These Sad Movies on Disney+ Will Make the Tears Well Up
- 1/21
These Sad Movies on Disney+ Will Make the Tears Well Up
Sometimes, you just want to curl up under some blankets, grab a box of tissues and watch a movie that really hits you in the feels. In those times, sad movies are exactly what you need to give yourself a big catharsis. And while it's not always trumpeted as the studio's strong suit, Disney knows better than anyone how to pull on the heartstrings. Sure, Disney is known for the Broadway quality of its animated musicals, or the pulse-pounding action of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But, especially after the acquisition of Pixar, it really knows how to work your emotions in the best possible way. (No polite little sniffles here — expect loud sobs.)
Next time you're looking for a big cry, try perusing these sad movies on Disney+. The streaming service not only has the Disney, Pixar and Marvel films we know so well, it also has older movies form 20th Century Fox, so you can find unexpected — and, dare we say it, more grown-up — selections like The Fault in Our Stars or Edward Scissorhands. Then, once you've wept out all your stresses, you can go back to watching funny comedies or heartwarming feel-good films.
20th Century Fox - 2/21
Clouds (2020)
Directed by Jane the Virgin's Justin Badoni, Clouds tells the true story of musician Zach Sobiech. Sobiech, a high school student, is diagnosed with osteosarcoma and has a short time to live, so he tries to fulfill his dream of writing and recording an album. It's sad and uplifting at the same time.
Disney Plus@Youtube - 3/21
Hamilton (2020)
Those who know their history already know what happened to Alexander Hamilton and his rival Aaron Burr (spoiler alert: it doesn't end well), but that doesn't make it any less distressing when it happens in this musical biography. Lin-Manuel Miranda's music ensures you really feel it.
Walt Disney Studios@Youtube - 4/21
Onward (2020)
Just how emotional Onward is sneaks up on you: At first, it feels like a comedy about two odd-couple brothers heading off on a quest. But their quest is to find magic that would revive their recently deceased father for a day, and how much their journey is fueled by grief becomes more and more apparent as the movie goes on.
RELATED: Pixar Easter Eggs That Probably Went Straight Over Your Head
Pixar@Youtube - 5/21
Black Beauty (2020)
This movie, which premiered on Disney+, adapts Anna Sewell's classic novel about a spirited teenage girl who forms a bond with a wild horse. The two, together and separately, suffer one setback after another, including abuse and separation, in this heartwarming tale about resilience.
Disney Plus@Youtube - 6/21
Togo (2019)
When you're scrolling through sad movies on Disney+, you'll find many of them feature dogs — those pups just have a way of scoring immediate empathy. Togo, which also went straight to the streaming service, tells the true story of a sled dog that took on a dangerous, 600-mile journey as part of a relay to bring antitoxin to children suffering from a diphtheria outbreak in Alaska. Another dog on the same antitoxin relay — Balto — is more famous and even has a statue in New York City's Central Park, but Togo actually led the longest leg of the run.
Walt Disney Studios@Youtube - 7/21
Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Nineteen movies in, it's hard not to care about the Avengers deeply. The only question is: What's worse, seeing those characters disappear after Thanos's snap, or seeing which ones don't come back again?
WATCH INFINITY WAR WATCH ENDGAME
RELATED: How to Watch All Marvel Movies in the Correct OrderMarvel Entertainment@Youtube - 8/21
Coco (2017)
While most of the action in Coco takes place in the Land of the Dead, it's actually a celebration of life, and of family, that's certain to pull on the heartstrings as surely as Miguel pulls on his guitar strings. As Miguel learns more and more truths about his family through meeting his dead relatives, he feels more connected.
Pixar@Youtube - 9/21
Queen of Katwe (2016)
This is another story that proves to be ultimately inspirational in the end. It tells the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a girl who wants to become a chess Grand Master to lift her family out of poverty. She has struggles, both in competition and at home, and her story is perfect if you're in the mood for an underdog tale.
Walt Disney Studios@Youtube - 10/21
Inside Out (2015)
Sadness is literally a character in Inside Out, as are Joy, Anger, Fear and Disgust, all living inside the mind of 11-year-old Riley. As Joy and Sadness go on an adventure through Riley's memories, they realize you can't have a full life without all of the emotions — even the sad ones.
