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Well, I finally got around to doing this meme by Sukoshi13 . Let's hope I don't cry while explaining.

Because They Didn't Deserve It: Carrie's First Period (Carrie (1976)) In this iconic opening from this iconic drama horror movie, Carrie White is innocently showering after gym class when she feels something on her leg. Because her religious and abusive mother never told her anything about menstruation, Carrie goes hysterical and believes she is dying from blood loss. To make matters worse, Chris and the other mean girls (including Sue, who later reforms) start humiliating and tormenting poor Carrie by throwing pads and tampons at her, telling her to "Plug it Up!" I know Miss Collins comes to help later, but this scene takes me back to painful memories in middle school, where almost every student bullied me.

Because They Were One of the Best: Shelby's Death (Steel Magnolias) Believe me, Shelby is one of the best characters in this movie IMO, and I root for her, even though she makes a life-threatening decision to have a child (she has severe type 1 diabetes, and the doctors warned her not to have kids). After she gave birth to her son, her kidneys failed, and she had to go on dialysis for a year until her mother, M'lynn, gave her one of her kidneys. Everything was fine for a while until Shelby's body rejected the new kidney, and she went into a coma. Because she was doomed to stay in a coma for the rest of her life, her family had no other choice but to take her off life support. What makes this scene even more emotional is how M'lynn stays by her daughter's side till the very end. (seriously, no parent should EVER have to bury a child)

Because Close Ones Were Separated: Richard and Adventure Lose Fantasy and Horror (The Pagemaster) Say what you want about this movie, but this scene still tugs at my heart strings twenty years later! In this scene, Moby Dick interferes with our heroes' quest to find the exit, and Richard Tyler and Adventure lose Fantasy and Horror in the process. Adventure believes the two might have died, and Richard starts crying as he laments, "You guys are the only friends I've ever had." I know the feeling of being separated from close family members or friends for a long time (even though Fantasy and Horror later reappear on Treasure Island to rescue Adventure and Richard from pirates).

Because of How It Affected Others: Evy's Death (The Mummy Returns) Good news and bad news about this one. The good news is: Rick O'Connell and his son, Alex, have made it to the temple of Ahm Shere just before the sunrise can kill Alex, because he bears the Bracelet of Anubis! Upon arriving at the temple, the bracelet detaches from the boy's wrist, and he is saved! The bad news is: just as Evy and Jonathan catch up, Anck-su-namun viciously stabs Evy with a sword, leaving her to die! After Imhotep and Anck-su-namun leave, the O'Connells and Jonathan are left to try and save Evy, but Evy bids her husband farewell before... you guessed it - she dies. I know Alex later resurrects her with the Book of the Dead, but watching everyone mourn over this great heroine is just heart-wrenching!

Because of One's First/Last Words: Thorin's Death (The Hobbit (1977)) The live action version of this scene was sad, too, but this scene hits me right in the soft area. After the Battle of Five Armies, Bilbo and Gandalf visit the dying Thorin, who apologizes for acting harsh to the hobbit earlier. He also says that if there were more people in the world like Bilbo, then the world would be a better place. If the speech doesn't kill me, it's Bilbo shedding a tear when Thorin draws his final breath.

Because of Subtext: The River Lullaby (The Prince of Egypt) Usually I don't cry in animated movies, but the first time I watched this movie, I got teary-eyed when Moses' biological mom, Yocheved, sang this beautiful tune to her infant son before setting him adrift onto the Nile. The subtext is a mother saving her son's life from the wrath of Pharaoh, while also knowing the feeling of perhaps never seeing him again.

Because it Was Cruel: Anya Gets Tortured by Rasputin's Minions (Anastasia) This scene is like the humiliation scene from The Hunchback of Notre Dame - scary and sad at the same time! When she gets to the Alexander Bridge, Anya is tormented by her old enemy, Rasputin, who is back from the dead to kill her. After turning the entire bridge icy and evil, he summons his scary demons to torture that poor girl! Let's face it: learning that someone is using you as part of a con to get money is bad enough, but getting humiliated by a bunch of demons tearing your dress, snatching your tiara, and pushing you around is CRUELTY! I know Dmitri comes to help her fight off Rasputin later, but this part of the plot to destroy the heroine is too much for me!

