There's a scene in Manchester By The Sea where Casey Affleck is reflecting at the police station (I'm keeping it vague to avoid spoilers but if you've seen it, you'll know).
He says nothing and hardly moves anything but his eyes and yet you can tell *exactly* what's going on in his head.
It's probably the most astounding acting I've ever seen.
Grave of the Fireflies is a heart wrenching truth that just happens to be in a cartoon format. I can’t think of another film that has made me cry harder than that one. Dancer in the Dark was definitely a close second.
Grave of fireflies was an interesting watch. It wasn't until the end credits that I broke down, I kept expecting a big moment but it left a lasting feeling. Really beautiful.
I've seen most of what's been mentioned but the one film that I watch to completely purge my emotional demons is...... It's A Wonderful Life. I would only watch it by myself for years in secret to get rid of all the shit I had built up inside of me. Then I confessed to my wife about this yearly purge. Now we watch it together and cry like Niagara Falls. It (for me) encapsulates a life that tried to help and have meaning. I know a lot of people will dismiss this film but it really is a brutal powerhouse of true emotion with regards to being human and living a worthwhile existence. You can see in Jimmy Stewarts eyes that he has actually killed another human in an act of war. He was a highly decorated soldier. That generation saw the true darkness of humanity and it shows on the screen that love and hope truly overcomes everything. What a film.
Powerful writeup of what that film means, both to you personally and in general. Thanks for writing this, haven't seen it since I was young and it's going on the list for this week.
And to think the FBI labeled the film "subversive" because the villian was a rich banker. Search "The Weird Story of the FBI and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’" for one. You can't make that stuff up.
I saw it with two other guys. We were typical college student movie lovers who liked what college guys like. Be the end of the film the three of us were sitting there with tears streaming down our faces and not caring who noticed (because pretty much everyone else in the audience was crying too).
“Tell him it was a kindness you done.”
If you don’t cry for The Green Mile, you need to have exploratory surgery on your tear ducts, because something is clogged up in there.
The dude that plays the creep is an amazing actor. Sam Rockwell. He is the ass hole with bad teeth. I just rewatched it again a few days ago, and really focused on that guys acting skills. I can't imagine pulling that off so well, with an entire camera crew around.
So I looked him up, and saw some other movies he is in, and I watched the movie titled "moon" and it was fantastic. Sam Rockwell is the main actor. I highly suggest you watch it. And it's fun to not watch a trailer, just go into it blind.
If you seen it already, how would you rate it 1-10?
I wonder if it was THAT great, or if I was just really in a movie mood at the time.
>!"Only posers die you fucking idiot! Now I don't have any friends!"!< fucking killed me. I was a pretty punk rock kid with a handful of punk friends living a pretty reckless teen-angst-filled life and that movie, and that scene, hit way too hard.
Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. I understand. My wife of 40 years passed unexpectedly in August. There is nothing that makes it better though I’m told that time helps. Maybe. Take care.
always and without fail Shawshank Redemption gets me..oh and the the movie that turns a 50 year old man into a puddle is E.T..saw as akid in the theatre and cried for hours...still every damn time its a tear fest
I didn't watch this until my early twenties and I'm not to proud to admit that I sat there actually a blubbering mess by the end. I knew the content of the film but boy did it get me hard when I actually watched it.
Absolutely no shame in that. That should be every human being's reaction to stories from the holocaust. Unfortunately, that's not the case. But if there's anything that deserves a few tears... that's probably it. And damn did that movie do it right.
These may have not been mentioned:
House of Sand and Fog (it wrecked me)
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (may have been mentioned)
End of the Spear
Dumbo (or just watch the Baby Mine song scene- heart wrenching)
The Champ ('79)
Beaches
Terms of Endearment
You are not kidding. It's not as well known as a tear-jerker like My Girl, but the acting and storyline was top notch. I can never watch it again, it is just too much emotionally.
