The Most Powerful Sad Endings In Cinematic History

Everybody loves a film that makes them smile but not every story can end on an upbeat note — and not all sad endings are created equal. Some might make us a little misty-eyed for a bit, only to be forgotten in a day or two. 

But then there are the film finales that leave us absolutely devastated. These endings tear our hearts in half and stay lodged in our brains forever. Their last few minutes are so memorably melancholy that they can make us cry if somebody even merely mentions the title of the movie. These scenes pack a tremendous emotional punch because a fan-favorite character bit the dust, or maybe a sweet romance tragically crumbled apart, or the dog died. Amassing a list of the most powerful sad endings in cinematic history brought a flood of tears to our eyes, and this rundown will surely do the same to you. 

While "Man on Fire" was critically savaged upon release, this fiery revenge thriller features one of Denzel Washington's most moving performances. He plays John Creasy, an alcoholic bodyguard who gets a shot at redemption when he takes a job in Mexico as a bodyguard for Pita (Dakota Fanning), the adorable daughter of a Mexican businessman. Soon, the suicidal gunman forms a father-daughter bond with his young charge.

After years of booze and bullets, actually caring for somebody is a new experience for Creasy, but sadly, it doesn't last long: Pita is soon abducted by a powerful crime syndicate that learns you should never mess with a Creasy Bear's cub. Eager for some righteous revenge, he buys pretty much every gun in Mexico and goes on a murder spree, eventually capturing the kidnapper's brother. Creasy then does a bit of bargaining, promising to trade the creep for the kid. The gangsters agree, with one little caveat: they want Creasy too.

Dying from a gunshot wound, Creasy agrees to the deal and gives himself up. But before handing himself over, he reunites with Pita for a few brief seconds, and when he tells her goodbye, it's a moment that will make even the toughest action fan weep. It's probably no coincidence that John Creasy shares the same initials with another guy who sacrificed Himself to save lives, and as the gangsters drive Creasy away, the bodyguard closes his eyes and drifts away to Blue Bayou.

"Million Dollar Baby" might be the sneakiest movie ever made. This boxing drama starts off like an inspirational tale (more "Rocky" than "Requiem for a Dream") and follows Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), a backwoods waitress hoping to jab her way into the squared circle. She hopes that a grizzled trainer named Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) will teach her all about the sweet science, but he's reluctant to teach a woman, especially one who's over the hill in fight years. But Maggie is persistent, and after convincing Frankie, she KO's her way to a championship fight ... where the movie takes a hard left turn into depressing territory.

During the fight, Maggie is illegally punched after the bell, and our hero falls hard, smashing her neck against a footstool and becoming paralyzed from the neck down. After the doctors are forced to cut off her leg, Maggie begs Frankie to perform the ultimate act of mercy. At first, the trainer can't even think about taking Maggie's life, but after she bites her tongue off in a vain attempt at ending her life, Frankie agrees to do the deed.

Before he administers the lethal injection, Frankie tells Maggie the meaning of her Gaelic nickname, Mo Chuisle: my darling and my blood. Yeah, this is when the tears start flowing. Even steely-eyed Eastwood can't keep the tears back, and if you see the Man with No Name getting weepy, you know it's too much emotion for the rest of us to handle.

Was Timothy Treadwell a conservationist hero or an eccentric who didn't respect the power of nature? Was he a kind warrior, a wild man, or a bit of both? Whatever you think, we can all agree on two things. First, he was deeply passionate about protecting bears. Secondly, he captured some incredible images of some majestic animals. After Treadwell's tragic death at the jaws of a brown bear, director Werner Herzog assembled his footage and created one of the most moving documentaries of all time.

"Grizzly Man" follows Treadwell as he journeys into the Alaskan wilderness, interacts with animals, and shares his unique worldview about man's place in nature (one that directly contradicts Herzog's own opinions). As a man, Treadwell seems both troubled and beautiful, and while there's a lot about his behavior we could call questionable, it's hard not to admire his passion. With the help of Herzog's guiding hand, we really grow attached to Treadwell as "Grizzly Man" heads for its inevitable ending.

We all know Treadwell was killed by a bear. That's not a third-act plot twist. But it's upsetting to finally say goodbye to such a unique soul. There aren't a lot of people like Treadwell — free-spirited outlaws still living that wild life – and in the film's final moments, we watch for the last time as the titular Grizzly Man wanders into the woods, accompanied by two fuzzy friends and a mournful country song that feels like it was written for Treadwell himself.

If you only saw the last three minutes of "End of Watch," you might think this cop drama was ending on a happy note. The final scene features two buddies sharing a crazy story, laughing their heads off, and having a pretty good day. But context is everything. In actuality, the camaraderie between Officers Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) is incredibly bittersweet because this is a flashback scene, one that jumps back to a moment before Zavala was gunned down by gangsters.

Taylor and Zavala are super cops. Sure, they're just patrol officers, but they're really good at their jobs, from building trust with the community to saving kids from a burning building. In fact, they're such good cops that they try to take down the Sinaloa Cartel ... only that doesn't pan out too well. After disrupting the cartel's business, the officers are ambushed by heavily armed thugs, and despite their bravery, Taylor is gravely injured, and Zavala is murdered.

After learning about his partner's death, Taylor is absolutely shattered. Zavala was his best friend in the world, and at the funeral, Taylor is so grief-stricken that he can only muster four powerful words: "He was my brother." Gyllenhaal absolutely sells the pain and the agony, and when the movie cuts from the funeral to the flashback, it makes those final "happy" moments all the more heartbreaking.

Wes Anderson ostensibly directs comedies, but while his films are full of jokes, there's always a deep sense of melancholy underlying them. That's especially true for "The Grand Budapest Hotel." A story nestled inside multiple timelines, the bulk of this beautiful tale is set during the 1930s, in the fictional European country of Zubrowka. That's where we meet our hero, Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori and F. Murray Abraham as his younger and older versions, respectively). Zero works as a lobby boy at the titular hotel under the guidance of flamboyant concierge Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes).

The plot involves a dead heiress, a missing painting, and a family of greedy goons, but as film critic Amy Nicholson writes, the film's emotional punch revolves around "Gustave's struggle to keep order while chaos — personal and geopolitical — encroaches on his manicured fiefdom." See, in the 1930s, the Grand Budapest is an impossibly charming world of pastel colors. But there's a dark shadow hanging over Anderson's dream world. As the totalitarian horrors of the 20th century creep in, M. Gustave's civilized world starts to fade away.

As the story jumps from timeline to timeline, we see the hotel decay and its colors fade. The guests stop coming, and eventually, the place is torn down. M. Gustave is killed during the war, communism washes over Zubrowka, and Zero is left alone with nothing but his memories of better days. The film finally ends with a nostalgic author (Jude Law and Tom Wilkinson) remembering the quaint world that existed before the war. Talking about both the hotel and the cherished past, the wistful author says over the closing frame, "It was an enchanting old ruin, but I never managed to see it again."

On its cold, gray surface, "The Blackcoat's Daughter" is a movie about a girl who's demonically possessed. But under the slow-building dread and eerie music, there's a tragic story about a helpless kid who's deathly afraid of being alone. Played by the wonderful Kiernan Shipka, Kat is a boarding school student with some serious abandonment issues. When her parents are late to pick her up for the semester break, Kat slowly but surely begins to freak out. And it doesn't help matters any when she has an unsettling dream about her parents' untimely fate.

Terrified her parents are dead and that she'll be all alone in the world, Kat literally makes a deal with the devil, allowing herself to be possessed in exchange for a little company. The evil spirit even tries to convince Kat to behead three people, and she's so afraid of being abandoned that she follows the demon's commands.