Because it Made me Feel Alone: Ferdie the Fox's Death (Casper in "There's Good Boos Tonight") This really old episode from 70-ish years ago never fails to tug at my heart strings. In it, Casper the Friendly Ghost befriends a fox kit named Ferdie, and the two enjoy playing hide-and-seek and fetch. But then, a hunter and his hounds track Ferdie down and shoot at him! Casper scares them off, but then he finds his beloved fox friend shot to death! Casper starts crying and then buries Ferdie in a grave next to his own, which makes me feel very sad deep inside. But luckily, Ferdie returns to Casper as a ghost, and all is right again; but still...

Because It Pointed Out Mistakes: Merida Apologizes to Elinor (Brave) Merida has unintentionally transformed her mother, Queen Elinor, into a bear, and hopes to try and break the spell. But as time grows shorter and shorter, Merida breaks down and lets out an apology for bringing this burden upon herself, her mother, and her family. This scene teaches you that your mother is the most important woman in the world, and you shouldn't disrespect her or take her for granted. I know that the spell is broken soon after, and Elinor becomes human again, but the line "I want you back, Mummy" is enough to get the waterworks going!

Because of How It Concluded a Plot: John Coffey's Execution (The Green Mile) This is a great movie with a very sad ending. After a conversation with Paul and the other guards, John tells everyone that "(he's) tired" of all the hurt and bad things in the world, and he wants to die. So after he watches "Top Hat", John is ready to sit in the electric chair and await his fate. He request to not have the mask over his face, because of his fear of the dark, and he holds hands with Paul one last time before the time comes. This scene always makes me wanna bawl (but sometimes I don't).

Because It Felt Unnecessary: The Orphan Alley (An American Tail) After getting blasted by a hose's water during a fire, Fievel finds himself at an orphanage where these mean mice bully him and tell him that his family would never want him, because if they did, they would've already found him. Fievel furiously believes them before they bully him some more, and the little mouse loses all hope in finding his family. To this day, I still question myself why this scene was even included, since a lot of other scenes in this movie are sad enough.

Because It Recalled Something Personal: News of Leslie's Death (Bridge to Terabithia) As I was thinking of ideas for this slot, I remembered a scene from this movie when I was 12, and the first time I saw it, I was sad, but I didn't think much about it. Nowadays, the scene of Jess having fun with his teacher one moment, and then learning of his best friend's death the next moment - that reminds me of my twenty-first birthday back in 2015. One moment, I was happy over the gifts, cake, and dinner out, and then the next moment, I got news of my maternal grandfather dying.

Because One's Dreams Were Crushed: Quasimodo Leaving the Feast of Fools (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) Don't get me wrong - the humiliation scene is upsetting to watch as those French-fried fustilatians insult Quasi, but that scene to me is more scary, and it pisses me off when Esmeralda only tells off Frollo, and not the Parisians. But it's THIS scene that makes me feel sad inside as poor Quasi sadly goes back to Notre Dame, feeling very humiliated and heartbroken that his dreams of going out to see the world were wasted and trashed in one day.

Because Hard Work Went to Waste: Cinderella's Dress Gets Torn (1950) Yeah, I know this scene is used A LOT for this slot, but I couldn't find any other scene for this, so I went cliche. As you may have guessed, Cindy's mean stepsisters see that Cinderella is wearing some of their items that the mice diligently put together for Cindy to attend the ball, and they mercilessly tear it all to pieces! And I thought Anya getting her dress torn in "Anastasia" was bad! Even though the Fairy Godmother makes things right for Cinderella, this is a classic Disney scene depicting pure cruelty and abuse.

Because They Failed Miserably: Marlin Thinks Nemo is Dead (Finding Nemo) I know that Nemo is still alive and eventually reunites with his dad, but this scene also breaks my heart. Anyway, after going to the dentist's office and seeing Nemo lying belly-up (Nemo was pretending to be dead in order to escape that bratty Darla), Marlin and Dory think they have failed miserably and have come all the way from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney for nothing. And how Marlin dismisses Dory is even more sad!

