Saddest Movies of All Time

Babel (2006)
Two boys go out in the desert to test a rifle, with dire consequences. The bullet they shot hits a woman on a tourist bus. The frantic husband tries to get a hold of a phone to call for help, and the rest of the people on the bus don't want to stay. And so four different groups of people in different parts of the world are affected by this incident. The person that originally owned the gun, the person that has the gun; and the person that used the gun. Because of miscommunication, lives hang in the balance as well. The turn out events is bad for everyone. This is one of the saddest films because it addresses this fact: No matter where you are from or where you live, a human life is important. If it weren't for the way that one country labels another country, innocent people would not die. I saw this film, and was surprised that one incident could change so many lives quickly.

Titanic (1997)
A treasure hunter finds the Titanic, a huge cruise liner ship that sunk in 1912. Finding old valuable things, he finds an old necklace. It is traced back to a survivor of the Titanic, an old woman with a love story to tell. Her name is Rose and she loved a boy named Jack. This is a romantic story, filled with spectacular scenes on a grand ship. Even though it is filled with stupid scenes (the band keeps playing as the ship sinks) all in all it is a well told film. The saddest scene of the film hits you at the end when the ship sinks and passengers are in the water. Since this film was all lovey-dovey, it wasn't really for me, but the ending got to me. This is one of the saddest movies ever because it's heart breaking when their love ends. You feel what the characters feel on a grand scale.

Old Yeller(1957)
The Coates family, Jim, Katie and their sons Travis and Arliss live on a ranch. One day, a dog comes out of nowhere and causes some trouble. Travis tries to get rid of him, but his younger brother Arliss likes him. Eventually Travis gets to liking the dog, even though he's a trouble maker. When the neighbor comes by to get his dog back, he sees that the Coates family need him more that he does. And as the bond between Old Yeller and Travis grows, an incident occurs that changes his life....and his dogs life. This is one of the saddest movies because it's a touching story of growing up. It is a simple tale, yet full of emotion. And it's not easy to forget. My family use to have this film on tape, and when we were younger my brother wouldn't let the tape go. I explained to him several times that the tape didn't work anymore, and we have to throw it away. My brother didn't want to hear it.

My Girl(1991)
Vada is a young girl that lives with her single dad. She has a fascination with death, and her dad runs a funeral parlor. Her dad starts to like a woman named Shelly, and Vada is against it. Through all of this she has a best friend, Thomas. He is allergic to everything, but sticks with Vada through thick and thin. This is a story of friendships and the realities of life........ and death. This film deals with a tough subject to talk about with a kid. Death. Especially when its someone close to you. I remember seeing this film when I was young. I though, wow, death is very real. I never forgot how sad this film is, years later.

Grave of the Fireflies(1988)
A brother and a sister in 1945 (Japan) go through tremendous obstacles to survive. They lose family and have to find a way to live in a war filled environment. Even though this is an anime, it is a very tragic story that shows you the horrors of war. It is very realistic and has great animation. What really makes this one of the saddest movies ever is that involves innocent children. In a war, there are never really any winners, because on both sides people die; and that is the ultimate price that humans pay.

Atonement(2007)
In Britain, a young girl likes an older man that actually likes her older sister. She is quite nosy and is always spying on her sister. It turns out that one day, the older man gives the young girl a letter to deliver to her sister.
She gets jealous of her, and spies her crush and her sister in a heated embrace. Another incident occurs nearby and the young girl takes advantage of the situation to blame it on her crush. He is sent off to war, and her older sister is forced to wait for her love to return. Later on, the young girl feels guilty and decides to become a nurse to atone for her sin. And so begins her quest to set things right, but it might be too late. This is one of the saddest films, because two people that love each other are forced to live apart for so many years. Their relationship is mostly waiting to see each other. In the end though, it could have been so much more if it wasn't for a meddling, jealous young girl. The results are tragic in the end, and I recall as I watched this film how foolish mistakes can ruin someone's happiness.

Mystic River(2003)
Three best friends grow up and go their separate ways. An unspeakable tragedy happens and they are brought together again. It isn't easy to face, something happened to them when they were younger and know they face yet again another challenge. Friendships are questioned and families are put through tough ordeals in this sad film. It is touching in so many ways because it deals with the human spirit very realistically. The acting is touching and heart-warming at the same time. It grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go. You really feel the pain as the characters do. And this film is not easy to forget.

American Beauty(1999)
Lester is a man that has an ordinary job, with an ordinary life. It is only until he meets Angela, his daughter's friend, that he feels anything at all. Lester's wife starts to notice the changes he has made in his life, and she doesn't like it. But is it never too late to chase your dreams? Lester's new look on life affects everyone in his family, even his next door neighbor. Some things seem like they get out of hand.....and someone takes drastic action. This may seem like an ordinary film but it's not. Ordinary things seem beautiful, and in a way everything has its own sadness. The real heart breaker is when everyone finally starts to like Lester and want to tell him so, but it's too late. (The very beginning of the film Lester tells you he is already dead.) As I watched this film, I felt so sad because shortly after he starts to make his life better, it ends. Even if you are a good person your whole life, death is impartial.

Catch a Fire(1996)
Patrick lives in South Africa and has a house, a family, and good friends. It all changes one day when an interrogator accuses him of being a terrorist. After Patrick and his wife are tortured, he returns home a changed man. Leaving his family behind, he decides to join the every group that the interrogator thought he was a part of. Now against the corrupt system, he becomes a terrorist on the run. It's not long before the people close to him feel the changes as well. And the amazing thing is that this based on a true story. What makes this one of the saddest movies of all time? It's real. In Africa, thing like this happen all the time. What really stuck with me when I watched this is film is that there are few people you can trust in the world. When someone is cornered, you really don't know how they will act or what they would say to save their own neck. Unless they have a strong will.

House of Sand and Fog(2003)
A family from Iran moves to America for a better life. The father, Massoud is use to the good things in life. So he sees an ad for a house for sale and decides to buy it. At the same time, the former owner is kicked out of that same house. Determined to get her house back, she goes to great lengths to get the house she says is rightfully hers. What is very apparent in this film is racism, even against legal citizens. The sadness in this film comes from what people would do to own a house. The ending is surprising and tragic. How far would you go to say a house is yours? The acting is very moving and convincing, but what makes this one of the saddest movies is that the wrong people were put in a tough situation. It's a story that can happen to anyone.

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