Reviewed by Benjamin Garber, MD Barr-Harris Children's Grief Center Unstrung Heroes (1996) **** This film is about a boy’s adventures growing up in the early '60s in an off-center Jewish family with an inventor father, a loving and dying mother, and two eccentric uncles. A well crafted and honest film about loss. Ponette (1996) *** Ponette is a beautiful French film about a four-year-old girl whose mother is killed in a car accident. She is temporarily abandoned by her father and is left to fend for herself in a new world of cousins and schoolchildren. The acting is superb and the children are true to life but the ending is disappointing.  Batman the Beginning (2005) *** This is an excellent movie about the beginning of the Batman saga. It deals with psychological issues such as fears, phobias, guilt, rage, and revenge in response to parent loss in a highly sophisticated manner. The film strikes a good balance between character study and action. My Girl (1991) *** This is a charming film about an eleven-year-old girl whose mother died in childbirth. She has been raised by a somewhat aloof father and a senile grandmother. The key issues are the death of her best friend, eliciting the earlier trauma, and her reaction to a replacement parent. My Life as a Dog (1985) *** This is an excellent Swedish film about a 12-year-old boy whose mother is dying. The title refers to the Russian space dog, Laika, who was sent into space and left to die with no control over his fate. The boy’s distress, coming of age, and conflicts with peers and adults are presented with directness and sensitivity. Fanny and Alexander (1982) ***    An excellent Swedish film by Ingemar Bergman about an eleven-year-old boy and his eight-year-old sister whose father dies suddenly. While the boy is sad all the time, his life becomes more difficult when the mother marries a very strict and punitive bishop. There is a terrible ending as the mother and children flee the bishop’s house. Bogus (1996) *** This well-crafted film is about a seven-year-old boy whose mother, a circus performer, dies in a car crash. He is sent off to live with the mother’s foster home sister. Most of the movie details his getting adjusted to the foster mother, who is black. In order to deal with the loss, he creates an imaginary companion who helps him through the bad times The Cement Garden (1993) *** A powerfully chilling British film about four children whose mother dies suddenly. In order to stay together and avoid being sent to foster homes, they bury her in a cement locker in the basement. The bulk of the story deals with their trying to grow up while taking care of one another and maintaining their secret. Bambi (1942) ** This classic children’s story is about a baby deer whose mother is killed by hunters. This is typical Disney fare in which all of the characters are cute and lovable. The only touching part is Bambi calling for her mother who is dead. The story is appealing, although the loss elements are sanitized. Stepmom (1998) *** A well acted movie which is mostly about the conflict between two women, the ex-wife and the father’s new girl friend. There are two children, ages 13 and 8, who are caught up in the competition between the two women. This changes when the mother finds out that she is dying from cancer. One True Thing (1998) *** Another excellent film about a mother who is dying of cancer. The father imposes on the 24-year-old daughter to give up her career and to come home and take care of the mother. The acting is outstanding. Even though the film is not about a younger child, it is still a worthwhile film about parent loss. There is a surprise ending. Kolya (1996) *** An outstanding Czech film about a five year old boy who is abandoned by his mother and  is raised by a confirmed bachelor and womanizer. The relationship with the boy changes the man’s life. While this is a standard movie theme it is handled with grace and charm. This is another truly gifted child actor. Lemony Snicket’s a Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) *** This enjoyable movie fantasy is about three talented children whose parents die in a fire at the beginning of the story. Most of the film revolves around a villainous Count Olav who tries to kill the children and get their fortune. The death of the parents surfaces periodically as they struggle to survive and grow up. Raising Helen (2004) ** This movie is billed as a romantic comedy which indirectly deals with parent loss. Three children, ages 16, 10 and 5, become orphans when the parents die suddenly in a car accident. The bulk of the story revolves around the two aunts trying to take care of the children. There are fleeting references to missing the dead parents, especially by the youngest child.