Movies With Personal Emotional Impact?

Off Topic
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I have to tell you, guys; movie discussions are better here than on “real” movie sites! (Is that ironic or WHAT!)


So…what are some movies that affected you personally? (Either pulled at your heart strings, made you re-evaluate your life or look at yourself, made you look at others differently, etc.?). I’ll share just a few of my personal ones:


1)“John-Q”: Wow…I can’t remember if a movie ever made me cry…this one caused me to hold back my emotions almost all the way through (How about Denzel talking to his son just before he was going to kill himself?) Wow…


2)“Glory”: (Really just a coincidence that Denzel is in both!)This one hit me from a lot of angles…how important it was for people to be considered part of this ideal known as “America”…how important it is to be considered not only a man but a human being…pride in who I am…


3)“The Jack Bull”: Honesty…honor…our word…integrity…when push comes to shove, would I have been as valiant and honest as Mryl Redding? Or just one more cattle rustler, bank robber and horse thief in the American West?


4)“Titanic”: Interesting. This one had me thinking a long time after I left the theater.I asked the question over and over; would I have been one of the brave to think of the safety of others first; or would I have been one to attempt to get off in any way or form possible, at the expense of others?


Well…just a short list. Can’t wait to hear yours!

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Laugh if ya wanna, but “Homeward Bound.”

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“The Cure” – comment on true friendship.

“The Mighty” – same thing, based on the book “Freak, the Mighty”.

“Fluke” – kind of a kids movie, but be ready to ask yourself “why” at the end, and have the tissue handy.

“Titanic” – if that movie was even 10% true to the actualy events, that was one of the greatest human tragedies of all time.

“Blackhawk Down” – brought home such an appreciation for what is expected and given by our men in arms. I was absolutely drained coming out of that one.

“Saving Private Ryan” – same drained feeling coming out of that one.

So, how many more do you want?

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Wow, good topic, Mufasa and a really good way to get me to devote this entire Off Topic Forum to film. Cuz, if you take a film personally, there isn’t a “tag line” or “word” that will ever be able to describe, simply, how that film affected you. At least my take on it. All I know is this, when the house lights go up, and I’m just still sitting there in my seat, rather cemented, I know I have just seen a film that has affected me deeply. Ah, the powerful of cinema.

Just a few films that I have taken note:

Heart of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocolypse. The making of Apocolypse Now. This is BETTER than Apocolypse Now. A riveting documentary on how one man, with a vision, fought to see his VISION up on the screen. THIS documentary opened up my interest into the "making of" of film. It is a undeniable treat to hear Coppola rant how this movie will be a "20 million dollar disaster" when in fact that is now considered to be one of the greatest war movies ever made.

Lawrence of Arabia: One of the greatest films ever made. And still exciting, beautiful, dynamic as ever. The possibilities of cinema is all here: great dialogue/script that is emoted by some of the greatest cast, beautiful, captivating cinematography, all backed by one of the best Directors ever, David Lean. This is inspiring, breathtaking, just plain out beautiful.

The Last Emperor: a grand movie - I just felt this overwhelming sense of sadness for the life of Pu-Yi. This film has been categorized as "historical" but is so much more. It shows the human weaknesses, as well love, and loyalty. Loyalty, sticks to me, though. Pu-Yi was a puppet, no less, for both the Chinese Monarchy, but later, for the Japanese. And his loyalty was used by both. While most of his life was sad, I had a bittersweat joy for him as he found some sense of happiness towards the end of his life.

Camille Claudel: Camille was alive during the time when it just wasn't proper for women to be such silly things as sculptors. No less a genius as her mentor and eventual lover, Rodin - she fought tooth and nail to be allowed to follow her passion to create. She eventually went mad and had to be admitted into a asylum , which she spent the rest of her days. Yes, a tragedy. But I watch this movie, over and over again - it is inspiring. It kicks my creative nature in the ass and gets me to work.

Joy Luck Club and Eat, Drink Man, Woman: Two movies that speak about familiy. Joy Luck Club was cathartic for me and made me realize how strong my mom really is (we've always had a "shaky" relationship) - and helped me see her in a "different" light. Eat, Drink helped me see that people show their appreciation and love in different ways. The relationship between the widow (who is the top chef in Taiwan) and his three daughters may be the center point of this extremely good and charming film, but the food preparation scenes easily steal it. Anywhoos, I find my eyes tearing shamelessly at the end of the film.

I gotta go now - you know, work.

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I can think of 2 prisons movies with quotes: 1) Shawshank Redemption: “Get busy living, or get busy dying.” 2) Cool Hand Luke: “What we have here is a failure to communicate”

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Not going to offer any commentary, just a list:
“The Mission”, “Ghandi”, “Fried Green Tomatoes”, “Steel Magnolias”, “The Cure”. I know there have been more, but they escape me at the moment. If they come to mind while this thread is still running, I’ll post again.

