The Best Movies About Cancer
“What are the best movies about Cancer?” We looked at 200 of the top Cancer films, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 29 films, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Cancer” movie lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 150+ movies, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Top 29 Cancer Movies
29 .) A Little Bit of Heaven (2011)
Lists It Appears On:
- Contemplating Cancer
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
It’s a comedy about a guarded woman who finds out she’s dying of cancer, but when she meets her match, the threat of falling in love is scarier than death
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28 .) Cries And Whispers (1972)
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- Wikipedia
- Av Club
As Agnes slowly dies of cancer, her sisters are so deeply immersed in their own psychic pains that they can’t offer her the support she needs. Maria is wracked with guilt at her husband’s suicide, caused by his discovery of her extramarital affair. The self-loathing, suicidal Karin seems to regard her sister with revulsion. Only Anna, the deeply religious maid who lost her young child, seems able to offer Agnes solace and empathy.
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27 .) Erin Brockovich (2000)
Lists It Appears On:
- Made Man
- Ranker
- IMDB
A twice-divorced mother of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins — with a little help from her push-up bra. Erin goes to work for an attorney and comes across medical records describing illnesses clustered in one nearby town. She starts investigating and soon exposes a monumental cover-up.
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26 .) Griffin and Phoenix
Lists It Appears On:
- Wikipedia
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
A terminally ill man falls in love with a woman who has a secret that threatens their time spent together.
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25 .) Keith (2008)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
Natalie (Elisabeth Harnois) is high school royalty, but her queen bee status falls apart when she falls for the new guy at school. Although Keith (Jesse McCartney) ignores her at first, they soon become friends — even though Natalie suspects that Keith has something to hide. As the free-spirited Keith shows Natalie how to embrace what life offers, they grow closer — until a secret tests the bounds of their relationship
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24 .) Love Story (1970)
Lists It Appears On:
- Made Man
- Wikipedia
- IMDB 2
Harvard Law student Oliver Barrett IV and music student Jennifer Cavilleri share a chemistry they cannot deny – and a love they cannot ignore. Despite their opposite backgrounds, the young couple put their hearts on the line for each other. When they marry, Oliver’s wealthy father threatens to disown him. Jenny tries to reconcile the Barrett men, but to no avail.
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23 .) Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia.
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22 .) Miss You Already (2015)
Lists It Appears On:
- Contemplating Cancer
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
The friendship between two life-long girlfriends is put to the test when one starts a family and the other falls ill.
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21 .) My Life (1993)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
It seems that Bob Jones has everything a man could want, namely a fulfilling job and a beautiful, pregnant wife, Gail. But Bob’s life is turned upside-down when he is diagnosed with cancer and given four months to live — not even enough time to see his first child’s birth. To cleanse himself of demons in his remaining days, Bob makes a video diary, hoping to pass along some wisdom to his future child. Along the way, he discovers a lot about himself.
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20 .) Now Is Good (2012)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
A girl dying of leukemia compiles a list of things she’d like to do before passing away. Topping the list is her desire to lose her virginity.
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19 .) One True Thing (1998)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- Health Central
A career woman reassesses her parents’ lives after she is forced to care for her cancer-stricken mother.
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18 .) Other People
Lists It Appears On:
- Contemplating Cancer
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
David, a struggling comedy writer fresh off from breaking up with his boyfriend, moves from New York City to Sacramento to help his sick mother. Living with his conservative father and much-younger sisters for the first time in ten years, he feels like a stranger in his childhood home. As his mother’s health declines, David frantically tries to extract meaning from this horrible experience and convince everyone (including himself) that he’s “doing okay.”
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17 .) Pieces Of April (2003)
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffington Post
- Ranker
- Health Central
Quirky and rebellious April Burns lives with her boyfriend in a low-rent New York City apartment miles away from her emotionally distant family. But when she discovers that her mother has a fatal form of breast cancer, she invites the clan to her place for Thanksgiving. While her father struggles to drive her family into the city, April — an inexperienced cook — runs into kitchen trouble and must ask a neighbor for help.