Eventually, a priest exorcises Kat; she's so scared of being alone that she begs the demon to stay, but her pleas are no match for holy water, and that's why years later, an older Kat (Emma Roberts) murders two new victims and takes their decapitated heads back to the school. She's hoping her sacrifice will summon the demon back, but when she realizes the evil spirit has left the school behind, the movie ends with Kat sobbing and screaming into the wintry void. She realizes now that she's truly by herself. Nobody will ever come to pick her up, and even the devil himself has abandoned her. When Satan leaves you behind, that's pretty darn depressing, even by horror movie standards.

Nobody will ever forget what happened at the 89th Academy Awards. For a few brief minutes, it seemed like "La La Land" had won the Oscar for best picture, but sadly for the cast and crew, that wasn't meant to be. The fantasy quickly faded away, and the filmmakers had to face reality with bittersweet acceptance. 

In other words, what happened in real life is a whole lot like what happens in the movie.

Directed by Damien Chazelle, "La La Land" follows two star-crossed lovers: aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone) and jazz devotee Sebastian (Ryan Gosling). Like any relationship, theirs faces its fair share of ups and downs, happiness and heartache. But despite their love for each other, the two eventually go their separate ways to chase their individual dreams. Five years later, they accidentally bump into each other, and that's when you've got to reach for your box of tissues.

By this point, Mia is a movie star, and Sebastian runs a thriving nightclub. But when the two lock eyes across the room, we're treated to an elaborate dream sequence. It's the kind of ending we expect to see — the guy and girl end up with one another and live happily ever after — but the dream soon comes to an end, with Mia and Sebastian going their separate ways again. It's a bittersweet reminder that life forces us to make sacrifices, and no matter what you choose, you're always going to feel a pang of regret.

Before Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) made his Iron Man suit, before Christian Bale donned the Bat-cowl, and before Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, or Tobey Maguire spun their first web, there was Hugh Jackman as Logan, aka the Wolverine. With his gruff exterior, adamantium skeleton, and heart of gold, he slashed his way into theaters — and our hearts — in 2000, and appeared (in one form or another) in every single "X-Men" movie up until his blood-soaked swan song in 2017's "Logan."

Set in the near-distant future, the movie follows a dying Wolverine as he uses the last of his strength to protect Laura (Dafne Keen), a young mutant girl who happens to be his clone-slash-daughter. There's a shady scientist who wants her for nefarious purposes, so when his goons show up to take her captive, Wolverine makes his final stand in the woods, chopping up fools left and right.

But after confronting another clone — one that's younger, stronger, and faster — Wolverine succumbs to his wounds. Thankfully, after a brutal life full of hard decisions, he gets to experience a moment of fatherly love before his death. In the film's final scene, a tearful Laura gives Logan the eulogy he deserves, quoting Alan Ladd's final monologue from the similarly depressing "Shane." After ending her speech, Laura tips the cross on his grave over on its side, marking the Wolverine's final resting place with an "X."

While DC and Marvel have made plenty of amazing movies, "Logan" was the first superhero film to truly make audiences weep for such an iconic character. If that final graveyard sequence didn't make you a little misty-eyed, chances are pretty good that you're a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants.

It's always hard watching a child cry, especially when that child is a phenomenal actress like Brooklynn Prince. Fortunately, for most of "The Florida Project," Prince is happy and carefree as Moonee, a rambunctious six-year-old who spends her time wandering around her Florida hotel, pulling pranks with her friends and playfully harassing unsuspecting tourists. Moonee is totally oblivious to the fact she's poor, and she has no clue the length her mom goes to in order to pay the bills.

When the authorities learn about her mom's poor parenting choices, they show up to take Moonee away from the only life she's ever known. That's when the funny stunts and charming adventures come to a screeching halt. Realizing she's about to be taken away, Moonee absolutely breaks down; with tears streaming down her face, she takes the hand of her best friend Jancey (Valeria Cotto), and the two make a desperate run for Disney World.

The whole scene might be a fantasy in Moonee's mind — or maybe she really is heading for Cinderella Castle. Either way, she hopes to escape the coming horrors by losing herself in the magical world of Walt Disney. It's a place for dreams, after all, a shelter from the harsh realities of life. But no matter how fast she runs, Moonee can't escape what's coming, and her magical childhood comes to an end.

Since Thanos' (Josh Brolin) first MCU appearance in 2012, Marvel fans couldn't wait for the big purple baddie to throw down with the Avengers. Six years later, Thanos finally arrived with his Infinity Gauntlet in "Avengers: Infinity War," and Earth's mightiest heroes were completely overmatched. During the film's ending, it looks like Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is going to save the day as he slams Stormbreaker into the Mad Titan's chest, but as the God of Thunder quickly learns, when you want to kill somebody, you better aim for the head.

And just like that, with a snap of his fingers, Thanos wipes out half the population of the universe, including the majority of our beloved heroes. Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) goes up in smoke; Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) turns to dust; Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) disintegrates into nothing. And then there's poor Teenage Groot (Olaniyan Thurmon). Before the beloved tree vanishes from the Earth, he manages to whisper one last "I am Groot" to Rocket Raccoon — and according to "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn, it translates into one heartbreaking word: "Dad."

Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) death was even more painful to watch. After muttering the now-infamous line "Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good," Spider-Man collapses to the ground, begging Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) for help. Even though he just fought the toughest villain in the MCU, Peter's still just a kid, afraid of fading away — and when a horrified Captain America (Chris Evans) — the team's strongest and most optimistic member — can only whisper "Oh, God," you know things are bad.

Really, "Avengers: Infinity War" might have the darkest ending of any major blockbuster ever. There's no moral victory here; there's no feel-good speech. For the first time ever, the Avengers have truly lost, and it all ends with Thanos admiring his handiwork, smiling as the sun rises on a "grateful universe."

"Atonement" is one of the trickiest movies ever made. Just when you think you're going to get a happy ending, it rips your heart in half. Based on the novel by Ian McEwan, this period piece starts in 1930s England, when 13-year-old Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan) starts picking up on the tension between her upperclass sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley), and their housekeeper's son, Robbie Turner (James McAvoy). After a series of misunderstandings, a jealous Briony tells a lie that sends Robbie to jail, destroying any chance he has of a life with Cecilia.

Eventually, World War II breaks out, allowing Robbie to exchange his prison sentence for military service. Cecilia also signs up as a nurse, and after narrowly avoiding death, the two young lovers finally reunite. It seems that all is well and love has triumphed, until the gut-wrenching twist in the last act. As it turns out, Briony (now played by Vanessa Redgrave) has grown up to become a novelist, and that happily-ever-after ending between Robbie and Cecilia is a scene from her book. In real life, Robbie died at the Battle of Dunkirk, and Cecilia was killed as the Germans bombed London. On top of all that, an elderly Briony is miserable because she destroyed all of their lives — not to mention our hopes that "Atonement" would leave us smiling instead of sobbing.

Despite their god-like superpowers, the Avengers are a sad bunch of people. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) keeps turning into a hulking rage monster, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is haunted by a dark past, and Thor's family life is a gigantic mess. But perhaps the saddest Avenger is Steve Rogers, a man out of time. In "Captain America: The First Avenger," the star-spangled superhero decides to give his life for the good of mankind by crashing a Hydra plane into the Arctic ice. In those final moments before taking the plunge, Cap promises to take his new love, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), dancing as soon as he returns. Obviously, neither expects Steve to make it back home, but after crashing the plane, Cap is preserved by the extreme cold and wakes up 70 years later.

When Cap finally comes to, he finds himself in a 1940s-style hospital, but something isn't quite right. That baseball game playing on the radio? That's not a live broadcast. In fact, he actually attended that very game. Suspecting some sort of plot, Cap bursts out of his fake hospital room ... and stumbles into a modern-day Times Square, filled with giant TV screens and strange technology. That's when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) shows up, apologizes for the sham, and explains that Steve has been asleep for nearly seven decades. It's a gut punch of a moment, and the look of shock and sadness on Cap's face is heartbreaking, as the world he knew is gone. Most importantly, the woman he loves has grown old. When Fury finally asks if Cap is going to be okay, all his pain is summed up in one sentence: "Yeah, I just — I had a date."

