Usually, when I need a good cry, I put on my jammies, climb onto the couch and watch Steel Magnolias. Because usually I know when I need a good cry. The culmination of a thousand little injustices and frustrations combined with some out-of-whack hormones and general ennui and I’m sobbing myself into a snotty heap while Sally Field guides a comatose Pretty Woman through her Jane Fonda exercises. Wake up, Shelby. Wake up.
Waaaaaah!
Things have been running at such an even keel lately (with a slight hint of floaty, actually) that I had no idea when we went to the movies last night, I’d be having a Wake Up, Shelby moment… while watching Gran Torino. Clearly my body needed a good sobfest, but I was unaware. And thus, completely unprepared. No tissues. Copious eye make-up. Bemused boyfriend asking, “Are you gonna make it?” For a good hour after the movie let out, I was a sniffly, raccoon-eyed mess.
My eyes are still a little puffy and I have a hunch The Dork Lord will be suggesting comedies from here on out. But damn, that was a good movie.
I remember going to see “Phenomenon” with my parents when I was a teenager, and yes, it’s a sad movie, but good LORD my hormones must have been out of whack that day. I cried so hard I was practically having convulsions. My parents had the same reaction as T.D.L.
I was watching Get Smart. Which I had seen before. Yet, when Anne Hathaway thought Steve Carell was dead, right before he says “Missed it by that much” I cried. Hormones are so great.
you are not the only one! i had no idea that i would be sobbing at the end of gran torino…my husband was looking at me like i was crazy
It’s really embarrassing but the first time I watched the Dawson’s Creek finale I sobbed. Jen dies! So sad! I mean sobbing so hard I couldn’t catch my breath.
To this day I will blame it on a fluke hormone imbalance. Or the fact that it was pretty soon after breaking up with my bf of 4 years. Either one is more likely then Dawson’s Creek being just that good.
Thanks for the warning! Watch out for Marley & Me. I’ve cried through the end of that book a couple of times. Try crying while READING. It makes it difficult to see the words on the page!
PS. I love the title of your boyfriend, The Dork Lord. I don’t know what I could call my husband. He’s a non-technical semi-retired journalist type of writer guy. I just call him the know it all, because if it’s trivia, he’s bound to know it: sports, music, movies, Texas high school mascots, college team names and locations… it’s rather annoying at times. I don’t remember stuff like that. My brain is full of other stuff like genealogy, computer languages, part of poems and books, memories of very good or very awful things or situations. And my short term memory went to FUZZ at age 40. It’s not getting any better. Sorry to ramble!
I have to confess that I haven’t heard of the movie yet, but will now check it out. And yes, the first “sobfest” in front of a new boyfriend can be somewhat traumatic. Good thing you made it through unscathed!
Hate when I go into a film sans tissues and end up a blubbering mess. Seeing Gran Torino this weekend, thanks for the warning.
Oh man, don’t even try to watch P.S. I love you. I think I cried so hard I started to hiccup….I was super emotional that day for some reason! On the plus side it does have Denny from Grey’s Anatomy in it.
Are you kidding….a good Hallmark commerical can send me into a crying fit that could last the entire evening! (Sigh…to be a girl. lol)
Glad you enjoyed the film.
During my first pregnancy I would sob while watching Animal Planet. It got to the point where the dog wouldn’t watch TV with me anymore. Finally, mu husband declared a moratorium (sp?) on AP until after the baby was born.
I made it thru the physical therapy thing fine; it was when Sally goes off on the women at the cemetery that got me going……
Just sayin’.
I DO NOT suggest The Wrestler.
You also need to watch out for magnesium salt baths. Those turn me into a bawling, sobbing lunatic every time. I swear. What would happen if I watched Steel Magnolias in a magnesium bath, I don’t even dare to think about–perhaps I would just puddle away into nothingness. Beware, everyone!
–CC at Onely
I’m not a psychic or anything, but I have two words for you, Heather: First Response.
Well, if you *were* psychic, I’d tell you to look for new work! I have two words for you, GP: Aunt Flo.
oh Kim (above…)
I cried – ok sobbed – at the dawson’s creek finale too. and i had not just broken up with someone.
clearly we’re on the same ‘schedule’
Ever since I was pregnant with my daughter I cry at almost every sad movie or show. Ladder 49 was a really sad one!!! My husband always looks at me like i’m crazy. He calls me the sissy of the family.
I even cried the first few times I saw Sex & The City movie when Carrie hits Big with the bouquet of flowers.
So sad! lol
I once kissed a girl after a date and she began crying uncontrollably, even though we had not been to a movie. I guess her hormones were kind of acting up, too, huh?
My favorite scene when i need a good cry is the end of “color purple.” when celie and her sister reunite. i start to tear up because i know its coming.
Also, remember when Dr. Green died on ER..that was a big time sobfest for me.
