Here at A List Apart, we don’t get many opportunities to write about the emotional impact of movies. But when there’s an opportunity—like this one—we leap at it. Since we’re talking about emotions here, I thought we could look at some other movies that might have a similar impact on you but that deserve more respect than they receive in pop culture today (or did when they were released). So grab your tissues and follow along below as we explore eight more emotional movies that make us cry harder than The Notebook ever did (or will).
The Notebook
The Notebook is a film about two lovers who are separated by war and class. It’s set in the 1940s, so it has that old-fashioned feel to it. The poor boy falls in love with the rich girl, but they can’t be together because he’s poor and she’s rich. They have their ups and downs throughout the movie, but at the end they end up together again–and we’re left crying our eyes out!
The Notebook is one of those movies that’ll make you want to watch it over again just because it makes you feel so emotional when watching it for the first time (or even second).
Titanic
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance-disaster film directed, written, co-produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on its maiden voyage from England to New York City on April 15th 1912, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson and Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater.
The film was released on December 19th 1997 to critical acclaim; it became a worldwide success upon its release with an initial worldwide gross of US$1.84 billion (about US$2.19 billion today), making it the highest grossing film at that time (a record later broken by Cameron’s own Avatar) as well as becoming one of only three films ever to cross 2 billion dollars in ticket sales (the other two being Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Avengers: Endgame). Its soundtrack sold over 27 million copies worldwide[3] making it one of the best selling albums ever produced.[4]
Up
- Up: The relationship between Carl and Ellie is something that everyone can relate to. We’ve all had a parent or grandparent who has passed away and we miss them dearly.
- The Notebook: Every time I watch this movie, I cry like a baby (and not just because I’m an emotional person). This movie makes me think about my own life and how lucky I am to have someone as special as Nicholas Sparks in my life.
- Titanic: Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Jack dies at the end of this film but even though he does die, he lives on through Rose’s memory which is what makes it so emotional for her when she thinks back on him later in life after everything has happened between them.*
The Blind Side
The Blind Side (2009)
This movie is based on a true story and stars Sandra Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy, a wealthy Southern woman who takes in Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), an impoverished African-American teenager. He’s homeless and living with his mother, but she can’t afford to care for him anymore. At first, her family doesn’t want Michael around because he’s different from them–he doesn’t speak proper English or dress nicely. But Leigh Anne sees something special in him: athletic talent! She teaches him how to play football and helps him get into college by paying for his tuition and housing costs until he gets into school (and then pays off those debts).
You’ve Got Mail
You’ve Got Mail is a movie about two people who are in love but don’t know it. Set in the 90s and at a time when people communicated by email, this romantic comedy shows us how technology has changed our lives and how it can make us feel like we are closer to each other even when we’re far apart.
The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride is a movie about true love and the power
of love. It’s based on a book by William Goldman, who also wrote the screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In this film, you will see how Buttercup falls in love with Westley who is from a different social class than her own. She tries to run away from him but eventually finds out that she loves him more than anything else in the world, including riches and fame!
The ending shows us that true love will always win over evil, even if it takes years before they can finally get together again (but hey–it was worth waiting).
Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman is a 1990 romantic comedy film about a prostitute who falls in love with her client. The first film to gross over $100 million at the US box office, Pretty Woman stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere as Vivian Ward and Edward Lewis respectively. Set in Los Angeles, it follows their relationship as they go from strangers to lovers over the course of one week after Vivian agrees to work as his escort for four days.
The movie was very well received by critics upon release and has since become one of Hollywood’s most classic romantic comedies ever made- even though it wasn’t nominated for any Academy Awards!
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American romantic drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis, based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. It tells the story of Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), a man with an IQ of 75 who happens to witness many significant historical events in his life and given the title character’s unintentional involvement in those events, despite his inability to understand them at first glance. The screenplay written by Eric Roth was inspired by multiple people with mental disabilities who were reported in newspapers during the late 1980s as having achieved remarkable feats or become famous for various reasons while still maintaining their disability status.
The film was released on July 6, 1994 to universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike; it was nominated for eleven Academy Awards at the 67th Academy Awards ceremony including Best Picture but did not win any awards except Best Actor (Hanks). Its budget was $55 million while grossing over $330 million worldwide making it one of only three films ever able to do so – along with Titanic ($2 billion) and Avatar ($2 billion).
The Notebook is an emotional movie, but it’s not the only one. We have compiled a list of 8 movies that are more emotional than the Notebook and we think you will enjoy them just as much.
