It’s hard to find movies for adults that adequately deal with the death of a spouse and putting one’s life back together. Fortunately, one of the movies nominated for the Best Picture Oscar does a …

I know of two books published in 2002 that dealt with the death a child in a young family’s life. In the stories, the children are different in ages and gender, the cause of death …

All I needed to hear about the movie, “Ghosted,” was that it explored the aftermath of grief and loss and, of course, I was interested. Having lost my brother when I was 14, I have had a …

We recommend “Departures,” the 2009 Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film, currently in theaters. “Departures” is a moving, inspiring glimpse into Japan’s cultural heritage of caring for a body after death.
When a young cellist …

By Fran Dorf —
This somber, difficult film directed by Atom Egoyan, based on the 1991 novel by Russell Banks, is set in a small town in the aftermath of a school bus accident that …

By Tom Zuba —
There?s a scene in the movie, “The Godfather, Part III,” that has stayed with me since I saw it almost 20 years ago. My 18-month-old daughter Erin had died suddenly …

Reviewed by Mitch Carmody –
If I were to recommend a movie to someone who is processing their loss, I would suggest ?Rumors of Angels” with Vanessa Redgrave. This movie is based on the book, ?Thy …

Review by Fran Dorf –
This 2004 film honestly examines a marriage breaking apart after child-loss. Adapted from the first (and best, in my opinion) part of John Irving’s best-selling novel, A Widow for One Year, …

By Linda Pountney –
Multiple loss themes run concurrently throughout the movie The Secret Life Of Bees, based on Sue Monk Kidd’s novel, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. Dakota Fanning plays Lily, a guarded fourteen-year old, grief-stricken …

By Stephanie Frogge –
Some years ago, what began as date night for my boyfriend and me with a rented copy of “Random Hearts” ended with an unexpected discussion of the nature of grief and expressions …

Reviewed by Yvonne Lancaster –
“Steel Magnolias,” directed by Herbert Ross, includes the cast of Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Julia Roberts, Tom Skerritt, Dylan McDermott, Kevin O’Connor and Sam Shepard.
The …

Reviewed by Fran Dorf –
Written and directed by Tamara Jenkins, The Savages is a nuanced, closely observed film about a middle-aged brother and sister reckoning with their guilt, responsibility, and ambivalent feelings when their long …

By Rosemary Smith – ?
Who are we?? What really matters?? Is it possible to find true happiness after a great loss?? These were some of the questions we tried to answer in the film my …

Reviewed by Annette Gonzalez — ?
Director: Audrey Wells
Actors: Diane Lane, Sandra Oh
Plot: Diane Lane?plays?a San Francisco author and book critic who suffers intense emotional pain in the process of divorcing her husband. The movie?shows a …

By Reg Green –
It may seem like?the ultimate in narcissism, but my choice for best grief film is a TV?movie that was made about my own family. It is called “Nicholas’ Gift” and is the …

By Fran Dorf —
Grief is both the thematic underpinning and the overarching aura in this low key, but absorbing and powerful film.? Although humanistic and realistic, the film is suffused with memories of the …