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!

Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Since Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire was released, I had wanted to see it. I guess it was because reviewers kept saying it was pretty depressing, and strangely, I quite like depressing movies. But on the depress-o-meter, this movie falls behind the likes of Once were Warriors and Revolutionary Road. Keeping in mind that I have not yet seen Requiem for a Dream.

In Harlem, 1987, a sixteen year old girl Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) who is pregnant with her second child by her father, is abused by her mother (Mo'Nique). She just wants to learn how to read, but has been kicked out of her school because of her pregnancy. So she goes to an alternative school, where she meets a caring teacher Ms. Rain (Paula Patton) who wants to make a change in her life, for better or for worse.

Despite it's evident emotional inconsistency, this movie's spirit comes from the amazing performances from Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique (who fully deserved the Oscar; if she hadn't got it then that would have been one of the worst mistakes in history), Paula Patton and a surprise Mariah Carey, who I think looks better without make-up and glittery outfits.

As many people have said, even the toughest cynics will be touched by this story. And I am sure, everyone who watches this will cry at some point, or feel pretty sad for these characters. Aside from the emotional inconsistency, the direction is a little crazy in the beginning...it's like the cameraman is trying to figure out how to zoom and move around the camera, which is unnecessary to the particular shot. Overall, this movie is fantastic and a true Oscar-winning film, though it's unfortunate this film couldn't get more awards in the year of The Hurt Locker, Avatar and other critically acclaimed nominees.

Great performances from a talented cast, a compelling drama.

8/10

My Sister's Keeper

Yeah, this movie is pretty sad. I haven't read the book, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to because it would be such a sad experience. But I love sad movies, so of course, I loved this.
My Sister's Keeper (2009) is about Kate Fitzgerald (Sofia Vassilieva), a teenager who has cancer. Her family are pretty tight-knit and intent on keeping her alove for as long as possible. Her sister, Anna (Abigail Breslin) has been used to help keep her life, by constantly donating blood and other vital stuff to ensure Kate's comfort. Anna decides that she has had enough of this and wants to sue her parents for ownership of her own body. This goes to court, but how will Kate go through this ordeal?
Okay, bad things out of the way first: I really didn't like the direction from Nick Cassavetes. It was slow and sometimes a little too corny to watch. However, overall, this was a pretty good movie. There were great performances all around from Vassilieva, especially Breslin, Cameron Diaz (who fit into the role of a mother perfectly), Alec Baldwin, John Patric and Joan Cusack.
For anyone who has had a family member die from cancer, this will be a bit of a hard watch. It touched on all the bad parts, but also mixed them in with bouts of happiness which you need to survive this movie. A greatly balanced, well-crafted film. Remember to keep the tissues handy!
7/10