For most movie lovers, it's a regular thing to be emotional about films that mean a lot to you, and therefore, most movie lovers probably have shed a few tears during their favorite movies. Whether it's the beautiful stoic one-tear cry, or the wrinklely-faced snotty cry, these tears show the film lovers' true feelings for a movie that has truly touched them. In this blog you'll see the 5 scenes that make me cry, without hesitation, EVERY time I watch the movie. Hopefully, some of you guys will relate and you can send an "I holla!" back my way (Scrubs style).
(Beware, if you haven't seen these movies, chances are, there will be spoilers.)
#5: The Miracle Worker (1962) - "She knows!"
As most of you know, I was an English major, and one of the plays we studied is called "The Miracle Worker." It's the story of Helen Keller and how Annie Sullivan is able to teach her what language is. Now, I know that many of you guys reading this right now are thinking of Helen Keller jokes, and that's fine, but I take this story very seriously because it's SO amazing! The woman didn't understand language for the first 7 years of her life... and yet as soon as she did begin to understand it, she was a genius! She wrote 12 books! She became a Motivational Speaker! And all without ever having even heard a single word in her life. She did more than most of us will ever do.
But the real hero in the play, in my opinion, is Annie. I love this woman. She is definitely one of my all-time favorite women in history. And at the end of this movie version, Anne Bancroft (who plays Annie) and Patty Duke (who plays Helen) are at the water pump. In that moment, Helen is finally able to put what the thing is with what the sign is for the thing and everything clicks. She runs around trying to take it all in and understand all the words and sign all at once, and finally the world has been opened up to her. Annie follows her around, showing her these signs and then, as Helen's parents rush outside to figure out what all the commotion is about, Annie shouts: "She knows!" Just the profoundness of this moment, where Helen knows for the first time in her life something other than instinct; that language exists and now she can express herself and talk to her family for the first time ever.
Uhhh! I'm getting emotional about it just writing about it. And as an English major, of course this resonates with me. Because language is such a powerful thing. BEAUTIFUL. Each year in my class, I have to watch this part 6 times in a day (because I have 6 different periods), and YES, I do tear up every single time.
#4: Up! (2009) - Opening Montage
As Pixar movies go, this one doesn't seem to be in the ranks with films like Wall-E that tend to make many people cry throughout (namely, Pixar fanatics). But for me, the beginning of this movie is more touching than any Disney/Pixar movie I've seen.
At the beginning, a little boy named Carl is shown pretending to go on an adventure to South America and runs into a little girl, named Ellie, doing the same. It goes on to show that they grow up, fall in love, and get married. The montage changes from a happy tone to sadness when it shows trying times in their marriage, struggles to have children, and then finally the two accepting that their life will only be the two of them.
Then, we see Ellie and Carl begin to save up for a trip to their childhood dream, a waterfall in South America, Paradise Falls. As time goes on, they keep using the money to pay for other things that come up, and eventually it's obvious that these two will never reach Paradise Falls. Finally, Ellie grows too old and weak and she goes to the hospital. When she passes away, we see Carl alone with a single balloon... SO heartbreaking!
I went to this movie with a friend, Rocky, just because we were bored and it seemed like a cute story. We had NO idea that in the first 10 minutes we would end up weeping on each others' shoulder. I couldn't help but think of my Great Granddaddy on my mother's side. Later, when I was with my mom, I was trying to explain to her how sweet Up! was and how the beginning went, and just talking about it, I started crying! Needless to say, each time I see it... I do cry. Even when I prepare myself.
#3: Little Women (1994) - "I know I shall be homesick for you, even in heaven."
The first time I ever saw this movie, I was watching it with two of my best friends in college. I am an only child, but both of these girls had sisters. By the end of this film, I was beside myself. I could not even gather myself back up. I was a wreck! These two ladies will attest to that fact because I am pretty sure they were a little unnerved at how upset I got, hah!
This movie made me really feel like I was missing out on something really special since I have no siblings. The sisters in this movie are just so precious. But the scene that was the reason for my breakdown was definitely when Beth gets sick.
