So, the year that was 2012 is behind us, and while I'm not quite ready to announce the Fisti Awards for the year (I have yet to see 'Silver Linings Playbook', 'Amour' and 'Django Unchained') I've been pondering the films that I did see this year and thinking back over the amount of emotional connection I had with them. Some moments were quite shocking for me, and while I don't grade a film's overall merit by the amount of tears I shed while viewing the film (if that were the case then 'The Impossible' would be my number one) I do value a good emotional connection, and when a film can bring me to tears then it gets an automatic embrace from me. What can I say; I like to cry.
So, inspired by the two hours I spent on the couch sobbing like a menopausal woman last weekend while watching 'The Impossible , I've dedicated this post to the five scenes that got me the most this year; that evoked the most uncontrollable tears. Yes, no matter how many times I see these films, these five scenes STILL break me down.
I'll give a special shout out to the devastating 'Declaration of War', which probably should have received a mention here and yet I couldn't pin down a singular scene that moved me the most since the nature of the film is to continually effect my emotions and so I could just say "the whole movie" but I didn't want to do that.
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| How do you pick just one? |
But alas, on with the list!
#05
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| The Last Kiss from 'Celeste and Jesse Forever' |
This scene comes at the conclusion of this emotional roller-coaster as we come to the closure needed to move on from Celeste and Jesse's relationship. It is a sudden moment, a kiss that speaks volumes for where the couple has been and where they are now in their lives, and quite honestly where they will continue to be. I almost went with the toast that Celeste gives at her friend's wedding, because it also reduced me to tears, but this tender closing moment left a more lasting impression on my soul. Just beautiful (tears for a different reason).
#04
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| The Final Flashback from 'End of Watch' |
I'll say this, I did NOT see this reaction coming. When I popped in 'End of Watch', the last thing I thought I'd do was cry. I honestly thought I'd do a lot of eye rolling, but I really LOVED this film. That being said, and doing my best not to spoil the ending, I chose this flashback scene because it caps off the film (I was already in tears) and really highlights the reason the conclusion is so heartbreaking. This 'bromance' is one of the best put to film, and that is enough to produce some major 'man tears'.
#03
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| Ralph's Selfless Suicide from 'Wreck-It Ralph' |
Now we're getting into territory that hits me hard. I may honestly start crying while I type this paragraph. This gets bonus points for producing a joint cry between my daughter and I, since we both teared up in the theater while watching this film at this very moment. The perfect mix of score, image and sentiment this moment is brutal on the heartstrings. Every time I watch this (and I've seen in nearly ten times now) I choke up during this scene. Everything that Ralph had been looking for he found, and it's beautiful (and crushing) to witness.
#02
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| The Reunion from 'The Impossible' |
Much like 'Declaration of War', I cried a hell of a lot during this movie. Unlike 'Declaration of War', finding a single moment of unabashed emotional destitution was easy. When Ewan McGregor takes those three boys in his arms I was reduced to a former shell of a man who whimpered and moaned and bawled like a freaking baby. Honestly, I'm fighting tears right now, just looking at the screen-cap. Such a heart swelling moment that captured the very essence of hope.
#01
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| I Dreamed a Dream from 'Les Miserables' |
'The Impossible' was a really close runner-up here, but there was really no other option for the #1 slot here. I mean, I bawled my eyes out while sitting in the theater to see 'Life of Pi' when the trailer for this movie was shown with Hathaway's heartbreaking take on this classic song flooding my eardrums. No single scene this year broke me down the way that this one did. I didn't care that I was sitting in a packed theater on opening day with my parents and my wife on either side of me. I didn't care that I actually had a box of Kleenex's on my lap. I just let it all out.
