Disney movies are often considered classics for a reason. Many of us grew up on them, even if that means we also grew up with lots of hidden trauma. The truth is that while we often joke about those earlier films being full of heartbreaking moments, modern Disney movies are just as guilty. Think about the last Disney film you saw in theaters, and the odds are good that at least one moment had you misting up. It’s okay, we’re not here to judge—we were crying too. There’s nothing wrong with emotionally complex films, though it can sometimes be surprising that film ratings don’t reflect this element of the story.
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Countless generations have been raised on Disney films, which means that every generation can point to a set of Disney films that became their foundational experience. Given Disney’s history, that probably means at least one film will include parental death (it’s a trend in Disney films with a dark real-life reason). Realistically, that’s just the beginning, as modern films have added new creatives into the mix, and with those new perspectives comes new ways to hit us where it hurts.
1) Up (2009)
Many movies, especially Disney films, start out with a sadder or more heartbreaking moment. However, we can probably all agree that Up wins the award for saddest intro of all time, yes? The film begins with an adorable montage, as Carl and Ellie meet, fall in love, get married, and grow old together. If you haven’t seen the film, you can still probably guess how the montage concludes. It all comes to a head with Ellie’s passing, and words were not needed to express how deeply that affected Carl.
This was the essential foundation for Up. Carl had lost his Ellie, his everything. He was lost in the world, and in the process, he lost himself. It is all too easy to put ourselves in his shoes and feel that pain. Even thinking about it is probably enough to get most viewers misting up all over again.
2) Inside Out (2015)
Let’s be real, for Inside Out to accurately capture the emotions of a little girl (read: a realistic person), it was going to have to hit hard. As such, the movie was a pretty massive emotional roller coaster, and that’s part of why viewers loved it so much. The story resonated with viewers of all ages, with emotions like Joy, Disgust, Sadness, Anger, and Fear running across the screen.
The biggest lesson of Inside Out is Joy learning that Sadness has, and always will, play an important role in the emotional spectrum. Viewers and Riley learn this lesson in the process, and yeah, it’s beautiful and sad in equal measures, as life is meant to be. To help highlight this lesson, there’s Bing Bong’s sacrifice, which is easily one of the saddest moments of the film.
3) Finding Nemo (2003)
Finding Nemo is marketed as a comedy-drama and adventure, and while it does have its comedic moments, the beginning is deeply heartbreaking and upsetting. Sure, everyone loves quoting Dory after the fact, but when we’re actually sitting down to watch the film? That’s when the waterworks begin. The movie’s first ten minutes are honestly brutal, starting with Marlin and his wife settling into a happy little coral home. Viewers are then subjected to a hungry barracuda devouring most of the eggs and their mother.
The only survivor is little Nemo. The beginning is depressing enough without considering how Marlin must have felt while searching for his missing son. Yes, the beginning scenes set the foundation for an unforgettable film, but we can’t pretend it didn’t crush us in the process.
4) Toy Story 3 (2010)
Toy Story has never been afraid to portray sadder moments in stories. The creators know that life comes with good and bad, and the best stories incorporate multiple elements. We thought the sadness had peaked in Toy Story 2 with Jessie’s backstory, but we were wrong. Toy Story 3 is full of tearjerkers, starting with Andy making the difficult decision to give up all his toys.
The scene is easy to sympathize with, as we’ve all made calls about keeping or giving up precious items. Likewise, we had spent years getting attached to the cast, so it wasn’t hard to feel invested in what happened next. The film would then double down with the unforgettable incinerator scene, which we probably don’t even need to discuss.
5) Coco (2017)
Okay, it probably wasn’t hard to guess that Coco would leave viewers crying. Even the trailer didn’t try to hide that from us, with a plot revolving around the Day of the Dead. Truthfully, this movie does a brilliant job of covering such a complex subject as death, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t heartbreaking. The film has many tragic moments, which the characters are allowed to feel and explore, taking us along for the ride.
Interestingly, some of the heartbreaking moments aren’t just about death, or not directly. Miguel grew up with a secret love of music, which was shut down at every opportunity by his family (there are reasons, but those aren’t explained until later). From here, there are many unforgettable moments, as Miguel interacts with the dead and tries to make his way back to the living.
6) Big Hero 6 (2014)
Big Hero 6 is one of the earlier animated superhero films that Disney created, and it was a smash hit. Fans instantly fell in love with the heart and adventure of this team, and it was always surprising that there wasn’t a sequel film (though there was a television series). Big Hero 6 had a lot of high and happy moments, but none of those would have been possible without a couple of upsetting scenes.
The earlier scenes in Big Hero 6 help establish a few important characters, including Hiro and Tadashi Hamada. The former becomes the leading hero for his group, while the latter tragically gives up his life pretty early in the film. Tadashi’s death was caused by his kindness, as he ran back into a burning building to save others. Naturally, we wept alongside Hiro and supported his decision to honor his brother’s memory by becoming a hero.
7) Brother Bear (2003)
Brother Bear is one of many films billed as a comedy-drama that begins with sadness. The story follows three brothers, Kenai, Denahi, and Sitka. Sitka’s death happens early in the film, something he willingly accepts to save his younger brothers. However, Kenai was driven to anger and despair at his death, causing him to hunt and slay a bear (whom he blamed for his brother’s death). It’s tragedy after tragedy.
These scenes are essential to Brother Bear, as they explain how and why Kenai is transformed into a bear. It’s a raw and emotional film that doesn’t shy away from telling harder truths about loss and cruelty.
8) Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
Bridge to Terabithia is a movie based on Katherine Paterson’s novel of the same name, but that didn’t stop it from shocking a new generation of viewers. Those who didn’t read the book were blindsided by the ending, to put it mildly. Even those who knew what to expect were probably not emotionally prepared to see the story fold out on the big screen, with Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb bringing the story to life in such a blinding way.
Most people can agree that Bridge to Terabithia has one of the saddest endings of all time. Sure, it may try to give us an uplifting conclusion, but there’s no coming back from Leslie’s death. The novel and film were meant to help teach children that life can be hard and bring unexpected events. It’s also a reminder that life isn’t fair, and how we can’t always take back decisions or words.
9) The Good Dinosaur (2015)
There’s something about children’s films and dinosaurs that just screams for trauma, right? Many grew up on the likes of The Land Before Time, and vividly remember Little Foot’s heartbreak. A similar scene unfolds in The Good Dinosaur, a 2015 Disney Pixar film. Worse, fans might have gone into it with high hopes, since The Good Dinosaur promised a story in which the infamous asteroid missed Earth. It may have been reasonable to assume that there’d be no death in the film.
Wrong. It all begins with a flash flood. We all know how dangerous these can be, and The Good Dinosaur did not shy away from that fact. Timid Arlo, one of two protagonists for the film, has to watch his father die in the flood waters. As if that wasn’t enough, Spot (the other protagonist) has also lost his parents, leaving the two children to explore their grief together.
10) Maleficent (2014)
Say what you will about Disney’s endless remakes, they occasionally create something unforgettable. Enter the Disney line of villain origin stories, including Maleficent. Maleficent tells a darker tale of the powerful fairy behind Sleeping Beauty.
There’s one scene in Maleficent that is particularly unforgettable, and even those who didn’t watch the film are likely aware of it. At one point in the movie, Maleficent wakes up, having fallen asleep next to somebody she trusted, to find that her wings had been cut off. It was an absolute gut-punch of a scene, with symbolic trauma to really drive the point home. It’s one of those scenes that had layers, as younger audiences saw it as the horror of Maleficent losing her wings, while an older audience was able to interpret the darker meaning.
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