Cult Culture: Top 5 Mamas

With Mother’s Day just celebrated we take a look at some of the world’s best-loved mamas


She’s always there for you; she makes a good cuppa when you’re feeling blue and when you go home she’s happy to do your laundry too. Being away from the comfort of home, Mother’s Day is a time where us students appreciate all the things our mothers do that we took for granted. This week we look at 5 Mamas (in the broadest sense of the word), as a tribute to all the past, present and future mums…

Mamma Mia!

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We must admit, other than the title this one doesn’t necessarily have much to do with mothers (in fact it’s about three possible fathers), but who doesn’t love this cheesy ABBA musical? If the West End isn’t your cup of tea, the 2008 movie with Meryl Streep as the promiscuous mother is worth a watch… if you haven’t already been forced to watch it. Even though the film is basically about Sophie’s (Amanda Seyfried) search for her real father, the heart-warming conclusion is that her single mother has been the one by her side the whole time and eventually the one to walk her down the aisle. Awww.

Beyoncé

If any celebrity could double as a superhero, we think Queen Bey is the most likely. Taking girl power to another level, Beyoncé has had an astonishingly successful pop career with 75 million records sold worldwide and 17 Grammy Awards. Not only is she one of the best-selling musicians of all time, she is also one half of the highest-earning power couple with her marriage to Jay-Z and on top of all that, is a new mother to baby Blue Ivy. We can’t think of a cooler set of parents. Ever.

Mother Teresa

Obviously, we had to include this special lady. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, the Albanian born Roman Catholic nun practically invented the word ‘charity’. From opening orphanages to utilising her vast medical knowledge for lepers, the blind, poor, homeless and downtrodden, she is renown across the world and her legacy lives on to this day. Although she never experienced the joy of being a mother in the literal sense, she was and will always be a mother figure to all.

Mama (2013)

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‘A mother’s love is forever.’ This newly released horror film takes a twisted look at the lengths a mother will go for her child. Starring Jessica Chastain and produced by Guillermo del Toro, this movie is based on a short film and is about two young girls taken from an abandoned cabin but are followed by an unknown spectre they affectionately call ‘Mama’.  Personally, we can’t think of anything scarier than creepy children so put this one on your must-watch horror film list.

The Momager

 

This modern phenomenon is a result of parents wanting to live vicariously through (and cash in on) their famous offspring. Think Kris Jenner of the Kardashian clan, who actually trademarked the name ‘momager’ and others such as Dina Lohan, (although she’s clearly not doing too well at her job) who manage their superstar children. Speaking of parents of famous offspring, we have to mention Patti Malette. She’s the one we have to thank for giving us Bieber fever (token Bieber mention for this week) and you can pick up her autobiography, ‘Nowhere But Up’ in all good bookstores. Shout out also to Mama June, of Honey Boo Boo fame. Her lovable, self-proclaimed redneck family is the subject of the TLC reality TV show ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ that rakes in an average of $20k per episode.

So here’s to all the mamas out there- thanks for giving us life! (PS can I have some money/where’s my shirt/ when’s dinner..? )