Because No One Helped Them: Mulan's Secret is Found Out (Mulan) After saving all the soldiers from the Huns, Mulan is injured after a fight with Shan-Yu! (but all the guys think she's a "he" named Ping) That night, the cat is let out of the bag when Shang and Chi-Fu see that "Ping" has breasts. Being the sexist sadist that he is, Chi-Fu (a.k.a. Chinese Judge Claude Frollo) undoes Mulan's hair and reveals her identity in front of everyone. Mulan confesses her deception out of saving her father, but no one believes her. What makes this scene sad is how Shang is forced to execute her, because women were forbidden from fighting in the army by the death sentence in those days. And nobody (not even Mushu, Cri-Kee, Kahn, or the trio of Mulan's guy friends) is allowed to help her. I know that Shang spares her life, because she saved his own life, but still, this scene is hard to watch without getting angry and sad.

Because It Hurt my Ship: Ruth's Death (Fried Green Tomatoes) Just days after Idgie is innocent of committing the murder of Frank Bennett, her girlfriend, Ruth, gets sick with cancer. Ruth is bedridden in her final days, and Idgie tells Ruth a story that her brother Buddy used to tell about some ducks getting stuck in a frozen pond (and carrying the pond with them as they fly away). As Idgie finishes her story, Ruth is already gone - a sad ending for a good LGBT story.

Because of What it Forecasted: The Death of the Firstborn (The Prince of Egypt) This is the other scene in this underrated Dreamworks gem that gets me. Earlier, Moses tried warning Rameses about the worst and final plauge, but again, Rameses refused to listen to him. And the price he payed was losing his only son (as all the other Egyptians lost their firstborn children to the Angel of Death). The dark atmosphere, minimal dialogue, and Moses feeling bad for his former brother combines to make a tear-jerking scene.

Because the Cheese Made it Work: Bambi's Mother Dies (Bambi) This is the iconic tear-jerking scene from probably the entire Walt Disney franchise. As they innocently munch on grass, Bambi and his mother are stalked by a hunter, and they run away. Bambi makes it back to the thicket, but his mother is shot and killed! The eerie background vocals of the wind, the dark forest, the snowy atmosphere, and the Great Prince telling Bambi that his mother is gone - that will get your waterworks going, I guarantee!

Because it Came at the Wrong Time: Tomoko Dies (Barefoot Gen) If Grave of the Fireflies won't make you sad, this anime will! Anyway, this anime tells the story about Hiroshima being bombed in 1945 - through the eyes of a little boy named Gen. After losing his father, sister, and younger brother in a house fire from the bomb's impact, Gen and his mother's survival skills are put to test, especially after Gen's baby sister, Tomoko, is born. Gen and his mother gather as much food as they can (there's very little of it out there), and they eventually meet a boy named Ryuta, who has a strong resemblance to Gen's younger brother. But after Gen and Ryuta work hard to get some milk for baby Tomoko, they are devastated to learn that the poor baby has died from malnutrition. And this was just after those boys worked so hard for some bomb survivors to earn money to buy enough milk to last the baby a lifetime!

Because All Hope Was Lost: Very Good Advice (Alice in Wonderland (1951)) Usually I don't cry in Disney movies, but this scene is sometimes an exception (depending on what mood I'm in). As Alice tries to find her way home through the Tulgy Wood, a broom animal comes and sweeps away the path, leaving her lost! Alice, of course, regrets being curious and wandering off, and she looses hope of ever returning home as she sings this heartbreaking song. All the animals in the Tulgy Wood watch her and they feel sorry for her as they also start crying. (that's what gets me teary-eyed) I know the Cheshire Cat (despite being a jerk later) shows her a way to go home soon after, but still, I can't help but feel bad for Alice and those animals.

Because I Felt Betrayed: The Wedding Chapel Massacre (Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2) At the beginning of Volume 1, we only are given a view of the Bride being beaten up by the Deadly Vipers before getting shot by Bill. Later in Volume 2, though, we are given the full story of how Beatrix (the Bride) left her Deadly Viper colleagues to start a new life and raise her unborn child with someone other than Bill. Bill shows up later, appearing to be happy for Beatrix, and the Bride introduces him to her wedding party as her father. But then things get ugly when the Deadly Vipers arrive and kill everyone in the chapel! When the Bride calls out, "NO, BILL!!" - that line tugs at my heart strings to learn she was turned against.

