I love fantastically sad movies. They’re the best.
The first time I saw Moulin Rouge, I didn’t hear the very first line of the movie, “My love is dead.” Or maybe I just chose not to hear it. At the end of that amazing musical, I was bedridden with grief.
My best friend came over to hang out and I had the soundtrack on repeat as I stuffed my face full with brownies. Yes, I took Satine’s death hard.
When I saw The Notebook for the first time I used half a tissue box during the movie and the other half that night. My trash can is rarely full with that many snot and tear-filled Kleenex.
A Walk to Remember was a hard one, so was The Last Song. Practically any Nicholas Sparks books or movies get me grabbing for the tissues I have already grown so fond of.
Rent was one of the few movies that got me shaking in my seat sobbing. Even the Olay commercial got me flicking away some tears.
But why? Why do I allow myself to get worked up like this? Why am I going to watch Moulin Rouge and Rent again? Why do I think sad movies are the best kind?
To tell you the truth, I’m not quite sure. But I think I figured it out.
I recently watched The Way We Were starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford for the first time. In short, it doesn’t have a happy ending.
I knew it was going to be a sad movie, but that didn’t stop me from watching it because, well, it stars Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.
Let me tell you right now, this movie is phenomenal. I was yelling and jumping up from my bed as I was watching, practically doing crunches as I lunged towards the TV when a character made me mad.
Even though the movie’s end was devastating, I still thought it was a good movie. It was horribly sad, but it was good.
I like sad movies, because they make me feel something different.
Most of us go into a theater to laugh, or to cry with happiness, or to see a real life situation turn out in the best sort of way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for chick flick, happy movies, but I need to feel something more serious.
I know, I’m a confusing person. Let me be more simple.
We are dead as a generation. No, we are dead as a human race. We refuse to look at bloody pictures or video footage of Syrian children.We turn away at pictures from the Holocaust, and we hide from the truth when it’s scary.
There’s no blame here, I do it too, but I’m trying not to. I’m no longer going to only watch Disney movies, or say no to seeing a movie I’ve never heard of because I’m opening up my eyes to the pain in life.
I’m not saying you should go and get every single sad movie you’ve ever heard of, chocolate, and a double extra jumbo sized tissue box from Costco. I’m saying maybe pick up Schindler’s List instead of Dumbo. Maybe let yourself cry because someone’s true love will die.
Open yourself up to the sad endings, because they are realistic and also make you think of the entire movie.
Was the whole movie sad? No, it probably wasn’t.
Watching sad movies can make you see the good and the bad; remembering both. I remember the songs and the laughs from Rent, but I also remember how hard I cried when Angel died.
You may think that I’m being unfair. How can I say you are emotionally unavailable and I am not because I watch Nicholas Sparks movies?
To that I say, watching these movies is my way of trying to make myself open to all the ups and downs that life has in store, and be okay with that.
The important thing is, do you?
