Top 10 Serious Movie Funerals

Usually when a super villain bites the dust, it’s cause for celebration. Unfortunately for Peter Parker, every baddie he faces has an emotional tie to him. When Peter learns the Green Goblin is his best friend’s father, it hits him like a pile of bricks. While Norman Osborn’s demise isn’t technically Spider-Man’s fault, Peter is consumed by guilt at his funeral where Harry vows revenge. There’s so much our hero would like to confess, but since he has great responsibility to uphold, his secrets must remain masked until the sequel.

Concession stands would have raked in millions if they sold tissues when “The Fault in Our Stars” came out. It’s impossible not to get choked up as Augustus suffers a fatal relapse, his friends eulogize him at a pre-funeral, and he inevitably dies from cancer. While Willem Dafoe offers some comedic relief to soften the blow, there isn’t enough Kleenex in the world to withstand the gut-wrenching sight of Hazel leaving a cigarette pack on Augustus’ coffin and speaking from her heart. It’s definitely a 10 on the sadness scale.

Although seeing dead people seems like a curse, Malcolm eventually helps Cole to realize that his sixth sense is actually a gift. With his abilities, the young boy can help the deceased achieve closure and move on. Cole officially starts his career as a medium detective when he makes contact with a ghost girl named Kyra. He delivers a video to Kyra’s father at her funeral, revealing the haunting, shocking, and disturbing truth behind his daughter’s death. At the risk of beating a tired joke to death, what a twist!

You can’t have a serious funeral list without the queen of crying herself, Sally Field. As grieving mother M’Lynn, Field naturally bawls her eyes out at her daughter’s funeral in “Steel Magnolias.” M’Lynn might not ever understand why Shelby had to die, but at least she has several loving friends to pull her back from the brink of despair. Through kindness, optimism, and even a little humor, the girls manage to make M’Lynn smile on the saddest day of her life. Truly, these five are each other’s guardian angels.

Also known as “the movie where Macaulay Culkin dies,” “My Girl” never shies away from the hardest parts of growing up. When Vada learns that Thomas J. has passed, her childhood is obliterated. The audience tries hard to keep it together, but we can’t help but lose it as Vada attempts to awaken her dearest friend’s lifeless body. The scene does a heartbreakingly authentic job at capturing the denial and confusion children endure when confronted by death.

With a title like “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” it shouldn’t come as a massive surprise when Gareth suffers a heart attack at one of the weddings. Regardless, the death still hits the audience pretty hard. At a loss for words, Gareth’s partner, Matthew, is only able to convey his feelings through the poem, “Funeral Blues.” W.H. Auden’s words will speak to anybody who’s lost the love of his or her life, sparking conversations concerning what marriage means, what true love is, and whether finding the perfect match is a pointless endeavor.

Even if you’re not a Trekkie or Trekker, the entire galaxy wept when Mr. Spock died in “Wrath of Khan.” After his noble sacrifice, the Enterprise crew pays respect to the fallen Vulcan through tear-jerking speeches, a bagpipe tribute, and by launching his remains into orbit across a newborn world. Mr. Spock would live long and prosper again in the following “Star Trek” cinematic installment; nevertheless, this funeral has only become more difficult to watch since Leonard Nimoy’s 2015 passing. Like the vast recesses of space, though, his legacy is endless.

“Cruel Intentions” explores the sexual tension between two stepsiblings and a virgin caught in the middle of their bet. Using her sinful body and manipulative mind, Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Kathryn orchestrates a scheme that gets her stepbrother, Sebastian, killed. During her phony eulogy, Kathryn’s exposed for the devious bitch she is as copies of Sebastian’s journal are passed out to everyone. This modern retelling of “Dangerous Liaisons” remains true to its source material’s themes with Kathryn’s satisfying just desserts demonstrating that revenge is indeed a dish best served cold.

Nobody could ever tell when Andy Kaufman was being honest and when he was joking. Even when the comedian announced that he had lung cancer, some assumed it was another elaborate prank. His terminal diagnosis sadly turned out to be real, but that didn’t stop Kaufman from going out with a laugh. In “Man on the Moon,” a recording of this misunderstood talent leads his loved ones in a sing-along of “This Friendly World.” Where most funerals put an emphasis on death, this one is a celebration of life.

Before we bury our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Bruce Wayne’s Funeral
“The Dark Knight Rises” (2012)
- Professor X’s Funeral
“X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006)
- Royal Tenenbaum’s Funeral
“The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001)
- Darth Vader’s Funeral
“Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” (1983)
- The Crew’s Funeral
“The Perfect Storm” (2000)

We all know the Beatles are great, but “Across the Universe” exemplifies exactly why their music is so timeless and important. The messages behind their lyrics carry a deeper meaning than many initially thought, as represented in this brutal, unique, and beautifully sung rendition of “Let It Be.” With a gospel twist, the song lays to rest a young soldier and an even younger riot victim. Although tragedy strikes every corner of the world, this interpretation encourages us to use unbearable loss as inspiration to move towards a peaceful future.

Do you agree with our list? What movie funeral got you all choked up? For more serious Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.