Desperate Housewives cast.
As we approach the holidays, stress levels sky rocket with the thought of finals nearing and the sheer amount of work that needs to be done. A few days ago, this stress seemed to peek for me and some of my friends. So, once all the work was done and we all had a slow night, we turned on Netflix and had a marathon cry fest over Desperate Housewives. This got me to thinking, what are some of the best movies for that perfect ice cream and tears kind of night?
Aside from the basics such as Titanic and The Notebook, there are some good tearjerkers that you might not think of right off the top of your head. In a dark little corner of Netflix lies one of the saddest movies I could ever think to watch. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father, is a documentary, and possibly the saddest damn documentary to date. Unfortunately, it’s hard to discuss the movie without giving away major plot points, but there are a few things I can say. Naturally, because it is a documentary, all of the events shown are real and the accounts are real. This only adds to the tears, because it’s almost too impossible to believe that so many horrible things could happen to this family. Unfortunately, due to a small budget, the film technically could be better. In one way or another, this just makes the story seem all the more real. In short, the movie is about Andrew Bagby, who was murdered by his pregnant ex-girlfriend. The movie is filmed by his best friend, intended to be shown to his unborn son. The movie consists of interviews of Andrew’s friends and family, woven together with clips of home videos of Andrew.
If you’re really looking for an emotional roller coaster ride, Dear Zachary will surely do the trick. Just remember that it’s probably a good idea to keep a box of tissues by your side the entire time.
And then there’s the always devastating animated film. Maybe it’s because they pull out the raw emotion of childhood, but many animated films really know how to pull at your heartstrings. Disney has been busy keeping the tears flowing for years, but the one movie that sticks out is Fox and the Hound. While it’s not the most well known of the Disney classics, it’ll leave you with glassy eyes by the end. Another solid example of a sob producing animated film is the 2009 Pixar movie, Up. From the beginning viewers are left with their mouths slightly agape and a small tear rolling down their cheek. This movie appeals to the inner romantic in all of us, who believes that love is undying.
Or maybe you’re a tough guy, and animated Disney films are just a touch too fluffy for you. In that case, a bit of Schindler’s List might be more your style. Fair warning, this dramatic historical film is more emotional than you might imagine. But remember, we’re looking for movies that go well with ice cream and slumber parties, so Schindler’s List might be a movie for a different day.
Whether you’re looking for realism, or the cute heart touching animation, there’s a million cry fest movies out there for a good night in. At this point, all you have to do is throw on Netflix and pray that you still have a little bit of rocky road left in your freezer.