Grab the tissue box and cuddle up in front of the television, it's time to have an emotional experience. Be careful, there are spoilers for literally every movie we listed ahead...
Sam Wheat, Ghost
Sam Wheat had the luxury of dying twice. He made audiences cry out of pure circumstantial disgust in the first act. But, when the second act reveals the truth behind his murder, it's almost like he dies all over again.
Maude, Harold & Maude
Harold and Maude is a strange story of a romantic relationship between a 79-year-old woman and an 18-year-old boy. The 18-year-old is fascinated by his own death but is brought back to the brink of reality by Maude, an old woman with a lust for life. The twist at the end of the film might have you shaking your head in confusion, but there will be tears streaming down your cheeks while that's going on.
Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman
This courageous and good-hearted character didn't know what was going to hit him when it did. Anyone who gets to work alongside Wonderwoman should consider themselves lucky, but to fall in love with Wonderwoman and die a martyr? That's reserved for only the best of the best.
Radio Raheem, Do the Right Thing
The death of Radio Raheem is the prediction of a full-on race war in Spike Lee's 1989 comedy-drama. Named after the radio he carries, Radio Raheem is wrongfully killed by the police after a fight breaks out in a local pizza place that was owned by a racist man. This topical film captures the plight of the young black man in urban communities perfectly.
The Iron Giant, The Iron Giant
The death of the Iron Giant spoke volumes to the level of tolerance that humans have in society. Even though the Iron Giant was docile, he was killed because he was different. Although, the end of the movie offers some hopeful relief, so maybe things did work out in the end.
Rufio, Hook
Nothing tugs at the heartstrings quite like Rufio's death in the 1991 film "Hook." When Peter returned to Neverland to rescue his kids, Rufio was the first to challenge him. However, right when Peter proves his worth, Rufio gets fatally stabbed trying to protect Peter's children.
Hikuc, The Revenant
Hikuc's death hit everyone right where it hurt the most. When there was nobody else there for Huge Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), Hakuk was there. When Hakuk needed Hugh Glass the most, he was unable to come to assist.
Neil Perry, Dead Poets Society
Neil's death was very scary and unfortunately more common than one would think. when controlling parents try to butt themselves too far into his life, Neil commits suicide. Neil's story is true for many unfortunate souls who felt the need for a way out. Never hesitate to reach out if you feel that way, there are tons of resources available to help you.
Literally Every Character, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Nobody likes seeing beloved characters die, even when you know that they were going to die before you even watched the movie. Rogue One has been hailed as one of the best movies ever made in the Star Wars universe. Without the events of this movie, Luke Skywalker would have never blown up the Death Star.
Billy Flynn, The Champ
This movie is melodramatic and dark. Billy Flynn was on the wrong side of history, and when he tried to prove himself, his life of mistakes came to bite him in the end. If you need a good cry, watch The Champ as soon as possible.
Silas Trip, Glory
Glory is a movie that was already written in history before it was produced. If you want to watch a tear-jerking flick about the only troop of African American Union soldiers in the Civil War, Glory is for you. You might even learn something new along the way.
Fantine, Les Misérables
In one of Anne Hathaway's greatest performances, the death of Fantine was heard across the globe. Anne Hathaway literally won dozens of awards for her depiction of the time-ravaged mother who only wanted the best for her illegitimate child. This movie will tear your heart in half.
Cleo Sims, Frankie Sutton, and T.T. Williams, Set It Off
In this bank robbery thriller, four friends try to rob a bank together to get their lives back on track. Four friends go into the robbery, but only one walks out. These four friends might inspire you and your friends to rob a bank but be warned, there are consequences to these actions.
Robie Turner and Cecilia Tallis, Atonement
This entire movie is a whirlwind of emotion. One lie, an impending war, and distorted perspectives make watching this movie more painful than most. If you want to watch something about pre-WWII familial drama that will subsequently destroy your heart and leave you crying for the rest of the day, this is for you.
Stanley Uris, It Chapter Two
We highly recommend that you watch the first installment of the modern It series before you dig deep into the second one. Stanley was the only member of the Losers Club that completely forgets his childhood, therefore, he becomes prey for the entity that descends on Derry, Maine every 27 years. If you found yourself relating to Stanley in It Chapter 1, this is going to wreck you emotionally.