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16 .) The Doctor (1991)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- Health Central
Jack McKee is a doctor with it all: he’s successful, he’s rich, and he has no problems…. until he is diagnosed with throat cancer. Now that he has seen medicine, hospitals, and doctors from a patient’s perspective, he realises that there is more to being a doctor than surgery and prescriptions.
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15 .) A Walk to Remember (2002)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
When the popular, restless Landon Carter is forced to participate in the school drama production he falls in love with Jamie Sullivan, the daughter of the town’s minister. Jamie has a “to-do” list for her life and also a very big secret she must keep from Landon.
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14 .) Brian’s Song (1971)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
- Av Club
Based on the real-life relationship between teammates Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers and the bond established when Piccolo discovers that he is dying.
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13 .) Dying Young (1991)
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
- Health Central
- IMDB
After she discovers that her boyfriend has betrayed her, Hilary O’Neil is looking for a new start and a new job. She begins to work as a private nurse for a young man suffering from blood cancer. Slowly, they fall in love, but they always know their love cannot last because he is destined to die.
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12 .) Funny People (2009)
Lists It Appears On:
- Reviews
- Wikipedia
- Av Club
- IMDB
Famous and wealthy funnyman George Simmons doesn’t give much thought to how he treats people until a doctor delivers stunning health news, forcing George to reevaluate his priorities with a little help from aspiring stand-up comic Ira.
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11 .) Life as a House (2001)
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffington Post
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
When a man is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he takes custody of his misanthropic teenage son, for whom quality time means getting high, engaging in small-time prostitution, and avoiding his father.
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10 .) Marvin’s Room (1996)
Lists It Appears On:
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
- Huffington Post
- Health Central
A leukemia patient attempts to end a 20-year feud with her sister to get her bone marrow.
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9 .) My Life Without Me (2003)
Lists It Appears On:
- Made Man
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
A Pedro Almodovar production in which a fatally ill mother with only two months to live creates a list of things she wants to do before she dies with out telling her family of her illness.
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8 .) My Sister’s Keeper (2009)
Lists It Appears On:
- Made Man
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
Sara and Brian live an idyllic life with their young son and daughter. But their family is rocked by sudden, heartbreaking news that forces them to make a difficult and unorthodox choice in order to save their baby girl’s life. The parents’ desperate decision raises both ethical and moral questions and rips away at the foundation of their relationship. Their actions ultimately set off a court case that threatens to tear the family apart, while revealing surprising truths that challenge everyone’s perceptions of love and loyalty and give new meaning to the definition of healing.
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7 .) The Bucket List (2007)
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffington Post
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
Corporate billionaire Edward Cole and working class mechanic Carter Chambers are worlds apart. At a crossroads in their lives, they share a hospital room and discover they have two things in common: a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted to do and an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are. Together they embark on the road trip of a lifetime, becoming friends along the way and learning to live life to the fullest, with insight and humor.
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6 .) The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a patient named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.
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5 .) Wit (2001)
Lists It Appears On:
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
- Av Club
- Health Central
A renowned professor is forced to reassess her life when she is diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer.
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4 .) Sweet November (2001)
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffington Post
- Made Man
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
Nelson is a man devoted to his advertising career in San Francisco. One day, while taking a driving test at the DMV, he meets Sara. She is very different from the other women in his life. Nelson causes her to miss out on taking the test and later that day she tracks him down. One thing leads to another and Nelson ends up living with her through a November that will change his life forever.
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3 .) 50/50 (2011)
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffington Post
- Ranker
- Reviews
- Wikipedia
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
Inspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis, and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.
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2 .) Stepmom (1998)
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffington Post
- Made Man
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- Health Central
- IMDB
Jackie is a divorced mother of two. Isabel is the career minded girlfriend of Jackie’s ex-husband Luke, forced into the role of unwelcome stepmother to their children. But when Jackie discovers she is ill, both women realise they must put aside their differences to find a common ground and celebrate life to the fullest, while they have the chance.