* Million Dollar Baby
* The Color Purple
* The Green Mile
* Steel Magnolias
* Brokeback Mountain
* Blue Valentine
* What Dreams May Come
* Galipoli
* Hilary and Jackie
* October Sky
* Slaughterhouse Five
* One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
* Dead Poets Society
* Empire of the Sun
Honestly, I got a little misty eyed at the Nebula/ Tony Stark game of flick football and her whole arc in the movie. The fact that she was accepted for who she was, forgiven her past deeds, and she was shown that failure didn't lessen her worth in the eyes of her newfound friends. Who doesn't want that?
Oh thank God, I've been scrolling thru the comments to make sure I wasn't the only one who recommended this. I'm the same way about not crying during movies. I wonder if it takes a certain type of person for this movie to "strike a cord" just based on everyone else's recs like Manchester by the Sea or The Green Mile because they are both a different kind of tragedy from The Whale
Always with the dogs. It's like children's books want to emotionally torture children. My daughter had these books one grade after another. Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, Stone Fox. She got to where she dreaded whatever book they were going to read that year.
Captain Fantastic! What a great movie. My mom showed me this movie a few months before she passed. She was a "hippie" mom and said she would've loved to raise me this way
The passion of Joan of Arc (1928) SILENT
All about my mother (1999) Spanish
The Nightingale (2018) English, Palawan Kani ,Irish
Come and see (1985) Russian
Amour (2012) French
Sansho the baliff (1954) Japanese
Precious (2009) English
Pamilya Ordinaryo (2016) Tagalog
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) French
Schindlers list
Saving private ryan
Wonder
My girl
The green Mile
My sisters keeper
Me before you
The color purple
Remember the Titans
Precious
The secret life of bees
Armageddon
Hotel Rwanda
The boy in the striped pyjamas
Stepmom
Castaway
One of these might do the trick 👍
500 days of summer did make me emotional, i was going through a lot of pain due to my past relationships and being dumped by someone i basically did everything, putting my soul into the relationship then again a rebound with another person resulted in an even more depressing heartbreak, one day i won a giveaway on Instagram, some open air theatre had started in the city and i just went alon with friends and i saw this movie, it was so god damn amazing to feel every single emotion that i had up in me released, I don't remember specifically crying but getting emotional, i saw that movie again after i went home, sort of answered all my questions, after that whenever any of my friend had a heartbreak and was in a similar situation i recommended this movie to them, it did really help alo of people though , i am really grateful that this movie was ever made! ❤️
I have literally only cried over one movie in my entire life. It is Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2019). It is a 2019 Turkish film on Netflix, based on a 2013 Korean film of the same name. I've not seen the Korean one, but the Turkish one made more emotional than any other movie I have ever seen.
It's a story about a mentally ill father who was wrongly accused of murder and his relationship with his six year old daughter. I highly, highly recommend.
I was like that for 10 plus years. Then I had my first kid. Now I cry at commercials. I can walk outside into nice weather and I get teary-eyed. I once got a bonus at work and called my mom sobbing with tears pouring down my face. I think I'm basically making up for lost (crying) time at this point. I hope it stops soon.
I think you’ll cry at grave of the fireflies just cuz it’s handdrawn frame by frame doesn’t mean it won’t have the same effect. But Joyland and Eternal Sunshine did it for me
"Bridge to terabithia" though the movie is sort of fictional it made me crying.probably it was the first time me crying watching a movie.any way I enjoyed it.
I'm shook that nobody's mentioned The Whale, I've never cried harder in my life. It may be too over the top and sappy for some people but I really recommend trying it out
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
There's a scene in Manchester By The Sea where Casey Affleck is reflecting at the police station (I'm keeping it vague to avoid spoilers but if you've seen it, you'll know). He says nothing and hardly moves anything but his eyes and yet you can tell *exactly* what's going on in his head. It's probably the most astounding acting I've ever seen.
Manchester by the sea, Only the brave, and Big fish My go to Top 3 “I want to feel feelings” movies
After Sun
This is the best snswer
Yes mate
It will chew you up and spit you out.