Because it Made me Regret Choices: My Mother (The Chipmunk Adventure) While competing against the Chipmunks in a race around the world, the Chipettes escape from a spoiled and bratty Arabian prince with a baby penguin. The Chipettes realize that the penguin misses his mommy, and then Britney, Jeanette, and Eleanor sing this heart-breaking song. This song has taught me not to take my mother (or father) for granted, respect them, and enjoy as many moments with them as possible, because they won't be around forever.

Because of the Shown Expressions: Mufasa's Death (The Lion King (1994)) The lifeless, seemingly sleeping expression of Mufasa, who has been killed in a wildebeest stampede; Simba's sadness over seeing his father like this - those tell you that this scene is gonna be a tear-jerker. Simba calls for help, but no one answers, so he begins to cry as he lies down with his father and mourns him. But then Scar comes and tricks Simba into believing he killed his father (when really Scar was responsible), and we in the audience are still saddened, because Scar is just evil as he makes Simba believe he is the murderer, and then exiles him!

Because of the Atmosphere: Tommy is Left Out (The Rugrats Movie) If the story of Melinda Finster (Chuckie's real mom) in the Mother's Day episode doesn't get your eyes wet, this scene in the first theatrical movie will! Tommy wants his parents to read him his book, but Stu and Didi become busy with baby Dil, singing him a lullaby to get him to sleep. After Stu and Didi leave, Tommy, who is sitting beside a door, sings the lullaby, wishing for his parents to read him a story, or at least pay attention to him. The dark room, the blue hues of the surroundings, and Tommy's broken voice while singing are enough to get your tears flowing.

Because of the Music/Lyrics: Littlefoot's Mother Dies (The Land Before Time) The late James Horner really knew how to compose a sad song for a sad scene in a children's movie! As you may know, Littlefoot's mother has been mortally wounded by the Sharp Tooth, and an earthquake occurred, separating the dino children from their families (Littlefoot from his grandparents, and Cera from her family for instance). That rainy night, Littlefoot finds his mother, and tries to get her to stand up. She fails, and then tells her son that he will have to find the Great Valley on his own. But she tells him she will be with him, even if she isn't physically around, and then... she dies. Like I said, James Horner's score, "The Whispering Winds", tugs at my heart strings all the time.

Because of the Dialogue: Mama Gump's Death (Forrest Gump) When Forrest visits his mother for the last time, her words really break my heart.

"Death is just a part of life; something we're all destined to do. I didn't know it; I was destined to be your mama. I did the best I could."

"Life is a box of chocolates, Forrest; you never know what you're gonna get."

"I will miss you, Forrest."

If Bubba's death or Jenny's death don't get you, Mama's death will. 'Nuff said.

Because I Wanted to Cry, But Didn't: Thomas J's Funeral (My Girl) In this coming of age classic, a young girl named Vada befriends a boy named Thomas J. They have fun together over the next several days, but then one day, Thomas J stumbles upon a bee's nest. Because he is severely allergic to bee stings, he dies from a reaction after so many stings. When Vada barges into the funeral, her breakdown of seeing her friend in a coffin made me wanna cry, but I couldn't! (because it's kinda hard for me to get emotional over movies)

Because It Applies to Real Life: Mr. Hooper's Death (Sesame Street) This episode from 1983 is dedicated to the memory of Will Lee, the actor who portrayed Mr. Hooper until his death from a heart attack in 1982. Anyway, Big Bird gives the grown-ups each a drawing he made himself, and decides to give Mr. Hooper his drawing. But the adults sadly break the news to Big Bird and explain death to him, much to his sadness. What makes this scene emotional is how it applies to real life when children (and even some adults) go through grief and try denying it at first until it's time to move on.

BECAUSE IT DID: Blanky Realizes the Master Is Not Coming Back (The Brave Little Toaster) When I was younger (and even now), I felt bad for poor Blanky when he realizes that his beloved Master is not coming home. In a dream of an oncoming car being the Master's family's car, Blanky believes that the Master has returned, but then he realizes that his dreams are crushed, and the Master has moved away for good. Watching that cute little blanket cry over the Master's picture is enough to pull at my heart strings, because Blanky is one of my favorite characters! I know that he and the other appliances find their master at the end, but still...