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1 .) Terms Of Endearment (1983)
Lists It Appears On:
- Huffington Post
- Made Man
- Ranker
- Wikipedia
- Av Club
- IMDB
Aurora and Emma are mother and daughter who march to different drummers. Beginning with Emma’s marriage, Aurora shows how difficult and loving she can be. The movie covers several years of their lives as each finds different reasons to go on living and find joy. Aurora’s interludes with Garrett Breedlove, retired astronaut and next door neighbor are quite striking.
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The 150+ Additional Best Movies About Cancer
| # | Movie | Lists | |
| (Films Appear On 2 List Each) | |||
| 30 | American Splendor | Reviews | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 31 | Anand | Ranker | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 32 | Beginners | Reviews | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 33 | Breaking Bad (2008–2013) | Av Club | |
| IMDB | |||
| 34 | Crazy Sexy Cancer (2007) |
Food Matters
|
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| IMDB | |||
| 35 | Dark Victory | Ranker | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 36 | Elysium | Ranker | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 37 | Ikiru (1952) | Av Club | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 38 | Johnny (2010) | IMDB | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 39 | Letters to God (2010) | IMDB | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 40 | Living Proof | Ranker | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 41 | Love Is All You Need (2012) | IMDB | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 42 | Magnolia (1999) | IMDB | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 43 | Matching Jack | Ranker | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 44 | P.S. I Love You (2007) | IMDB | |
| IMDB 2 | |||
| 45 | Patch Adams (1998) |
Health Central
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Huffington Post
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| 46 | Restless (2011) | IMDB | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 47 | School of Life |
Contemplating Cancer
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|
| Wikipedia | |||
| 48 | The Family Stone |
Huffington Post
|
|
| Ranker | |||
| 49 | The Fountain (2006) | Av Club | |
| IMDB | |||
| 50 |
The Girl with Nine Wigs (2013)
|
IMDB | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 51 | The Guitar (2008) | IMDB | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 52 |
The Heart of Christmas (2011 TV Movie)
|
Contemplating Cancer
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|
| IMDB | |||
| 53 | The Other Woman | Ranker | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 54 | Third Star | Ranker | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 55 | Ways to Live Forever (2010) | IMDB | |
| Wikipedia | |||
| 56 |
Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy
|
Ranker | |
|
Health Central
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| (Films Appear On 1 List Each) | |||
| 57 | A Christmas Romance | Made Man | |
| 58 | A Christmas Tale (2008) | IMDB | |
| 59 | A Message from Holly | Made Man | |
| 60 | A Place for Lovers | Wikipedia | |
| 61 | A Time for Dancing (2002) | IMDB | |
| 62 | After Fall, Winter (2011) | IMDB | |
| 63 | Akasa Veedhilo | Wikipedia | |
| 64 | Akashadoothu | Wikipedia | |
| 65 | All Our Desires | Wikipedia | |
