BOOK

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Yes, this is a really long book and yes, everyone who I have asked has admitted to never reading it. This slot might also just be an excuse to plug both movies – 1994 and 2019 [insert Timmy swoon]. However you choose to join the March family this weekend, I hope it makes you smile, and maybe cry a little. Both casts are stacked and wonderful. But the heart of the story is really the March family as a whole – how they love one another, learn from each other, forgive, and grow together. May it remind you of why you love the relatives whose heads you’ve been so close to biting off in iso.

FILMS

The Sound of Music (Disney+ Trailer)

My family loves this movie so much that we dressed up and went to a singalong in the San Francisco Castro district. Let’s just say my brothers were not pleased but my grandmother was over the moon. I’m sure there is no need for a recap but just in case… Sound of Music is based on the real life story of the Von Trapp Family singers. When Julie Andrews, an Austrian abbey, becomes the governess to a widowed naval captain with SEVEN children, she brings love, life and music back into the home. Don’t bring this movie up near my family or else we will perform.

Cheaper by the Dozen (Disney+ Trailer)

I totally forgot about this movie until my boyfriend mentioned that this was his favorite movie growing up. Which naturally meant I had to stay up until 1am watching it. And let me be the first to tell you – this movie absolutely holds up. The jokes are still hilarious, the set pieces are still wonderful, and bonus, the adult jokes didn’t go over my head this time! The only question is, how the f*ck did they afford the music rights to all the incredible songs on the soundtrack?

Step Brothers (Amazon – Trailer)

I can watch this movie over and over again and still laugh as hard every time. I also feel like this is me during quarantine? Maybe because my brother has a drum set and we’ve been singing a lot in the car… BUT at least I have a job! When Will Ferrell’s mother and John C. Reilly’s dad move in together, it turns these overgrown boys’ world upside down.

The Parent Trap (Disney+ Trailer)

You know the story, it’s been retold since the ‘60s. Annie and Hallie (both played by Lohan) discover they’re twins who were separated at birth, making it their life’s mission to reunite their parents. This movie is so fun, from the pranks the twins pull on each other at camp to the tricks they play on Meredith while camping with their dad. To this day, I still have never tried peanut butter with Oreos. I have, however, thought about piercing my ear with an apple slice.

Coco (Disney+ Trailer)

Not sure what it is about flights, but they somehow only ever have movies that make me cry. SO sorry for being that person. I’ve also been called unwell for how many times I’ve chosen to rewatch this movie. Jury’s still out. Miguel was born into a family that has musical roots, but is now banned from playing music. When he finds himself in the Land of the Dead on Dia de Los Muertos, his ancestors guide him to answers he didn’t know he needed to complete his family’s history and find their way back to music.

Little Miss Sunshine (Amazon – Trailer)

When I first saw this movie, I was twelve year old and my mom and I had just spent five hours driving around Ventura county looking for a movie theater showing it. Every time we were met with a no, my mom would turn to me and say, “The universe does not want me to show you this movie.” I guess the universe admired her persistence, because we finally found a one room theater that was showing it and were only ten minutes late. This movie is so heart-warming, funny, and kind of the perfect movie for this weekend. If there was ever a time where we needed a ragtag family to hop on a child beauty pageant stage to support their daughter, it’s now.

The Royal Tenenbaums (Amazon – Trailer)

While we patiently await the eventual release of The French Dispatch, join the Tenenbaum siblings as they weather the storm that is their relationship with their patriarch, Royal. I would lay out the family tree for you here, but we don’t have that kind of time or space. The cast is stacked, BOTH Wilson brothers present. It’s who you expect in every Wes Anderson flick, Bill Murray & Co.

TV SERIES

Succession (Amazon/Hulu/HBO Go)

If you want to feel like your family is incredibly normal, low stress, and sane, then watch Succession. Succession tracks the lives of the Roy family as they contemplate their future while their aging father begins to step back from the media and entertainment conglomerate they control. You won’t know who to root for in this show and once you pick someone, it will immediately change. If for some wild reason your family can compete with the craziness of this one, let us know and we will write the show for you.

Gilmore Girls (Netflix)

So, even though I hadn’t actually seen Gilmore Girls until it showed up on Netflix in college, I now consider myself to be the resident Gilmore Girls expert. And as the resident expert, I’m going to tell you, if you haven’t seen any episodes, start at the beginning and watch all seven seasons (you can skip A Year in the Life). If you, like me, have seen the series more times than you can count allow me to direct you to the best episodes: Season 2, Episode 10 (The Bracebridge Dinner), Season 5, Episode 7 (You Jump, I Jump, Jack), and Season 6, Episode 8 (Let Me Hear Your Balalaikas Ringing Out). You’re welcome.