Winter watchlist: 3 movies that are sure to spark real conversation

Watching a movie together is a powerful way to jumpstart meaningful conversation. Movies give viewers a shared experience, which can make intimidating big-picture questions more approachable. 

By observing the characters’ lives unfold, viewers can explore the consequences of various choices and values. This opens the door for families to examine and discuss complex choices in a relaxed and low-pressure way. 

Movies offer an opportunity to grow in understanding and deepen connection by creating a setting where challenging themes can be safely explored together and shared values can be deepened. Here are three movies that are sure to be a hit at gatherings of adult siblings, visits with your parents, or with teens and college kids home over break.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

This Top Gun sequel is a thrilling and action-packed film. Maverick must confront his past when the Navy calls on him to train up the next generation of elite pilots. The fast-paced story and high-stakes plot draws in viewers and offers the perfect backdrop to explore themes of duty, identity, and fatherhood.

• How did Maverick cope with the loss of his best friend and co-pilot, Goose? How did he build a relationship with his former rival Ice Man? What does this tell you about Maverick’s sense of loyalty? Do you admire this quality?
• Is Maverick a father-like figure? Is he a strong example of the virtues of fatherhood? Why or why not?
• What positive masculine virtues do you see exemplified in various characters in the film?
• Maverick is so high-achieving in his role as pilot that his identity seems inseparable from his job. Who he is and what he can do have merged. Have you ever experienced something similar?
• Which character did you resonate with the most and why?

The Founder (2016)

The Founder is a dramatized documentary about Ray Kroc, the businessman who brought McDonald’s out of obscurity and turned it into a household name. The plot is engaging while introducing a variety of contrasting values. Viewers will find themselves thinking deeply about capitalism, entrepreneurship, and ambition.

• Consider the original restaurant run by the McDonald’s brothers. Did they value efficiency? What were some of their other family values that you see lived out in the original restaurant? What was the flaw in the original restaurant?
• Was Ray Kroc a villain or a visionary? St Thomas Aquinas calls ambition “an inordinate love of honor” (Summa Theologiae II.II.q 131). Discuss the implications of seeing ambition as a vice.
• Who was the “founder” of McDonald’s? Is it Ray, the McDonald’s brothers, or a combination?
• What are some qualities of a morally upright business? Was Ray Kroc’s vision for McDonald’s morally upright? Why or why not?
• How should one think about “progress”? Is progress always good? When can progress be dangerous?

Little Women (1994)

This cozy coming-of-age story follows the four March sisters. They navigate hardship, sisterhood, and personal ambition. Their family bond is on central display as they navigate differing temperaments and perspectives. This film can open discussions about grief and loss, as well as challenging personality clashes.

• What do you admire about the strength of their family ties? What do you think makes their family bond so unbreakable?
• How does the family handle their grief when they experience the loss of loved ones? Do you think it is true to say that Jo uses her grief as a catalyst for growth/creativity? What about the other members of the family?
• What do you think of Marmee’s parenting? Does she parent all her daughters the same way or differently?
• Do you think this is a realistic depiction of family life or is it romanticized?
• Each sister has different strengths and weaknesses. Which sister do you resonate with the most?