Heroes:

Aragorn from Lord of the Rings

Lou Gehrig

Music:

Gumption (Hans Zimmer from The Holiday)

It’s a Beautiful Day (Michael Buble)

Pick Yourself Up (Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers from Swing Time)

Stories:

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014; Steve Carrell, Jennifer Garner) – PG – This is a very funny (though at times a bit crude – uncomfortably so) story of a family going through a really bad day. It’s a great concept, and even the crudity is pretty essential to the concept that life is actually better with some bad days and hard times in it.

Apollo 13 (1995; Tom Hanks) – PG – Epic story of the failed mission to the moon in 1970 and the problem-solving involved in bringing the astronauts safely home. Strong language (believable and appropriate to a life-and-death situation in outer space) and a few suggestive scenes might be mistaken for a PG13 movie.

Captains Courageous (1937; Freddie Bartholomew, Spencer Tracy)

Meet the Robinsons (2007; Disney) – G – Zany family story involving inventions, time travel, adoption and the value of making mistakes. Great for the whole family.

The Truman Show (1998; Jim Carrey) – PG – A man has unknowingly spent his whole life as the main character in a completely staged reality show. He appears to have the perfect life, without any problems.

The Ultimate Gift (2006; James Garner, Abigail Breslin) – PG – A rich young man receives an inheritance from his grandfather that require him to perform a series of unexpected tasks.

Online:

Celebrated comedy writer Tom Leopold on his conversion to Catholicism: “I began to identify with Our Lady…”