Welcome back to The Film Library, a Kanopy podcast where we spotlight hidden gems, cult favorites, and emotional deep cuts. No film degree required. 

This week, hosts Kristy Puchko (Entertainment Editor at Mashable) and Jeff Rauseo (horror devotee and movie-night traditionalist) take on Mother’s Day at the Movies, celebrating all the ways motherhood shows up on screen, from heartwarming to horrifying.

Kristy and Jeff swap picks from across the Kanopy catalog, highlighting maternal icons, complicated family dynamics, and the emotional whiplash of being someone’s kid. Expect Cher in a fish-shaped car, Joan Crawford with a wire hanger, and the Babadook lurking in the shadows. 

Follow Kristy on Instagram @thekristypuchko and on Letterboxd @kristypuchko. 

You can find Jeff on Instagram, TikTok, and Letterboxd @jeffrauseo. 

Don’t forget to follow Kanopy on Letterboxd to see the full episode list—and stream every film we mention for free at kanopy.com with your library or university card.

🎞️ Episode Highlights

00:56 — Jeff shares the Halloween classic that kickstarted his horror obsession (thanks, Mom!)

02:52 — Kristy names Singin’ in the Rain as her “gateway musical”—Gene Kelly supremacy confirmed

05:19 — Mermaids (1990): Cher’s wild mom energy, a nun-curious teen Winona, and baby Christina Ricci

07:00 — Jeff explains why The Babadook is more than a meme—it’s a brutal portrait of grief and single parenting

10:08 — Kristy cries (again) about Terms of Endearment and the legacy of messy, loving mother-daughter calls

13:57 — Who Took Johnny? offers a haunting look at grief, conspiracy, and the limits of closure

17:32 — Kristy brings Daughters of the Dust—a spiritual, poetic ode to legacy and matriarchal power

21:24 — Jeff dives into The Eyes of My Mother, a 76-minute art-house gut punch about inherited trauma

24:14 — Petite Maman rewrites the time-travel movie playbook with gentle grace and empathy

26:37 — Jeff introduces Mother’s Day (1980), a bonkers horror pick with the worst mom on the list

29:16 — Kristy ends with Relic, a terrifying and tender film about dementia, aging, and generational care

32:43 — Jeff confesses he’s never seen Mommie Dearest… but that’s about to change (no wire hangers!)