Terms of Endearment (1983)

Shirley Maclaine, Debra Winger, Jeff Daniels, Jack Nicholson, John Lithgow

This was the first adult-themed movie I ever watched. My sister and I watched it on TV when we were in junior high because nothing else was on. We didn't understand half of what was going on (it wasn't until years later that I figured out what was really going on between Emma and Sam, for example), but, somehow, it struck a chord with me.

It's a story about mothers and daughters, husbands and wives -- basically, it's about family. It focuses primarily on the lives of Aurora Greenway, an old-fashioned Texas belle, and her vivacious daughter, Emma (Debra Winger was beautiful in this movie, btw).

And almost twenty-five years later, it still never fails to jerk those tears from my eyes.

I will say, though, that every time Jack Nicholson came on screen, I could finally understand why he's such a big deal. I could see how people used to think he was hott.

If you ever feel like a good cry, I'd highly recommend this film.