Little Women (1994)

The completion of Jo’s romantic arc doesn’t sit quite right but that’s about the only thing that feels off (well, that and Bale’s goatee) in this cohesive and cozy (but still poignant and emotional: see the gift for Beth) family journey through life and love and the blasted patriarchy (“You should have been a lawyer, Miss March” “I should have been a great many things, Mr. Mayer”). Dunst’s adorable Amy and Ryder’s moody Jo (“I just know I’ll never fit in anywhere”) are two standout turns.

Little Women (2019)

The timeline hopping is cleverly and masterfully executed (see the warm vs. cold tones, mirrored shots) and adds remarkable emotional depth (see Jo walking down the stairs x2) to what is an already extremely well-written (and acted) web of characters (to the big emotional moments are added many brilliant little overlapping quips and quibbles). Often hilarious (“I’m making a mould of my foot for Laurie to remind him I have nice feet!”) and always heartfelt, with a delightfully cheeky ending.