Write Back Weekend "Sad Songs Movies Say So Much"
Happy Easter to everyone who is celebrating! I am still sick with bronchitis and a nasty ear infection, but I'm going to try and get through the WBW, as scheduled.
I hope all five of you appreciate this:)
Although I've compiled a top ten list, it's not going to be nearly as involved as some lists from the past have been. As most of you know, I usually write a pretty lengthy intro before diving right in to my picks. But since I'm sick, I'm going to cut that out today. I think these movies can speak for themselves. At least I hope so. I also am going to warn you that the list may contain spoilers as to why the movies are so sad. So if you haven't seen all of them, be smart and skip to the next one until you can rent them and see them for yourself. In the meantime, grab a hankie and dive right in!
1. Terms of Endearment- When I was a kid, this movie grabbed a hold of me and didn't let go. It's the story of a young couple who marry despite the controlling mom of the bride's protests. Although the couple goes through with the marriage, this doesn't stop the mom from meddling. Of course she sees her tough love as love, period. What's so great about this movie is that it realistically covers the lives of the family and their children over a big span of time. Nowadays it's hard to find a film that has that sort of connect even with a shorter time frame. The fact it gets you so much in the end proves that they did something right.
2. And the Band Played On- Perhaps an unconventional choice, And The Band Played On is a take on the history of the AIDS epidemic. It is based in fact, though I'm sure some have been embellished for the film itself. It brilliantly tells the story of how AIDS broke out and how it could have been self-contained had only the proper people paid attention to the warnings in the beginning. It doesn't always paint higher officials in a positive light, far from it, but it's honesty is both heart-wrenching and necessary in order to depict the mass epidemic we have on our hands today.
3. Mask- No, I'm not referring to the Jim Carrey vehicle co-starring Cameron Diaz. Mask is a movie starring Eric Stolz as Cher's son. Rocky is a great kid with a bright future, only he suffers from a massive facial and skull deformity that distorts his face. This brings upon a slew of medical complications. Rocky remains focused on his dreams, however, and is determined to be treated the same as everyone else. It's a sad yet uplifting reminder that most of our problems pale in comparison to those who truly suffer.
4. Man In the Moon- Again, not the Jim Carrey movie! This was the first movie I ever saw Reese Witherspoon in. From there on I decided I wanted to "be" her because at an age so young, she performed so brilliantly. It's the story of a young girl, played by Reese who is coming of age in 1957. She develops a crush on a boy a few years older than her. As a result she learns about love, and loss, for the first time.
5. Heart and Souls- In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated movies. It's the story of a little boy who has four guardian angels who all died during the same bus crash. Stuck in a purgatory of sorts, they accompany him everywhere he goes. Only early on they realize that they are doing more harm than good by following the little boy around and so they say goodbye. However, they never fully disappear, they just stop speaking to him in an effort for the boy to have a normal life. Only as years pass they realize that they need the little boy (now a grown man, played by Robert Downey Jr.) to help fulfill their destinies and movie on to heaven. I was so moved by this movie when I was younger that I even wrote a poem inspired by this movie. I don't know if I ever posted it here. Remind me and I'll have to do it some time. It's part Heaven Can Wait, part Dead Like Me. And all heart.
6. Requiem for a Dream This movie is sad in a different way than the others on the list. This movie is depressing and upsetting. The imagery is real and the desperation is apparent. It's the story of four very different people from very different walks of life, all paralyzed by drug addiction. The saddest (and yet best portrayal) is given by Ellen Burstyn. Her performance alone, while very disturbing, is worth seeing the movie for.
7. Hotel Rwanda- I didn't see this movie until late one night last summer. To be honest, I didn't know much about it and didn't know if I'd ever really want to see it. I started watching it late and I stayed up even later just to finish it in one sitting. I haven't done that in a long time, so I knew it had to be good. It's the true story of a regular hotel manager, played by Don Cheadle, who becomes an unexpected hero, trying to keep the people of Rwanda safe during massive genocides. It's disturbing and graphic and all the more sickening when you realize it really happened.
8. The Pursuit of Happyness- This is the most recent addition to my list and thus the most vivid because I just saw it not too long ago. It's also based on the true story (but aren't all sad movies, it seems?) of Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith, a down on his luck traveling salesman who is trying to support his young child and long term girlfriend. He has a string of bad luck, but Chris does not give up. Sometimes sad movies come along that make you cheer just as much as they make you cry. This is one of those movies.
9. Irreconcilable Differences- This movie really got me when I was a little kid. I think it's because Drew Barrymore was an only child, not much older than me. I had grand illusions of what I would do if I was the little girl in this movie. It's the story of a dysfunctional family that is torn apart by fame and greed. Caught in the middle is the little girl, played by Drew. I still say it's one of her best performances, ever. Probably because no one knew it, but it was pretty true to her life at the time. If you've ever seen the movie, the scene in the court room where she compares herself to a dog gets me every. single. time.
10. ET- I couldn't possibly come up with a list like this and not include ET. This was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. My parents regretted it immediately after the fact considering I cried myself to sleep all the way home. Little did they know, a two hour outing about a make believe alien would move so many people. In fact, what makes this movie so great is that it wasn't real except it still managed to touch old and young alike in a very real way.
Honorable mentions include (but are definitely not limited to) the following: 50 First Dates, Titanic, Cocoon, Beaches, The Notebook, Lucas, Silkwood, Liar's Moon and The Basketball Diaries.