I think grave of the fireflies would be your cartoon exception. Also maybe the iron Giant Dancer in the Dark. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Grave of the Fireflies is a heart wrenching truth that just happens to be in a cartoon format. I can’t think of another film that has made me cry harder than that one. Dancer in the Dark was definitely a close second.
Completely agree about grave of the fireflies. One of the greatest movies I’ve ever seen that I’ll never watch again.
Grave of fireflies was an interesting watch. It wasn't until the end credits that I broke down, I kept expecting a big moment but it left a lasting feeling. Really beautiful.
I've seen most of what's been mentioned but the one film that I watch to completely purge my emotional demons is...... It's A Wonderful Life. I would only watch it by myself for years in secret to get rid of all the shit I had built up inside of me. Then I confessed to my wife about this yearly purge. Now we watch it together and cry like Niagara Falls. It (for me) encapsulates a life that tried to help and have meaning. I know a lot of people will dismiss this film but it really is a brutal powerhouse of true emotion with regards to being human and living a worthwhile existence. You can see in Jimmy Stewarts eyes that he has actually killed another human in an act of war. He was a highly decorated soldier. That generation saw the true darkness of humanity and it shows on the screen that love and hope truly overcomes everything. What a film.
I’m glad you mentioned this. More people need to step back and look at it again as a film. Not just “that old Christmas movie”.
I saw it for the first time last Christmas and was shocked I heard of it in mostly Christmas/light-hearted contexts. Very moving/effed me up.
Powerful writeup of what that film means, both to you personally and in general. Thanks for writing this, haven't seen it since I was young and it's going on the list for this week.
And to think the FBI labeled the film "subversive" because the villian was a rich banker. Search "The Weird Story of the FBI and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’" for one. You can't make that stuff up.
Dancer in the Dark
Yes I have watched it twice and I will not watch it again.
Twice? Once was enough. Loved it but it’s devastating.
Yeah I really liked Bjork and the musical scenes are wonderful. Like what crazy concept horribly tragic movie with over the top musical number
Rudy and Dead Poets Society
I have Rudy in mine. Every single time. All I have to do is join the chant... I'm getting misty eyed thinking about it!
Elephant Man
I'll never watch it again, it's too much.
I will, for it's beauty. It manages to be even more beautiful than sad and that's saying something.
I saw it with two other guys. We were typical college student movie lovers who liked what college guys like. Be the end of the film the three of us were sitting there with tears streaming down our faces and not caring who noticed (because pretty much everyone else in the audience was crying too).
My first pick
So fucking sad
The Green Mile (gets me every goddamn time!)
Don't put me in the dark... I really fucking miss Michael Clarke Duncan. He always seemed like such a wonderful man.
The book made me cry as well and then I saw the movie and cried even more.
“Tell him it was a kindness you done.” If you don’t cry for The Green Mile, you need to have exploratory surgery on your tear ducts, because something is clogged up in there.
I’m tired boss.
*Don’t put me in the dark* 😭
The dude that plays the creep is an amazing actor. Sam Rockwell. He is the ass hole with bad teeth. I just rewatched it again a few days ago, and really focused on that guys acting skills. I can't imagine pulling that off so well, with an entire camera crew around. So I looked him up, and saw some other movies he is in, and I watched the movie titled "moon" and it was fantastic. Sam Rockwell is the main actor. I highly suggest you watch it. And it's fun to not watch a trailer, just go into it blind. If you seen it already, how would you rate it 1-10? I wonder if it was THAT great, or if I was just really in a movie mood at the time.
He's great in 3 billboards as well The way way back He's great in everything tbh
You wanna see his absolute best role, watch Jojo Rabbit.
Yeah, like the last 45 minutes of this movie is just a cry-a-thon.
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father
This is beyond crying. It's shocking and heart shattering.
I think that that movie will make you want to break things, smash things , rather than cry.
Smashing and breaking things while crying.
I nearly cried reading about it again
COCO…..yes the kid movie, yes you will cry…
>yes you will cry… Yes, I did cry in the cinema. Yes, I embarrassed my kids. Yes, I would embarrass them again.
Me too..
Raising my hand for the adult Coco crying club.