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Description

Well, I finally got around to doing this meme by Sukoshi13 . Let's hope I don't cry while explaining.

Because They Didn't Deserve It: Carrie's First Period (Carrie (1976)) In this iconic opening from this iconic drama horror movie, Carrie White is innocently showering after gym class when she feels something on her leg. Because her religious and abusive mother never told her anything about menstruation, Carrie goes hysterical and believes she is dying from blood loss. To make matters worse, Chris and the other mean girls (including Sue, who later reforms) start humiliating and tormenting poor Carrie by throwing pads and tampons at her, telling her to "Plug it Up!" I know Miss Collins comes to help later, but this scene takes me back to painful memories in middle school, where almost every student bullied me.

Because They Were One of the Best: Shelby's Death (Steel Magnolias) Believe me, Shelby is one of the best characters in this movie IMO, and I root for her, even though she makes a life-threatening decision to have a child (she has severe type 1 diabetes, and the doctors warned her not to have kids). After she gave birth to her son, her kidneys failed, and she had to go on dialysis for a year until her mother, M'lynn, gave her one of her kidneys. Everything was fine for a while until Shelby's body rejected the new kidney, and she went into a coma. Because she was doomed to stay in a coma for the rest of her life, her family had no other choice but to take her off life support. What makes this scene even more emotional is how M'lynn stays by her daughter's side till the very end. (seriously, no parent should EVER have to bury a child)

Because Close Ones Were Separated: Richard and Adventure Lose Fantasy and Horror (The Pagemaster) Say what you want about this movie, but this scene still tugs at my heart strings twenty years later! In this scene, Moby Dick interferes with our heroes' quest to find the exit, and Richard Tyler and Adventure lose Fantasy and Horror in the process. Adventure believes the two might have died, and Richard starts crying as he laments, "You guys are the only friends I've ever had." I know the feeling of being separated from close family members or friends for a long time (even though Fantasy and Horror later reappear on Treasure Island to rescue Adventure and Richard from pirates).

Because of How It Affected Others: Evy's Death (The Mummy Returns) Good news and bad news about this one. The good news is: Rick O'Connell and his son, Alex, have made it to the temple of Ahm Shere just before the sunrise can kill Alex, because he bears the Bracelet of Anubis! Upon arriving at the temple, the bracelet detaches from the boy's wrist, and he is saved! The bad news is: just as Evy and Jonathan catch up, Anck-su-namun viciously stabs Evy with a sword, leaving her to die! After Imhotep and Anck-su-namun leave, the O'Connells and Jonathan are left to try and save Evy, but Evy bids her husband farewell before... you guessed it - she dies. I know Alex later resurrects her with the Book of the Dead, but watching everyone mourn over this great heroine is just heart-wrenching!

Because of One's First/Last Words: Thorin's Death (The Hobbit (1977)) The live action version of this scene was sad, too, but this scene hits me right in the soft area. After the Battle of Five Armies, Bilbo and Gandalf visit the dying Thorin, who apologizes for acting harsh to the hobbit earlier. He also says that if there were more people in the world like Bilbo, then the world would be a better place. If the speech doesn't kill me, it's Bilbo shedding a tear when Thorin draws his final breath.

Because of Subtext: The River Lullaby (The Prince of Egypt) Usually I don't cry in animated movies, but the first time I watched this movie, I got teary-eyed when Moses' biological mom, Yocheved, sang this beautiful tune to her infant son before setting him adrift onto the Nile. The subtext is a mother saving her son's life from the wrath of Pharaoh, while also knowing the feeling of perhaps never seeing him again.

Because it Was Cruel: Anya Gets Tortured by Rasputin's Minions (Anastasia) This scene is like the humiliation scene from The Hunchback of Notre Dame - scary and sad at the same time! When she gets to the Alexander Bridge, Anya is tormented by her old enemy, Rasputin, who is back from the dead to kill her. After turning the entire bridge icy and evil, he summons his scary demons to torture that poor girl! Let's face it: learning that someone is using you as part of a con to get money is bad enough, but getting humiliated by a bunch of demons tearing your dress, snatching your tiara, and pushing you around is CRUELTY! I know Dmitri comes to help her fight off Rasputin later, but this part of the plot to destroy the heroine is too much for me!