The "Planet of the Apes" franchise is notorious for its downbeat endings, and the finale of "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" might be the saddest of the bunch. The third film in the original series, "Escape from the Planet of the Apes" follows a group of chimps who travel back in time from the ape-dominated future and wind up in the 1970s. Naturally, these talking chimps cause quite a stir, and they quickly become superstars. After all, Zira (Kim Hunter) and Cornelius (Roddy McDowall) are an incredibly cute couple. They're witty, intelligent, and friendly. Who wouldn't love them?

Dr. Otto Hasslein, that's who. Played by Eric Braeden, Hasslein is the president's Chief Science Advisor, and when he learns that Zira is pregnant, he worries her baby might give rise to a race of uber-intelligent apes who could overthrow mankind. After a series of very unfortunate events, Zira and Cornelius are forced to go on the run with their newborn baby. Tragically, Hasslein tracks them down to an abandoned ship, and in the film's hopeless climax, everybody dies. Hasslein fills Zira and the baby full of lead, Cornelius shoots the scientist, and then he's gunned down by the military.

Of course, the film does have a twist up its sleeve. As it turns out, Zira swapped her real baby for a circus chimpanzee, so her actual kid is still alive. And in the movie's final moments, we cut to Zira's baby as he begins crying, "Mama!" Sure, the baby is going to live, but now he's an orphan — one who might bring the end of humanity. But then, maybe human beings deserve it.

War movies aren't really known for their upbeat endings, but when it comes to pure tear-jerking power, they don't get any more dismal than "Glory." This Civil War flick tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, which was the first African American regiment to fight for the Union Army. The regiment was led by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, played in the film by Matthew Broderick, and after overcoming a lot of racism, Shaw and the 54th wind up leading the charge in the film's climactic battle.

The 54th's mission is to take a heavily guarded fort, and in their desperate charge across a war-torn beach, the good guys get shot to pieces. Trapped in a ravine and surrounded by Confederates, Shaw charges the enemy, hoping to inspire his men, and he's quickly gunned down. Enraged, Private Silas Trip (an Oscar-winning Denzel Washington) picks up the flag and charges after the colonel, only to be shot down seconds later. But the double whammy of Shaw's and Trip's deaths inspires the rest of the 54th to rush out of the ravine and continue their charge. And for a few seconds, it looks like they might be victorious.

With James Horner's rousing soundtrack driving the men forward, the 54th storms down the beach ... only to wind up facing a bunch of cannons. Despite their bravery, these guys are no match for cannonballs, and all the characters we've come to love — played by the likes of Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Andre Braugher — are blown to oblivion. If that wasn't sad enough, the movie ends with Shaw and Trip's bodies being buried side by side in a mass grave. As far as endings go, it's equal parts glorious and gloomy.

Directed by Ben Affleck, "Gone Baby Gone" is a movie about kidnapping, pedophilia, and child abuse. In other words, this isn't exactly a feel-good film, and the ending is appropriately downbeat. Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, this thriller follows two Boston detectives — Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and Angie Gennaro (Michelle Monaghan) — who are hired to find a little girl named Amanda (Madeline O'Brien). At first, they believe the kid was murdered by a local drug dealer, but as they dig deeper into the case, they discover a surprising conspiracy.

As it turns out, Amanda's mom (Amy Ryan) is negligent to the point of abuse, so the young girl was kidnapped by her concerned uncle with the help of several high-ranking cops. She was then sent to live with a kindly police captain (Morgan Freeman) who could give her the life she deserved. But Patrick isn't a big believer in moral ambiguity. He sees the world in black and white, and even though Amanda's mom is awful, he doesn't think anyone has the right to take her daughter away. So after a 911 call, Patrick brings the conspiracy down and has the little girl sent back home.

However, Patrick almost immediately starts to regret his decision when he goes to visit Amanda. He sees that her mom is just as awful as ever and realizes he might've damned Amanda to a life of poverty, neglect, and mistreatment. In the final few moments, he volunteers to babysit Amanda and sits beside her, watching the traumatized, lonely kid as she stares at the television. Maybe making that phone call was legally right, but Patrick will have to live with his "correct" decision forever.

Directed by Panos Cosmatos, "Mandy" opens with a song by prog rock band King Crimson, a heartbreaking ballad about a depressed man whose soul is "starless and Bible black." It's an appropriate lyric for this particular film, as that's what Nicolas Cage feels like by the end. Cage plays a lumberjack named Red Miller, a man with a troubled past who's found solace in the arms of his lover, Mandy (Andrea Riseborough). The two are deeply connected and truly in love, so when she's murdered by a violent cult, Red goes to a pretty dark place. He gets a crossbow, forges an ax, and consumes every substance he can get his hands on.

And that's when he goes hunting for hippies.

Fueled by rage and cocaine, he exacts bloody revenge on the religious nuts who killed Mandy and ruined his life, but even though his quest is just, it doesn't bring him any comfort. At the end of "Mandy," Red has absolutely lost his mind. He's covered in blood, driving away from the church he just burned to the ground, and imagining Mandy sitting beside him. But, of course, she's not really there. The one thing that made his life worth living is gone, and he'll never get that back. The pain has pushed him over the edge, and from here on out, his life will only be starless and Bible black.

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is a movie designed to make you weep. This sci-fi film is one sad scene after another, from a confused Charles Rodman (John Lithgow) losing his mind to Caesar (Andy Serkis) getting tossed into a primate prison. But nothing can top the finale when Caesar says goodbye to his human friend, Will Rodman (James Franco). Their relationship is the emotional crux of the story. Caesar has known Will his entire life, and the chemist is basically his adoptive dad. In fact, Will is the guy who gave Caesar his above-average intelligence. But after Will is forced to put Caesar in a primate sanctuary, the chimpanzee decides it's time for a revolution.

After sparking a full-blown rebellion, Caesar and his followers escape from the sanctuary and after a battle on the Golden Gate Bridge, they escape into a redwood forest. But before vanishing into the trees, Caesar is confronted by Will, who begs the chimp to come back home. That's when Caesar pulls his foster father close and whispers into his ear, "Caesar is home." With those three powerful words, Caesar and Will realize nothing will ever be the same. It's time for the apes to disappear and start their own society, and as an emotional Will watches, Caesar climbs into the treetops, leaving the human world behind.

Tom Hanks movies generally leave audiences feeling pretty good, but "Road to Perdition" is an exception to that cheerful rule. This gangster flick finds Hanks playing Michael Sullivan Sr., a mob enforcer who wants revenge after the murder of his wife and youngest boy. His quest for vengeance is complicated by the fact that he has to make sure his surviving son, Michael Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin), doesn't wind up dead too. That's easier said than done when you're being hunted by a psychopathic hitman.

But after some bloody betrayals and epic gangland violence, it seems like the Sullivans are going to be okay. They've reached an idyllic beach house, and things finally look peaceful. But Michael Sr.'s violent past catches up with him when he's ambushed by the assassin. After taking two bullets to the back, Michael Sr. lies dying as the hitman assembles an old-timey camera and begins taking photos of his bloody victim. However, his sick little hobby is interrupted when Michael Jr. shows up with a gun — but unlike his dad, the boy isn't a killer. He's unable to pull the trigger.

Fortunately, the distraction gives his dad enough time to gun down the hitman before shuffling off this mortal coil. A Tom Hanks death is a rare sight indeed, and that alone would be enough to earn a place among the saddest endings of all time. But what really seals the deal is Michael Jr.'s final lines as he reminisces about his father's complicated legacy: "When people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man, or if there was just no good in him at all, I always give the same answer. I just tell them he was my father."

