Blog Mood Picks

Movies for When You Need a Good Cry

February 14, 2026 5 min read

Sometimes you need to feel something. These movies score highest on emotional intensity — films designed to break you open. We combined that with high darkness scores to find the ones that really hit hard. Bring tissues.

How GoodScore works: We combine ratings from IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and TMDB into a single 0-100 score. Higher = better. No single platform bias.

1
Schindler's List

Schindler's List

1993 · 3h 15m · Dir. Steven Spielberg

Drama, History, War

93
GoodScore

The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.

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2
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003 · 3h 21m · Dir. Peter Jackson

Adventure, Fantasy, Action

91
GoodScore

As armies mass for a final battle that will decide the fate of the world--and powerful, ancient forces of Light and Dark compete to determine the outcome--one member of the Fellowship of the Ring is revealed as the noble heir to the throne of the...

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3
The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight

2008 · 2h 32m · Dir. Christopher Nolan

Action, Crime, Thriller

90
GoodScore

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but...

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4
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002 · 2h 59m · Dir. Peter Jackson

Adventure, Fantasy, Action

89
GoodScore

Frodo Baggins and the other members of the Fellowship continue on their sacred quest to destroy the One Ring--but on separate paths. Their destinies lie at two towers--Orthanc Tower in Isengard, where the corrupt wizard Saruman awaits, and Sauron's...

JioHotstar VI movies and tv
5
Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan

1998 · 2h 49m · Dir. Steven Spielberg

War, Drama, History

89
GoodScore

As U.S. troops storm the beaches of Normandy, three brothers lie dead on the battlefield, with a fourth trapped behind enemy lines. Ranger captain John Miller and seven men are tasked with penetrating German-held territory and bringing the boy home.

Netflix
6
Sardar Udham

Sardar Udham

2021 · 2h 42m · Dir. Shoojit Sircar

Crime, Drama, History

86
GoodScore

A young Sardar Udham Singh left deeply scarred by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, escaped into the mountains of Afghanistan, reaching London in 1933-34. Carrying an unhealed wound for 21 years, the revolutionary assassinated Michael O’Dwyer on 13th...

Amazon Prime Video
7
Little Women

Little Women

2019 · 2h 15m · Dir. Greta Gerwig

Drama, Romance, History

85
GoodScore

Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Amazon Prime Video Sony Liv
8
The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Grand Budapest Hotel

2014 · 1h 40m · Dir. Wes Anderson

Comedy, Drama

85
GoodScore

The Grand Budapest Hotel tells of a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars and his friendship with a young employee who becomes his trusted protégé. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance...

JioHotstar
9
Good Will Hunting

Good Will Hunting

1997 · 2h 7m · Dir. Gus Van Sant

Drama

85
GoodScore

Will Hunting is a headstrong, working-class genius who is failing the lessons of life. After one too many run-ins with the law, Will's last chance is a psychology professor, who might be the only man who can reach him.

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10
The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker

2008 · 2h 11m

Drama, Thriller, War

84
GoodScore

During the Iraq War, a Sergeant recently assigned to an army bomb squad is put at odds with his squad mates due to his maverick way of handling his work.

Amazon Prime Video JioHotstar
11
Dunkirk

Dunkirk

2017 · 1h 47m · Dir. Christopher Nolan

War, Action, Drama

84
GoodScore

The story of the miraculous evacuation of Allied soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France, who were cut off and surrounded by the German army from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk between May 26th and June 4th 1940 during World War II.

JioHotstar
12
Manichitrathazhu

Manichitrathazhu

1993 · 2h 49m · Dir. Fazil

Fantasy, Thriller, Horror

84
GoodScore

A young couple, Ganga and Nakulan, arrives at the ancestral home called Madampalli of the latter. Hailing from a family that follows tradition and superstitions, Nakulan's uncle Thampi objects to the couple's idea of moving into the allegedly...

Amazon Prime Video JioHotstar
13
The Terminator

The Terminator

1984 · 1h 48m

Action, Thriller, Science Fiction

84
GoodScore

In the post-apocalyptic future, reigning tyrannical supercomputers teleport a cyborg assassin known as the "Terminator" back to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor, whose unborn son is destined to lead insurgents against 21st century mechanical hegemony....

14
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

2015 · 1h 38m · Dir. Evgeny Afineevsky

Documentary

84
GoodScore

Over 93 days in Ukraine, what started as peaceful student demonstrations became a violent revolution and full-fledged civil rights movement.

Netflix
15
Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds

2009 · 2h 33m · Dir. Quentin Tarantino

Drama, Thriller, War

83
GoodScore

In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as "The Basterds" are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine...

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