Because it Made me Feel Alone: Ferdie the Fox's Death (Casper in "There's Good Boos Tonight") This really old episode from 70-ish years ago never fails to tug at my heart strings. In it, Casper the Friendly Ghost befriends a fox kit named Ferdie, and the two enjoy playing hide-and-seek and fetch. But then, a hunter and his hounds track Ferdie down and shoot at him! Casper scares them off, but then he finds his beloved fox friend shot to death! Casper starts crying and then buries Ferdie in a grave next to his own, which makes me feel very sad deep inside. But luckily, Ferdie returns to Casper as a ghost, and all is right again; but still...

Because It Pointed Out Mistakes: Merida Apologizes to Elinor (Brave) Merida has unintentionally transformed her mother, Queen Elinor, into a bear, and hopes to try and break the spell. But as time grows shorter and shorter, Merida breaks down and lets out an apology for bringing this burden upon herself, her mother, and her family. This scene teaches you that your mother is the most important woman in the world, and you shouldn't disrespect her or take her for granted. I know that the spell is broken soon after, and Elinor becomes human again, but the line "I want you back, Mummy" is enough to get the waterworks going!

Because of How It Concluded a Plot: John Coffey's Execution (The Green Mile) This is a great movie with a very sad ending. After a conversation with Paul and the other guards, John tells everyone that "(he's) tired" of all the hurt and bad things in the world, and he wants to die. So after he watches "Top Hat", John is ready to sit in the electric chair and await his fate. He request to not have the mask over his face, because of his fear of the dark, and he holds hands with Paul one last time before the time comes. This scene always makes me wanna bawl (but sometimes I don't).

Because It Felt Unnecessary: The Orphan Alley (An American Tail) After getting blasted by a hose's water during a fire, Fievel finds himself at an orphanage where these mean mice bully him and tell him that his family would never want him, because if they did, they would've already found him. Fievel furiously believes them before they bully him some more, and the little mouse loses all hope in finding his family. To this day, I still question myself why this scene was even included, since a lot of other scenes in this movie are sad enough.

Because It Recalled Something Personal: News of Leslie's Death (Bridge to Terabithia) As I was thinking of ideas for this slot, I remembered a scene from this movie when I was 12, and the first time I saw it, I was sad, but I didn't think much about it. Nowadays, the scene of Jess having fun with his teacher one moment, and then learning of his best friend's death the next moment - that reminds me of my twenty-first birthday back in 2015. One moment, I was happy over the gifts, cake, and dinner out, and then the next moment, I got news of my maternal grandfather dying.

Because One's Dreams Were Crushed: Quasimodo Leaving the Feast of Fools (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) Don't get me wrong - the humiliation scene is upsetting to watch as those French-fried fustilatians insult Quasi, but that scene to me is more scary, and it pisses me off when Esmeralda only tells off Frollo, and not the Parisians. But it's THIS scene that makes me feel sad inside as poor Quasi sadly goes back to Notre Dame, feeling very humiliated and heartbroken that his dreams of going out to see the world were wasted and trashed in one day.

Because Hard Work Went to Waste: Cinderella's Dress Gets Torn (1950) Yeah, I know this scene is used A LOT for this slot, but I couldn't find any other scene for this, so I went cliche. As you may have guessed, Cindy's mean stepsisters see that Cinderella is wearing some of their items that the mice diligently put together for Cindy to attend the ball, and they mercilessly tear it all to pieces! And I thought Anya getting her dress torn in "Anastasia" was bad! Even though the Fairy Godmother makes things right for Cinderella, this is a classic Disney scene depicting pure cruelty and abuse.

Because They Failed Miserably: Marlin Thinks Nemo is Dead (Finding Nemo) I know that Nemo is still alive and eventually reunites with his dad, but this scene also breaks my heart. Anyway, after going to the dentist's office and seeing Nemo lying belly-up (Nemo was pretending to be dead in order to escape that bratty Darla), Marlin and Dory think they have failed miserably and have come all the way from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney for nothing. And how Marlin dismisses Dory is even more sad!

