Alright! Every now and then, I make a list of every movie that I've cried during. Since cinema has been on a break for the past year, I felt it was time to update my "Movies I've Cried During" post from 2019. But, since no movies have come out in a year or so, you may be asking, "Then how did you get more movies on the list?" Well, the simple answer is that I just went back and rewatched a bunch of movies and tv shows, and streaming services really stepped up their content game this year, giving me access to a lot of really good movies.
And, since most of these "Crying scenes" have a ton of build-up to them, this is going to have some pretty major spoilers for the listed films.
WALL-E
The scene that broke me: WALL-E forgets EVE.
Why that broke me: The entire movie we see EVE and WALL-E slowly becoming friends and eventually finding romance in one another. And then having WALL-E, our lovable fan fave that's been adorned to us for the past hour and a half, is suddenly gone. Reduced to a blank slate. Actually, I would draw a parallel to that scene to the one that almost made me cry in The Notebook where the lady forgets her husband due to Alzheimer's.
Toy Story 3
The scene that broke me: The trash compactor
Another scene that broke me: Andy says goodbye to the gang
Why those scenes broke me: When the toys go into the trash compactor, they all accept their fate and hold their hands. It was extremely touching - These toys have been together for nearly 30 years, and now know that they will die. I mean, that's just sad. If there's one thing sadder than the actual death, it's the acceptance of the death.
The second scene broke me because, once again, acceptance. Andy and the toys part ways knowing that they'll never see each other again. It's really, really impactful because everyone can relate. We've all loved someone who we just never saw again.
Inside Out
Why that broke me: It's rare to find a kid's movie or TV show that takes the audience seriously. Even Pixar had forgotten how to do it, with their last "Make you cry" movie being Toy Story 3 in 2010. Then they had Cars 2, Brave, and Monsters University, which... aren't exactly impactful movies. But Inside Out really hit a chord with me with the random and devasting killing off of Bing Bong, who, throughout the movie, had been nothing but the best possible friend he could be. His self-sacrifice was one of the best plot twists (Is that the best term for it?) in a movie lately.
Avengers: Infinity War
The scene that broke me: The snap
Why that broke me: This might seem really disconnected, but I really, really loved Spider-Man: Homecoming when it came out. Irrationally. So when Avengers: Infinity War shockingly killed him off, I was kind of devastated. This was, to my memory, the first thing time I remember crying during a movie. Since then, I have wept... several more times.
Avengers: Endgame
The scenes that broke me: Iron Man's death, Tony Stark's funeral, and "I'll get you as many cheeseburgers as you want."
Why those broke me: I didn't start crying during those scenes. I didn't do that. I did, however, feel completely devastated after watching the movie. I felt the hole in my heart where a love of Iron Man ever since I had been 4 was left. Maybe Marvel movies aren't exactly "Cinema," and at the very least are assembly lined to quality, but this was some good stuff. This was moving. I also got some massive chills during the Portals sequence.
The Dark Knight
The scene that broke me: Two-Face holds Jim Gordon's family hostage
Why that broke me: The Dark Knight's not exactly a "Crying" movie, but this scene really hit me. Jim Gordon has always been my favorite Batman character (I absolutely love how wholesome the family dynamic is in The Long Halloween), so when I saw the dude start crying and begging Two-Face to let his family go, man. It hit me right in the feels. Plus, Gary Oldman's acting is absolutely top-notch, as always.
Life of Pi
The scene that broke me: Pi screams at God
Why that broke me: Throughout the movie, we see Pi Patel slowly find faith in God. This scene is the climax of that. After spending half a year-ish on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker, Pi suffers a breakdown during a storm. He starts screaming at God about how he's lost everything, and how much more God wants. Some really good acting from Suraj Sharma and a God-tier score just elevate the scene to cry status.
For the Man Who Has Everything
The scene that broke me: I'll never forget you
Why that broke me: Although this wasn't a movie, the second episode of Justice League Unlimited might be one of my favorite television episodes ever. In this episode, Mongul gives Superman the Black Mercy, a plant that attaches itself to you and shows you what you want most. And what does Superman want most, more than anything in the world? A happy life on Krypton with his son. However, Batman is able to take the parasitic plant off of him, causing Krypton to explode once again and his son with it. Superman's last few moments with his son... man, I cry every time.
