Friday Film Share

[TW: Grief, film spoilers, loss, cancer]

With this series of blogs we hope that we can provide an emotional release for you. Whether you’re in the mood for a good cry, a journey, or to put a spring back in your step, you may also have a heads up on films that you want to avoid or cannot wait to watch, either way, I hope it helps.

The following films play on our heartstrings like there’s no tomorrow and will always have a very fond place in our hearts. Some are renowned for tear shedding, others maybe not so much. Here I hope you can see what films inspire us and if you have any crackers yourself, then please don’t hesitate to let us know. Also, in case you weren’t aware at this point there may be a few spoilers along the way, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.

KYA

The films I have chosen for this blog are a bit of an odd combination. One is a film I didn’t mind watching even though it made me sad and have watched it a few times since. The other one I don’t think I could ever watch again as I found it very triggering, although the film as a whole was enjoyable.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

Coco

The first film that I want to talk about, which will probably come as a surprise to no one, is Coco. This 2017 Disney adventure takes us on a journey about life and, more importantly, death. In the film our main character Miguel ventures to the Land of the Dead where he eventually has to save his great granddad as well as himself from being gone forever. Towards the end of the film there is a big reveal about how all of the characters relate to each other, with a touching flashback scene where father and daughter serenade one another. The song in the scene is all about remembering those not around us and all the happy times spent together. Now, my dad is still alive but just seeing that scene made me extremely emotional and it got me thinking of all the lovely moments my mom and I shared during my childhood and how I so wished I could be back in those memories. The film ends where Miguel’s grandmother and great grandfather (father and daughter) are reunited in the land of the dead after the grandmother passes away. In all honesty, this scene had me crying like a little bitch and I can feel myself tearing up as I type these words on my laptop. The scene itself was not particularly sad (let’s not forget that this is a film for children) but I was crying more out of jealousy that they got to be reunited, and realised that that was all that I wanted for myself and my mom. Even though it really did make me cry probably more than any other film has, I still enjoyed it and I have since watched it two other times and it doesn’t trigger me in the way that other films have. If anything I see it as an emotional release, despite feeling somewhat drained after watching it.

Little Women

The second film is Little Women. This might come across as a bit of a random choice to some people, especially if they think of the story as more of a romance but when I watched it last year I knew absolutely nothing of the story. All I knew was that one of the characters died as I had been given a little trigger warning beforehand, and oh boy did I need it. Among the many plotlines of this story, the audience watch the youngest March sister, Beth, slowly deteriorate from scarlet fever and eventually die. This is not the main plot in the story but throughout the entire film I could not shake off the death of that character. This was mostly because you get to see her slowly get worse in her sickness and you watch as it affects the others around her. One scene in particular really struck a nerve where you see Beth and her sister Jo in bed half asleep. In the scene Jo is almost pleading with Beth to stay alive, to keep going for her. You can see all the pain in her face and hear it in her voice, and it immediately took me back to the moments where I did the exact same thing with my mom, as I too watched her deteriorate before my eyes. That was not a nice feeling and so I will always be a bit resentful towards the film for making me remember such difficult times, although I do agree that the film in general is quite good. I probably won’t be watching this film again, and if I were to I would just skip over the sad bits. However, I am still happy that I watched it just even on the basis that I got to check in with myself and realise that topics like that still affect me deeply and that’s just something I still need more time with.

CHARLOTTE

Onward

So I’ve watched Onward once, and I doubt I’ll ever watch it again. It's a great film, but as a general rule I don’t like ‘sad’ films. Why would I want to be made to feel sad? Well, Onward is about two brothers who’s Dad died when they were very young, and the youngest brother has no memories of their Dad. I have a younger brother and our Dad is no longer with us. So it was all pretty close to home.

Eight months after it was released I finally forced/allowed myself to watch Onward. I put it off because firstly, I wasn’t a fan of the idea that a dead parent could be brought back to life for a day using a magic spell. And second, I knew it would make me cry.

Having watched the film, I now appreciate several other sentiments that I think the film does actually portray very well. The relationships between relatives following the loss of a parent, the relationship with your other parent, with siblings and ‘step parents’ if that’s applicable. And of course the issues one might face growing up without your parent(s). The advice they might have instilled upon you, how they might have shaped you, and the longing to know them better or at all.

On reflection, I do think the film was very well done. There was a lot of humour along the way, a couple of lump in throat moments, and then a big tear jerking finale. The film was a lot of what I expected, forcing me to face my reality. A reality which some days I can ‘forget’, because it’s simply the new normal that physical I only have my Mum and brother now (whom I adore). However, the film also provided what I didn’t even know I needed. A good cry and a moment to think about how hard it is to lose a parent. Of course we know it’s hard, for more reasons than the film can cover, but because life gets busy and sometimes you just push it all to the back of your head to try and forget, or simply to ‘get on’.

