2024 has been an excellent year for movies of all genres - there have been some great blockbuster films that finally brought audiences back to the theaters, and plenty of more subtle indie hits that are now gathering steady acclaim forthe 2025 Oscars and awards season. But throughout all of this, 2024’s catalog has been filled with moving stories that have stirred audiences’ emotions and made us cry. Several of these films have even been amongthe highest-grossing movies of 2024.
There’s no clear recipe for how to make the audience cry, but rather it comes from authentic, human stories that project an important message through their characters. This isn’t easily done, and in many ways,making the audience cry is a clear indicator that any drama has achieved its goalfairly well. It proves that there’s some compassion and universality in the story, which is all that anybody could hope for.
10Emilia Perez
Directed By Jacques Audiard
Emilia Perezis one of 2024’s most critically acclaimed films, securely on its way to anomination at the 2025 Academy Awards. The film centers around the owner of a Mexican drug cartel who hires a powerful lawyer to help them undergo their gender confirmation surgery, transitioning to a woman and leaving her family behind.It’s a very powerful story about purpose and identitythat’s told through several bold musical numbers and gripping performances from Zoe Saldana and Karla Sofia Gascon.
9Suncoast
Directed By Laura Chinn
Suncoastis undeniably one of the year’s most underrated projects, following a young girl whose brother is taken to a specialized care facility to spend the rest of his days. There, she strikes up an unlikely friendship with an older man as the two bond over their grief and dysfunctional families.It’s an extremely touching and moving storythat speaks to the universal nature of grief, proving that friendships can be found in the most unlikely of places.
Blitz
Cast
During the London Blitz of World War II, a diverse group of Londoners navigates the chaos and destruction of the German bombardment. Their intertwined stories of survival, resilience, and camaraderie capture the spirit of a city under siege.
Steve McQueen’sBlitzis an arresting drama that takes place during the Second World War,following a young mother who reluctantly evacuates her son to the English countrysideto avoid the Nazi air strikes in London. The film explores his tumultuous journey, as he escapes from the train and tries everything in his power to make his way home. The tangible bond between Saoirse Ronan and Elliott Hefferman is what really sells the film, withBlitz’s emotional endingdelivering that final gut-punch.
The Greatest Hits
The Greatest Hits is a 2024 film directed by Ned Benson. The story follows Harriet, who discovers that certain songs can transport her back in time, reliving romantic memories of her former boyfriend while navigating a new love interest in the present. She grapples with whether to change the past.
The Greatest Hitsis an incredibly fun, creative story that centers around a young woman named Harriet who discovers that she can travel backwards in time by listening to songs that she associates with specific moments.It’s an incredibly original take on otherwise over-explored territory, tweaking the typical time-travel concepts for a more romantic, sentimental story of love and loss.
Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.
Inside Out 2is not only one ofDisney’s most engaging and powerful stories in many years, but it also broke records by becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time. The story follows Riley, the young protagonist from the original film, as she enters her pubescent years and has to deal with all the complicated emotions that come with it.Inside Out 2’s record-breaking commercial performancewas a huge achievement that cannot be overstated, and it couldn’t have happened to a more sincere, touching movie.
We Live in Time
A witty chef and a recent divorcee have a chance encounter that changes their lives. As their love story unfolds, they build a life together, but a hidden truth threatens to unravel their relationship, bringing humor, drama, and emotional depth to their journey.
We Live In Timefollows two fascinating, complex characters named Tobias and Almut, who fall in love despite their unconventional meet-cute and ultimately work through the challenges of parenthood and terminal illness together. It’s a heartbreaking story about the importance of remaining true to yourself and always prioritizing the things that matter, even if outside factors can sometimes blur those lines.The film features two astounding performances from Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, who bring these characters to life in fiercely intimate ways.
His Three Daughters
His Three Daughters is a 2023 drama film directed by Azazel Jacobs. The story centers on three sisters, portrayed by Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, and Natasha Lyonne, who reunite in their childhood home to care for their terminally ill father. As they navigate the emotional complexities of their father’s final days, the sisters confront unresolved issues and deep-seated family tensions. The film explores themes of sisterhood, forgiveness, and the intricate dynamics of familial relationships.
His Three Daughtersmay be the critics’ choice for the most gripping and emotional film of the year, but it’s also the kind of story that resonates strongly with general audiences.The movie follows three sisters who move in with their father as he enters his final days of life, confronting old conflicts and working through their own personal traumas in an attempt to make his passing easier. Theending ofHis Three Daughtersis one of the year’s most crushing scenes, commenting on the nature of regret and the passing of time.
I Saw the TV Glow
I Saw the TV Glow follows teenager Owen, who navigates suburban life until introduced by classmate Maddy to a mysterious late-night TV show.
I Saw The TV Glowisn’t a typical drama, but it’s this subversion of expectations and dedication to visual style that makes it so easy to fall in love with. The movie follows two social outcasts who bond over a mysterious late-night TV show that nobody else seems to understand, as they learn more about each other in the process and begin to question their own identities.It’s a gripping and engaging story the whole way through, but its final moments are absolutely heartbreaking as Justice Smith’s lead character breaks down in a visceral, sadly relatable crisis of identity.
Wicked
Wicked adapts the Broadway musical into a two-part film, following the unlikely friendship between Elphaba, born with green skin, and Glinda, a popular aristocrat, in the Land of Oz. As they navigate their contrasting paths, they evolve into Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
Wickedmay not seem like an overly emotional movie on the surface, but John M. Chu’s musical is filled with touching moments and moving commentary on the importance of friendship and standing up for yourself that really hit home for many audiences.Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s tender performancesturned what could have been a regular musical into a very touching narrative of forgiveness.
Sing Sing
Based on actual events, Sing Sing is a drama movie that tells the story of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility and a group of prisoners within that decide to stage their own musical production within the prison’s walls.
Sing Singtells the story of a real-life theater group in Sing Sing Correctional Facility, where prisoners can express themselves through art in a way that perhaps they couldn’t in life. The film sheds light on some extremely difficult issues, but ultimately, it’sGreg Kwedar’s intricately written screenplay about accepting yourselfand overcoming social obstacles that really hits home with this film.
