On a snowy Saturday night, sometimes you need to curl up under your favorite blanket and have a good cry. One way to do that is peel a dozen onions on the coffee table. Perhaps a more effective option is to simply watch a movie that will get the tears working. But what Movies can get the sniffles started and the tears flowing without a doubt?
Glad you asked.
Here are the four movies that are most likely to get any viewer wailing, regardless of the context in which they're watched.
'Dead Poets Society' (1989)
So maybe context matters a little bit, considering actor Robin Williams and his tragic death several years ago.
That just adds to the poignancy of the young death in the movie. If his death doesn't inspire the tears to come, John Keating's dismissal from the film will. The students stand on the desks, reciting "O Captain! My captain!" It leaves you wondering why that scene was never replicated in your own high school English class.
'Boys Don't Cry' (1999)
This is one of the hardest movies to watch. Brandon Teena, played brilliantly by Hilary Swank, just wants to be happy. He's harboring a secret, though: he's transgender. That secret proves to be a fatal one when people begin to learn of who Teena is and used to be. In a cringe-worthy scene, Teena is brutally beaten and raped, before meeting an even more tragic fate late in the movie.
There are no happy endings here - just tears and devastation.
'Up' (2009)
Even animated films can pull at the heartstrings. In this Pixar classic, it's all about the opening sequence of the film. Carl and Ellie appear to be so in love, the kind of puppy love people can only dream about. But as the melancholy unfolds, we see the couple cascade right towards devastation, with Ellie passing away, leaving Carl on his own.
And then there's a whole rest of the movie to watch! When the story comes full circle with a trinket of Ellie's going to Russell, it's impossible not to lose it. There's a reason it's one of the best animated movies of all-time.
'The Fault in Our Stars' (2014)
Anyone who read the John Green book beforehand knew they were in for a tearjerker.
If not, settle in for the love story between two teenagers with cancer diagnoses. While there are lighthearted moments throughout, there are also incredibly poignant scenes, such as the mock eulogies for Augustus when his cancer returns. Ultimately, one of the main characters in the movie dies, and the tears come flowing due to a familiar eulogy. Still hurts to think about.