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Braveheart and Born on the Fourth of July both got to me. And, emotional or not, Rocky I-IV will be the greatest four movies of all time. As a kid, though, I was always a sucker for The Fox and the Hound. Quit laughing…

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Off the top of my head:
Gallipoli: Pride, courage, sacrafice, brotherhood and sense of duty in the face of certain failure and death. Movies with these themes at their heart, resulting in tragic consquences, always get to me.

Braveheart: Another tragedy. Even though it was full of historical flaws, it did a great job showing how a great leader and a country’s independance was done in by scottish nobles jealous of the leadership abilities of the second son of a minor knight. Also wonderful in how it portrayed the first peasant army to ever deafeat the heavily experienced army of the greatest military machine of the time. The sense of national pride and willingness to die for independence is very moving.

The killing fields : Went to see it in the theatre as a teenager. It was the first movie to make me realize what terrible atrocities human beings are capable of inflicting upon one another. Felt sick while watching it and was depressed for days after.

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THE THIN RED LINE–the way main character was strong enough to allow himself to feel the emotional pain of war, rather than hiding behind macho bullshit.

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John Q really hit home when I saw the movie b/c I had just became a father. I feel the same way John did in the movie. I would easily give up or take my own life if it meant saving my 14 month old son. You won’t understand unless you’re a parent. I’m sure there are other movies that have impacted me but I’m blank.

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Some off those movies are good. Braveheart was emotional but Titanic just, well I hated it and waited for them all to die.

But if you want an emotional movie. A movie I will NEVER watch again. Im teary eye right now thinking about it. The movie is OLD YELLER (1957). A movie about a boy and his dog. When I first saw it when I was young, I was glued to the TV and felt like crap for the whole day.

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John Q was one of the best public service announcements I’ve ever seen… hated it.

Shawshank Redemption, Gladiator, Rocky 1-4. Other movies drain me in other ways, some just wear me out with the adrenaline: Armageddon, Rock, Pearl Harbor (MB movies)

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The Fragile is dead on. How about that Hillary Clinton being shown at the end? I’m sorry, was that movie funded by the Democratic National Committee or just a few good ol’ Hollywood socialists?

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  1. Grave of the Fireflies. One of Roger Ebert top 100 films. It is tale of boy and sister during WW2. Very, very sad.

  2. Joy Luck Club. I am a guy and this movie still can make me cry. Saw the first time in Oregon and had to walk around Monmouth for two hours to calmdown.

  3. Bullet in the Head. John Woo’s best movie about how war can fuck up everything.

  4. Snow Falling on Cedars. The movie was so, so. I could identify with Ishamel and Hatsue’s chracters.

Well that is my list.

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Dancer in the Dark starring Bjork. I know, Bjork? She was great in this very touching and sad film. No happy endings here. Also along the same lines the Roberto Benini(sp?) film set in WW11. I just can’t remember the name for some reason. Braveheart. Being of Scottish roots I wanted some English blood when I left the theatre.

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I think there are thousans of emotional movies. For the most part (excluding hollywood blackbusters) you create a bond with the main character-good or bad, whether they help people or mutilate them. Humans are very one sided when they see the “bad guys” side of the story. FOr this reason i think Braveheart-killed thousands, and Heat-about bank robbers, are the most emotionsl. I was worried the cops would shoot them, and they were killing little kids. Crazy

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I cry at movies, tv shows, and the occasional commercial…

Shawshank Redemption - great movie, great acting, and very moving. The short story was better, but this was one of the few Stephen King movies that did the original story justice.

Titanic - for all its sappiness, it was a good movie. Would I have had the balls to jump back on to a sinking ship, knowing I would probably die? I thought about that for a long long time.

The Little Mermaid - don't laugh!! At the end when she says good-bye to her father, I always tear up. I don't think I could say good-bye to my family permanently!!

The Movie based on The Killer Angels I'm pretty sure that's Gettysburg, but I'm not positive. The book was way better, but the movie just hurt to watch. Everyone knows that war is not 'fun' but the social climate of the time and the brutality of the Civil War are clearly spelled out... I'm trying to get through 'Gods and Generals' the prequel, written by his son, but I'm having a hard time with it. Has anyone else read it?

Philadelphia, Amistad and Glory - all three mad me absolutely sick. They reinforce that prejudice is sick and twisted... and make me even less tolerant of intolerance and bigotry. (Yes, that makes sense.)

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Rudy, Rudy, Rudy, and of course Brians Song!

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I know there’ve been a handful or more but the only one that leaps fiercely to mind is indeed “Rudy”. God, I love the tenacity of that character!

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Good God! How could I have left off “Rudy” and “Brian’s Song” (both versions)? Good call on those.