| 66 | Autumn in New York | Wikipedia | |
| 67 |
Battlestar Galactica, “Epiphanies” (2006)
|
Av Club | |
| 68 | Beaches |
Huffington Post
|
|
| 69 | Biutiful | Wikipedia | |
| 70 | Blow Dry (2001) |
Health Central
|
|
| 71 | Breaking the Rules (1992) | IMDB | |
| 72 |
Burzynski – Cancer Is Serious Business (Part 1 and 2)
|
Food Matters
|
|
| 73 | C Me Dance (2009) | IMDB | |
| 74 | C’est la vie, mon chéri | Wikipedia | |
| 75 | Chasing Life |
Contemplating Cancer
|
|
| 76 | Chronicle | Wikipedia | |
| 77 | Cleó From 5 To 7 (1962) | Av Club | |
| 78 | Collateral Beauty |
Contemplating Cancer
|
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| 79 | Constantine | Wikipedia | |
| 80 | Cool Kids Don’t Cry (2012) | IMDB | |
| 81 | Cool Kids Don’t Cry (2014) | IMDB | |
| 82 |
Crying Out Love in the Center of the World (2004)
|
IMDB | |
| 83 |
Curb Your Enthusiasm, “Funkhouser’s Crazy Sister” and “Vehicular Fellatio” (2009)
|
Av Club | |
| 84 | Cut Poison Burn |
Food Matters
|
|
| 85 | De plus belle | Wikipedia | |
| 86 | Deadpool | Wikipedia | |
| 87 | Deadpool 2 | Wikipedia | |
| 88 | Death of a Superhero | Wikipedia | |
| 89 | Decoding Annie Parker | Ranker | |
| 90 | Don’t Tell Her It’s Me | Made Man | |
| 91 | Dying To Have Known |
Food Matters
|
|
| 92 |
Eels, Electro-Shock Blues (1998)
|
Av Club | |
| 93 | Eierdiebe | Wikipedia | |
| 94 | Endings (2010) | IMDB | |
| 95 | Falling Overnight (2011) | IMDB | |
| 96 | Fight Club | Reviews | |
| 97 | First, You Cry | Wikipedia | |
| 98 | Food Matters |
Food Matters
|
|
| 99 | Forever and Beyond (1983) | IMDB | |
| 100 | Forrest Gump (1994) | IMDB | |
| 101 | Freeheld | Wikipedia | |
| 102 | God Said, ‘Ha!’ (1998) | IMDB | |
| 103 | Guardami | Wikipedia | |
| 104 |
Harvey Pekar and Joyce Brabner, Our Cancer Year (1994)
|
Av Club | |
| 105 | Hawks | Wikipedia | |
| 106 |
Heal Yourself, Heal The World
|
Food Matters
|
|
| 107 | Her Love Boils Bathwater | Wikipedia | |
| 108 | Here on Earth (2000) | IMDB | |
| 109 | Holding Hope | Wikipedia | |
| 110 | Hoovey |
Contemplating Cancer
|
|
| 111 | Hopeful Notes (2010) | IMDB | |
| 112 | House, “Wilson” (2009) | Av Club | |
| 113 | Ice Bound (2003 TV Movie) | IMDB | |
| 114 | Irreplaceable You | Wikipedia | |
| 115 | James White | Wikipedia | |
| 116 |
Joe Jackson, “Cancer” (1982)
|
Av Club | |
| 117 | Julie Walking Home (2002) | IMDB | |
| 118 | Kaash | Wikipedia | |
| 119 | Kankerlijers (2014) | IMDB | |
| 120 | Kiss & Cry |
Contemplating Cancer
|
|
| 121 | Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door | Wikipedia | |
| 122 | Last Holiday (2006) | IMDB | |
| 123 |
Like a Star Shining in the Night
|
Wikipedia | |
| 124 | Living Downstream (2010) | IMDB | |
| 125 | Love Life (2009) | IMDB | |
| 126 |
Love or Something Like That
|
Wikipedia | |
| 127 | Lullaby (II) (2014) | IMDB | |
| 128 | Man On The Moon (1999) | Av Club | |
| 129 |
Marisa Acocella Marchetto, Cancer Vixen: A True Story (2006)
|
Av Club | |
| 130 | Meet my Valentine |
Contemplating Cancer
|
|
| 131 | Mera Naam Hai Mohabbat | Wikipedia | |
| 132 | Midnight Sun | Wikipedia | |
| 133 | Mike Says Goodbye! (2012) | IMDB | |
| 134 | Mom’s Cancer (2006) | Av Club | |
| 135 | Mood Indigo (2013) | IMDB | |
| 136 | Mr. Rice’s Secret | Wikipedia | |
| 137 | My Annoying Brother | Wikipedia | |
| 138 | Nammavar | Wikipedia | |
| 139 | Natural Selection (2011) | IMDB | |
| 140 | Nenjil Or Aalayam | Wikipedia | |
| 141 |
Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela
|
Wikipedia | |
| 142 | No Sad Songs for Me | Wikipedia | |
| 143 | Norman (2010) | IMDB | |
| 144 | One Day (2011) | IMDB | |
| 145 | One in Nine (2009) | IMDB | |
| 146 | One More Kiss (1999) | IMDB | |
| 147 |
Oscar and the Lady in Pink (2009)
|
IMDB | |
| 148 | Paris, je t’aime (2006) | IMDB | |
| 149 | Paul à Québec | Wikipedia | |
| 150 | Planta 4ª (2003) | IMDB | |
| 151 | Princes in Exile | Wikipedia | |
| 152 | Rethinking Cancer |
Food Matters
|
|
| 153 | Rush Hour | Wikipedia | |
| 154 | Safe Haven (I) (2013) | IMDB | |
| 155 | Second Opinion |
Food Matters
|
|
| 156 | Self/less | Wikipedia | |
| 157 | Shattered Glass (2002) | IMDB | |
| 158 | Silence Like Glass | Wikipedia | |
| 159 | Six Weeks (1982) | IMDB | |
| 160 | Son frère (2003) | IMDB | |
| 161 | Stuck in Love (2012) | IMDB | |
| 162 |
Sufjan Stevens, “Casimir Pulaski Day” (2005)
|
Av Club | |
| 163 | Sukrutham | Wikipedia | |
| 164 | Sunshine | Wikipedia | |
| 165 | Terry | Wikipedia | |
| 166 |
Thank You For Smoking/Up in the Air
|
Reviews | |
| 167 | The Antlers, Hospice (2009) | Av Club | |
| 168 | The Barbarian Invasions | Wikipedia | |
| 169 |
The Basketball Diaries (1995)
|
IMDB | |
| 170 | The Beautiful Truth |
Food Matters
|
|
| 171 | The Belly of an Architect | Wikipedia | |
| 172 | The Best Man Holiday | Wikipedia | |
| 173 | The Book of Henry | Wikipedia | |
| 174 |
The Broken Circle Breakdown
|
Wikipedia | |
| 175 | The Butterfly Effect (2004) | IMDB | |
| 176 | The Clink of Ice | Wikipedia | |
| 177 | The Cure | Wikipedia | |
| 178 | The Delinquent Season | Wikipedia | |
| 179 | The Hot Flashes | Ranker | |
| 180 | The Last Song (2010) | IMDB | |
| 181 |
The Life of David Gale (2003)
|
IMDB | |
| 182 | The Medicine Show (2001) | IMDB | |
| 183 |
The Office, “Michael’s Birthday” (2006)
|
Av Club | |
| 184 | The Preparation | Wikipedia | |
| 185 | The Room (2003) | Av Club | |
| 186 |
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)
|
IMDB | |
| 187 |
The Tom Green Cancer Special (2000)
|
Av Club | |
| 188 | The Ultimate Gift (2006) | IMDB | |
| 189 | Thirakkatha | Wikipedia | |
| 190 |
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
|
Wikipedia | |
| 191 | Tribute | Wikipedia | |
| 192 |
Two Against Time (2002 TV Movie)
|
IMDB | |
| 193 |
Tyce Diorio on So You Think You Can Dance (2009)
|
Av Club | |
| 194 | Unstrung Heroes | Wikipedia | |
| 195 | Volver (I) (2006) | IMDB | |
| 196 |
Warren Zevon on The Late Show With David Letterman (2002)
|
Av Club | |
| 197 |
What We Did on Our Holiday
|
Wikipedia | |
| 198 |
Who Will Love My Children? (1983 TV Movie)
|
IMDB | |
| 199 | Why, Charlie Brown, Why? | Wikipedia | |
| 200 | Wish List | IMDB | |
11 Best Cancer Film Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| Av Club | 25 great songs, books, films, albums, and TV shows in which cancer … |
| Contemplating Cancer | 10 Cancer Movies Reviewed | Contemplating Cancer |
| Food Matters | Top 10 Cancer Documentaries Of All Time | FOOD MATTERS® |
| Health Central | Chemo Style on the Big Screen: Top 10 Picks for Cancer Movies … |
| Huffington Post | Celluloid Chemotherapy: Top 12 Cancer Films | HuffPost |
| IMDB | Movies about Cancer – IMDb |
| IMDB 2 | Best romantic movies involving cancer – IMDb |
| Made Man | 10 Movies For Cancer Patients | Made Man |
| Ranker | The Best Movies About Cancer – Ranker |
| Reviews | The Six Best Cancer Comedies of All Time (Movies) | Review St. Louis |
| Wikipedia | Category:Films about cancer – Wikipedia |
