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If you can't admit that you've cried
at least once or twice at the movies, you're a liar. Yup, I said it.
It's impossible to ignore certain films and their emotional impact.
REAL men cry at the movies. That's a fact, Jack. Personally, I've
cried many times at the cinema. You see, I'm a highly sensitive
person. It really doesn't take much for me to break out the water
works at the cinema. If I see anyone in pain, I'm going to cry like
there's no tomorrow. That said, I can tell a good cry from a bad
cry. A good cry unfolds in a naturalistic way and feels authentic. A
bad cry feels like the director played some corny music over the end
credits. I ain't that easy! I can tell the difference between the
two. You can't fool Tony F. at the movies.
With this week's column, I'm going to
focus on five films that have made me cry, cry, cry at the movies.
Can you admit what films have made you cry? Can you?
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy is my favorite film of all time. Not only that, the
film makes me cry for hours. Yup, hours. When Ratso Rizzo dies on
the bus at the end of the movie, I lose it. When he says, "I'm
falling apart here," I can't stand it. It shakes me to my very core.
Midnight Cowboy is very much a film about people who have been
ignored, abused, and rejected. The world around them ignores them
and has no use for them. All they have is each other. It's quite
sad. You get the feeling that Joe Buck and Ratso Rizzo never really
had a chance in the world. They were born to be in pain. What's even
more unsettling is the fact that Joe Buck doesn't even know it. He
opens up the film with so much positivity and life. Near the end of
the movie, he's lost that. He's become jaded and cynical. That said,
he still provides for Ratso. He's become a man, and he knows what he
needs to do and what's important. Nonetheless, he's a little bit
smarter and a little bit wiser. Will he survive in this cruel world?
I sure hope so.
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The Fox and the Hound
(1981)
Ah, what a classic Disney film. Everything about
this film is just pitch-perfect. It features great voice
work, great animation, and great music. Whenever I hear
the song "Best of Friends," I just want to hug someone
and never let them go. The film is so simple yet so
effective. They just want to hang out and play and have
fun. What's wrong with that? Well, they're supposed to
be enemies according to nature. Poor Tod. All he wants
is a good pal after his mother is killed. Is that too
much to ask? He meets Copper, who is a friendly hound
with no interest in killing anyone. |
Unfortunately, his owner
wants him to be a killer, which means he'll have to end his
friendship with Tod. OK. I'll be honest... The Fox and the
Hound was the first film to ever make me cry as a child. The film
really, really got to me. I was up all night thinking about their
friendship. Plus, the film features one of the most memorable quotes
in movie history.
Tod: Copper, you're my very best friend.
Copper: And you're mine too, Tod.
Tod: And we'll always be friends forever, won't we?
Copper: Yeah. Forever.
Requiem for a Dream
(2000)
This is a tough, tough movie. While I admire the
movie and enjoy it very much, it's a hard film to watch
over and over again. It really drains the hell out of
you. I mean, after you're done watching the movie, you
need to take a long nap. Honestly, for me, the most
disturbing part about Requiem for a Dream is the fact
that I know people who have dealt with similar issues.
The film truly hits home for me. Not only that, the film
gets it right. If you have ever dealt with a family
member who is dealing with drug issues, you know what I
mean. |
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The film shows it
all in vivid and graphic detail. I actually had to look away
near the end of the movie. It was just too painful to watch. The
film literally shows everything. The film shows the sweating,
the denial, the pain, and EVERYTHING. It's not a pretty picture.
Nonetheless, I can't deny the emotional impact of Requiem for a
Dream. It hits me like no other movie.
In America (2003)
This film was the surprise hit of 2003, to say the least. It
came out of nowhere and caught on like gangbusters. In fact, Richard
Roeper loved the movie so much that he offered refunds to anyone who
didn't enjoy In America. Needless to say, not a lot of people took
him up on that offer, because In America is a magical, magical film.
It unfolds like a classic fairy tale with a girl and her three
wishes. Sarah and Emma Bolger, real-life sisters, are nothing short
of amazing as two young girls who are wise beyond their years.
They're doing their best to keep this family together
after the loss of their brother. They're the structure
that's keeping the family alive. After all, kids are
usually a lot smarter than people give them credit for.
In America is the type of film that keeps you on the
edge of your seat, even though you know what's going to
happen and what's coming. When the little girl uses her
three wishes, you hope for the best and hang on to the
person next to you. You really want to see this family
survive and get it together. If you can't get behind
this film, you're too old and jaded! |
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Grand Canyon (1991)
Grand Canyon is an amazing film that is vastly underrated and
ignored. Grand Canyon was Crash before Crash was cool. It's directed
by Lawrence Kasdan, who has an ear for heartfelt speech. Here's how
an IMDB user described it: "Damned To Stay The Unheard Poem Of Our
Lives." I couldn't agree with him more. Grand Canyon is a film for
smart people who like to think about life and what it all means. I'm
one of them. I'm always questioning things and asking questions.
Does the film give us any answers? No. That would be too easy. Plus,
do any of us have any answers? Nope. We're always searching for
answers every day. It's a daily struggle for all of us. Grand Canyon
feels our pain and deals with it. Lawrence Kasdan is one thoughtful
human being, and I'd love to meet him some day. If you're a
thoughtful human being, you'll cry during Grand Canyon. You'll cry,
because nothing in this life is easy. |
