Scarlett Johansson is the humble servant girl in 17th century Holland whose beauty inspires Dutch master Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth) to create one of his most famous paintings. Based on the bestselling novel by Tracy Chevalier, the stunning result is an intense, beautifully photographed drama that evokes a heady atmosphere of forbidden desire with the barest minimum of dialogue. If your mum liked Pride & Prejudice, she'll love seeing Firth back in period garb.
Juliette Binoche is asking for trouble when she opens a chocolate shop in a conservative provincial town. Soon the forces of self-righteous morality, represented by Alfred Molina's uptight mayor, are conspiring against her... A charming confection from director Lasse Hallstrom, let down a little by the 'Allo 'Allo-style accents (hang your head in shame, Dame Judi Dench) and Johnny Depp's bizarre performance as a guitar-strumming gypsy. Nevermind all that, though, your mum'll love it.
An all-star female cast - Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah and Shirley MacLaine, plus Julia Roberts in one of her earliest screen roles - make this a delightful women's picture that's sure to send Mum to bed with a huge smile on her face. There'll be a few tears too, though, as the patrons of a beauty salon in small-town Louisiana come to terms with men, marriage and the menopause.
"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!" But your mum will if you rent her this evergreen Hollywood classic, still spectacular after all these years. Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh are perfectly matched as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara, the squabbling lovers whose ill-starred romance takes place against the bloody mayhem of the American Civil War and its aftermath. Got an appetite for vintage drama? With this David O Selznick epic you'll never go hungry again.
Charming, heart-warming and utterly romantic, only the hardest of hearts could possibly dislike this French comedy starring the be-dimpled Audrey Tautou. The story involves a young girl whose self-appointed mission in life is to brighten up the lives of those around her. There's plenty of gentle humour in her mischievous and ever so quirky adventures, but the real treat is in seeing her draw slowly closer to the man she distantly admires. A visually beautiful film, and a sure-fire hit with your mum.