By Shelby Peck | Copy Editor
I’ll be honest. I love a good movie cry. It’s probably because I stuff down my own emotions and prefer to feel someone else’s emotional release (which I willingly acknowledge is unhealthy and admit I am working on). But perhaps what I love most about film is the way it bonds us under our universal experiences and reminds us we are not alone.
While there are definitely movies that warrant tears, some of the movies I’ve cried to are a bit embarrassing to admit — at least according to my siblings. So, here’s a list of the movies I’ve cried to, from least embarrassing to most embarrassing. I promise some of these have gotten to you too.
“Little Women” This is easily the most justifiable cry on the list. The true bond of sisterhood, represented through outstanding casting and costumes (in both Greta Gerwig’s rendition and the adaptation from 1994), elicits the most beautiful tears of friendship and growing up.
“It’s A Wonderful Life” My favorite movie of all time, watching Bedford Falls in black and white transports me to the present day, making me deeply reflect on my presence in the lives of others and how each and every single thing we do has impact, even when we feel discouraged that it doesn’t. This film contains some profound quotes that are sure to resonate with you long after watching — notably, “No man is a failure who has friends.”
“Forrest Gump” Another justifiable cry, there’s something extraordinary about watching a man try to find his place in this world while preserving an ideal of childhood innocence that never quite existed. It feels similar to listening to “seven” by Taylor Swift.
“Dead Poets Society” If you’ve never seen this one, make sure you watch it with friends and are feeling relatively stable and contemplative. Don’t tell yourself that you can’t relate to an all-boys New England prep school.
“Up” I think we all know which scene I’m referring to here. “Up” is a true gem from the Pixar of our childhood.
“Coco” You would cry too if you saw Grandma Coco finally reunited with the memory of the father from whom she was tragically separated, not to mention Miguel fulfilling his dreams of becoming a musician.
“A Dog’s Purpose” There’s something about dog movies. They get us all.
“Miracle” Maybe this is embarrassing, maybe it’s not — but watching the 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team finally be united and rally a dreary country is pretty incredible.
“Frozen 2” Again, I think it’s the sisterhood here. In my humble opinion, the sequel is actually better than the first. The soundtrack is top-tier, the storyline is complex and there’s talking reindeer.
“Footloose” There’s really no explanation here. I don’t think I even like this movie.
“Tall Girl 2” Easily the most embarrassing on the list, but watching Jodi learn to manage her emotions while wearing her men’s size 13 Nikes made me cry enough to admit that I did to the internet.