The Lion King
The scene that broke me: The death of Mufasa and Mufasa's return
Why that broke me: Throughout the movie, we see that Mufasa's one motivation: To be the best movie dad ever. How is he rewarded? A stab in the back by his brother Scar. For his death, the combination of Hans Zimmer's haunting score, dramatic zooms, and emotional attachment all lead to quite possibly the saddest movie death. His return is accompanied by an even more powerful score. In some ways, his return is even more impactful than his death. Simba finally being able to gain closure with him, and then Mufasa telling Simba that he expected more than his slacker self... man, it hits hard.
Inception
The scene that broke me: I was disappointed you tried
Why that broke me: Throughout Inception, the team of dream saboteurs try to find a way to break their target. They see that he has a rough relationship with his father, and so they work with that. The way they actually do break him is by tricking him into thinking his father actually cared about him. The way the movie shows it, the dad, on his deathbed, motions towards a safe. Robert Fischer opens the safe and the camera shows "The Last Will and Testament" paper, but then slowly pans down to a pinwheel made by the child Robert Fischer, and given to his seemingly unmoved father. The scene is a powerhouse combination of impressive acting on Cillian Murphy's part, excellent use of expectation subversion, and once again, an amazing score from Hans Zimmer.
The Sixth Sense
The scene that broke me: Grandma has a message for you
Why that broke me: Normally horror movies and emotional impact don't go in the same sentence together, but in the case of The Sixth Sense, well, we make exceptions. This is towards the end of the movie in which the kid, Cole Sear, tells his mom that he has been able to talk to their dead grandmother and that she has a message for her. Watch the scene to find that message out, because there's no way my descriptions can top the Oscar snubbed performances of Toni Collette and Cole Sear.
Hotel Rwanda
The scene that broke me: The bumpy road and other scenes I can't find on YouTube.
Why that broke me: It's a pretty easy task to figure this one out. The Rwandan genocide was a real thing that happened. To see it portrayed so (I assume) realistically is really, really sad. This stuff did happen, and the fact that people went through it is awful. Absolutely awful.
Coco
The scene that broke me: Mama Coco remembers
Why that broke me: If seeing Héctor singing Remember Me to little Coco wasn't sad enough, we then see Miguel doing the same thing, but this time trying to get Mama Coco to remember her father, who, although it's likely he abandoned her, she never forgot and stopped loving. Maybe I'm a sap for this "Love conquers all" stuff, but this scene was really touching.
The Prince of Egypt
The scene that broke me: Deliver Us
Why that broke me: I have literally never seen a movie to open this dramatically. Right off the bat, The Prince of Egypt hits different. You wouldn't expect DreamWork's second animated movie to be their best, but here we are. Deliver Us starts the film out with a bang that continues for the whole movie. I mean, they start the kid's movie with slavery and mass genocide. Good luck finding another one like this.
The Rescuers
The scene that broke me: Penny and Rufus
Why that broke me: Did I expect to cry when I started watching a forgettable mid-tier Disney effort from the 70s? No. No, I did not. Did I end up crying? Well, it's on the list. In this scene, the orphan Penny breaks down to the dog Rufus about her suspicions that the reason she's never been adopted is because she's not pretty enough. She's, like, 6. No 6 year old should be thinking that.
Up
The scene that broke me: You know the one
Why that broke me: It doesn't take a genius to know that if the first 5 minutes of Up was a short film, it would be one of the best movies ever made. Alas, it extends to an hour and forty minutes of "Above average kid flick." But man. This is the scene. I don't think I've ever met a person who didn't feel sad during this scene. This scene is, how can I describe it... the very best portrait of the inescapability of never being able to achieve your dreams.