RELATED: Every Pixar Movie, Ranked
Pixar@Youtube - 11/21
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Based on the weepy YA novel by John Green, this film follows the star-crossed romance between Hazel and Gus, two teenagers who meet at a support group for cancer patients. It has all the emotions that bubble up when you think about your first big crush, and also your first huge loss.
20th Century Studios@Youtube - 12/21
Into the Woods (2014)
Fact: The second act of Into the Woods is so depressing, so thoroughly dismantling the "happily ever afters" the fairtyale characters earn at the end of Act 1, that "junior" versions of the show staged for kids sometimes omit the back half entirely. We suppose you could turn this movie adaptation off halfway thorough, but that wouldn't do justice to Sondheim's work. Instead, watch to the end, and get bummed out by the way everyone realizes "happily ever after" isn't what it's cracked up to be.
Walt Disney Studios@Youtube - 13/21
Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
Saving Mr. Banks tells the story of how Walt Disney convinced a reluctant Pamela Travers — the author of the series of Mary Poppins books — to let him adapt her stories into a movie. Along the way, we see Travers's inspirations for the characters in the book, including a wistful look at the difficult relationship she had with her own father. It'll bring a tear to the eye of anyone who remembers what it feels like to see their parents as flawed humans for the first time.
Movieclips Trailers@Youtube - 14/21
The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)
This movie, starring Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton (with an early role for Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda), has a premise rooted in magical realism: A couple struggling to have a child buries a box with all their hopes for their future family, and lo and behold Timothy Green shows up and seems to make their wishes come true. But Timothy has an odd quirk: He has leaves growing on his legs, and every time he fulfills a parental dream, one falls off — and no one knows what happens when they all disappear. How sad is it? It left two young moviegoers blubbering so hard they went viral on social media.
Movieclips Trailers@Youtube - 15/21
Toy Story 3
After two mostly goofy, sometimes scary adventures, the toys from the beloved Toy Story franchise tackle a harrowing question: What happens to a toy when its owner has outgrown it? Andy's off to college, so what becomes of Woody and the gang? It's sad for the toys, sure, but there are also extra pangs for parents being reminded that their kids will one day grow up, too.
Walt Disney Studios@Youtube - 16/21
The Last Song (2010)
This movie is based on a Nicholas Sparks book, so you know it's going to be a tearjerker. In it, an estranged daughter named Ronnie (played by Miley Cyrus) is reunited with her father (Greg Kinnear) for a summer, and the two eventually bond by working on a musical composition together. Meanwhile, Ronnie gets pulled into a romance with a local boy (Liam Hemsworth). One of those two men is bound to break her heart.
Walt Disney Studios@Youtube - 17/21
Up (2009)
The good thing about Up is, unlike some other movies on this list, this movie gets the saddest parts out of the way in the very beginning, and then lets you recover with a more lighthearted adventure. But that opening sequence — a wordless look at the ups and downs o fa happy marriage — is a real jaw-dropper.
Pixar@Youtube - 18/21
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
A movie about not fitting in, Edward Scissorhands is for anyone who's felt like a misfit who couldn't find their place in the world. Edward is a lab-created human whose maker died before he could be finished, leaving him with blades for fingers. When he's discovered, he's both bullied and exploited by a suburban community, who all see him as a means to their owns ends.
Movieclips Classic Trailers@Youtube - 19/21
The Fox and the Hound (1981)
Adults know that sometimes people outgrow their friendships — but the memory of dissolved relationships still sting. And to kids, well, the hurt feels fresh. This movie follows two animals who, as kids, are best friends when they reach adulthood, they realize they're natural enemies.
Trailer Chan@Youtube - 20/21
Old Yeller (1957)
This classic follows a 15-year-old boy named Travis who adopts a spirited yellow dog, and the ups and downs they have together throughout the dog's life. There's something about the purity of the bond between kids and animals that make it extra heartbreaking when tragedy strikes.
Movie Trailer World@Youtube - 21/21
Bambi (1942)
Bambi often tops lists of saddest Disney movies ever made, and with good reason. Although the innocent and naive fawn has lots woodland adventures with his friends, Thumper and Flower, he's also met with devastating tragedies to both his family and to his habitat.
TrailersPlaygroundHD@Youtube
