Pope Leo’s Holy Watchlist Proves Even the Pontiff Loves a Good Cry
My husband Dave and Pope Leo have more in common than I thought! Turns out Dave is closer to God than the rest of us. And not just because he’s…
Catholic priest on altar praying with hands joined during mass service in church
My husband Dave and Pope Leo have more in common than I thought! Turns out Dave is closer to God than the rest of us.
And not just because he’s a good person.
It's because his favorite movie is also one of the Pope’s.
And not one of the fun ones like Sister Act or The Blues Brothers. Nope. Dave’s favorite movie is Ordinary People.
Yes, the 1980 Robert Redford–directed drama about grief, guilt, and therapy.
So, naturally, when Pope Leo revealed his four favorite movies, Dave nearly ascended.
The list? It’s a Wonderful Life, The Sound of Music, Ordinary People, and Life Is Beautiful. In case you were wondering — yes, the Pope is a man of taste… and also apparently, tissues.
Let’s break this down.
It’s a Wonderful Life — the ultimate “what if I didn’t exist?” movie that makes you cry and then immediately hug your dog. A holiday classic that reminds us every bell means an angel got its wings, or possibly just that the oven timer went off.
The Sound of Music — Nazis, nuns, and Julie Andrews twirling in an Austrian field. You can’t top it. It’s the ultimate “sing through your trauma” movie. The hills are alive, and so is my need to rewatch this immediately.
Then there’s Ordinary People. A quiet, devastating film about a family shattered by tragedy and stitched together by therapy sessions and tearful silences. It’s deep, emotional, and the reason Dave looks smug every time anyone brings up “cinema that matters.”
Finally, Life Is Beautiful — a heartbreaking Italian film that somehow manages to be funny, tragic, and uplifting all at once. Roberto Benigni literally beat Tom Hanks for the Oscar that year. The man climbed over chairs to get it.
So sure, the Pope is the leader of the Catholic Church. But now we know he’s also just a guy who likes to rot on the couch and cry at beautiful movies. Which honestly? Makes him even holier in my book.