Brooks Hatlen, The Shawshank Redemption
Brooks is one of the greatest characters in one of the best (depends on who you're talking to) movies ever made. Unfortunately, Brooks' death details what happens frequently in society. Some people have nothing to come back to when they spend the majority of their lives in prison.
Shelby Eatenton-Latchcherie, Steel Magnolias
This movie is polarizing for those who don't ethically align with the reason Shelby died. However, for those who do subscribe to her method of thinking, Shelby's death was absolutely soul-crushing. Even after getting a donated kidney from her mother, Shelby's type 1 diabetes kills her and prevents her from taking care of the child that she so desperately wanted.
Ricky Baker, Boyz in the Hood
Boyz in the Hood is an artistic masterpiece and a cultural milestone. The death of Ricky Baker was tragic and it stuck with many viewers. However, his death was purely circumstantial when you consider the reality of living in South Central L.A. in the 90s.
Andrew Beckett, Philadelphia
Living with AIDS was a common movie trend in the 1990s. However, nobody truly captured what it was like to be discriminated against and die from AIDS quite like Tom Hanks. Andrew Beckett's death, and his partner Miguel's reaction to it will leave you gutted.
Guido Orefice, Life is Beautiful
This entire movie will bleed you emotionally dry from start to finish. Roberto Benigni plays a Jewish-Italian man that turns living in a concentration camp during WWII into a game for his son. Both his personality and tragic death will stick with you long after this movie finishes.
Maggie Fitzgerald, Million Dollar Baby
This movie hits you where you'd least expect it to. World-renowned boxer Maggie Fitzgerald tragically gets paralyzed from the neck down. Her family refuses to abide by her wishes, so she turns to her coach, Frankie, to assist her in suicide.
Bing Bong, Inside Out
Watching Inside Out is like going to therapy. You never really know how hard this movie is going to hit you until it does. Bing Bong is the childhood imaginary friend of Riley (the main character), who has to be forgotten as Riley gets older. Bing Bong represents the childhood joy and innocence that people lose as they enter adulthood.
Don't watch this movie if you regret giving up your childish side. Inside Out will eventually make you feel good about who you are at the moment, but there are a good 15 minutes of this movie that will completely destroy you emotionally.
Rue, The Hunger Games
If the hunger games were real, this moment would get them canceled immediately. Every character's death holds a significant amount of weight, but Rue's death hits a little harder than the rest. If it weren't for the death of Rue, The Hunger Games would have never ended the way Katniss wanted them to.
If you thought Rue's death was sad in the movies, you shouldn't read the books. We're talking 15 whole pages documenting Katniss's emotional turmoil revolving around Rue's death.
Han Solo, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
In a mirror depiction from the original Star Wars trilogy, Ben Solo murders his father in the same way that Luke Skywalker did. Seeing Harrison Ford die on screen is one of the most painful sights that anyone could witness. However, as the story progresses, Kylo Ren gets his just desserts.
Every Star Wars superfan left the theater and immediately hit the internet to complain about the death of Han Solo. However, the younger generations of Star Wars fans liked this twist in the plot. Although Han Solo was a unanimously loved character, pulling him out of the series was a refreshing and bold choice.
Mei, House of Flying Daggers
This movie is about a gang leader in China named Mae. She gets involved in a love triangle with the very police officer that has sworn to kill her fiance. Things end poorly when Mei gets stabbed through the heart while trying to save her new lover from her old lover.
House of Flying Daggers is one of the coolest love stories ever told. If you love old Kung Fu movies, you'll love this flick. Not only does this movie have cool romance dynamics, but every character is also a skilled martial artist hellbent on killing someone.
Spock, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Spock is one of the most beloved sci-fi characters in the history of the genre. So, when he was killed off in 1982, audiences got pretty emotional about it. To make matters worse, Spock and Captain Kirk exchange heartfelt pleasantries before Spock passes away while saving the entire crew of the Enterprise.
Captain Miller, Saving Private Ryan
This movie is arguably Steven Spielberg's finest work. A team of soldiers led by Captain John Miller is on a mission to retrieve Private Ryan, the last living member of the Ryan family. When Captain Miller is faced with adversity he puts his mission before his own life, and suddenly, you're bawling your eyes out.
Satine, Moulin Rouge!
You know you're in for a serious emotional movie when your favorite character dies in the first scene. If you see anyone coughing blood into a handkerchief in a period piece, you're in for a doozie. Check this movie out if you want to see people die of tuberculosis.
