Mount Rushmore Of Movies To Watch When You're Sad In Order To Make You Feel More Sad
Nobody likes being sad, but it happens to everyone. Sometimes this happens when you are going through a break-up or your feelings for a girl are unrequited. But it is acceptable just in general, especially starting now in the Fall/Winter, when it gets dark at 4:30 and you're just feeling…sad. And when you're sad, there's only one thing you can do- watch sad movies to feel even more sad. Duh. So here are my top 4 movies to watch when you're singing the blues in order to feel more sad, you know, like a well-adjusted adult:
1) (500) Days Of Summer
Speaking of unrequited love, this is the holy grail of it. When you first watch the movie you are like "what the fuck, why is Summer such a bitch?". But then on second watch you realize it's Tom who is mostly in the wrong. While Summer certainly leads him on, full knowing he's madly in love with her, she never lies to him about her feelings for him. She lets him know, multiple times, that she isn't interested in being any sort of significant other with him, but he continually ignores that and tries to change her mind. Who hasn't felt like that? Everyone knows that feeling of just wanting a girl to like you so much and she just…doesn't. To Tom's credit though, they do a ton of boyfriend/girlfriend activities together. Honestly, both of them are at some sort of fault but ultimately Tom should have realized he was never going to change her mind much earlier in the relationship, and she shouldn't have allowed it to go on for that long.
It's the perfect sad boy movie. That expectations vs reality scene, boy, it's a real dagger. But it's also a motivating movie. Who hasn't gotten out of a relationship and then wanted to better themselves? Tom realizes he has to stop being a baby back bitch and he gets his shit together. And then he meets Minka Kelly. I hope he didn't do the same thing with her though, DON'T FUCK IT UP WITH MINKA KELLY!!!!!!!!
And just remember…
2) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
What a line. All us fucking hopeless sad boys relate to that line maybe more than any line in any movie, ever. Oh a girl shows the least bit of interest? Better start planning the wedding.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind isn't just a great sad boy movie it's a very cool movie to boot. The Jim Carrey/Kate Winslet pairing works perfectly. Her a possibly bipolar, impulsive wildcard, him your classic sad sally just hoping to find meaning and happiness in the world. They find each other, erase each other, and then find each other again. UGH.
3) About Time
This entire blog is being written because not enough people have seen "About Time". (If you haven't seen it yet, spoilers ahead). It's not a black and white movie, not sure why the gifs are. It's actually a very colorful movie. And a great one. It's not your classic sad boy movie, as the boy gets the girl. They live happily ever after. It's everything in between that makes it the perfect movie to watch at night. The quest for love. His relationship with his sister and what he does for her. And of course, his relationship with his father. The whole movie is touching, moving, happy, sad, everything. It touches all bases. I cannot imagine someone watching it for the first time and not crying. If you haven't seen it, watch it tonight.
4) To be honest, at first I had "The Fault In Our Stars" but now I'm not so sure.
"The Fault in Our Stars" is SO fucking sad that I want to take it off the list. Honestly I've only seen it once because it takes some digesting. So I'd like to replace it with a perfect movie for the season,
4) A Star is Born
It's new, but it's perfect. Love, substance abuse, depression…what more do you need? First time I saw this movie was on an airplane and I sobbed at the end. I think there's something about airplanes that make you cry easier, by the way. I'm almost positive of it. Not to mention the great songs. The perfect #4 to this list to get a nice cry out.
Honorable Mentions:
Garden State
Garden State walked so these movies could run. I loved it back in high school and college, and it's not like I dislike it now, but it has slid in the power rankings while other movies have risen. It's a solid role player at this point. Sweet soundtrack too.
Titanic
I mean, what can you say? It's the most classic of the modern classics. 3 and a half incredible hours. 5 if you watch it with commercials. 10 when they show it back to back on AMC and you ain't leaving the couch. It's a very, very "sit on your couch and don't move on a 34 degree Friday night" movie.
The Truman Show
A little different for sure, but the same sort of themes regarding life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. Another Jim Carrey movie as well. This might not officially meet the requirements of the genre, but I'm going to allow it for the time being. It's an honorable mention anyway, so that's fine.
Nothing wrong with being sad, flipping on a sad movie, and then being more sad. Then listen to "All Too Well" on repeat the next day while contemplating every decision you've ever made while wearing your sad boy hoodie. That's how you do it.