Monday, July 18, 2011

More Tearjerker Moments

A while back, I wrote a post about my top 10 tearjerker moments in movies and TV shows.  Given the lack of blog fodder these days, I thought I'd come up with another list.  These aren't my all time top tearjerker moments.  Just a few more that have touched me. 

Just a warning, though.  I can't guarantee that I can share these moments without posting spoilers, so proceed at your own risk. 

1. Savannah Smiles--A sweet story about a lonely little girl who runs away from home and manages to end up with two escaped convicts.  When she is finally reunited with her parents, and the convicts are arrested again, one turns to the other and says, "I hope nobody ever tells her we were the bad guys." 

2. I Am Legend--Face it, an entire movie about a man who believes he is the last human left on earth is pretty sad in and of itself.  Dr. Robert Neville is the only man left in New York City after a mutated virus claims everyone else, or turns them into some sort of humanoid monster.  His only companion is his dog Sam.  Sam is attacked by infected canines, and Robert is forced to euthanize her.  After he buries the dog, he goes into the video shop and speaks to the mannequin. "I promised my friend I would say hello to you today. So, hello. Would you say hello to me? Please say hello to me."  The loneliness and despair in that simple statement gets me every time.

3. Ruffian--the true story of the race horse Ruffian. Her promising career is cut short when she breaks both forelegs in a match race with Foolish Pleasure.  I remember watching this race on TV.  Anyway, the horse is euthanized and buried whole.  For a horse, this is the highest honor.  When they bury her, the trainer tells the groom, "go down there and put her blanket on her."  A simple, touching gesture that shows how much she meant to him.

4.  Marley And Me --  I don't think I even need to tell you why.  It was just a few months later that we had to make that same decision with our Katie.  I haven't been able to watch this since.

5.  The Terminal --Victor Navorski is in an air port in New York.  He doesn't speak English, yet he sees in the TV his home country of Krakosia in flames, with bombs going off and armed soldiers running around in the streets.  He doesn't understand what is going on, so he tries to call home.  However, he can't figure out how to use the calling card that INS has given him.  He reaches out, pleads, but nobody will stop and help him.  I feel so sorry for the guy. 

And the last one for tonight (hey, I have to save some for another day when blog fodder runs low)

6.  The Blind Side --  OK, face it, this entire movie requires the copious use of tissues, but the one moment that jumps out at me is when Leigh Anne Tuohy fixes up a bedroom for Michael.  He says, "I've never had one before."  She says, "What?  A room of your own?", and he replies, "A bed." 

So there you have it.  More movie moments that move me.  What are yours?

6 comments:

Bag Blog said...

Marley and Me made me cry like a baby - hups and all. The Blind Side made me sad, because it reminded me of my dad. He took in a young black boy and helped him all through high school and into college. Nicki didn't do as well as Michel Oher, but not for lack of my dad trying.

Becky G said...

Me, too, Lou. Even Cody cried at that one, and wasn't ashamed of it, either.

Patti said...

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, when ***spoiler alert*** the old golden retriever (voiced by the late Don Ameche) survives the trip and is reunited with the older boy *sob*

(Bec the only movie from your list I'd seen is The Terminal)

Becky G said...

I haven't seen that version of The Incredible Journey, though I did see the original. Now if we want to get into BOOKS that jerk tears...that's a whole nother story!

Patti said...

It's the 1993 Disney version (live-action) where the animals are voiced by Michael J. Fox (the young dog), Sally Field (the Himalayan cat), and Ameche as the old dog: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107131/

Becky G said...

Yeah, I've seen previews of it. I just don't recall that I've ever seen the actual movie. Netflix to the rescue!