Whatever the reason, animated films are incredible. When we find ourselves engrossed in a good animated film, we are in no way desensitized to the range of emotions they provoke, equaling any other motion film, animated or not. If we are all honest with ourselves, there has definitely been a number of animations that have made us weep for the screen. Here are 4 favourite tear-jerkers!
Finding Nemo
OH THE HEART STRINGS. Finding Nemo has got to be one of the greatest, loveliest, most hilariously animated films of all time. There are so many things about this film that, depending on your sensitivity level, could evoke a tear or two. Dory’s friendship is beautiful, the magical underwater scenes are heart-achingly stunning, but in the end it’s got to be a tie between the SPOILER ALERT ending scene of father and son being happily reunited after their journey, and the opening scene, where all of the fish eggs are destroyed except for a single survivor: NEMO.
The Lion King
The circle of life! It moves us all! For a film that was made in the 90s – over twenty years ago! – The Lion King still has the power to move us all. Again, it is hard to dictate as to where the point is in such a powerfully animated movie that is responsible for the waterworks. However, it could very well be when Simba goes down to find Mufasa and tries to pull him to get up, so they can go home. Plenty of tears can be seen streaming down an audience’s face as Simba is suddenly all alone, calling out for help where no one can hear him. A timeless tragedy. Long live Simba.
Bambi
I think this goes without saying that the 1942 Disney film Bambi is one of the longest-loved animated films, with one of the saddest scenes of all time. In fact there are other films, non-animated, that have certainly (comically) mentioned this scene as affecting them deeply in their childhood. This scene in Bambi, is when Bambi’s mother is shot and killed as she and her daughter run for safety from a hunter and his shotgun. “Faster Bambi! Faster! Don’t look back!” her mother says, and Bambi doesn’t. In fact, she keeps running, finally reaches safety, then looks back, only to find out that her mother couldn’t make it. Devastating.
Up!
This beautiful 3D computer animated film touches on the heart strings when, unlike the other animal films above, we are invited to think about the human condition of escapism. The lessons here touch on how to deal with life when it becomes hard- or in the protagonists case, when we lose our great love. In a beautiful collage of time, we see the main character, Carl, move through his life, reach old age, before tenderly saying goodbye to the woman he loved his entire life. If that doesn’t get your tear ducts smarting, we don’t know what will! All in all, animated films have a running theme: LOVE. Love of a parent, spouse, child, or hero; animated films show us that it is the one thing that connects us and warms us all. So, which one is your favorite? Featured photo credit: Quick Picture Tools via quickpicturetools.com