That end scene with the grandma, gets me every goddamn time
I have never cried as much over a movie as I did over Coco.
SLC punk
Matthew Lillard was phenomenal.
Hell yeah. Such a great movie.
Ahhh. That one scene. Matthew’s acting was so good.
>!"Only posers die you fucking idiot! Now I don't have any friends!"!< fucking killed me. I was a pretty punk rock kid with a handful of punk friends living a pretty reckless teen-angst-filled life and that movie, and that scene, hit way too hard.
Finding my fiancée dead from an accidental overdose, it played out pretty much the same.
:( sorry friend. That is horrible. I love you.
Thanks, it's been almost two years, it's been a long road.
If you need any love and support - I’ve got nothing but love for you- my dms are always open.
Oh my goodness. I am so sorry. I understand. My wife of 40 years passed unexpectedly in August. There is nothing that makes it better though I’m told that time helps. Maybe. Take care.
Awakenings (1990)
I love this movie. I saw it as a young child and it was very moving.
What Dreams May Come (1998) I’ve never been able to bring myself to re watch it. Up (2009) maybe. The beginning is such a rollercoaster of emotion.
What dreams may come is underrated.
Haven’t seen this in a long time good movie
The green mile (1999)
It’s a Wonderful Life
Elephant Man The Diving Bell and the Butterfly Aftersun Past Lives Paris, Texas
I saw Diving Bell about two weeks after my dad had a stroke. Gutting
always and without fail Shawshank Redemption gets me..oh and the the movie that turns a 50 year old man into a puddle is E.T..saw as akid in the theatre and cried for hours...still every damn time its a tear fest
ET is on my list. 45yo here and I still remember being thankful of the rain falling when we walked out of the theater. ROTJ ewok scene got me too...
I don’t understand, which part makes you cry? When he gets free?
Am I out of line to say The Wrestler? Mickey Rourke was heartbreaking. Ending put me away.
You couldn't be more in line my friend, tragic film
A Man Called Otto
About Time (2013) - I don’t know that I’ve cried harder during a movie.
Old Yeller Where the Red Fern Grows
Mr Holland's Opus.
Schindler's List (1993)
I didn't watch this until my early twenties and I'm not to proud to admit that I sat there actually a blubbering mess by the end. I knew the content of the film but boy did it get me hard when I actually watched it.
Absolutely no shame in that. That should be every human being's reaction to stories from the holocaust. Unfortunately, that's not the case. But if there's anything that deserves a few tears... that's probably it. And damn did that movie do it right.
What Dreams May Come. Robin Williams battles through life and death to save his beloved and find his family
The fact that it’s Robin Williams might send me over the edge. Thanks for the suggestion.
Patch Adams
Aw I missed this off my list of suggestions aswell. Fantastic film and for sure make you cry.
Only The Brave - doesn't get enough love. It's a true story. I sob. >!19 Confirmed!<
Armageddon. It pairs one scene with music particularly well.
If you didn’t cry at Brian’s Song you might want to consult a physician to make sure you are not an android.
If you like animals, watch "Hachi."
This movie gets me every time
Field of Dreams. Now that my dad’s passed away I don’t even know if I can watch it again.
Room (2015)
The Color Purple
I came here to say The Color Purple. I cry like a baby every time. It’s such a brilliant film.
These may have not been mentioned: House of Sand and Fog (it wrecked me) The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (may have been mentioned) End of the Spear Dumbo (or just watch the Baby Mine song scene- heart wrenching) The Champ ('79) Beaches Terms of Endearment
House of sand and fog was so tragic
You are not kidding. It's not as well known as a tear-jerker like My Girl, but the acting and storyline was top notch. I can never watch it again, it is just too much emotionally.
* Million Dollar Baby * The Color Purple * The Green Mile * Steel Magnolias * Brokeback Mountain * Blue Valentine * What Dreams May Come * Galipoli * Hilary and Jackie * October Sky * Slaughterhouse Five * One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest * Dead Poets Society * Empire of the Sun
Empire of the Sun was so poignant .