I also almost forgot, Ice Castles!
I hope all five of you appreciate this:)
Although I've compiled a top ten list, it's not going to be nearly as involved as some lists from the past have been. As most of you know, I usually write a pretty lengthy intro before diving right in to my picks. But since I'm sick, I'm going to cut that out today. I think these movies can speak for themselves. At least I hope so. I also am going to warn you that the list may contain spoilers as to why the movies are so sad. So if you haven't seen all of them, be smart and skip to the next one until you can rent them and see them for yourself. In the meantime, grab a hankie and dive right in!
1. Terms of Endearment- When I was a kid, this movie grabbed a hold of me and didn't let go. It's the story of a young couple who marry despite the controlling mom of the bride's protests. Although the couple goes through with the marriage, this doesn't stop the mom from meddling. Of course she sees her tough love as love, period. What's so great about this movie is that it realistically covers the lives of the family and their children over a big span of time. Nowadays it's hard to find a film that has that sort of connect even with a shorter time frame. The fact it gets you so much in the end proves that they did something right.
2. And the Band Played On- Perhaps an unconventional choice, And The Band Played On is a take on the history of the AIDS epidemic. It is based in fact, though I'm sure some have been embellished for the film itself. It brilliantly tells the story of how AIDS broke out and how it could have been self-contained had only the proper people paid attention to the warnings in the beginning. It doesn't always paint higher officials in a positive light, far from it, but it's honesty is both heart-wrenching and necessary in order to depict the mass epidemic we have on our hands today.
3. Mask- No, I'm not referring to the Jim Carrey vehicle co-starring Cameron Diaz. Mask is a movie starring Eric Stolz as Cher's son. Rocky is a great kid with a bright future, only he suffers from a massive facial and skull deformity that distorts his face. This brings upon a slew of medical complications. Rocky remains focused on his dreams, however, and is determined to be treated the same as everyone else. It's a sad yet uplifting reminder that most of our problems pale in comparison to those who truly suffer.
4. Man In the Moon- Again, not the Jim Carrey movie! This was the first movie I ever saw Reese Witherspoon in. From there on I decided I wanted to "be" her because at an age so young, she performed so brilliantly. It's the story of a young girl, played by Reese who is coming of age in 1957. She develops a crush on a boy a few years older than her. As a result she learns about love, and loss, for the first time.
5. Heart and Souls- In my opinion, this is one of the most underrated movies. It's the story of a little boy who has four guardian angels who all died during the same bus crash. Stuck in a purgatory of sorts, they accompany him everywhere he goes. Only early on they realize that they are doing more harm than good by following the little boy around and so they say goodbye. However, they never fully disappear, they just stop speaking to him in an effort for the boy to have a normal life. Only as years pass they realize that they need the little boy (now a grown man, played by Robert Downey Jr.) to help fulfill their destinies and movie on to heaven. I was so moved by this movie when I was younger that I even wrote a poem inspired by this movie. I don't know if I ever posted it here. Remind me and I'll have to do it some time. It's part Heaven Can Wait, part Dead Like Me. And all heart.
6. Requiem for a Dream This movie is sad in a different way than the others on the list. This movie is depressing and upsetting. The imagery is real and the desperation is apparent. It's the story of four very different people from very different walks of life, all paralyzed by drug addiction. The saddest (and yet best portrayal) is given by Ellen Burstyn. Her performance alone, while very disturbing, is worth seeing the movie for.
7. Hotel Rwanda- I didn't see this movie until late one night last summer. To be honest, I didn't know much about it and didn't know if I'd ever really want to see it. I started watching it late and I stayed up even later just to finish it in one sitting. I haven't done that in a long time, so I knew it had to be good. It's the true story of a regular hotel manager, played by Don Cheadle, who becomes an unexpected hero, trying to keep the people of Rwanda safe during massive genocides. It's disturbing and graphic and all the more sickening when you realize it really happened.
8. The Pursuit of Happyness- This is the most recent addition to my list and thus the most vivid because I just saw it not too long ago. It's also based on the true story (but aren't all sad movies, it seems?) of Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith, a down on his luck traveling salesman who is trying to support his young child and long term girlfriend. He has a string of bad luck, but Chris does not give up. Sometimes sad movies come along that make you cheer just as much as they make you cry. This is one of those movies.
9. Irreconcilable Differences- This movie really got me when I was a little kid. I think it's because Drew Barrymore was an only child, not much older than me. I had grand illusions of what I would do if I was the little girl in this movie. It's the story of a dysfunctional family that is torn apart by fame and greed. Caught in the middle is the little girl, played by Drew. I still say it's one of her best performances, ever. Probably because no one knew it, but it was pretty true to her life at the time. If you've ever seen the movie, the scene in the court room where she compares herself to a dog gets me every. single. time.
10. ET- I couldn't possibly come up with a list like this and not include ET. This was the first movie I ever saw in theaters. My parents regretted it immediately after the fact considering I cried myself to sleep all the way home. Little did they know, a two hour outing about a make believe alien would move so many people. In fact, what makes this movie so great is that it wasn't real except it still managed to touch old and young alike in a very real way.
Honorable mentions include (but are definitely not limited to) the following: 50 First Dates, Titanic, Cocoon, Beaches, The Notebook, Lucas, Silkwood, Liar's Moon and The Basketball Diaries.
I also almost forgot, Ice Castles!
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