Directed by Martin Scorsese, "Shutter Island" is a frightening film noir that finds Leonardo DiCaprio as Teddy Daniels, a detective who's investigating a disappearance at an Alcatraz-style mental hospital. But as Teddy and his partner, Detective Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), dig deeper into the case, Teddy makes a horrible discovery: he isn't really Teddy. In reality, he's a dude named Andrew Laeddis, a World War II vet who killed his mentally ill wife after she murdered their kids. His partner is actually his psychologist and the whole investigation is an elaborate role-playing game meant to bring Andrew back to reality. And if the game doesn't work, then poor Andrew has to get lobotomized.

After this shocking twist, it seems like Andrew has finally been cured, but the horror of his past is just too much for him to bear. In the final scene, our hero reverts back to his Teddy persona, forcing his doctors to perform the dreaded lobotomy. But before he's taken away to his mind-numbing fate, Teddy looks over at Chuck and asks a haunting question: "Which would be worse? To live as a monster, or to die as a good man?" It's a simple line, but it conveys so much sadness. The experiment worked; Andrew is completely sane. But he just can't live with the guilt so he lets the orderlies lead him away to his grisly fate, one that's free from pain.

Arnold Schwarzenegger movies aren't generally considered tearjerkers, but the ending of "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" will make the manliest action movie fan sob like a baby. Sent from the future to protect teenage John Connor (Edward Furlong), the T-800 (Schwarzenegger) starts out this sci-fi flick as an ice-cold animatronic. But as he spends time with the future resistance leader, the T-800 becomes his best friend and father figure. The robot also becomes increasingly lovable because when he's not doing battle with a shapeshifting android, he's picking up slang words, developing human emotions, and learning you can't just go around killing people.

He also realizes that if humanity is going to survive, then all Terminators need to be destroyed. When it comes to defeating the T-1000 (Robert Patrick), that's easy enough, as this is one Terminator who deserves to die. But the T-800 also realizes that if he doesn't destroy the advanced AI inside his own head, that tech will eventually give rise to the robot rebellion that will doom mankind. So despite John's pleas for him to stay, the T-800 slowly lowers himself into a pit of molten steel. He gives a thumbs up before disintegrating completely, letting John know everything is going to be okay. Despite that reassurance, poor John is in tears, and so is everybody watching the saddest ending in Schwarzenegger's career.

If you know anything about 9/11, then you know "United 93" isn't going to end well. Directed by Paul Greengrass, this disaster film follows the passengers of ill-fated United Airlines Flight 93 as they fight back against the terrorists who've hijacked the plane.

Even though the film is shot with documentary-style realism, that doesn't detract at all from the huge emotional stakes. We watch as the passengers mentally prep themselves for the revolt, knowing full well they might die if they don't reach the cockpit in time. We see them storm down the aisles, screaming in anger and fear as they face the hijackers. And when they break into the cockpit, we watch through our fingers as they come so frustratingly close to stopping the plane from crashing into that Pennsylvania field. But despite their courageous, desperate efforts, the plane gets closer and closer to the ground, and suddenly, the film just cuts to black. Even though we all know it's coming, the ending of "United 93" never fails to leave audiences absolutely devastated.

With movies like "mother!" and "Requiem for a Dream" in his filmography, it's safe to say that Darren Aronofsky loves a truly depressing ending. But of all the films he's ever directed, arguably none have caused as much sobbing as "The Wrestler." This gritty and grim drama follows the story of Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke), a professional wrestler who's seen better days. This dude has lived a hard life and made some bad decisions, and now he's all alone. His daughter Stephanie (Evan Rachel Wood) doesn't want anything to do with him, his romantic life isn't working out, and the world outside the ring is nothing but pain and misery.

Lonely and depressed, Randy gets back into the wrestling game, where at least the fans respect and adore him. But stepping back into the ring comes at a high price. Randy has a bad heart and knows his next match might be his last. However, when he hears the cheers of the crowd, the wrestler climbs up on the turnbuckle to perform his signature move ... even as his heart starts to fail him. When he leaps down onto his opponent, we know it's the last time he'll ever do the legendary "Ram Jam." He'll never get off the mat again. But it's all worth it for Randy because he's living and dying for the only family he's ever known, the fans, and that might be the most heartbreaking part of the story.

Based on the real-life 1912 sinking of the passenger liner RMS Titanic — one of history's most infamous disasters — James Cameron's "Titanic" made history of its own as the highest-grossing film up to that time. Although many aspects of the film are fictionalized, including the romance between passengers Rose and Jack, anyone aware of the Titanic's true events knows what to expect from the ending. Still, even the conclusion's inevitability isn't enough to spare audiences from the waterworks.

Doomed to live the rest of her life in a loveless arranged marriage, first-class passenger Rose (Kate Winslet) sparks an unlikely romance with third-class passenger Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), despite her mother's disapproval. It's impossible not to root for their young forbidden love, and as we already know of the ship's inevitable demise, we can only hope the two make it out alive. But as they are stranded in the freezing cold ocean with nothing but a piece of debris strong enough for one body, Jack prioritizes Rose's life over his own in the ultimate sacrifice. Rose holds Jack's hand, promising never to let go, and watches as the love of her life dies before her eyes. 

A now older Rose recounts the tragedy, and although we see she's lived a full life in honor of Jack's sacrifice, the pain still lingers. There's some comfort in knowing Rose and Jack weren't real people aboard the Titanic, but their experiences only remind us of the actual passengers who went through the unimaginable horror of the sinking.

Good luck trying to hold back tears when it comes to sad endings involving a dog. Decades after its 1957 release, "Old Yeller" remains a classic that packs an emotional punch with the tragic fate of man's best friend. When the Coates family takes in a stray named Old Yeller, eldest son Travis (Tommy Kirk) isn't too happy about their new pet. But over time, the two form an unbreakable bond, doing anything it takes to protect each other from rural living's biggest dangers.

With an incurable rabies outbreak affecting local animal life, Old Yeller heartbreakingly meets his match when he saves his family from a diseased wolf attack, getting bit in the process. The family knows what needs to happen next, and Travis is forced to make the painful decision to spare his best friend from suffering. No dog could ever replace Old Yeller's companionship, but when a new puppy reminiscent of Old Yeller comes along, Travis honors his late dog by naming the pup Young Yeller. 

The story of Old Yeller hits close to home for pet lovers. For many, a pet is as much a family member as any human, making the Coates family dynamic all the more relatable. Even non-pet owners or self-proclaimed animal haters can't help but shed a tear at the untimely loss of an innocent creature at the hands of the person who loved him most.

Frank Darabont's "The Green Mile" will make you believe in miracles — while simultaneously making you question why you decided to put yourself through such a depressing movie. Set in 1935, death row officer Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) is assigned inmate John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a convicted murderer and rapist. However, as Paul gets to know John better, he realizes he may have been wrongfully convicted. Performing miracles with his supernatural abilities, John is able to identify the real culprit. Flooded with guilt, Paul offers to let John go, but John would rather be killed than have to go back into the world that's always been cruel to him.

Witnessing John's execution causes Paul to resign, living the rest of his life in shame. In the present day, Paul reveals himself to be 108 years old, believing John granted him a long life with his powers. While many may consider the extra years a blessing, Paul believes it to be a curse as he's forced to live on while his loved ones around him pass away. As Paul and the viewer come to terms with the heartbreakingly irreversible consequences of wrongful convictions, both are forced to face the corruption of the criminal justice system, leaving many with a new perspective on humanity.