Because No One Helped Them: Mulan's Secret is Found Out (Mulan) After saving all the soldiers from the Huns, Mulan is injured after a fight with Shan-Yu! (but all the guys think she's a "he" named Ping) That night, the cat is let out of the bag when Shang and Chi-Fu see that "Ping" has breasts. Being the sexist sadist that he is, Chi-Fu (a.k.a. Chinese Judge Claude Frollo) undoes Mulan's hair and reveals her identity in front of everyone. Mulan confesses her deception out of saving her father, but no one believes her. What makes this scene sad is how Shang is forced to execute her, because women were forbidden from fighting in the army by the death sentence in those days. And nobody (not even Mushu, Cri-Kee, Kahn, or the trio of Mulan's guy friends) is allowed to help her. I know that Shang spares her life, because she saved his own life, but still, this scene is hard to watch without getting angry and sad.

Because It Hurt my Ship: Ruth's Death (Fried Green Tomatoes) Just days after Idgie is innocent of committing the murder of Frank Bennett, her girlfriend, Ruth, gets sick with cancer. Ruth is bedridden in her final days, and Idgie tells Ruth a story that her brother Buddy used to tell about some ducks getting stuck in a frozen pond (and carrying the pond with them as they fly away). As Idgie finishes her story, Ruth is already gone - a sad ending for a good LGBT story.

Because of What it Forecasted: The Death of the Firstborn (The Prince of Egypt) This is the other scene in this underrated Dreamworks gem that gets me. Earlier, Moses tried warning Rameses about the worst and final plauge, but again, Rameses refused to listen to him. And the price he payed was losing his only son (as all the other Egyptians lost their firstborn children to the Angel of Death). The dark atmosphere, minimal dialogue, and Moses feeling bad for his former brother combines to make a tear-jerking scene.

Because the Cheese Made it Work: Bambi's Mother Dies (Bambi) This is the iconic tear-jerking scene from probably the entire Walt Disney franchise. As they innocently munch on grass, Bambi and his mother are stalked by a hunter, and they run away. Bambi makes it back to the thicket, but his mother is shot and killed! The eerie background vocals of the wind, the dark forest, the snowy atmosphere, and the Great Prince telling Bambi that his mother is gone - that will get your waterworks going, I guarantee!

Because it Came at the Wrong Time: Tomoko Dies (Barefoot Gen) If Grave of the Fireflies won't make you sad, this anime will! Anyway, this anime tells the story about Hiroshima being bombed in 1945 - through the eyes of a little boy named Gen. After losing his father, sister, and younger brother in a house fire from the bomb's impact, Gen and his mother's survival skills are put to test, especially after Gen's baby sister, Tomoko, is born. Gen and his mother gather as much food as they can (there's very little of it out there), and they eventually meet a boy named Ryuta, who has a strong resemblance to Gen's younger brother. But after Gen and Ryuta work hard to get some milk for baby Tomoko, they are devastated to learn that the poor baby has died from malnutrition. And this was just after those boys worked so hard for some bomb survivors to earn money to buy enough milk to last the baby a lifetime!

Because All Hope Was Lost: Very Good Advice (Alice in Wonderland (1951)) Usually I don't cry in Disney movies, but this scene is sometimes an exception (depending on what mood I'm in). As Alice tries to find her way home through the Tulgy Wood, a broom animal comes and sweeps away the path, leaving her lost! Alice, of course, regrets being curious and wandering off, and she looses hope of ever returning home as she sings this heartbreaking song. All the animals in the Tulgy Wood watch her and they feel sorry for her as they also start crying. (that's what gets me teary-eyed) I know the Cheshire Cat (despite being a jerk later) shows her a way to go home soon after, but still, I can't help but feel bad for Alice and those animals.

Because I Felt Betrayed: The Wedding Chapel Massacre (Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2) At the beginning of Volume 1, we only are given a view of the Bride being beaten up by the Deadly Vipers before getting shot by Bill. Later in Volume 2, though, we are given the full story of how Beatrix (the Bride) left her Deadly Viper colleagues to start a new life and raise her unborn child with someone other than Bill. Bill shows up later, appearing to be happy for Beatrix, and the Bride introduces him to her wedding party as her father. But then things get ugly when the Deadly Vipers arrive and kill everyone in the chapel! When the Bride calls out, "NO, BILL!!" - that line tugs at my heart strings to learn she was turned against.

