‘Avengers: Endgame’ Made Me Cry Like a Baby…Again

Endgame; it’s the film that ended three phases and eleven years of incredible storytelling. It’s the movie that made a billion dollars in its opening weekend and became the highest-grossing film of all time. But most importantly, it’s the movie that after over two dozen viewings still leaves me wiping my face free of tears because it is that emotionally impactful.

Last night I was feeling a little hungry for some wholesome Marvel content so I went straight to the good stuff; the last hours of Infinity War and Endgame.

Infinity War delivers a rush of emotions too but they are different emotions. Infinity War inspires immense joy and awe as The Avengers face Thanos’ army and Thanos on two fronts. Ultimately, The Avengers lose and as the movie comes to close one can only feel a sense of appreciative hollowness watching Thanos smile at the sunset after having killed trillions of people in the blink of an eye.

Four Years Later and I Still Cry At the End of ‘The Force Awakens’

Yesterday I was reacquainting myself with one of my favorite movies, The Force Awakens, and, as always, I was having a blast. In 2015 I went to see the movie five times in the movie theaters. It’s the most I’ve ever dragged myself to the theater to rewatch a film that utterly blew me away.

Yes, The Force Awakens is practically a rehash of A New Hope, but it’s still an amazing movie with fascinating themes and wonderful characters. And its conclusion is one of the best cliffhangers I have ever seen.

Rey arrives at Ahch-To seek out the beginning of her destiny, John Williams’ incredible score crescendoing with the falling of my tears. I don’t know what it is but no matter how hard I try I cannot refrain from releasing a tear or two while watching this chill-inducing movie ending. But it’s also rather interesting how the tears have changed over the years.

In 2015-2017 I cried mystified awe. I mean, Mark Hamill was back! Luke Skywalker was now a part of our lives once more and he seemed cooler than ever. I couldn’t stop crying tears of joy to see such an iconic character back on the big screen.

In 2018 I cried with a different feeling inside. The feeling that I now knew what happened to Luke in The Last Jedi and I was kind of sad yet still wowed by how the story evolved.

And now, in 2019, I cry with a sense of utter disappointment (and perpetual admiration of the fantastic scene.) The Last Jedi has grown on me, and not in a good way. I haven’t watched The Last Jedi in months and the more I think about it the more I realize it isn’t a Star Wars movie. Yes, the story does make sense if you look at it in context with ALL of the other films but it’s still annoying to watch on the fly. The only way I can tolerate it these days is if I watch it after a Star Wars marathon, which can be tasking.