The stigma surrounding mental illness is harrowingly portrayed in the 1975 drama "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." When prosecuted criminal Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) pretends to be insane to avoid jail time, he's sent to a psychiatric institution where he meets a group of patients controlled into submission by the icy cold Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). McMurphy makes it his mission to help the patients re-assert themselves against the system's obsessive tyranny. He rebels by taking the group on a fishing trip and throwing a boozy Christmas party, but when one of the patients dies by taking their own life, McMurphy blames Ratched, strangling her. McMurphy is taken away by guards, and when no one sees him after a while, everyone assumes he's escaped.

Later when McMurphy's closest confidant Chief (Will Sampson) finds him back in his bed, he discovers McMurphy has been lobotomized, a procedure that leaves the patient incapacitated and brain damaged. Understanding that McMurphy is suffering and wouldn't want to be at the mercy of the system he tried to convince others to overcome, Chief suffocates him. In a hopeful twist, Chief finds the courage to escape, but the disturbing ending leaves viewers with mixed emotions.

Everyone knows by now that watching a Holocaust movie is a guaranteed way to make yourself bawl your eyes out, and "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is no exception. Told from the point of view of two 8-year-old boys — one imprisoned in a concentration camp and the other the son of an SS officer — they develop a forbidden friendship with a shared unawareness of the enemy party's actions. Bruno (Asa Butterfield) visits Shmuel (Jack Scanlon) with a barbed wire fence between them and sneaks him food when he can. However, when Bruno's mother decides her children shouldn't be so close to a concentration camp, she plans to take them away until the war is over.

When it comes time for the friends to say goodbye, Bruno agrees to help a worried Shmuel find his missing father. Bruno dresses as a prisoner and sneaks under the fence, but almost immediately, guards find them and send them to the gas chamber. Before Bruno's family can find him and stop the guards, it's already too late. The horrific turn of events shows the deadly effects of innocent children being exposed to discrimination and violence: Their pure hearts and intentions are lost in a sea of hate.

While everyone can relate to the powerful feeling of being in love, only a few understand the hardships of having to hide that love from the world out of fear for their safety. In "Brokeback Mountain," the love story of cowboys Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a tragic one due to the rampant prejudices against homosexuality in the 1960s. The two manage to keep their relationship a secret but struggle to come to terms with the complexity of their situation. Instead of living out their truth, the two go their separate ways, starting their own families. Years later, the two reunite while their marriages suffer under the weight of the hidden longing they have for each other.

At a crucial point in the film, Ennis' postcard to Jack is returned to him, and he learns Jack has died, possibly as the result of a hate crime. Overcome with grief, Ennis remembers Jack fondly as viewers are destroyed by the couple's tragic forbidden love. The loss is heartbreaking, but even more so when you consider Ennis' inability to express himself in the aftermath, leaving him with feelings of fear and isolation.

What appears to be a typical romance movie on the surface slowly reveals itself to be an emotional lesson on appreciating life's most precious moments. "A Walk to Remember" tells the story of Jamie (Mandy Moore) and Landon (Shane West), two high schoolers who belong to different social circles — Landon is part of the in-crowd, while Jamie keeps to herself. But as the saying goes, opposites attract, and our unlikely couple begins to hit it off while rehearsing for the school play together. However, as they fall deeper in love, Jamie admits to being diagnosed with leukemia. Despite her worsening condition, Landon refuses to leave her side, and the couple marry.

In the end, the two young lovers don't live happily ever after and grow old together as one might hope. They spend their last summer together, living life to the fullest until Jamie's untimely passing. Although Jamie's gone, their love lives on eternally. As a way to wreck hearts even further, the movie ends with a sentimental scene between Landon and Jamie's father (Peter Coyote) in which they share a heart-to-heart about Jamie. "I'm sorry she never got her miracle," Landon says. "She did — it was you," Jamie's father responds.

Another swoon-worthy romance movie, "The Notebook," catches audiences off guard with its heartbreaking ending that reminds us all of the lasting power of love. Unlike "A Walk to Remember," which portrays two young lovers unable to fulfill their lifelong commitment, "The Notebook" is a love story that seemingly lasts until old age between city girl Allie (Rachel McAdams) and country boy Noah (Ryan Gosling). It's not an easy journey, by any means. The disapproval from others is difficult for the young couple and at first, it results in their breakup. Allie moves back to her hometown while her mother ensures no contact between the two. As time passes, Noah enlists in World War II while Allie meets someone new and becomes engaged.

When the two reunite before the wedding, all the memories of their summer romance come rushing back, and Allie must decide whether to marry her fiance or return to her first love. She chooses Noah, and as the movie flashes forward to the present day, Noah — now older — recalls their love story. Allie now has dementia while Noah takes care of her. In the end, they share a moment of recognition and die peacefully in their sleep, hand in hand. Knowing everything they've been through, hearts everywhere ache at the sight of their sentimental fate.

Absolutely one of the saddest movie endings to come out of the '90s, "My Girl" follows the friendship of 11-year-old Vada (Anna Chlumsky) and Thomas J. (Macaulay Culkin) as they navigate coming-of-age, school crushes, and, darkly enough, the concept of death. This is because Vada's father, Harry (Dan Aykroyd), runs a funeral parlor out of their home, in addition to Vada's mother dying at a young age from childbirth — something Vada blames herself for. Vada struggles when Harry meets a new woman, Shelley (Jamie Lee Curtis), afraid her father loves his new girlfriend more than her. The one person always there for her is Thomas J. The two best friends spend the summer together, often under a willow tree, where they share their first kiss.

One day, Vada and Thomas J. disturb a beehive in the woods. The two run away, but Vada loses her mood ring in the process. When Thomas J. returns to look for her ring, the bees swarm him, and Thomas J. suffers from a fatal allergic reaction. When Harry delivers the news to Vada, the scene feels like a gut punch, but through the grieving process, the devastation only worsens. During Thomas J.'s funeral, Vada breaks down at the sight of his open casket and runs away. It's impossible to watch without feeling Vada's pain as she's forced to face life's greatest tragedy.

"Pay it Foward" presents itself as an inspirational, feel-good movie, and while its messaging possesses those qualities, the upsetting ending blindsides viewers when the kind-hearted child protagonist ultimately dies. It all begins with a class assignment that inspires seventh-grader Trevor (Haley Joel Osment) to change the world with his "pay it forward" concept, which involves doing a good deed for someone and having them pass on the favor in return. With more and more people paying it forward, the movement becomes bigger than anyone could have imagined. However, it reaches an even wider audience when Trevor sacrifices himself for his friend.

Witnessing his friend being bullied, Trevor steps in as part of his "pay it forward" mentality. As things escalate, his mother and teacher try to stop him, but when the bully pulls out a switchblade, it's too late. Trevor is fatally stabbed during the honorable action of standing up for his friend. His death makes national news, and his legacy as a world-changing Good Samaritan lives on forever. Again, the loss of kindness and innocence at the hands of violence makes the movie painful to watch. As sad as it is, the ending does its job of inspiring hope in those who need it.

When you think of Bradley Cooper's directorial debut "A Star Is Born," the movie's original song "Shallow" may be the first thing that comes to mind. It makes sense since the song is such an integral part of the movie — plus it's catchy and was a constant presence on the radio surrounding the film's release. The scene where country musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) discovers singer-songwriter Ally (Lady Gaga) and brings her up on stage to duet "Shallow" remains one of the movie's most memorable moments. It sets the stage for their developing relationship and careers — but they also run into some problems along the way.

Over time, Jackson increasingly struggles with alcoholism while Ally's career soars to new heights, causing him to feel left behind. Jackson attends rehab in an attempt to sober up, but he continues to battle internally with his mental health. Ally cancels her tour to be there for him, and it seems they're headed on the right track when everything is completely derailed in the wake of Jackson's death at his own hand. A heartbroken Ally performs Jackson's unfinished song as the tragic love story ends with a series of melancholic flashbacks.