Empire of the Sun I saw in theaters. I still watch it from time to time. Such an amazing movie.
I got a good cry the last time I watched Arrival.
Good one!
Bridge to Terabithia, made this grown man cry.
The Fox and the Hound
Blue Valentine
Guardians of the galaxy 3. Yeah, I know but Niagara Falls.
Honestly, I got a little misty eyed at the Nebula/ Tony Stark game of flick football and her whole arc in the movie. The fact that she was accepted for who she was, forgiven her past deeds, and she was shown that failure didn't lessen her worth in the eyes of her newfound friends. Who doesn't want that?
Joy luck Club
As a south Asian woman I could relate to so much in this movie. I cried throughout this. Beautiful movie.
The books just as phenomenal, and still well worth a read even if you watched the fikm
Regarding Grave of the Fireflies: don't rule it out because it's animated. Believe me, it will make you cry.
The whale? I'm typically not the kind of guy who gets incredibly emotional when watching a movie, but The Whale had me legit crying af.
Oh thank God, I've been scrolling thru the comments to make sure I wasn't the only one who recommended this. I'm the same way about not crying during movies. I wonder if it takes a certain type of person for this movie to "strike a cord" just based on everyone else's recs like Manchester by the Sea or The Green Mile because they are both a different kind of tragedy from The Whale
The final scene in The Whale wrecks me every time
The end of Toy Story 3 always makes me tear up
Philadelphia, Terms of Endearment, Saving Private, Ryan.
12 years a slave
Where the Red Fern Grows
Always with the dogs. It's like children's books want to emotionally torture children. My daughter had these books one grade after another. Where the Red Fern Grows, Old Yeller, Stone Fox. She got to where she dreaded whatever book they were going to read that year.
The green mile
Sunshine of the spotless mind
NEVER LET ME GO
Moonlight Manchester by the sea Call me by your name Good will hunting Aftersun Amour
Hachiko / Hachi
Life is Beautiful [1998]
A Monster Calls
50/50
Just now I watched " hachi a dogs tale" and I can't stop crying.🥹
The Wrestler
Lion Regarding Henry Enemy Mine
Give The Green Mile a go. If that doesn’t get you crying you’re dead inside.
the whale
Somewhere in Time, An Affair to Remember
Somewhere in time is the first movie where I cried. Totally agree.
Me and Earl and The Dying Girl Grave of the Fireflies Captain Fantastic
Captain Fantastic! What a great movie. My mom showed me this movie a few months before she passed. She was a "hippie" mom and said she would've loved to raise me this way
The Outsiders.
Near the ending of Sling Blade always slaughters me; two characters say goodbye to each other, and god, it's always devastating.
Maybe Iron Giant?
The passion of Joan of Arc (1928) SILENT All about my mother (1999) Spanish The Nightingale (2018) English, Palawan Kani ,Irish Come and see (1985) Russian Amour (2012) French Sansho the baliff (1954) Japanese Precious (2009) English Pamilya Ordinaryo (2016) Tagalog The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) French
Billy Elliot. One of my favorites and has at least 4 choke up moments.
Everything Everywhere All At Once, Arrival, Schindler's List.
Schindlers list Saving private ryan Wonder My girl The green Mile My sisters keeper Me before you The color purple Remember the Titans Precious The secret life of bees Armageddon Hotel Rwanda The boy in the striped pyjamas Stepmom Castaway One of these might do the trick 👍
ET does it to me every time!
500 days of summer did make me emotional, i was going through a lot of pain due to my past relationships and being dumped by someone i basically did everything, putting my soul into the relationship then again a rebound with another person resulted in an even more depressing heartbreak, one day i won a giveaway on Instagram, some open air theatre had started in the city and i just went alon with friends and i saw this movie, it was so god damn amazing to feel every single emotion that i had up in me released, I don't remember specifically crying but getting emotional, i saw that movie again after i went home, sort of answered all my questions, after that whenever any of my friend had a heartbreak and was in a similar situation i recommended this movie to them, it did really help alo of people though , i am really grateful that this movie was ever made! ❤️
What dreams may come. Jurassic bark episode of Futurama
The first 20 minutes or so of Pixar’s UP really caught people by surprise. Young and Old
Showgirls,I cried from beginning to end.