Jo comes home because she gets word that Beth is dying, and the scene where she comes to be with her completely reduced me to a hot mess. Jo was always so protective of her family and did whatever she could do to help them. When Amy is being bullied by her teacher, Jo wants to go give him a piece of her mind. When the family needs money to travel to see Papa, Jo sells her hair. Again, in this situation, Jo wants to fix Beth, but there is nothing she can do. And even though Jo is usually the strong one, weak Beth says some things that are so beautiful to comfort her sister. She says she is not afraid to die but "I know I shall be homesick for you, even in heaven." At this point, I am reduced to a blubbering mess. Every time!
#2: Sex and the City: The Movie (2008) - "You're not alone."
If you ask many Sex and the City fans what part of the first movie they tear up at, you'll probably get a ton of different responses. More than likely, a fan of this series tears up more than once during the film, and that is true for me, too. However, there is one scene in particular that gets me the most.
I realized just how powerful this scene was when I was flipping through the movie channels one day and the Sex and the City movie was on. It just happened to be during the New Year's Eve scene when I started watching. I immediately started crying, and before that, I wasn't even in a weepy place! This scene just gets me!
Miranda and Carrie are at their separate homes, lonely, watching TV, etc. Carrie goes to bed early, and Miranda is eating Chinese food and cracking into her fortune cookies. Something it says make Miranda uneasy, so she calls Carrie and accidentally wakes her up. Their exchange is short and ends with Miranda apologizing for waking her, tells her she doesn't need her to come over and to go back to bed, and tearfully she hangs up. It's at this point that a beautiful version of "Old Lang Syne" begins to play and Carrie gets dressed and rushes across town to be with Miranda before the ball drops. As Miranda answers the door, Carrie says to her, "You're not alone! You're not alone."
The gals begin the New Year with each other, laughing and enjoying each others' company. I think the reason this scene speaks to me is because this is the kind of relationship I want with my friends. No matter what we're going through, I want to know that they can sense when I need them even when I won't admit it, and vice versa. I hope I can know when to come to the rescue for them, as well.
#1: Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - "I will not say do not weep, for not all tears are an evil."
I don't think I've sufficiently talked about my intense love for Lord of the Rings, yet, but you are about to get a taste of it. First of all, it's my favorite book series of all time. Secondly, it's my favorite movie series of all time. I watch all 3 every single year as a one day marathon, each December, and it's always magical. I have often said that if there was one thing I could seriously go back in time and experience, it would be going to New Zealand back when those movies were being made and being a part of it in ANY way possible. Even if it meant just being the snack girl holding the platter of pigs in a blanket for the cast and crew. I love this series so deeply, it is the reason I became and English teacher and it really is a part of who I am. Intense? Yeah, but whatever. I love it.
At the end of Return of the King, the hobbits travel to The Gray Havens to see Gandalf and Bilbo off to Valinor. That in itself is enough to make me sad. I mean, Gandalf is the big Granddaddy of the fellowship and now you have to say goodbye. Not ok. But then it is revealed that Frodo is going to be going on the boat, too. As Frodo says goodbye to Merry and Pippin, there are tears and hugs, but then he turns to Sam. Sam is the one who went into Mordor with him, who carried the Ring for him, who then actually carried him bodily when Frodo couldn't go any further; Sam, who was faithful and strong throughout the entire journey; the only one who really, truly understand what trauma Frodo has suffered. And he's leaving him? What are you thinking, Frodo?! This is the moment I lose it every time, because if it were me, there would be NO way that I could board that boat and sale away from the only person who really knows and understands why I am the way I am. I could never leave Sam after forming a bond like they forged on their journey. And yet, Frodo does leave.
I understand why he left, because Frodo went deeper into that despair than anyone ever has, fighting constantly against the power of the Ring instead of giving into it. And I know that even though Sam understood him more than anyone else in Middle-Earth, it still wasn't enough. There were parts of him that could never be the same again, and Valinor was the only comfort for him. BUT STILL! It makes me so sad! Perhaps the most bittersweet ending ever, in my opinion. Weep, weep, weep. And of course, after this scene the credits begin to role and Annie Lennox's "Into the West" begins to play and I am rendered officially useless for the rest of that week.
Well, there we are! I'd love to hear your comments. Agree? Disagree? Did I forget anything? Let me know!