Because it Made me Regret Choices: My Mother (The Chipmunk Adventure) While competing against the Chipmunks in a race around the world, the Chipettes escape from a spoiled and bratty Arabian prince with a baby penguin. The Chipettes realize that the penguin misses his mommy, and then Britney, Jeanette, and Eleanor sing this heart-breaking song. This song has taught me not to take my mother (or father) for granted, respect them, and enjoy as many moments with them as possible, because they won't be around forever.

Because of the Shown Expressions: Mufasa's Death (The Lion King (1994)) The lifeless, seemingly sleeping expression of Mufasa, who has been killed in a wildebeest stampede; Simba's sadness over seeing his father like this - those tell you that this scene is gonna be a tear-jerker. Simba calls for help, but no one answers, so he begins to cry as he lies down with his father and mourns him. But then Scar comes and tricks Simba into believing he killed his father (when really Scar was responsible), and we in the audience are still saddened, because Scar is just evil as he makes Simba believe he is the murderer, and then exiles him!

Because of the Atmosphere: Tommy is Left Out (The Rugrats Movie) If the story of Melinda Finster (Chuckie's real mom) in the Mother's Day episode doesn't get your eyes wet, this scene in the first theatrical movie will! Tommy wants his parents to read him his book, but Stu and Didi become busy with baby Dil, singing him a lullaby to get him to sleep. After Stu and Didi leave, Tommy, who is sitting beside a door, sings the lullaby, wishing for his parents to read him a story, or at least pay attention to him. The dark room, the blue hues of the surroundings, and Tommy's broken voice while singing are enough to get your tears flowing.

Because of the Music/Lyrics: Littlefoot's Mother Dies (The Land Before Time) The late James Horner really knew how to compose a sad song for a sad scene in a children's movie! As you may know, Littlefoot's mother has been mortally wounded by the Sharp Tooth, and an earthquake occurred, separating the dino children from their families (Littlefoot from his grandparents, and Cera from her family for instance). That rainy night, Littlefoot finds his mother, and tries to get her to stand up. She fails, and then tells her son that he will have to find the Great Valley on his own. But she tells him she will be with him, even if she isn't physically around, and then... she dies. Like I said, James Horner's score, "The Whispering Winds", tugs at my heart strings all the time.

Because of the Dialogue: Mama Gump's Death (Forrest Gump) When Forrest visits his mother for the last time, her words really break my heart.

"Death is just a part of life; something we're all destined to do. I didn't know it; I was destined to be your mama. I did the best I could."

"Life is a box of chocolates, Forrest; you never know what you're gonna get."

"I will miss you, Forrest."

If Bubba's death or Jenny's death don't get you, Mama's death will. 'Nuff said.

Because I Wanted to Cry, But Didn't: Thomas J's Funeral (My Girl) In this coming of age classic, a young girl named Vada befriends a boy named Thomas J. They have fun together over the next several days, but then one day, Thomas J stumbles upon a bee's nest. Because he is severely allergic to bee stings, he dies from a reaction after so many stings. When Vada barges into the funeral, her breakdown of seeing her friend in a coffin made me wanna cry, but I couldn't! (because it's kinda hard for me to get emotional over movies)

Because It Applies to Real Life: Mr. Hooper's Death (Sesame Street) This episode from 1983 is dedicated to the memory of Will Lee, the actor who portrayed Mr. Hooper until his death from a heart attack in 1982. Anyway, Big Bird gives the grown-ups each a drawing he made himself, and decides to give Mr. Hooper his drawing. But the adults sadly break the news to Big Bird and explain death to him, much to his sadness. What makes this scene emotional is how it applies to real life when children (and even some adults) go through grief and try denying it at first until it's time to move on.

BECAUSE IT DID: Blanky Realizes the Master Is Not Coming Back (The Brave Little Toaster) When I was younger (and even now), I felt bad for poor Blanky when he realizes that his beloved Master is not coming home. In a dream of an oncoming car being the Master's family's car, Blanky believes that the Master has returned, but then he realizes that his dreams are crushed, and the Master has moved away for good. Watching that cute little blanket cry over the Master's picture is enough to pull at my heart strings, because Blanky is one of my favorite characters! I know that he and the other appliances find their master at the end, but still...

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