DeniMovies that make men cry! Are there any?
May 28th 2010 07:50
Category: What's Up?, What to Rent?
I'm a chick, so I guess naturally I've come across a movie or two in my day that has caused me to tear up a bit. I grew up a tom-boy, I've roughed it up playing with my brothers - American football, volleyball, baseball, basketball and I've beat up a few people who picked on me - something I'm not proud of when looking back but a ass beating was definitely in order. I've also had at least one black eye in my day. So even now that I'm all grown up it's still kinda embarrassing for me when I get a tad moist in the eye when watching a movie with my husband, a lovely Aussie lad who never seems to get his "cry" on. Not that I'm complaining but sometimes I wonder what movie would make him turn on the water-works.
I did a search on the net and found the Top-20 movies that made men cry. I'm assuming this is from an American perspective but I wonder if any brave lad out there is willing to come forward and admit to shedding a tear or two when viewing a moving and if so, which movie did it?
1. Brian’s Song (1971)
This Emmy-winning movie of the week focuses on Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) and his friendship with fullback Brian Piccolo (James Caan). Coach George Halas (Jack Warden) encourages Piccolo to be Sayers's roommate during the season -- the first white-black pairing of its kind in professional sports. When Piccolo develops cancer, Sayers stands by his pal. Perfect for all ages.
2. Rudy (1993)
In this fact-based drama about the triumph of the human
3. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
As U.S. troops storm the beaches of Normandy, three brothers lie dead on the battlefield, with a fourth trapped behind enemy lines. Ranger captain Tom Hanks and seven men are tasked with penetrating German-held territory and bringing the boy home. Steven Spielberg and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski paint a harrowing picture of the price of war and heroism -- one that netted them Oscars for Best Director and Best Cinematography, respectively.
4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
The first movie since It Happened One Night to win all five major Academy Awards (picture, director, actor, actress, screenplay), Cuckoo's Nest still has the ability to entertain and inspire. Implacable rabble-rouser Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) is committed to an asylum and inspires his fellow patients to rebel against the authoritarian rule of head nurse Mildred Ratched (Louise Fletcher).
5. The Natural (1984)
A bat made from a tree struck by lightning and a passion for
6. Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Upstanding banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is framed for a double murder in the 1940s and begins a life sentence at the Shawshank prison, where he's befriended by an older inmate named Red (Morgan Freeman). During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates for his upstanding moral code and unquenchable sense of hope. Co-stars Gil Bellows and Bob Gunton (who's memorable as the amoral prison warden).
7. Schindler’s List (1993)
Steven Spielberg's Holocaust epic won seven Academy
8. Old Yeller (1957)
Disney's heartwarming family classic Old Yeller tells the tale of young farm boy Travis Coates (Tommy Kirk), who learns valuable lessons of courage, loyalty and trust from an adopted yellow mongrel.
9. The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
This is one of the greatest American stories about one of the greatest American heroes: baseball phenomenon Lou Gehrig. The film follows the Iron Horse (Gary Cooper) from childhood to his later glory on the diamond. Gehrig embodied the American ethic of humility and hard work, playing in 2,130 consecutive games until he was forced to retire because of the disease that now bears his name.
10. Terms of Endearment (1983)
Mothers are from Mars, and daughters are from Venus in this warm, offbeat story adapted from Larry McMurtry's novel. Director James L. Brooks seamlessly tells the story of a mother and daughter whose lives are changed by the men they love and their abiding love for each other. Terms of Endearment won five Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Actress (MacLaine), Best Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson), Best Director and Best Screenplay.
11. The Iron Giant (1999)
In rustic 1957 Maine, 9-year-old Hogarth finds a colossal but disoriented robot (of unknown origin), and the two form a strong bond of friendship. Before long, however, a government agent is on their trail -- and he's intent on destroying the automaton. This beautifully rendered parable based on British poet Ted Hughes' feted short story features the voices of Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel, Harry Connick Jr. and Cloris Leachman.
