Saturday, August 20, 2011

16 Days of Birthday, Day 14: I Like to Cry at Movies

Remember how in that post I did about happiness in movies, I said that I prefer watching depressing movies or movies that make me cry? Well yeah, I'm a big crier at the movies. I will literally cry at anything.

You know, I used to be such a tough girl. I used to feel sad at some movies, but I never used to cry in them. No way, I was too tough for that kind of shit. That was until I watched the original version of A Star is Born (the one that was made in 1937 and it has Janet Gaynor in it), and I found myself tearing up a bit at the end of it. At first I was pretty angry at myself for breaking my rule of not crying, but little did I know that this was the start of something new. After that little episode, I was soon tearing up at anything. These days, if a movie has one shred of emotion in it, I will cry like a baby.


If I were to choose a movie which I've cried the most in, it would probably have to be Requiem for a Dream. And I think I was crying a lot more the second time I watched it, mainly because I had my friend crying along with me. How is it that the movie is so traumatizing, even though no-one dies? Well, it's like all of the characters die inside, which is pretty sad to watch. Then there's Clint Mansell's scary music blaring in the background, which I think sounds exactly like the struggle of life. But the one thing that makes me feel absolutely wrecked is when Sara Goldfarb has her last dream of being on TV, right before the credits start to roll. From there on, I'm left frozen in front of the screen, with tears just streaming down my face. I think watching this movie twice is enough for me.


The movie which I cried the most in at the cinemas, however, is probably Never Let Me Go. You know, the totally underrated and forgotten movie that was adapted from one of the best books ever. This movie is endlessly sad for me, because I really don't want to imagine living a life which is set out for me. In fact, I don't want to imagine a life where some people are kept away so much from the outside world, partly because that's what they're made to do and partly because the rest of the world seemed very ashamed of those poor donors. When I think about all that kind of stuff, even though it's not real, it makes me really sad. Brb, I'm just crying into my keyboard...


As you know, I'm a huge fan of Schindler's List. I cry a lot during this movie because I just can't believe that something as horrible as that could have happened in history. But the moment which I always have a good cry in is during Oskar's "I could have done more" speech. Why? Well, Liam Neeson totally owns in that scene (I miss those days, Liam, please let your sensitive side show again?), but I would have said the exact same thing. I would have cried because I couldn't save one more. Then again, I'm not a player or a guy who is obsessed with money...Oskar's transformation just makes that scene all the more sweet. Now I'll tell you a semi-funny story: me and my drama class were watching this because we wanted to get a better idea of the Holocaust for our Anne Frank unit. When we got up to this scene, I started crying a lot. I mean, tears were streaming down my face so much and I had to keep mopping them up with my jersey sleeve. Luckily I composed myself right when the credits started rolling, and everyone was looking around giving each other the 'that was a good movie' look. In ICT, we started talking about the movie and one girl was like "I nearly cried at the end!" So I blurted out, "I was in tears at the end...I couldn't stop myself!" Then the guy who was sitting next to me while watching the movie said "I didn't see you crying!" Wow. Either he is blind and deaf or I'm just a really composed crier.

Anyway, those are my main crying movies that never fail to make use a box of tissues.

Here, however, is a list of the weirdest movies I've ever cried in:
  • Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (when she gets a surprise birthday party...I wish I could have one of them but I always find out)
  • Love and Other Drugs (okay, so I didn't cry during the movie. I just had a mental breakdown at the end of it for no reason - the movie was pretty dull)
  • Gone with the Wind (it took me six watches to actually cry during the movie)
  • Black Swan (I still don't know why I shed a tear during that movie...but it happened)
  • Inception (the first time I saw it I cried so much - now I just cry at the sight of Christopher Nolan's name for some silly reason)
  • The King's Speech (when I watched this with my cat when it first came out on DVD I cried rather vocally during the end speech...needless to say, my cat was scared)
What are some movies that you have had memorable crying experiences in? I'd like to know some weird ones!

9 comments:

  1. I don't really cry from movies, but that ending Requiem for a Dream...damn.

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  2. I didn't cry at the end of Angus Thongs, but god that made me super depressed.

    I cry in so many films. Just last night I was crying at the end of The Hours. I have cried the most in Never Let Me Go too.

    The fist film I remember crying in was Stuart Little...you know when Snowball tells Stuart that the Littles did not love him...that.
    I cry at the end of LOTR 3, when they all bow to the hobbits. The last month, for Harry Potter...I cried several times. Oh Toy Story 3 ruins me, and Up. This list will go on, I swear...

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  3. Not a huge crier. I've only shed a tear once or twice, not as emasculating as I thought it would be. The movie that made me cry fucking intensely was Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colours: Red. It's the final film in a trilogy and the final movie Krzysztof Kieslowski (who, incidentally, is officially my favourite director of all time) ever directed. The scene in question was the final scene of the movie. It wasn't even that sad, no one died. But just knowing it was the last scene Kieslowski ever directed before dying young, combined with the sheer beauty of what was on screen and what was implied, was just too much for me to handle and I broke down. I'll recommend his movies till the day I die. Without him, I don't know where I'd be, or if I'd even love movies.

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  4. Oh god, Schindlers List...as soon as Liam Neeson starts going, thats it. I'm bawling my eyes out. And I totally need to see Never Let Me Go. Andrew Garfield, Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley? How could I not have seen it already! I tear up during a lot of things too!
    *cough*kidsmovies*cough*

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  5. I cried in Never Let Me Go, too... but weirdly enough I didn't cry about Schindler's List... well, that's how it is when your brain is washed with tons of anti-Nazi films, stories, books etc. from the time you were born, because you're German and have to remember and bla bla... I mean, I agree but still, you get used to the subject.

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  6. Anna - I don't know how you couldn't cry at the end of that movie!

    Nikhat - It made you depressed? I guess it made me kinda depressed too, because I'm forever alone and all...
    Wow, you've got a few cry-worthy movies there!

    Tyler - Wow, you quite like Krzysztof Kieslowski then don't you? I should probably check out his movies one day...

    Ruth - Same here. And you totally have to see Never Let Me Go...it's brilliant.
    I'm glad someone else cries in kids movies too!

    Lime(tte) - I guess you would get used to the subject. Me, on the other hand, had to find out all of that stuff for myself, as we only learned about it last year (and that was only skimming the surface).

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  7. I'm a crier too - Homeward Bound, Lilo and Stitch, ET, Stepmom, The Champ, Terms of Endearment, Danielle Steel adaps (my mum loves them)...

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  8. Loving those black and white pictures of Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes by the way :p

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  9. filmgeek - I remember having a bit of a cry in ET when I saw it in the cinemas when I was a lot younger. Oh, and I love those photos too!

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You mustn't be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.

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