Semper Fye

I can't recall what got me thinking about this, but I started racking my brain thinking of all the films that were good enough to elicit some tears (which seem to be harder to come by these days). So here, in "cry"ological order, are those films. I've included links to each film's wiki on the posters, and a "moany" shot of the scene that turned on the faucets.

6. What Dreams May Come

Much less depressing if you pretend it's Patch Adams and shut it off right after the car accident scene.

If I believed in guilty pleasures, this movie would be the first on that list. Just watching the opening will have you mainlining Metamucil from the cheese-induced constipation it induces. But the climax got me. Seeing someone literally move from heaven to hell just to be there for the one they love struck my frayed heartstrings. The portrayal of hell is one of the best I've seen yet.

The "Moany" Shot:


5. Big Fish

Tim Burton's attempt to not be depressing makes me depressed

I'm one of those rare people that neither loves nor hates Tim Burton. A son coming to understand and respect his father's ideas and values, however flawed they may be, is something that hits close to home.  It's a statement to how important the things we do here on earth are, even if they don't feel that way.

The "Moany" Shot:


4. My Life

If you tell anyone I actually paid money to see this in the theater, I'll deny it.

This one's all but forgotten now, and probably for good reason. I actually haven't rewatched it since I saw it at the ripe (as in smelly, not old) age of 13. It was just a few months after my dad passed, so I was actively seeking out "heady" stuff to consume to help the grieving process. I honestly can't remember much about the film except that Michael Keaton's character made a video log to teach life lessons to his unborn son.  That idea was novel at the time, being during the infancy of the information age. The idea has stuck with me. I always wish my father had made something similar for me, and I would definitely want to leave some things behind for my daughter if I knew I was short on time.

The "Moany" Shot:



3. About Schmidt

Even as a grumpy old man he's got more charisma than I ever will

I think this one might be more of a guy thing. The girl I watched it with at the time seemed to think so at least, as she was very amused by my crying. Schmidt copes with the loss of his wife during his daughter's wedding. I can't find a clip of the wedding speech that got me, but if you've not seen the movie then you shouldn't by wasting time reading my crap.

The "Moany" Shot:


2. Schindler's List

I'm not even close to being clever enough to make a quip about the Holocaust

This was another I saw at age 13 in theater. I'd just seen a production of Diary of Anne Frank (the first and only play I've seen to this day unfortunately) which sparked a great interest in the whole subject. I'd only had a few brief history lessons on the subject, so this film was a full on assault. It's still hard to imagine how something so evil could happen on such a grand scale.

The "Moany" Shot:


1. Boys Don't Cry

I think the title is supposed to be ironic?

This film. Just...man. I had just turned 21 when I finally got around to seeing this for the first time. I had heard of Brandon Teena a few years prior from a friend and was familiar with the story, much in the way one would be with hearing any news story of something tragic. But watching this really changed me. It just destroyed the last few threads of the lingering homophobia that someone growing up in my area can't really escape. It opened my eyes to all the times I'd looked down or judged those with different identities/preferences than my own. It's a testament to the power of film and the impact it can have on people's lives.