Jack Twist, Brokeback Mountain
This movie will tear you apart from the inside out. In a society built around intolerance, two cowboy's build a taboo relationship that ends in tragedy. This period piece denotes the history of intolerance in rural communities, and it's something that society still struggles with today.
Augustus Waters, The Fault in Our Stars
Two teens meet in a cancer support group. Augustus Waters is on his way into remission while Hazel Grace struggles with a worsening condition. In a twist, the couple switches places, and Waters ends up being the one who dies from cancer. All of this occurs right after he coordinates a meetup for Hazel Grace's favorite author. Waters said that helping Hazel Grace was all he wanted as a dying wish.
Leslie Burke, The Bridge to Terabithia
Bridge to Terabithia is one of the saddest movies you'll ever see. One minute, you're watching in awe as you relive your childhood fantasies with the characters onscreen. The next minute, you're sobbing your eyes out about the terrible outcome of the characters that you relate with so deeply.
Hedwig, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows- Part 1
There are few owls in media that evoke the same emotional response that Hedwig does. When Hedwig died in Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows- Part 1, not very many people held onto the movies. Seriously, there's a whole subreddit dedicated to people who gave up on Harry Potter when Hedwig died.
Thomas J. Sennett, My Girl
Nobody wants to see kids die on camera. In this coming of age film, Macaulay Culkin's character takes a back seat in the plot until he eventually passes away while searching for a mood ring that the main character loses in the woods. Having to witness a child cope with the death of a friend is enough to bring even the strongest person to tears.
Ellie, Up
It's seldom that a movie can make the viewer sob within the first couple of scenes, but Up is a little different from most movies. Pixar has always had a way to crush their viewers emotionally, and the relationship between Carl and Ellie set the tone of the movie almost immediately. Watching one of two lovers slip into serious illness hurts, but not as much as Ellie's inevitable death.
John Coffey, The Green Mile
This entire movie conveys extremely obvious overtones. Michael Clarke Duncan's depiction of John Coffey, a harmless mentally ill giant who is on death row for a crime he didn't commit, is emotionally moving from the beginning to the end. Nobody wants to see John Coffey die, but he does, and it hurts.
Artax, The NeverEnding Story
Spoiler alert, Artax never actually completely dies (this whole thing is spoilers anyways). But, his temporary death rocked viewers to their cores. Nobody wants to see a horse drown.
Mufasa, The Lion King
Mufasa was a character that people felt an immediate attraction to. Simba and Mufasa's relationship was inspiring and beautiful, so when Mufasa died, it makes sense that Simba wanted to live with a warthog and a meercat. Mufasa's death still brings tears to audiences that have seen The Lion King dozens of times throughout their lives..
Jamie Sullivan, A Walk to Remember
Similar to The Notebook, this Nicholas Sparks novel movie adaptation does not skimp on the emotional turmoil. Similar to The Fault in Our Stars, this movie begins with two individuals falling in love by accident. Shortly afterward, Mandy Moore's character reveals that she has leukemia, eventually succumbing to the illness before the couple gets to grow old together.
Logan, Logan
This edition of the X-Men series didn't come from the comic books. This conceptual masterpiece captures the morose air behind Wolverine's descent into death. If you feel any connection to the X-Men series, this movie is gonna jerk some tears.
Marley, Marley & Me
Nothing is more soul-crushing than witnessing a dog die in a movie. Seriously, whoever decided to adapt this book into a film should have left out the last 30 pages. If you do decide to watch Marley & Me, make sure you have a box of tissues nearby.
Wash, Serenity
Joss Whedon got robbed of this show halfway through the screening of its first season. However, this gave Whedon an opportunity to destroy his audience emotionally. Whedon took the chance and killed off his beloved lead character in the most conclusive way possible, destroying the potential of another season entirely.
Hillary Whitney, Beaches
Beaches is intended to be a heartbreaker from square one. Two best friends meet and help each other develop their lives in very different ways. Hillary gets diagnosed with a rare heart problem and dies before she can get a transplant.
Bubba Blue, Forrest Gump
Poor Bubba Blue, all he wanted to do was open a shrimp themed restaurant. When Forrest cries over Bubba on screen, he melted the hearts of every fan out there. Tom Hanks has a special way of evoking emotional responses from his audience, and this is by far some of his finest work.