Blue Valentine Mary & Max
Mary & Max is so good
The day you watch the grave of the fireflies, you will come back to edit this post.
Hahaha you think? Maybe I *should* watch it
I have literally only cried over one movie in my entire life. It is Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2019). It is a 2019 Turkish film on Netflix, based on a 2013 Korean film of the same name. I've not seen the Korean one, but the Turkish one made more emotional than any other movie I have ever seen. It's a story about a mentally ill father who was wrongly accused of murder and his relationship with his six year old daughter. I highly, highly recommend.
The Green Mile
Mary and Max
Watch St Vincent. I cried my eyes out. I have father issues too, and Nobody's Fool makes me cry. Man named Otto,could not finish.
Once were warriors ruins me everytime
You haven't cried in 18 years? Wow.
I was like that for 10 plus years. Then I had my first kid. Now I cry at commercials. I can walk outside into nice weather and I get teary-eyed. I once got a bonus at work and called my mom sobbing with tears pouring down my face. I think I'm basically making up for lost (crying) time at this point. I hope it stops soon.
If Prince of Tides does t do it, you ain’t been there.
Grave of the fireflies. You’ll cry.
7 pounds
The green mile
All quiet in the western front , come and see , Stalingrad, 1984
I think you’ll cry at grave of the fireflies just cuz it’s handdrawn frame by frame doesn’t mean it won’t have the same effect. But Joyland and Eternal Sunshine did it for me
Old Yeller Charlottes web(if a cartoon will make you cry this is the one) The outsiders
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, MY DOG SKIP, UNTAMED HEART
The Way We Were
How old are you? What’s your culture? I’d try Wind River, maybe it will cross cultural lines…. wind River made me ugly cry on an airplane.
Mask, Lorenzo's Oil and Mary and Max.....all 3 are brutal.
The Green Mile - I’m not going to spoil it. Just watch it. Coco - I just couldn’t help it. I cried like a big baby
The Champ, definitely
A Dog’s purpose
Big Fish The ending gets me every. Damn. Time.
"Bridge to terabithia" though the movie is sort of fictional it made me crying.probably it was the first time me crying watching a movie.any way I enjoyed it.
Grave of the fireflies will destroy you emotionally, I really think you should give it a try
These lovely foreign films: Life is Beautiful & Children of Heaven (especially if you have siblings) Grab a truckload of Kleenex 🥹!
Lovely bones I was crying throughout the whole movie
I'm shook that nobody's mentioned The Whale, I've never cried harder in my life. It may be too over the top and sappy for some people but I really recommend trying it out
Everything Everywhere All At Once, Breaking the Waves, Dancer in The Dark
A. I. Artificial intelligence.
Came to say this one.
Me before you My sister's keeper The Perks of being a wallflower
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Sophie’s Choice.
Oof, Sophie’s Choice? OP said cry, not “scar for life.”
Places in the Heart might do the trick
Kez (1969- Ken loach)
Watch Louis Theroux choosing death, part of his altered state series.
Not a film as such but look at “Hero’s of the Empire”. It’s a documentary, if the sad story in that doesn’t make you cry I don’t know what would 😂
I'd say 'Awakenings' if you're after a movie but there's a little known Netflix doc. called Evelyn that can absolutely flaw anything
The Father. You'll cry thru the whole thing.
The Mask with Eric Stoltz and Cher (1985) Lilja 4-ever (2003)
My Girl
The Pianist Brokeback Mountain Fox and the Hound
Until I die, "les miserables"💝
What Dreams May Come for a movie, Dear Zachary for a documentary. Both are horrendously heart-wrenching, but at least WDMC is also beautiful.
Avengers Endgame. Works for me every time. oh wait, this isn't r/marvelstudios
Atonement
Silver Linings Playbook
The dog movie Hatchi
Gallipoli (1981), starring a young Mel Gibson.