Great but heart-breaking films that leave you in tears with each watch.

Ikiru, on a recent re-watch.

(embarrassingly - Mr Holland's Opus)

Yeah., Opus usually did me in too the few times I watched it

opus always struck me as trying too hard but missing the mark, the fact the the opus is rubbish doesnt help at the critical moment

and its not like im commenting from immmunity to the easy-target because i caught the end of a dogs tale a few weeks back and had to lie down ffs

Many xp but yes to A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. I’m also a sucker for Margaret Sullavan’s role in Three Comrades.

Yes, I saw A Tree Grows in Brooklyn on TCM late one Christmas Eve---also, speaking of Margaret, this one hasn't quite made me cry yet, but could happen:

Arguably her most memorable role was in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), opposite Judy Garland. As Tootie Smith, the feisty but fragile little sister of Judy Garland, she was a bright point, especially in her musical numbers with Garland and during a Halloween sequence in which she confronts a grouchy neighbor. For her performance, she was awarded a special juvenile Oscar in 1944.

Margaret and June Allyson were known as "The Town Criers" of MGM. "We were always in competition: I wanted to cry better than June, and June wanted to cry better than me. The way my mother got me to cry was if I was having trouble with a scene, she'd say, 'why don't we have the make-up man come over and give you false tears?' Then I'd think to myself, 'they'll say I'm not as good as June,' and I'd start to cry."[4]

Her other successes included The Canterville Ghost (1944), Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945), Bad Bascomb (1946) with Wallace Beery, and the first sound version of The Secret Garden (1949).

The bit in Ali: Fear Eats the Soul when Emmi visits Ali at work and he totally ices her out...and also the bit where her colleagues do the same to her on the staircase when they eat lunch.

The bit that gets me is when they're sitting outside at a restaurant with everyone stating at them and Emmi breaks down and Ali comforts her.

Was flipping around last night and came across Smoke, which I once put on a list of my favourite films ever. (Should rewatch it soon.) I landed right on the scene that most fits this thread: where Augie (Harvey Keitel) shares his photo album (and life's work) with William Hurt, which ends on a surprise--devastating--that I won't describe here. Incredible scene.

I don’t know about “great” but

Philadelphia
The Wrestler

― brimstead, Thursday, June 8, 2023 1:52 PM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

And now, I'm an old broken down piece of meat and I'm alone. And deserve to be all alone. I just don't want you to hate me.

― Alba, Thursday, June 8, 2023 2:17 PM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

^^^^^

― brimstead, Thursday, June 8, 2023 2:33 PM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

I said this upthread!

I have never cried harder in a theater - full on sobs. I was crying at home hours later! I haven't dared watch it again but I will eventually. I don't even really remember much about it except that it absolutely destroyed me.

The Florida Project and its Magic Kingdom ending.

^ yes

I specifically haven't watched that yet because I know it's going to be a tear jerker. It's on my list though.

a lot of people criticized the 'illogical ending' but I read it as the kids' imaginations and not that they literally snuck into Disney

The Florida Project and its Magic Kingdom ending.

Yes, cried over it in the cinema, then cried even more when describing it to someone afterwards.

There's a kitchen table scene in Moonlight that caught me completely unawares and I started just properly crying (so that other people heard and looked round) and basically had to deploy the sleeve throughout the rest of the film.

Still can't watch ET in a room with other people. I was 12 when it came out over here, absolutely smack bang in the middle of the target age group, and the build-up, the hype, the endless queuing, the fact that we didn't get in the first time we tried, the enormous, packed cinema, it all packed on the tension to the point where I was probably a nervous wreck before it even started. I had never wanted anything as badly in my life to that date as I had wanted to see ET.

Awwww! <3

I still have my original doll from 1982.

I saw The Flash last night and briefly broke down when Barry broke down and said goodbye to his mother for the last time, saying "I love you mom". really hit me when it wouldn't usually since dad has been so zoned out lately that he doesn't react to us when we visit, and we don't know why.

wish I still had my ET plush. that thing was badass.

my husband brought his ET doll to that screening we went to :)

not in sob category but I still like to respond "It was nothing like that, PENIS BREATH" to people.

the house party I watched it at as a kid erupted at that part (the kids, the adults were annoyed)

I thought I'd mentioned the short Bao already, but I guess not! Anyway, that one turns on the waterworks for me.

https://letterboxd.com/film/celia/

Two scenes in The Return of the King

"You already did... Eowyn. My body is broken. You have to let me go. I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed."

"My friends, you bow to no one."

I get choked up typing those lines out.

Once Upon a Time In Hollywood: the ending w Sharon talking to Rick through the intercom & then the slow pan up to overlook the garage & driveway the aerial shot as Sharon & Jay & Abigail & Frykowski come outside & the Maurice Jarre music is playing

seen this movie like 10 times & i’m a mess everytime

it makes me cry so much

xpost -- both solid. On our podcast we just did the film ROTK the other month and my cohost Oriana noted that the Theoden/Eowyn relationship as acted through the films is really remarkable. The film version of their parting isn't the books, but it absolutely works in its own right.

the ending w Sharon talking to Rick through the intercom & then the slow pan up to overlook the garage & driveway the aerial shot as Sharon & Jay & Abigail & Frykowski come outside & the Maurice Jarre music is playing

Yeah. It's such a nice quiet 'what could have been.'

VegemiteGrrl, have you seen Celia I assume you have as its an Aussie film? I don't want to create a spoiler for those who haven't seen it, but if you have, you will know exactly what I mean.

Can't believe Make Way for Tomorrow isn't in this thread! Messed me up but good.

cracking film.

So Long, My Son

deleted post re lotr ppl can react how they like to peter jackson

sam and theoden prob the two /performances/ that can wrench a tear through gritted teeth tho

i know the thread title says great films and i am opening myself up to all manner of ridicule here

but when the little girl breaks and runs calling for her daddy in the patriot i got got

the fuckin patriot lads

there’s a couple of scenes in BROKER (2022) that just ended me

I've been trying to think of any movie that has made me cry and I finally remembered.

The Plague Dogs

I am pretty sure that I cried during my second viewing of Audrie and Daisy too.

Which I think qualifies as a great documentary because it does not hold back and tells the grim stories of these two young women unflinchingly. And they have both died from suicide.
;_; to infinity

One that particularly struck me recently was Okja. Just describing the final scenes to people got me emotional !

River Phoenix's campfire scene in My Own Private Idaho ("I really wanna kiss you, man").