10 Movies to Watch with Dad This Father's Day
This Father's Day, instead of picking up another ugly tie for your dad (hint: he hates them) or just taking him out to dinner, why not watch a movie with him? There are a host of movies celebrating fatherhood, and what better time to break out one of these classics than on Dad's day?
Road to Perdition (2003)
A treatise on dads and sons disguised as a tight, affecting gangster drama, "Perdition" tells the story of the son of a mob enforcer, who himself has daddy issues with his boss. Never has a truer line been spoken than "Natural law. Sons are put on this earth to trouble their fathers." Both a tense thriller and a harrowing drama, "Perdition" is an underrated gem by Sam Mendes ("Skyfall") and stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and a pre-Bond Daniel Craig.
Taken (2008)
Perhaps the ultimate in Father's Day action flicks, "Taken" celebrates the badassery of all things dad. Liam Neeson plays pops this time around, and if you mess with his little girl (Maggie Grace), he'll let you know about his "particular set of skills," which mostly involves beating you within an inch of your life (or, more likely, further than that). In other words, don't cross dad. And leave his daughter alone.
Raising Arizona (1986)
The fevered dream of a new father, "Raising Arizona" tells the story of new dad H.I. (Nicolas Cage), who stole his new son from a rich family who just had quintuplets. Supplementing a dead-end job by knocking over convenience stores, H.I. struggles to make a living for his new family, worries whether he's good enough to be a father, finds himself frustrated by other parents, and fights everyone, up to and (possibly) including the devil himself, to protect his family. And much of the time, he's wearing a panty on his head. Sounds just like my dad.
Frequency (2000)
A man (Jim Caviezel) whose father (Dennis Quaid) died years before starts speaking across time to him via ham radio. The son prevents his dad's death, but in doing so sets forth some pretty dire consequences, including his mother's murder. Father and son must work together across time to stop the killer before he strikes again (er, the first time). Another movie about things left unsaid between fathers and son, "Frequency" is another gem that is often overlooked.
Mr. Mom (1983)
A look at the clashing cultures between yuppiedom and parenthood, "Mr. Mom" explores what, at the time, was just a joke: What if the dad stays home while the mom becomes the breadwinner? Aside from the usual struggles with housework (including the memorable "Jaws, the vacuum cleaner"), the comedy of fatherly improvisation (see the picture above) and dealing with a gang of rowdy children (er, see the picture above), "Mr. Mom" helped a generation of boys develop parenting skills, including yours truly.