Breaking Emotions: Tears and Surprise

Mettel Ray has started new blogathon – Breaking Emotions – on her blog. Blogathon is already in its third week and you can read all about it here. In my 2 and half week slump this month I missed the first set of emotions and this Monday she also gave 3^rd set to everyone. I, however, am going to do the post about the emotions given by her in second week – Tears and Surprise. 

I think it is obvious that all these entries will be spoiler heavy but still, you’ve been warned.

I don’t want to flaunt my Man card or anything but I rarely cry in the movies. However that makes the moment when I do very special. Here are my 3 choices of films that made me cry.

1. Finding Neverland(2004): I haven’t seen this film in over 5 years and many details of it are now blurry in my mind but I have seen this film multiple times in college and there was one moment in it that I got teary eyed every time I saw it. After Peter’s mother Sylvia, played by Kate Winslet, dies, there is a conversation between J.M. Barrie and Peter somewhere on the park bench where they talk about what happens to the people after they are dead. Just the way Freddie Highmore’s lips move in that scene, like a fish out of water, always used to get me.

2. Grave of the Fireflies(1988): Over the course of these two years this has become my favourite animated movie ever but I still refuse to watch it again because of the mess I was after first time. I can include the whole film but if I have to choose one scene, I will go to the one that gives the film its title. Setsuko and Seita have both abandoned their aunt’s house and are leaving in the cave. Up to this point, movie is very serious tonally. With Seita making the water bubbles and catching the fireflies, this is probably the first time where we get a little respite from that seriousness. But that is the very scene that affects me the most because in the very first scene we know the eventual fate of both Setsuko and Seita. Knowing that this might be the last moment she gets to be the child she deserves to be and tenderness with which that whole scene is handled makes it almost impossible to hold my tears.

3. City Lights(1931): That’s a shoe-in entry for me and for a change these are the tears of joy; absolute, unabated joy. I don’t even think I have to tell anyone which scene I am talking about. That is the smallest, purest, tenderest and beautifullest(I can go on for quite a while) moment in the history of cinema that gets the biggest reaction out of me. There is nothing else in this world that makes my heart warmer than the look on both Tramp and Girl’s face in that moment. Nothing!

Now, on to the Surprise which interestingly was even harder to choose. Couple of months ago, I ranted that it has become increasingly difficult over he last year or so for a film to wow me. Maybe it is the matter of watching 300+ movies/year for last two years but it is even rarer than me crying in a film and hence, obviously, even more rewarding when it does. All the three moments below are the epitome of "What the FXXX just happened?"

1. The Usual Suspects(1995): This is a grand daddy of all the cinematic surprises. The moment Kevin Spacey stops, looks back, breaks off his limp and quietly starts walking normally again might be the first moment ever I said What the FUXX just happened? out loud. This is another film highly due for a rewatch, so much that I actually do not remember anything other than the final scene, but that moment is etched into my memory forever. I may not have understood everything that was going down in the film but I definitely got the end because I remember I have never jumped so much in my seat any other time.

2. The Departed(2006): Like many others, I am sure, I principally remember Scorsese's best picture winner for it's phenomenal ensemble cast. But there is no denying the power of its extremely clever and fast paced screenplay. It is one of the movies you have to take time out to breathe. In the end as people start dying swiftly, there is one death that merits a special mention. Leonardo DiCaprio's. I NEVER saw that coming. What's even more surprising is not only it happens, it happens so suddenly that you almost take a moment to notice it actually happened. Probably that's the reason it's so effective.

3. There Will be Blood(2007): This is my 2nd favourite movie of all time and the scene in question does play significant role in making it that but I will let our director friend Alex Withrow describe this one for me simply because I can hardly do any better.

Bowling alley.  Eating steak off the floor like a dog.  Drainage.  Milkshakes.  False prophets.  Third revelations.  Blowing pin.  Heavy breathing.  “...Mr. Daniel?”

“…I’m finished.”

Not hardly, Mr. Plainview.  Not hardly.

That's it from me but you can see all the other great entries by many other amazing bloggers here.