There are movies that make you cry—and then there are movies that make you snotty, heaving, shaking, swollen face, inconsolable for hours, cry. They are the movies that if you ever watch again, you know to go in with without makeup and a full box of tissues. After consulting fellow movie-cryers, I've made a narrowed down list of just 10 of these heinously sob-inducing films.
Some spoilers may be ahead.
1. "Up"
Most movies give you the dignity of waiting until the end of the film for the buildup of the tear storm, but not "Up." "Up" gets you right in the feels at the very beginning of the movie with no real warning. While the trailer shows Carl as a grumpy old man, the beginning of the movie reveals his origin with the most heartbreaking story, guaranteed to leave you covered in snot.
2. "Toy Story 3"
At the end of an amazing trilogy of Pixar magic, "Toy Story 3" is bound to mess with your head. The movie that makes you seriously reconsider getting rid of any childhood toy. It also finally gave us an answer to the invariable end that we were all questioning: What happens to the toys when Andy grows up? Answer: A lot of crying, throughout the entire film.
3. "Forrest Gump"
The journey through a kind-hearted, simple man's adventurous life, as he faces big opportunity and big losses is an incredibly heartwarming movie. The life and love that Forrest lived for, his childhood friend Jenny, is incredibly moving. Then of course at the end, it all goes south and you're lying face down in your bed questioning if you will ever have someone love you as much as Forrest loved his Jenny.
4. "The Notebook"
Speaking of famous love stories, nothing quite pulls on the heartstrings like the classic romance of Noah and Allie. The story itself of their young summer love, forbidden by Allie's parents, but overcome by the love they have for one another is mushy in itself, but as you find out that a now-old Noah is telling their story to an Alzheimer's-stricken Allie, the tears start to brim your eyes. By the end, "The Notebook" has you holding onto the edge of your seat for dear life.
5. "Titanic"
A lot of big love stories here. "Titanic" is the kind of movie that if you had any form of an elementary school education, you know can't end well, but has you hoping that maybe history will change in the film. For the record, it doesn't. Brace yourself; you will be drowning in tears.
6. "The Fault in Our Stars"
If you read the book (and if you haven't, I very highly recommend it), you came into this movie prepared. Prepared, but not excused from the aggressive sobbing that these two quirky and very unfortunately cancer-ridden teens love story inspires. Though it's described as "a cancer book that's not about cancer," the fact that cancer is a part of this movie should give a big heads up that this movie is incredibly heartbreaking.
7. "Marley and Me"
Movie about a dog. Enough said.
8. "The Lion King"
Possibly everyone's favorite Disney movie, and a Disney movie that also leaves you in indignity around the beginning of the movie. Watching a baby Simba in tragedy has you in tears, yet luckily the rest of the movie remains cheerful. (But will probably still have you crying at some other point, I mean, it's Disney).
9. "A Walk to Remember"
Another one of those classic, tragic, wild teen romances, starring two of our favorite stars of the early 2000s stars, Mandy Moore and Shane West. I think you're getting the picture with a lot of these ugly-cry movies, a teen romance where someone is sick, but alas, "A Walk to Remember" also features a bad-boy turned good. Everything about this movie becomes so over-super-sweet, that it may be impossible not to be choking by the end.
10. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial"
There's nothing quite like a boy and his new alien best friend. The relationship that goes beyond intergalactic barriers makes this, to me, one of the most equally heartwarming and heartbreaking movies ever, as boy and alien best friend should never have to be separated. Just catching the last 30 minutes of this movie had me doubled over and dry-mouthed from tears.