12. Philadelphia (1993)
When attorney Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks) reveals his
13. Big Fish (2003)
William Bloom (Billy Crudup) tries to learn more about his
14. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
This multiple Oscar winner follows a determined young athlete who, through her sheer determination, awakens a long-lost fire within two aging boxers. Despondent over a painful estrangement from his daughter, trainer Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) isn't prepared for boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) to enter his life. Maggie's determined to go pro, and she eventually convinces Dunn and his cohort (Morgan Freeman) to help her get to the top.
15. Life is Beautiful (1997)
In this poignant tragicomedy, a clever Jewish-Italian waiter named Guido (Roberto Benigni, who won an Oscar for his role) is sent to a Nazi concentration camp during World War II, along with his wife (Nicoletta Braschi) and their young son (Giorgio Cantarini). Refusing to give up hope, Guido tries to protect his son's innocence by pretending that their imprisonment is an elaborate game, with the grand prize being a tank.
16. Love Actually (2003)
An ensemble comedy that tells 10 separate (but intertwining) London love stories, leading to a big climax on Christmas Eve. One of the threads follows the brand-new, unmarried Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) of the United Kingdom, who, on his first day in 10 Downing Street, falls in love with the girl (Martine McCutcheon) who brings him his tea. Denise Richards, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightley and Rowan Atkinson co-star.
17. Rocky (1976)
Gritty, grim and epic, Rocky is the real deal, a crowd pleaser with a less-than-storybook ending. When Muhammad Ali-esque boxing champ Carl Weathers wants to give a nobody a shot at the title as a publicity stunt, his handlers pick palooka Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Rocky won the 1976 Best Picture Oscar thanks to John Avildsen's solid direction and Stallone's root-for-the-underdog script.
18. The Pianist (2002)
Famed Polish concert pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody, who won an Oscar for the role) struggles to survive the onslaught of Nazi tyranny during World War II in this autobiographical film. Already lauded at the time for his talents as a musician, Szpilman spent those years holed up in Warsaw, subsisting on scraps of food and barely able to stay alive. Grace comes in the form of a second chance -- at music, at freedom, at life.
19. Mystic River (2003)
Three childhood friends, Sean (Kevin Bacon), Dave (Tim
20. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Southern comforts abound in this classic adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Gregory Peck won an Oscar for his role as Atticus Finch, a widowed lawyer who takes on the task of defending an innocent black man (Brock Peters) against rape charges, only to wind up in a maelstrom of hate and prejudice that threatens to invade the lives of his children, Jem and Scout (Phillip Alford and Mary Badham).
I don't know what poll this list is based on but there are a few surprises here. Anyhow, I welcome the lads on this site to come forth and reveal their favorite tear jerkers! Don't be shy. I won't tell a soul.
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Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
The only guy I know to tear up is my brother. He's such a sweet guy with a soft heart. When we would watch movies together and a touching scene would come on, I would deliberately look at him and he'd have this look of utter tenderness...surprisingly no tears but he'd be close to it.
There's only about 3 people I'll let loose in front of and my brother and husband are two of them.
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Nothing wrong with being emotional - it just means I have a heart and tell Sam he will cry one day when his heart defrosts
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
You guys are cool. You both crack me up. "An audible 'F**k yeah"? I pay money to see that.
"Where the Wild Things Are?" Original or remake?
Comment by James Rickard
unlucky_ fishermen.com
Angling Fish
Check this out...
In the U.S. mini-series Lonesome Dove, the death bed scene between Call and Gus is a real tear jerker and I'll put it against any on the list!
I always compare cinematic releases to that mini-series. TV was still good when it came out. Probably the last great mini-series. I think it was 1986. (I think.)
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
two films that definitely make the cut is a forgotten film by John Cassavetes called 'Love Streams', I was so overwhelmed by the whole thing - the other one is The Exorcist if you watch it as an allegory for child abuse - the climax is also over whelming.
As far as me getting a little welled up goes - the most memorable examples are East Of Eden and most recently when I walked out of The Road I oddly enough detected a strange salty watery liquid dripping from my eye.