Family dynamics are complicated for mother and daughter Aurora (Shirley MacLaine) and Emma (Debra Winger) in 1983's "Terms of Endearment." Of course the two love each other, but no matter what Emma does, she can't seem to make her controlling mother happy. While Emma goes off to marry and start a family with college professor Flap (Jeff Daniels) against Aurora's wishes, she encourages her mother to pursue her own love life, hoping she'll stay out of hers. Emma's advice works, and Aurora sparks a romance with next-door neighbor Garrett (Jack Nicholson). However, it isn't long before Emma begins going through the marital problems her mother once warned her about. But life is full of surprises, and there's one more in store that no one could've seen coming.

When Emma is diagnosed with cancer, the movie takes an emotional turn. The family says their tearful goodbyes as Emma lies on her deathbed. First, Emma shares a moment with her children where she tries to spare them any current or future anguish as best she can. "I know that you love me," she tells her resentful oldest, relieving any guilt he may feel about her death. When it's time for Aurora to say goodbye, the audience is reminded of how far they've come. It's an unforgettable ending that's both touching and heartbreaking.

Franco Zeffirelli's 1979 remake of the 1931 Academy Award-winning film "The Champ" may not have won over critics, but one scene in particular did wonders for both Ricky Schroder's career and the sales of tissue companies. It's the final scene of the emotional sports drama.

Single father and ex-boxing champion Billy "Champ" Flynn (Jon Voight) decides to step back into the ring despite the fatal risks regarding his age and persistent headaches. By going up against an opponent much larger than himself, the odds are stacked against him, yet he manages to secure a knockout. His young son, T.J. (Schroder), watches on in admiration, but things quickly take a turn for the worse when Billy passes out and succumbs to his injuries. T.J.'s tears bring on the bulk of the devastation felt by audiences as he understands the reality of his father's death. Schroder's sobs are so powerful that the performance won him the Golden Globe Award for new star of the year, making him the youngest recipient.

Even science agrees with just how sad this final scene is. Highlighted in the Smithsonian Magazine, psychology researchers Robert Levenson and James Gross conducted a study that surveyed 500 viewers on their emotional responses to various film clips, deeming "The Champ" "the saddest movie ever according to science."

Children of divorce approach with caution because this 2010 romantic drama about a couple caught in a deteriorating relationship will hit uncomfortably close to home — the same goes for just about anyone who's ever experienced heartbreak. "Blue Valentine" has been praised for its realistic depiction of love and how it's not always enough to keep two people together. Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling) aren't the perfect couple, but they do what they can to make it work. They're both hopeless romantics at heart, but the more life gets in the way, the more skeptical and distant they become. Soon enough, the two can no longer make it work.

The film's nonlinear timeline creates a stark juxtaposition between the beginning of Cindy and Dean's relationship and their suffering marriage later in life. In a matter of moments, you'll be rooting for their young love, and the next, you'll wonder how they've strayed so far from their initial connection. Any hope that remains is crushed by the final scene when, after another gut-wrenching fight, Dean is forced to walk away for good this time. Their daughter Frankie comes running after him, but he knows he has to turn her away.

The sappy teen romance "The Fault in Our Stars" wears its heart on its sleeve as it explores the tender love story between two young cancer patients, making no effort to conceal its intention to evoke an emotional response. But don't be so quick to scoff at what may seem like low-hanging fruit or pseudo-intellectual dialogue because this movie's ending packs an inescapable punch that makes everyone wish they had a love as pure as Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus' (Ansel Elgort). 

The two teens meet at a cancer patient support group and bond over their love for literature. Understanding they likely have limited time together, their relationship progresses quickly, but their chemistry makes it seem as if they've known each other for years. Although Gus is in remission when they first meet, his cancer returns shortly after and is now terminal. However, his death doesn't mark the end of the movie, and right when you think you've gotten through the worst of it, Hazel reads a poignantly written letter from Gus in which he professes his love for her. Lines like "Maybe she wasn't loved widely, but she was loved deeply" and "I willed myself to imagine a world without us, and what a worthless world that would be" leave you with unshakable feelings of teen angst and sorrow as the credits roll.

If you believe a monster flick is unlikely to make someone cry, you obviously haven't seen the horror film "The Mist." Adapted from Stephen King's novella of the same name (and we all know how unhinged that man's mind is), "The Mist" reveals how fear can lead people to act in unimaginable ways. When a mysterious thick mist starts to spread over their town, David (Thomas Jane) and his son Billy find themselves trapped in a supermarket as various creature-like monsters begin killing everything in their path. However, it doesn't take long for them to realize that the true monsters aren't just lurking outside; they're also found among the survivors within their group.

When the supermarket ends up becoming more dangerous than the outside, David, Billy, and three other survivors decide to make a break for it in David's car, but they don't get far before running out of gas. Knowing they have no other option, David aids in everyone's death, including his sons, but when it comes time to pull the trigger on himself, no more bullets remain. He exits his car to be taken by the creatures, only to realize the U.S. Army just arrived there to rescue them. The last scene of David dropping to his knees and screaming by far represents the movie's most haunting moment.

The 2007 fantasy drama "Bridge to Terabithia" emanates childlike wonder and innocence with its fantastical visuals and poignant themes of friendship, imagination, and personal growth. However, by the movie's end, all of that gets crushed when one of the main characters dies unexpectedly, leaving both children and adults alike in puddles of tears. 

The movie follows Jess (Josh Hutcherson), an 11-year-old boy who struggles with bullying and making friends until he meets his new next-door neighbor, Leslie (AnnaSophia Robb), a girl in his grade who offers the kind of companionship he so desperately craves. The two grow close, spending every day after school in the forest imagining a world they call Terabithia. Except, on the day when Jess chooses to go on a one-on-one field trip with his favorite teacher, he comes home to find out his best friend died, hitting her head in the creek on her way to Terabithia.

As if Leslie's death wasn't painful enough to watch, Jess's reaction makes the scene nearly unbearable. He puts the blame on himself for not being there to help her when she needed him most. His and Leslie's parents help Jess through the grief, which empowers him to honor Leslie's memory by introducing his little sister to the magical world of Terabithia, turning everyone's anguish into bittersweet hope.

"The Lovely Bones" tells a chilling story about the murder of a 14-year-old girl at the hands of her neighbor. Although the movie received mixed reviews from critics for its mishandled tone, the experience makes for a whirlwind of emotions. After her murder, Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) gets stuck in the "in-between," a place between Heaven and Earth, as she watches over her grieving family while contemplating whether to seek vengeance or move on to the afterlife. Susie's time in the in-between is visually represented by director Peter Jackson's distinct style of fantastical elements and special effects. These scenes would be almost heartening if it weren't for the eerie reality taking place on Earth in the wake of her death.

Susie's family tries to bring justice for her, but her killer never faces any consequences before his death. Still, they learn to let go in order to find some closure. When Susie sees her family healing, she finally accepts her transition into the afterlife. It's the type of sentimental resolution that keeps the tears flowing.

There's something about old Disney animations that really packs an emotional punch that their contemporary counterparts have yet to recreate. These famous heartbreaking scenes in movies like "Bambi," "Dumbo," and "The Lion King" almost always revolved around the loss of a parent, but "The Fox and the Hound" dared to tell a different story with a lesson everyone could learn from. 

The movie follows the friendship of a young fox and hound named Todd (Mickey Rooney/Keith Coogan) and Copper (Kurt Russell/Corey Feldman), respectively. The two have no idea they're enemies by nature until outside prejudices start to skew their perception of each other. They try to make their friendship work, but when Copper's owner, Amos, gets into a serious accident caused by Todd's actions, Todd's caretaker is forced to give him up for his safety. This marks the first of many tearful scenes throughout the movie.

