The Energon Pub

[Alex Jones]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film ... r-men.html

Not the Michael Bay atrocity or its vapid sequel. Those films have the emotional centre of a Quality Street. No, this is the animated 1986 version. Optimus Prime dying and passing on the leadership of the Autobots to Ultra Magnus. Heartbreaking. At least, it is if you're five, but we have no doubt that the film's power is undiminished by age (its own or ours).

[Chaoslock]

I don't agree with that list, there are a lot of "tear jerkers" that are more effective, than, say, the Gladiator: the new Dr. Strange animation movie, Gurren Laganns ending, a lot of DC animated-verse episodes...

[Alex Jones]

i think the list is more of a general survey of movies and not specific to anime.

[adamassc]

I found the ending of Alien 3 to be more emotional than Gladiator was.

[Windsweeper]

Definitely find the music is a contributing factor, but the dragon's death in Dragonheart used to make me misty eyed. I suppose the death of a truely noble individual will move anyone.

Have to admit the scene in the first Bay movie where the Autobots arrive moved me the first time I saw it. The music was heroic, yet strangely moving. Maybe it was the 23 year wait.

Though not a film, the death of Broadway in Gargoyles used to move me too.

Can't believe I nearly forgot the Passion of the Christ.

[Thinktank]

Have to admit the scene in the first Bay movie where the Autobots arrive moved me the first time I saw it. The music was heroic, yet strangely moving. Maybe it was the 23 year wait.

That song can get me by itself if I'm caught off guard.
Jablonsky just kind of nailed it to the wall with "Arrival
to Earth" It just has this noble yet tired sound to it
that cuts through my armor like butter.

As for the initial post's point and part of Windsweeper's
commentary. For some of us at such atender age Optimus'
death was a quasi biblical scale shock.

In closing, I did get misty during the (Toy Story 3)
incinerator scene in TS3. The whole scenes composition
is so dire and well constructed that even though a part
of the rational mind knows that there is like another
20 minutes of film left. The emotional half is having
a "HOLY #U%@#!?!!" moment. Maybe it was the look in their
eyes or the grim resignation on their faces...
Either way I was rather impressively jarred by the sequence.