that is what 'Dreamgirls' is about. And there are some great performances too!"

Big (1988)

The classic comic tale of a boy who takes the form of an adult after a run-in with a magical fortunetelling machine has been digitally revamped. The movie stars Tom Hanks, who plays the grown-up version of 13-year-old Josh Baskin. Josh makes his wish (to be "big") one night at a carnival and wakes up as a grown-up the next morning. A subsequent trip to famed New York City toy store FAO Schwartz earns him a high-paying job, and soon thereafter, the interests of an older woman.

Joel Siegel says:"Film deteriorates and what [this DVD's producers] have done is restored and digitalized it. They've digitized the sound and made it look even better than it looked when it was an original film."

An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

Richard Gere stars in this film about the conflict between a would-be naval officer and the Marine sergeant (Louis Gossett Jr.) whose job it is to train him. Gere's situation is further complicated by a fiery romance with a factory worker played by Debra Winger. A special feature titled "True Stories of Military Romance" is also included on this newly released DVD.

Joel Siegel says:"This is a great movie. Just simply a great movie."

Volver (2006)

Pedro Almodovar's colorful tale of a resourceful Spanish mother and her daughter was a darling of the international film circuit. The plot turns on the performance of Penelope Cruz, whose character, Raimunda, must deal with an alcoholic husband and an extended family still coping with the death of her mother. "Volver" is a movie about women and how their secrets and desires can keep a family together. For their efforts, Cruz and the other five actresses featured in the movie shared the best actress award at last year's Cannes Film Festival.

Joel Siegel says: "This is an exquisite movie that made my Ten Best list last year. Almodovar is one of the great directors. … Someone described this movie to me as a 'Field of Dreams' for women."

Dirty Dancing - 20th Anniversary Edition (1987)

No one can deny the long-lasting popularity of this late 1980s teen drama. Jennifer Grey plays Baby, the innocent teenager who finds herself and the respect of her parents with the help of Patrick Swayze's dance instructor, Johnny. It's a classic tale of young love dressed up in Latin dancing shoes.

Joel Siegel says: "They just did a poll in Britain and 'Dirty Dancing' is the movie more British women want to see than any other movie ever made. Moms and daughters like watching this movie together."