It’s SAD season, kids, and it’s no joke. I’m talking about Seasonal Affective Disorder, of course, that depressive disorder related to changes in the seasons. The causes and risk factors remain a bit mysterious, but it’s real, and it can be truly debilitating to your mental health.
If you struggle with SAD, it’s worth seeking treatment for, but even if you’re still fully functional, those of us who deal with this sort of thing are all up in our feels right about now—the coldest, darkest days of winter being particularly tough. And this is in no way a clinical recommendation, but I find that a good cry is often the best way to make myself feel better, and sad movies (as opposed to SAD movies) are great for a good cry.
Some movies earn their tears honestly, while others are more manipulative—the ones sometimes dismissively called tearjerkers. I’m not sure how much it matters, though: Many of us are naturally suspicious of entertainment that moves us, but like a good jump scare or thrilling action sequence, there’s skill, and art, to plucking at our emotional strings. Just thinking of some of these 25 movies—which are enough to make all but the most hard-hearted among you ugly cry—gets me feeling misty . Not embarrassed.