Like the rest of "The Fox and the Hound," the end hits surprisingly hard for a kid's animated film. Amos and Copper are hunting for Todd, but when a bear attacks, Todd puts his life on the line to save them. Copper then blocks Amos from shooting Todd, but the two never reestablish their friendship due to how much time and conflict has come between them. It's an experience many children who watch the movie will encounter in their lifetime and hits close to home for those who've already been through something similar.

Studio Ghibli's "Grave of the Fireflies" courageously portrays the harsh realities of war and its devastating effects on those caught in the crossfire. The saddest part of it all is knowing it's based on a true story, potentially experienced by many. In Kobe, Japan, young war orphans Seita (Tsutomu Tatsumi) and Setsuko (Ayano Shiraishi) must fend for themselves amid extreme adversity brought on by the brutality of war. Fourteen-year-old Seita does everything he can to keep 4-year-old Setsuko alive while keeping her childlike innocence intact but is ultimately helpless when she dies from malnutrition. Later, Seita dies of starvation after Japan has surrendered.

In the touching final scene, the siblings' spirits reunite for the first time since Setsuko's death. From the dire circumstances they're forced to navigate to their untimely passings, it can be difficult to watch the movie in its entirety in one sitting without having to take a much-needed cry break. But if you can get through it, you'll be left with an even deeper well of compassion than you ever could've imagined.

For some, it may be difficult to fathom a life as challenging and distressing as the one depicted in "Precious," while others may find the story all too relatable. Regardless of where one stands on this spectrum, there's no escaping the emotional toll this movie takes on its audience. Based on the novel "Push" by Sapphire, the film explores the inner-city life of 16-year-old Precious (Gabourey Sidibe) as she suffers physical and verbal abuse from her parents. Unable to read or write and impregnated for the second time by her now-absent father, Precious is sent to an alternative school program and meetings with a social worker. Under this new guidance, she feels empowered to take back her life by cutting ties with her mother and pursuing further education.

Precious' unwavering resilience and dedication culminate in a powerful resolution to the traumatic hardships she's endured for so long. The subject matter is provocative in its own right but when paired with the standout performances from Sidibe and Mo'Nique, it becomes all the more impactful. "Precious" is one of those movies that lingers in minds for years to come.

The coming-of-age romantic drama "Call Me by Your Name" immerses viewers in a world of sensuality and nostalgia in its exploration of the complexities of human emotions and relationships, and yes, it'll make you cry. Both visually stunning and subtly poignant, the film follows 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) as he navigates his first love during a profound summer romance with American graduate student Oliver (Armie Hammer). Their relationship can best be summed up by the intimate phrase, "Call me by your name and I'll call you by mine," a direct quote from Oliver to Elio. However, Elio is painfully aware that their love is fleeting since Oliver must leave at the summer's end.

When the time comes, he's left to deal with the heartbreak of never getting to explore their love further. That sense of loss deepens when Oliver calls during the holidays to share the news that he's engaged to a woman. In the final scene of Elio tearfully staring into the fireplace, viewers also can't help but choke back tears of their own.

Fundamentally a tragedy, the Danish musical drama "Dancer in the Dark" sheds light on the harsh realities faced by vulnerable individuals and those who exploit their circumstances. We easily empathize with the film's central character, Selma (Björk), a Czech immigrant and mother with a passion for musicals. Her sole purpose? To secure a better future for her son, who is at risk of inheriting hereditary blindness. Meanwhile, as her own vision quickly deteriorates, she works a grueling factory job to save up enough money for her son's operation. It's a just cause, but in the end, there's no justice for Selma.

While living in a trailer home on the property of a police officer named Bill (David Morse) and his wife, Linda (Cara Seymour), Bill takes advantage of Selma's blindness and steals her savings. When Selma finds out, she confronts Bill and accidentally shoots him. Bill tells her the only way to get her money back is to kill him, so she does exactly that. Instead of using the money on a lawyer, she secures the operation for her son and faces the death penalty. Before she can finish her final song, she's tragically hanged. Nothing is more depressing than knowing that after all her sacrifices, her life was cut short, and her son will now grow up without a mother.

Director Ryan Coogler based his feature directorial debut, "Fruitvale Station," on the real-life events surrounding the death of Oscar Grant, a Bay Area resident. In 2009, he was killed at the Fruitvale district station in Oakland by transit police officer Johannes Mehserle. While Grant's murder garnered national attention and led to a series of protests, this film provides a fresh perspective for many by showcasing his humanity as a family man attempting to seek redemption after leaving behind a criminal past. 

While taking the train back home after a New Year's celebration, Oscar (Michael B. Jordan) encounters a man he knew from his time in prison who picks a fight with him. When police get involved, they restrain Oscar before fatally shooting him in the back. The officer who pulled the trigger ends up only serving an 11-month sentence.

Through Oscar's story, the film addresses ongoing issues of racial injustices and forces audiences to reckon with the systemic biases and discrimination faced by the Black community. It inspires feelings of empathy and compassion that compel viewers to reflect on the need for societal change, which can be a hard pill to swallow for many. Without a doubt, witnessing this real-life injustice portrayed on screen proves emotionally taxing.

Spoiler alert: The dog dies at the end. Could it get any more sad than that? Not really, no. "Marley & Me" begins as an unassuming, feel-good comedy about newlyweds John (Owen Wilson) and Jenny (Jennifer Aniston), but as their story progresses, you'll suddenly feel like you've taken a knife to the heart. The movie masterfully captures the bittersweet realities of love, family, and the many facets of grief.

When the couple adopt a yellow Labrador retriever puppy named Marley, they have no idea what they're in for. Although Marley is an unruly menace, John and Jenny know he's a fundamental part of their growing family. With time, Marley's inevitable old age leaves him incapacitated, and the family must make the unbearable decision to euthanize him. During their final goodbyes, John offers solace to Marley, affirming his greatness as a beloved and cherished dog. Animal lovers and pet owners won't make it very far into the scene without shedding a tear — or many, many, many of them.

In the romantic war drama "Dear John," based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, a soldier on leave and a college student fall quickly in love after a charming meet-cute. Over the next two weeks, John (Channing Tatum) and Savannah (Amanda Seyfried) become heavily involved in each other's lives, making it difficult for them to say goodbye when it comes time for John's deployment. They send heartfelt letters back and forth over the next few months, but after the September 11th attacks, those months turn into years. After a while, the distance becomes too much, and Savannah admits to falling in love with another man.

John returns home in time for his father's death and learns Savannah's new husband is dying of lymphoma. Still caring deeply for Savannah, John sells his father's prized coin collection to raise money for her husband's treatment, then returns to the military. However, Savannah's husband is unable to recover and dies from his illness. When John and Savannah reconnect for the first time in months, their love for each other remains despite life getting in the way. Although the film ends on a hopeful note, it's impossible not to feel mournful about the loss of time and missed opportunities between the two characters.

The little-known Canadian drama film called "My Life Without Me" delivers a powerful punch to the gut through its story about a 23-year-old mother given two months to live. After being diagnosed with metastatic ovarian cancer, Ann (Sarah Polley) reflects on her short life thus far and realizes she may harbor some regrets. In her current situation, she lives in a trailer behind her parents' house with her two daughters and unemployed husband. She decides to make a list of things to do before she dies, including keeping her diagnosis a secret from everyone. With the limited time she has left, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery while striving to achieve unfulfilled dreams. In the end, she leaves behind tapes for her loved ones.