Has anyone else seen Onward? What were your thoughts? Let us know in the comments❤️

Charl x

JACK

Film has always played a big part in my life, I find so much comfort and joy in sitting down and watching a movie, whether that's at the cinema in conjunction with a big ol box of popcorn that I won’t be sharing. Or, whether it is back when I was a little boy on a friday evening sitting down with my brother and dad, a couple of pizzas and a James Bond flick. Film has always been a companion to my life. And it is often the case that I will end up crying in films. I don’t know what it is, but it just hits differently. I absolutely love a tear jerker. I’ve always found that sometimes a good cry is just what the doctor ordered, and I always feel so much better after it. That part of me that was feeling weighed down by thoughts or feelings are vanquished by a good eye leaking session.

Avengers: Endgame

Now it might not be everyone’s cup of tea and the momentum is definitely built up across 22 films that precede it. But, Endgame absolutely opens the floodgates for me. Pretty much from the get go - I’m ready, tissue’s in one hand and popcorn in the other just waiting for which bit is going to get me. This beast of a movie unravels through a quest of hope to save the universe from the clutches of the evil titan, Thanos. Classic superhero stuff, good vs evil. Love it. It is through the amazing bonds of friendship as this film reaches its climactic showdown. From Cap standing alone against an entire army, to Iron Man’s sacrifice for the greater good. This character who you have grown with, learned from and seen battle with their own demons is finally at peace after his actions. Most death scenes in any film set me off, and this is no exception. With such high stakes on the line, this character whose journey comes to an end pays the ultimate price and in doing so saves billions. Sometimes I need that nudge to get in touch with how I’m feeling, and I always find film can provide a way to reach it. If I’m ever in a place where I need that big catharsis and I’ve got a few hours spare then Endgame definitely helps facilitate that.

Singin’ in the Rain

I definitely don’t watch this one enough, but as soon as I think about it a smile appears on my face. If I want to sidestep the grief bus and jump straight on the groove train then this definitely helps to facilitate that, this truly is a feel good film for the ages. Set to the Hollywood backdrop and super stardom of the iconic Gene Kelly’s, Cosmo Brown and the star, Debbie Reynolds as they attempt to enter the world of talking pictures. The performances are just phenomenal. Personal highlight songs are easily, ‘Make ‘em Laugh’, ‘Moses supposes’ and of course the titular ‘singin’ in the rain’. As well as the superb dancing and gorgeous soundtrack across every number, this film captures my heart with its quick wit, slapstick comedy and fantastic skill. No wonder it is voted in Empire Magazine’s top ten best films of all time. If you’re feeling a bit blue then put this on and I guarantee that when the end credits roll you’ll have a spring in your step.

How to train your dragon trilogy

I love dragons. Dragons are cool. So when they finally got round to making a film based on this amazing book, I was flying. This beautiful tale from Dreamworks about an awkward boy, Hiccup who does not want to kill dragons develops a familiar relationship with the most dangerous of all the dragons, the Nightfury or who he comes to be known as, Toothless. Silly name for a dragon, but still it is sweet. Their journey of helping one another results in a friendship for the ages, as across three films and a number of spin offs they save each other from death, their people from themselves and blend both the viking and dragon worlds into one.

It is in the second and third part of this trilogy I find the more liberating to watch and rewatch. After being reunited with his long lost mother in the second installment, the passing of his father happens all too quickly. However, it is the anguish of his death that really breaks my heart. A father who saves his son, leaping in at the last moment to take a hit from a controlled Toothless, and the aftermath really wrenches my gut free of anything I have held up inside.

In a way, I think a part of me empathises so hard with these characters who lose their father’s and father figures because I think a part of me wants to believe that, that is also my narrative. I’m not delusional, it’s just a nicer way to think about it sometimes.

In the final part of this belter, and after a climactic battle of epic proportions comes the time when the vikings say goodbye to the dragons as they leave the human world. This movie is a journey of letting go of those things that are dear to us and about finding the courage to move forward, knowing that the ones who leave us never, truly leave. I find so much hope in the end of this story, and as sad as it is, it is necessary for both parties to move on with their lives.

If you end up watching these, then I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

All my love,

Jack x

We have plenty more films in the tank to share with you all. These are the first of many. If you have seen them or have any recommendations yourselves then please do get in touch, drop us a message in the comments. We love to hear from you!