Bambi’s Mother, Bambi
This is the one Disney scene that mothers wouldn't allow their children to watch. When this scene comes on, grown men weep like babies. This is still one of the most emotionally challenging scenes in a children's movie to date.
Beth March, Little Women
This great media tragedy has been so deeply written into society that it even became a joke on the show Friends. The saddest part of Louisa May Alcott's novel (and in the recent Greta Gerwig film adaptation) is Beth dying from scarlet fever before she got to grow up. This character was so pure that people had no idea how to react when she died.
Jack Dawson, Titanic
There was room on that raft for Jack. We're sick of ignoring the obvious anymore. Rose could have spared Jack's life and we wouldn't have to be writing about this at all.
Tony Stark, Avengers: Endgame
Robert Downey Jr. had never been killed on screen before this moment in Avengers: Endgame. This movie was one of the highest-grossing films of all time, and part of that is due to Tony Stark dying. This massive twist turned the end of a legendary trilogy into a serious tearjerker.
Emma Greenway, Terms of Endearment
There are a ton of films that end with the main character dying of cancer, but none of them really hit home like Emma Greenway's death in Terms of Endearment. She had to say goodbye to her two beautiful sons before she left, and their reaction felt like tearing open an old wound. Watch this movie if you want to hurt, badly.
Sam the Dog, I Am Legend
Will Smith has played some seriously emotional roles over the years, but nothing touches the scene when he had to kill his beloved German Shepard. For those who don't know, his dog got bit by a zombie dog, and Will Smith had to take matters into his own hands and put down Sam himself. Do yourself a favor and cover your eyes for this scene.
Charlotte, Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte's death was somewhat coreographed contextually, but the emnotional impact she leaves when she does die hurts every time you watch this movie. Seriously, Charlotte and Wilbur's relationship is so beautiful, and Charlotte's death is entirely unexpected to Wilbur. His reaction to her willingness to go is heartbreaking.
Hachi, Hachi a Dog’s Tale
If you want to cry for two hours, watch this movie. Hachi is a dog who's owner dies. Hachi lives the next 9 years of his life searching for his dead owner, eventually passing away on his grave.
Dobby, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows Part- 1
Listen, some people wanted Dobby to die. Not very many people loved this character, but those same people definitely shed a tear when Dobby died a martyr. It was a good thing that Dobby got freed in the end.
Old Yeller, Old Yeller
Old Yeller overcomes more adversity than most people did t post civil war. Everyone hated this dog until he became a local hero and eventually worked his way into the hearts of everyone around him. Old Yeller's death hurt just as much as a human character's death.
William Wallace, Braveheart
A lot of people have things to say about Mel Gibson's role in Braveheart. Despite his future (rightful) canceling, people still should still cry about William Wallace's death. Quite frankly, this might have been the last good thing Mel Gibson did with his career.
The Girl in the Red Dress, Schindlers List
We're tearing up just writing about this. The girl int the red dress in Schindler's list is one of the most unfortunate movie deaths in history, let alone modern cinema. Check this movie out if you want to get completely gutted and feel thankful for being a human living in modern society.
Sergeant Elias, Platoon
This movie was comedic enough to keep people involved. But, where this movie truly shined was in its character design. Willem Dafoe played one of the best roles in his career in Platoon, and more people should be knowledgable of this movie.
Ben Sanderson, Leaving Las Vegas
Nicolas Cage plays one of his most cohesive roles in this film. He plays an author who is plagued by his flaws and drinks to keep them under wraps. He meets a sweet prostitute who ends up changing his life for the better, but he drinks himself into oblivion before he can change what he dislikes about himself the most.
Paul Maclean, A River Runs Through It
You can count the number of movies that Brad Pitt dies in on two fingers. It's never pleasant to see America's favorite bad boy meeting his demise on the big screen. However, at least this one was a little more dignified than his death in Burn After Reading.
Jenny Gump, Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is the kind of movie that makes people cry for reasons that they would have never thought of before. Jenny's death, for one, is probably the second most tear-jerking death in the film (sorry Jenny, Bubba is definitely a more memorable character). However, Forrest's reaction to Jenny's death is really what pulls the tears out.
Love Story is a not-so-well-known film that has a gripping twist at the end that will leave you tearing up. A young middle-class musician falls in love with an older lawyer. Their love is taboo in the beginning, but they end up proving their worth to each other in the end. That is, until Jenny contracts a terminal illness and ends their relationship abruptly (with her death).
Jenny Cavalleri, Love Story