My brother cried his eyes out when he watched Titanic. Its not just women..men cry too.
watch out for the curious case of benjamin button. Good movie if a movie that starts sad and ends sad with only being sad the whole way through can be considered GOOD! I never cry at movies. heck I rarely cry but I had to hold back the tears at this one!
Loved P.S. I Love You, but yeah bring you hankies
I cry at old Folger’s commercials.
During Steel Magnolias, the part I uncontrollably sob at is the very very end, when the children are doing the Easter baskets and life renews itself with the coming of the new baby. Then the camera pulls back, symbolic of looking at the larger picture of life… OMG I tear up as I am typing. And I’m not even hormonal!
When my best friend and I went to a tearjerker a few years ago, both arrived unprepared with tissues. I fished around in my purse and all I could find were tampons. Hey, watching a tearjerker with tampons stuffed up your nose does take some of the pathos away…
Katie,
I also cried at Benjamin Button. It was very sad at the end! I loved it!
Kristen-
Thanks for that! I definitely feel a lot better about my television crying taste
Oh and I second the statement about Marley and Me. I saw it on Christmas Day and thought it was a comedy because I didn’t read the book. I left with red puffy eyes. Not a cool surprise.
I wasn’t expecting to be crying either. I went and saw it with my father and I don’t even think I realized I was crying until he leaned over and handed me a napkin. It was so amazing that I’m telling everyone I know they must go see it.
My movie crying low moment happened during a viewing of “Good Dog.” It was a silly kids’ movie that happened to be the only appealing option at the Molokai movie theater my husband and I visited on our honeymoon. I tried to hold it together when I started getting misty because I knew he would give me crap. A few minutes later I could no longer restrain the sniffling and when my husband leaned over to say “You’re not CRYING, are you??” he discovered that the front of my t-shirt was wet with tears I had not wiped away in fear of getting busted. I’m not sure if it was residual wedding stress or what, but I was a mess! And I have never lived it down. Whenever something sappy comes on the television he says, “Oh boy, here come the waterworks!”
Yeah… I’m embarrassed to say I cried (not sobbed, but numerous fat tears) during The Day the Earth Stood Still. The movie, for the most part, was a train wreck, but there was one very touching part including Will Smith’s adorable little kid. I quickly gained control of myself but not before my friend threw me a side-long glance and laughed.
Ditto the Marley and Me experience. I really should have known better, as my sister wisely pointed out, but I did not. And the new boyfriend, luckily, is used to raging hormonal girlfriends so wasn’t too confused or frightened by my red eyed, sniffly response.
I had one of those moments the other day when watching Seven Pounds. Except instead of it being after the movie, I am pretty sure I cried through the majority of it. My fiance kept looking at me like I was crazy, but it was just one of those days and I needed a GOOD cry.
I too cried my eyes out (and also for the first time in front of my new boyfriend) at Curious Case of Benjamin Button – I was a blubbering mess for a lot of the movie but I loved it. And yep, I too was hormonal.
I choked up a little at Benjamin Button, but my otherwise cool boyfriend was a goner through the last 15 minutes! It’s the first time I see him cry at a movie, I’d never have suspected…
The one that gets me every time is Forrest Gump. I start bawling when he meets his son, and it’s all downhill from there. Titanic was a mess, and Shakespeare in Love is a sure thing, too.
Oh, and there was the time when Jimmy Smitts’ character on “NYPD Blue” died. My brother-in-law and I were watching, each trying to pretend we weren’t crying.
I’ve never seen Steel Magnolia’s, although I’ve always heard good things about it…
I had never cried before at a movie until “Marley and Me” though….we just put our family dog down last year and for some reason, everyone thought it would be fun to go see it on Christmas…and it wasn’t. I cried from the first time he got sick til the end….ridiculous. lol. Benjamin Button did make me tear up a little though….good movie!
Terms of Endearment gets me every time. The part when her little boys come to see her so she can say goodbye reduces me to a sniffling sobbing disaster.
jeebus that was a damn good flick. Also? I never knew there were that many ways to offend Asians.
OMG.. such funny memories this one brought on for me… my son used to come over on a regular basis to watch “it could happen to you” with me… he seemed to find it hilarious that I would tear up without fail at the part where they are opening all that mail and she says.. this is all for us! I have to see marley and me now, by the way…
I saw Marley and Me 2 days after Christmas on my second date with a new guy. I sobbed at the end. There were a couple of parts in the middle where I cried a little (enough that I could hide it from the new guy), but the very end was complete water works. We left the theater and I’m hiding my face from him, so he won’t see the Racoon Eyes, red nose, or blotchy skin. Yeah, he’s still making fun of me!
missing ur posts like crazy…boy toy must be fan-tab-u-lous!
tell all!
Oh my God that was a good movie. I took my F.W.B to see it (is that a good thing or a bad thing when you go out in public with your booty call?). Anyway, we both LOVED it. Clint Eastwood was GREAT!
Damn good movie indeed. Clint was robbed by the Oscar panel.