What makes the movie so impactful is its exploration of the shared human apprehension of mortality. No one knows how much time they have left, yet we wonder what we'd do if we became aware our end was near. After watching, you'll be left reevaluating what kind of legacy you're leaving behind and if you've made the right choices.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reunite in the 2008 romantic drama "Revolutionary Road," a film about how you can outwardly have it all and still be fundamentally unsatisfied. Frank (DiCaprio) and April (Winslet) appear to be a happily married couple living the perfect suburban life, but in reality, it's quite the opposite. April gives up on her dreams of acting, while Frank works at a mindless job he hates. Their day-to-day life leaves the couple feeling numb and hopeless, which also causes their marriage to deteriorate. In an attempt to turn things around, the two plan to relocate to Paris, but when Frank is offered a promotion and April becomes pregnant again, they cancel the move.

No longer in love with Frank, April wishes to have an abortion, but Frank argues against it, so she takes matters into her own hands and performs an abortion on herself, leaving her bleeding out. Her death in the hospital signifies that any hope they held for a better future has all but disappeared. Watching Frank and April fall out of love and give up on their ambitions evokes a sense of despair, yet it's April's untimely death that stands as the most heart-wrenching tragedy.

"Steel Magnolias" presents a realistic portrayal of life and the human experience through the trials and tribulations of a close-knit group of friends and family in Louisiana. Shelby (Julia Roberts) has Type 1 diabetes and learns that she won't be able to have children, but after her marriage to Jackson (Dylan McDermott), she feels pressured to provide for him and thus gets pregnant against the best interest of her health. When her son arrives, Shelby develops kidney failure, and when a transplant turns fatal, her family decides to take her off life support.

Her death is a lot for her mother, M'Lynn (Sally Field), to handle. Having been a constant presence in her daughter's life, offering her love and support throughout all her health complications, M'Lynn struggles to understand Shelby's choices. However, after some introspection, she comes to accept Shelby's decision to embrace the risks in exchange for a few precious years of motherhood. Grieving through the loss of a loved one is universal, so it should surprise no one that this movie strikes such a cord with viewers.

We know by now that forbidden love pulls at the heartstrings, but nothing holds a light to the raw honesty and pure beauty of the masterpiece that is "Portrait of a Lady on Fire." The 2019 French historical romantic drama depicts a love affair between two women who know they'll never get the chance to act on their true desires: the aristocrat Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), set to be married off to a man she doesn't love, and painter Marianne (Noémie Merlant), commissioned to paint her portrait. The two fall in love, but their romance ends when Marianne finishes the portrait and Héloïse is forced to follow through with her marriage.

The outcome devastates, especially because as the years go on, the two never forget each other. Although the heartbreak seems inevitable, it doesn't make their loss any less painful. The film bursts with a profound sense of longing and intimacy that results in a melancholic viewing experience.

The heartfelt family saga "The Farewell" explores complicated family dynamics and cultural differences through the perspective of a young Chinese-American woman pressured to keep a life-altering secret from her grandmother. Billi's (Awkwafina) Nai Nai is dying, but she doesn't know it because the family has decided to keep it a secret from her so she can enjoy her last moments on Earth to the fullest. Although this may be a common practice in Chinese culture, Billi struggles with the morality of the lie. The whole family reunites in China to spend one last gathering with Nai Nai (Zhao Shu-zhen) under the guise of a wedding. Through it all, Billi maintains the lie, and when it comes time to leave, she shares a tearful goodbye with Nai Nai.

The film feels true to life because it is. Drawing from the director Lulu Wang's own experiences, "The Farewell" is steeped in genuine emotion and a level of sincerity you don't often get in movies. Anyone close to a grandparent or an elder within the family will be moved by the crushing act of having to say goodbye to a loved one. Still, with tears in your eyes, you'll be left feeling good when the closing title card reveals that six years after her diagnosis, the real-life inspiration behind Nai Nai's character remains alive and remains unaware of her sickness.

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez's many adoring fans cherish the story of the American Tejano music star and her untimely death. So, when it was captured on the big screen in 1997's "Selena," the movie became an instant hit and a modern classic. Jennifer Lopez's spot-on and affecting portrayal of Selena drives the biopic, which chronicles the singer's journey to stardom, beginning with her childhood performances in restaurants and culminating in her death at the age of 23 when Yolanda Saldívar murdered her. 

Since Selena touched so many lives, many felt an intimate connection to her. Even those unfamiliar with the singer will find themselves mourning her loss after getting a closer glimpse into her life. The film celebrates Selena and what she accomplished at such a young age. Although the end is no secret, no amount of preparation will spare you from the deep sense of loss you'll feel upon finishing the movie.

In the coming-of-age teen drama "The Hate U Give," 16-year-old Starr (Amandla Stenberg) lives a double life, feeling the need to code-switch between time spent in her predominantly Black neighborhood of Garden Heights and her predominantly white private school. However, the innocence of Starr's world shatters when she bears witness to her unarmed best friend being shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop. This traumatizing event serves as a wake-up call, abruptly opening her eyes to the pervasive reality of racial prejudice and injustices that exist within her own community.

As the movie draws to a close, the aftermath of her friend's death reaches a critical juncture, putting Starr's younger brother Sekani in a similar and just as dangerous situation with the police before Starr intervenes in time to prevent a ruinous outcome. Though difficult to watch, this moment ultimately finds its resolution as Starr discovers her voice and dedicates herself to social justice activism. Like Starr, many teens watching the movie may be learning about the systemic adversity inflicted on marginalized communities for the first time. What makes "The Hate U Give" so powerful is its ability to make heavy subject matter digestible for young adults without sacrificing the story's integrity and weight.

Meryl Streep won her second Academy Award for best actress for her performance in "Sophie's Choice" as none other than the title character, Sophie, a Polish immigrant living in Brooklyn with an abusive lover and a young writer. Despite being thousands of miles away from Poland, Sophie remains haunted by her dark past as a former prisoner of Auschwitz.

Life in Brooklyn isn't much easier with unstable lover Nathan (Kevin Kline) constantly abusing her. His violent mood swings lead him to fire a gun in the heat of the moment, prompting Sophie and Stingo (Peter MacNicol) to flee the scene. They attempt to imagine a better future together, but Sophie can't shake the horrors of Auschwitz. She makes her choice to return to Nathan, and the two die by taking their own lives with the assistance of cyanide. Ultimately, the film explores the difficult decisions we have to make and the trauma that follows these choices. After all her suffering, Sophie chooses to end her life in one of the most tragic endings in cinematic history.

"I used to be a brother, and now I'm not a brother anymore."

With those words among the last spoken in the 2023 biographical sports drama "The Iron Claw," Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron) explains to his sons Ross and Marshall (Leo and Sam Franich) why, despite his ingrained belief that men shouldn't cry, he's quietly weeping as he watches them throw a football around. As the last surviving offspring of Texas wrestling icon (and emotionally abusive patriarch) Fritz Von Erich (Holt McCallany), Kevin has experienced the pain of his brothers David (Harris Dickinson), Mike (Stanley Simons), and Kerry (Jeremy Allen White) dying at tragically young ages, all while actively pursuing careers in the squared circle. Kerry's then-recent death by taking his own life is especially painful, as Kevin blames Fritz for failing to do anything for Kerry despite the fact he was clearly in need of help at the time of his passing.

As his sons comfort him and assure him that they can also be like brothers to him, Kevin realizes that he's not alone in this world despite all the tragedies that have befallen the Von Erich family. But that's not the only reason why the ending of "The Iron Claw" is such a poignant — if bittersweet — tear-jerker. Being that Fritz raised his sons to be paragons of machismo and put them under unreasonable pressure to succeed as wrestlers, Kevin realizes that he doesn't need to follow his dad's toxic example now that he's raising kids of his own, and he accepts that shedding a few tears doesn't make one any less of a man.

If you or anyone you know is the victim of child abuse, is struggling or in crisis, or has experienced a hate crime, contact the relevant resources below.

• The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

• Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

• Contact the VictimConnect Hotline by phone at 1-855-4-VICTIM or by chat for more information or assistance in locating services to help. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.