Finding Nemo
The scene that broke me: "Nemo"
Why that broke me: Yet another randomly tragic Pixar opening, Finding Nemo begins with the slaughter of nearly 500 children and their mother by a monster whose only purpose is to destroy. This unexpected genocide is such a stark opening, and then seeing the father (Marlin)'s reaction to it, and knowing how he spends the rest of his life... I've always said that true sadness is not gained by the knowledge that someone died, but by how people react. And Finding Nemo is proof of that.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Why that broke me: Throughout the course of the show, we grow to know Uncle Iroh as one of the most wholesome and loving fictional characters. We see hints and glimpses about his tragic past as a war general, and how his failed conquest of Ba Sing Se took the life of his son. So then this builds up to Leaves From the Vine, quite possibly the saddest moment of animation. Iroh sings a tribute to his fallen son, and then the segment ends with a tribute to the voice actor of Iroh who died before the segment aired. It makes for an extremely powerful punch.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
The scene that broke me: What's Up Danger?
Why that broke me: This is a strange entry because I didn't really "Cry" during this moment. Instead, I got the biggest chills I have ever gotten from a movie, which I'm just going to count as a cry. Tears of epicness that shatter you, that's what this is. The What's Up Danger segment is already a cultural touchstone. The scene, the suit, the animation, the music, the scenes synced with the music, the climax of Miles' journey of becoming Spider-Man, the imagery, the vibe... this may very well be the best movie scene ever. Like, it probably is. You feel like Spider-Man when you watch this.
1917
The scenes that broke me: 1600 Men and The River
Why that broke me: The river scene I mentioned actually did make me cry. After being battered and bruised, our hero William Schofield spends several minutes trying to stay alive in a torrential river, only to end up climbing over several dead bodies that collected near a tree, trying to get to the shore. After he does this, he just breaks down and cries, the horrors of war being too much. The 1600 men scene was another Spider-Verse example of something that wasn't sad, it was just so epic you couldn't help but be in awed shock.
The Clone Wars - Victory and Darkness
The scene that broke me: Burying the clones and Darth Vader
Why that broke me: Throughout the show, we see how much the clones resent being seen as the same person. We see their strides towards individualization and distinct personalities. It didn't matter in the end, though. They all turned against the Jedi and died on the Republic Cruiser. And I love how Ahsoka and Captain Rex took the time to bury each clone and give their graves a marker. The music, the slow camera pans, cinematography... they make for impactful storytelling. And Darth Vader holding a blue lightsaber while standing in the snow - The chills, man, the chills. I sat in stunned silence for a good bit after that.
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
The scenes that broke me: You were the Chosen One and Anakin is the father, isn't he?
Why those broke me: Is it wrong to cry over George Lucas's infamous Star Wars Prequel trilogy? Maybe to some hardcore elitist Star Wars nerds, but it's okay in my book. Obi-Wan yelling at Anakin about his lost potential and how he was supposed to bring balance to the force is really rough, especially when you think about everything that the two have been through together. The second scene relies heavily on John Williams's score. Anakin's Dark Deeds has got to be one of the best movie scores ever composed. Between this not getting nominated and Interstellar not winning it, the Academy Award for Best Original Score has been devalued.
Interstellar
The scenes that broke me: Unread Messages, The Space Bookshelf, and Reunited
Why those broke me: I've never understood people who say Christopher Nolan's movies are all logical and emotionless. Did they watch Interstellar? I cry like a baby when I watch this movie. My first big scene is when Coop returns from Miller's Planet (Where time is distorted) and finds that his son has grown up, gotten married, and lost a child, and then finds that his daughter has hated him for leaving. This scene is further proof of the reaction idea - The idea of not being able to see your children growing up is sad enough, but watching Cooper break down is just the saddest.
The second scene I cried during I have termed "The Space Bookshelf." Maybe this seems silly to cry over, but Cooper goes into a black hole and ends up in a tesseract where he can watch his daughter (As he knew her) through her bookshelf. He also sees himself leave her, and starts screaming at himself to stay and "Don't let me leave, Murph."
The final time was when Cooper was finally able to reunite with his daughter, but she's, like, 120 now. She gives a very nice monologue on how she knew he would come back to her because "My dad promised me." I mean... I cry. I cry hard. Then she tells him to leave, "No parent should have to watch their child die." Oh, the feels. This movie breaks your heart in half, quarters, and then eights.
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