Akeelah and the Bee.  2006, 112 minutes.  Rated PG.  Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett, J.R. Villarreal, Sean Michael Afable.  Directed by Doug Atchison.  The story of Akeelah, a gifted child in an inner-city middle school who makes it to the national spelling bee -- and makes a surprising choice at a crucial moment.  It's about compassion, believing in yourself, and doing the right thing.

Apollo 13.  1995, 140 minutes.  Rated PG.  Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinese, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris.  Directed by Ron Howard.  Docudrama concerning the 1970 NASA mission to the moon, the nearly-fatal explosion in space, the efforts to get the astronauts back safely, and how everyone, including the astronauts themselves, were determined that "failure is not an option."

Bruce Almighty.  2003, 94 minutes.  Rated PG-13.  Jim Carrey, Jennifer Aniston, Morgan Freeman.  Directed by Tom Shadyac.  A career-obsessed TV reporter asks why he is being let down by God.  God is tired of his complaints and gives his powers to Carrey for a week, to show him how hard it is to run the world.  Carrey does his usual slapstick humor, but we see him slowly realize what is truly important in his life.  I'm not a big Jim Carrey fan, and I was ready to hate this movie.  It won me over. 

E.T. The Extraterrestrial.  1982, 120 minutes.  Rated PG.  Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, K.C. Martel.  Directed by Steven Spielberg.  A story about the friendship between a little boy and an alien from outer space, accidentally left on Earth by his spacecraft.  (The real star of the movie is E.T. himself, the amazing creation of Hollywood special effects wizardry.)  Sometimes very funny, sometimes exciting, occasionally scary, with a poignant ending that will have you reaching for the tissues.  Wonderful film.

Gandhi.  1982, 187 minutes.  Rated PG.  Ben Kingsley, John Gielgud, Athol Fugard, Candace Bergen, Edward Fox.  Directed by Richard Attenborough.  Epic story of a simple man, who never sought to be a leader, who refused to be driven from his principles.  The bigger screen you see this on, the better.  Beautifully photographed.

It's A Wonderful Life. 1946, 130 minutes.  Not rated.  James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers.  Directed by Frank Capra.   George Bailey grows up in the small town of Bedford Falls, dreaming of adventure and travel, but life keeps him from realizing his dreams.  Frustrated and frightened by an impending scandal, he prepares to commit suicide on Christmas Eve. An angel shows him what Bedford Falls would have been like if he had never been born.  A classic is never outdated.

Lilo and Stitch.  2002, 89 minutes.  Rated PG.  (The voices of) Daveigh Chase, Christopher Sanders, Tia Carrere, Ving Rhames.  Directed by Christopher Sanders and Dean Deblois.  Lilo, a lonely Hawaiian girl, adopts a small, "ugly" dog, who would be a good pet if he wasn't an escaped genetic experiment from an alien world created to destroy things.  Through the Hawaiian concept of family, Lilo helps her reluctant pet to find his heart.  Unusually edgy for a Disney animated feature, and a lot of fun.  (This excellent film was largely buried in the publicity for the awful Scooby-Doo movie.  It deserved a much better fate.)

Mary Poppins.  1964, 140 minutes.  Rated G.  Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Karen Dotrice, Matthew Garber.  Directed by Robert Stevenson.  My late-teen children dragged me into the living room to watch this with them!  This Disney classic has aged well -- it's just as charming as ever.  Fun for children -- and a pointed message for workaholic parents.

Miracle on 34th Street.  1947, 96 minutes.  Not rated.  Edmund Gwenn, John Payne, Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood, Gene Lockhart.  Directed by George Seaton.  A timeless Christmas story about a single mother who has two special men enter her life, one of whom claims to be Santa Claus.  (Be sure you watch the original, not the 1994 remake.)

Mr. Holland's Opus.  1995, 143 minutes.  Rated PG.  Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headley, Alicia Witt, Anthony Natale, Jay Thomas.  Directed by Stephen Herek.  Essentially a remake of the Disney film Follow Me, Boys! in a different setting, and quite an improvement.  An aspiring composer reluctantly becomes a teacher in order to pay his bills, and finds that he can connect with students.

The Passion of the Christ.  2004, 126 minutes.  Rated R.  James Caviezel, Monica Bellucci, Maia Morgenstern, Rosalinda Celentano, Hristo Jivkov.  Directed by Mel Gibson.  A graphic, intense representation of the final 12 hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, and his extraordinary sacrifice.  (Is the movie violent?  Very much so -- and so is the story on which it's based.  Even so, I think movies like Starship Troopers and Scarface are far more violent.  And the movie is not anti-Semetic.  Absolutely not.)  Mel Gibson's making of this movie is one of the most extraordinary acts of faith that I have ever seen, surpassed only by the act of faith depicted in the movie. 

Radio.  2003, 109 minutes.  Rated PG.  Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ed Harris, Debra Winger, Alfre Woodard.  Directed by Mike Tollin.  Based on the story of James "Radio" Kennedy, a mentally-challenged young man who lives in the small town of Anderson, South Carolina.  He is befriended by the local high school football coach, and eventually by the entire school and town.  No special effects, no explosions, no silly subplots, just an unpretentious, simple story of love and understanding.

Remember the Titans.  2000, 113 minutes.  Rated PG.  Denzel Washington, Will Patton, Donald Faison, Wood Harris, Ryan Hurst.  Directed by Boaz Yakin.  Based on a true story about a newly integrated high school, its football team and its coaching staff.  Criticized by some for its naivety and formulaic script.  Who cares?  The movie makes some good points while leaving you uplifted and hopeful.  And what's wrong with that?

Rudy.  1993, 112 minutes.  Rated PG.  Sean Astin, Ned Beatty, Charles S. Dutton, Chelcie Ross, Christopher Reed.  Directed by David Anspaugh.  The real-life story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who refuses to quit on his dream of playing football for the University of Notre Dame.  Not just about Rudy, but about his effect on those around him.  (Just try to keep a dry eye during the last few minutes!)

Singin' In The Rain.  1952, 102 minutes.  Rated G.  Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Cyd Charisse.  Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen.  Love blooms against the background of Hollywood moving away from silent movies.  Great singing, great dancing, and funny!  If this isn't the best musical ever made, it's in the top three.  I never tire of seeing this film.  This one is just for fun.

The Wizard of Oz.  1939, 101 minutes.  Rated G.  Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr, Margaret Hamilton, Frank Morgan.  Directed by Victor Fleming.  A young girl is trapped in a Kansas tornado and swept away to the marvelous land of Oz.  This film has lost none of its charm through the years.  Still a great evening's viewing with the children.  (I can't believe I almost forgot this one!)