Emotionally affecting films

[Andy008]

Has anyone ever seen a film that left them genuinely breathless/shaken/stunned after? if so which?

[lizzierose]

agreeing with previous posts of requiem for a dream which had me mouth open till he end and crying for half an hour afterwards. deerhunter upsets me just thinking about it, i didn't know what was going to happen and it completley took me aback.

I found A.I. or at least the last half an hour or so sentimental drivel. the majority of people in the audience couldn't help but voice some of their disgust at the cliches and unbelievable over sentimentality (sorry to use the same word twice) don't get me wrong the idea was good the first part of the film was good. look away now if you've not seen the film, but i believe it should have ended when he was at the bottom of the sea

[hellywellywo]

I see A.I. came up for it boredom factor and I have to agree with that.  My husband and I fell asleep watching A.I. and when we woke up we thought it was the end and we grabbed our coats to get out of the cinema but apparently the film didn't know when to end.  OH MY GOD!!!!!!

But crying wise Mel Gibsons film We Were Soliders always makes me cry.

[mash]

Hotel Rwanda. We left the cinema in silence. A must see film, if only to appreciate how lucky we are and the terrible things some people have suffered.

[Ivankafka]

Of course Schindler's List stands out as emotionally affecting. Platoon also in certain places.

A film I have only seen once but not for 15 years or so, was called Lamb. It was very good, moving but very bleak.

Somewhat different, but still something that stunned me in a different sense perhaps, was The Others. It left me completely speechless, as I didn't see what coming at all. Very clever. I won't give it away for those who haven't seen it.

[bancodegaia]

A French film called Irreversible left me totally stunned. It starts out very horribly and tells the story in reverse chronological order with every segment showing the events that lead up to the previous segment. There's quite a lot of violence in the beginning but then ends up with the best ever feel good ending to a film even though because it was told in reverse it was the beginning and not the end.
It was extremely harrowing because of a particularly realistic looking rape scene which made me physically sick. I think it was the stark contrast between the ugly bits and the loved up ending that left me feeling drained.
I watched it again the following day. It was still good but difficult to watch.

[eupraxia]

Schindlers list.

the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan. That was a mind blower.

Other than that not much else makes me think that hard.

But I saw Indepndance Day when it first hit the screen. Everyone was coming out going WOW. it didn't make u think but it was a wild ride of effects.

[mr hws]

for some reason "platoon" is one film that sticks in my mind.

[cat woman]

There are some films which I have watched and will never again because they have up-set me too much.  Two which come to mind are "Soldier Blue" & "Straw Dogs".   the first time I watched "Champ" I made my mascara run,  "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" makes me cry every time I watch it.  :-)

[pagey3]

I agree with bancodegaia - irreversible is the most shocking film I have ever seen.  It is beautifully made by french director gaspar no�, but at the same time very challenging to watch.

as for crying I'm afraid its titanic - I cried my eyes out at the end the 1st time, and now when I watch it I cry all the way through because I know what's coming! pathetic I know, same with forrest gump!! And My girl

[Cockney_si]

Alive and Seven are both epic films, but although Seven was fictional it still left me wondering what I would do on Det. Mill's Postion.

[TommyC]

Absolutely agree with KingKonk in amazement that no one else has mentioned "The Deer-Hunter". I cried and shouted and cried again when poor, lost, Christopher Walken finally pulled the trigger, and I've thought about some aspect of that film every week or so in the years and years since I first saw it... and again just yesterday before I saw this post. I never realised before The Deer-Hunter that it was possible for a director to traumatise the viewer by a film, in exactly the same way America was traumatised by Vietnam, to explain the feeling. One of the greatest films ever made.

[dothawkes]

The Searchers, John Wayne in the dorway at the end; The scene with Jenny Agutter and her dad at the end of The Railway Children. When Rose lets go of Jack's frozen hand and he slips under the sea; When Mel Gibson's is the last foot off the LZ just as he had promised; Anything Earl Hamner said at the end of the Waltons.

[Fern57]

Two Brothers, about two tiger cubs that are seperated when young. It even had my 23 y.o. son in tears

[Steph84]

The two films which have made me cry (and I'm talking uncontrollable, painfull sobbing) are The Green Mile (even when vile Percy steps on Mr Jingles) and Instinct with Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding Jr. The bit when the poachers attack the gorillas sent me over the edge.

Edward Scissorhands gets me every time. As does The Lion King.

Schindler's List is very emotional. I found Saving Private Ryan distressing but not sentimental. I don't think I could watch it again.

I can't believe no one's mentioned Bram Stoker's Dracula (with Gary Oldman, THE best actor in the world ever). That's so moving, i cry every time.

[Steph84]

OH my god yeh - King Kong is so sad and My Girl - "Where are his glasses? He can't see without his glasses!"

Frankenstein is quite sad too.