Movies make us laugh and make us cry. The films from 2016 did a lot of both. There were many that covered a broad spectrum, both joyous and a little sad. And however a movie might make you feel (anything from enraged to uncaring), I think we can all agree that it's hard to get those tears rolling.
So, for my sake and yours (and in no particular order), I've put together a list of the top 6 films from 2016 that made us (or maybe just me) cry--or at the very least, they caused you to dab at your eyes. I'm sure there are others, but if I've missed any, it's because I was too busy searching for more tissues.
Moonlight - Barry Jenkins' film is poignant and takes you on a beautiful journey. By the end scene, I tried really hard to hold in my tears and failed miserably. It was just so well done and the loaded, but subtle facial expressions and body language of Trevante Rhodes and André Holland in the film's final moments were just fantastically executed. This movie is just so amazing that to feel nothing is an impossible task.
Loving - "What do you want me to tell the judge?" The response from Richard Loving? "Tell him I love my wife." This line and the subtle beauty in the film's execution, paired with its powerful message about love knowing no racial boundaries and the fact that the Lovings opened the gates for other interracial couples to be legally married, is just so moving. How can it not make you cry?
Manchester by the Sea - This movie had good performances and many cried at the reveal of what happened to Casey Affleck's family in the film. But what really got me was Michelle Williams' scene-stealing portrayal of a heart-broken woman seeking closure. Unabashed tears just kept rolling. I didn't have enough tissues.
Desierto - Yes, this movie made me cry. And not controlled, "there's dust in my eyes" tears, but splotchy, "this movie is too real" tears. Sure, the film was simple, but it was a decent thriller and far too on-the-nose to not get worked up over. I cried over the immense violence, the intensity of the chase, and the sadness over how one human could be so cruel. I regret nothing.
The Hollars - This movie was shamelessly average, sappy, but feel-good, even though it kind of ended tragically. But there's one scene where John Krasinski, Sharlto Copley, and Richard Jenkins are singing to Margo Martindale as she's being wheeled away for surgery. And it's both the most heartbreaking and heartwarming thing to witness. So of course there were tears.
