Focus Features

The beautiful thing about this film is that it depicts different kinds of love without judgment. All characters, some more flawed than others, look for love. Interesting, moving and very funny in places, this look at our inner struggles relating to ourselves and our loved ones is a good one. The message of "go for it" when it comes to love is heartwarming (especially at Christmas).

Set aside Jim Carrey's hilarious and brilliant performance, the underlying messages of this children's-story-come-to-life is of working together to solve problems and the power of belief in oneself. The 3 children are put in dangerous situations after becoming orphaned and have to rely on their inner strength to protect themselves and each other. "There's always something." (Also the sets are crazy good and some smaller roles played by Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman shine.)

The well-written script and fast moving pace keeps you engaged in the otherwise boring settings (military courts...) What the movie is really about is not settling for the easy way and using your talents for good. Tom Cruise's character had to step up, Demi Moore's had to step back and the military men had to realize their rigid code of honor wasn't always right. A great look at challenging our own beliefs.

I love a coming-of-age movie, and this formula has been done over and over (Big, with Tom Hanks leading the pack) but this one is so engaging with Jennifer Garner playing a 13 year-old girl who wakes up as her 30-year-old self to discover she's really not that nice. How awesome to be able to look at your own life with the eyes of your former pre-pubescent self!

A long-time favorite of mine, can't help it! Another life-lessons plot, this time the rich snob (Goldie Hawn) loses her memory after falling overboard of her yacht. The carpenter (Kurt Russell) that she rudely dismissed seeks revenge by claiming her as his wife, and putting her to work on his brood of unruly children. Routinely funny as she is faced with cleaning up a mess she has no idea how to do, she comes to love him, love his kids, learn to overcome everyday struggles and ultimately deal with betrayal when the truth is uncovered. The best part is when her butler (Roddy McDowall) tells her she has learned a valuable lesson people rarely get – to see how the other side lives. And she comes away better for it.