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Yes! In America "Brian's Song" is the ultimate tear jerker for men. I wasn't surprised to see that one on the list.
I was actually thinking of that Episode in Entourage where Turtle and Johnny Drama were watching it. That was hilarious. I only wished there was a clip of it on youtube I could have added to this post.
Don't worry, I'm not very creative with posts either but once in a while I'll come up with a good idea. Not often.
I love John Cassavetes but I never seen "Love Streams" and I must get another look at "East Of Eden". I saw it a long time ago. I couldn't finish "The Road" because it was just too depressing.
Cheers,
Deni
Comment by Edward 1
EducatedInGames
Gamer Verdict
Here it goes...
A Walk to Remember and Mao's Last Dancer! I'd love to say which parts, but I don't want to spoil it for others.
And another film that takes even more balls to fess up and which causes my girlfriend to give me the eye brow when it happened.
The Game Plan! There! I said it! I'm spoiling this because I need to justify every person who has regretted something would feel how The Rock felt when he told his daughter on television how much she had changed his life and wants to be part of her life again.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
I will just have to reiterate my admissions here;
I am a very manly and strong Aussie male, NOTHING affects me, I laugh in the face of teary eyedness.... well.... sometimes...maybe? Well I can imagine....
Old Yeller, (hope it's the right film I'm remembering?) but when that dog died, I was a mess.... but in my defense, I was only a nipper at the time!
I usually find Hank's performances a little similar and irritating, but Philadelphia got to me, but only because I lost thirteen friends to AIDS.
To Kill a Mockingbird, another eyeball burster, again, my defense is, I was young when I saw it..
Saving Private Ryan, even with Hanks, about five minutes afterwards, I broke down, but that was due to me remembering my dad, who fought in WW2, in the Middle East (Tobruk etc), and Papua New Guinea, along with the Yanky forces, dealing with the monstrous Japs in the jungle.
My dad had died only a few years before I saw this movie, and it all came crashing in...what he went through, the memories of him screaming out in the middle of the night, malarial sweats suddenly recurring, my childhood is filled with those memories, and of a man who would not speak of the horror he had to endure, like most of those men from WW2.
Cuckcoos Nest, the Indian man, "Chief", got a bit wet, Shawshank, bit wet around the eyeballs, Schindlers, Pride of the Yankees, etc etc etc... hmm... maybe I'm not that tough afterall?
Oh, now here is a goldie oldie that I dare anyone to keep dry eyed over, Little Women, when the youngest daughter dies....man... that was a toughie...
I could go on, but I fear that I may expose the tough bronzed Aussie sterotype as being a pathetic weepy mess of emotional contradictions!
Great post Deni,
cheers
fog
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
How odd!!
fog
Comment by Deni
Abstract Magick
Cinema Herald
Also, BTW, I think all Aussie men are MANLY
Although I'm a chick, I will say that recently I was embarrassed when I teared up while watching "The Secret Life Of Bees". I'm embarrassed because this movie was sooo deliberately cheesy, I was surprised and shocked to admit that it somehow got under my skin.
There was another movie along the same lines that got to me which is called "War" starring Kevin Costner and Elijah Wood - deliberate cheese.
From this list, I did ball while watching:
1. Schindlers List
2. The Pianist
3. Terms Of Endearment.
4. Emma Thompson had me weeping in "Love Actually" when she discovered her husband was having affair.
5. Shawshank Redemption
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Of the ones on the list Cuckoo's Nest and Old Yeller are the only two that I wept.
Animal flicks are my kryptonite, The Bear and Watership Down scarred me for life.
A few that I have cited on previous lists like this are:
Bridge to Terabithia
Donnie Darko
The Wrestler
Eternal Sunshine on the Spotless Mind
The People Versus Larry Flynt
21 Grams
Mysterious Skin
Ordinary People
Solaris
Harry and Son
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Mysterious Skin and the wrestler are absolutely devastating
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by Anonymous
A movie that has made me cry and should be on this list is the assassination of jesse james by the coward robert ford