The recently released Pixar film Lightyear premiered to mixed reviews, receiving praise for its stunning visuals but criticism for its generic plot. It doesn’t live up to the rest of the legendary films from the Toy Story franchise, which are known for their incredible emotional depth. Some of the animated movies use tear-jerking flashbacks to make it easy to sympathize with characters like Jessie, whose past is highlighted in a heartbreaking sequence.
This is why it’s not surprising to see that exact scene on Ranker’s list of the most emotional flashbacks in cinematic history. The other saddest moments the site’s users voted for often reveal crucial details about characters’ stories and motivations, making them more compelling and likable.
Note: Ranker lists are live and continue to accrue votes, so some rankings may have changed after this publishing.
O-Ren Ishii’s Tragic Backstory (Kill Bill: Vol. 1)
Director Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Vol. 1 tells the story of the Bride, who goes on a mission to murder a group of assassins known as the Deadly Vipers and their leader Bill after they ruin her wedding. She’s determined to get revenge, with O-Ren Ishii being among her first targets.
Some of the best action sequences in Kill Bill involve O-Ren, as she’s a skilled fighter who has tons of experience as a Yakuza leader. A gruesome flashback reveals what she had to go through to get to that point, as the violent murder of her parents motivates her to kill a yakuza boss and train as an elite assassin before eventually replacing him.
A Family Dinner (The Godfather Part II)
The sequel to 1972’s The Godfather, director Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II, depicts Michael Corleone’s experiences as the new Don of the family. Although he was once a reluctant outsider, he has increasingly become a ruthless leader who doesn’t tolerate even the smallest betrayals, even if it is from his own brothers.
This is why the flashback towards the end of the film that shows a family dinner is so emotional. It portrays the brothers sitting around a table while waiting for their father, and arguing over Michael’s decision to quit college to become a soldier. Only Fredo defends him and even congratulates him, which is ironic considering Michael eventually decides to get him killed because of his treachery.
The Real Cause Of The Fire (Manchester By The Sea)
Director Kenneth Lonergan’s critically-acclaimed psychological drama film, Manchester by the Sea, is centered on an asocial janitor living with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, Lee Chandler. After his brother’s sudden death, he’s put in charge of his teenage nephew, which prompts some painful memories to resurface for the protagonist.
A flashback shows what really happened on the night of Lee’s children’s deaths. After he forgets to put the guard in front of the fireplace because of his drunkenness, a fire starts and engulfs his house along with his children as he’s out buying more liquor. What follows is a scene that’s almost too painful to watch, as his distraught wife begs firemen to let her save her children and Lee stands in disbelief, still holding his alcohol.
Happy Memories Of Clementine (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)
The cult classic sci-fi romance film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has a lot of scenes that take place in Joel Barish’s mind. Directed by Michel Gondry, the movie portrays Joel’s attempts at using a firm’s services to erase his painful memories of his ex-girlfriend, Clementine Kruczynski. In the process of doing so, however, he realizes that not all of them are bad experiences and he doesn’t want to forget her after all.
One of the most moving flashbacks of Clementine highlights a sweet scene under the sheets where she asks him if she’s ugly before describing a sad childhood memory. The vulnerability and honesty they share at that moment make Joel want to desperately fight back against the procedure.
Anton Ego’s Favorite Meal (Ratatouille)
Director Brad Bird’s Ratatouille is a Pixar classic that revolves around the unconventional alliance between the talented rat, Remy, and a restaurant’s garbage boy, Linguini. With Remy controlling his actions, Linguini is able to produce delicious food. They both face their biggest challenge yet when the cynical food critic Anton Ego decides to pay them a visit.
Remy prepares the titular dish for the critic, which transports Ego back to his childhood. The flashback reveals how his mom would make a version of that dish for him after a hard day at school. This makes the once villainous character more sympathetic, not to mention the way it changes him throughout the rest of the film, reminding him of his humble roots.
Del Griffith’s True Family (Planes, Trains And Automobiles)
Often cited alongside the funniest movies from the 80s, director John Hughes’ Planes, Trains and Automobiles depicts the unlikely friendship that forms between a high-strung executive, Neal Page, and a wacky salesman, Del Griffith. They spend three days trying to get Neal back to his family in Chicago before Thanksgiving, going through comical misadventures along the way.
A surprisingly heartwarming flashback shows Neal remembering all the fun moments he has with Del and realizing that he has become a true friend. This results in him stepping off the train and asking Del to go with him to Chicago, who admits that he doesn’t have a family of his own, as his wife died several years ago.
Teddy Daniels’ Identity (Shutter Island)
Directed by Martin Scorsese, Shutter Island is a gripping psychological thriller film that follows the story of Edward "Teddy" Daniels, who goes to the titular location to investigate the case of a missing person who murdered her three children. The real reason for the staff’s refusal to cooperate and the cryptic lines from some patients are revealed in a chilling flashback.
As the doctors in the facility explain to Teddy that his real name is Andrew Laeddis, his memory of that traumatic day re-emerges. The flashback shows Andrew walking into his home to find his wife out back, along with his dead children. He murders her after realizing she had drowned their kids, believing she was helping them.
Jessie Gets Left Behind (Toy Story 2)
Some of the best Toy Story characters like Jessie are introduced in the second film, which is centered on Woody’s experiences after being stolen from a yard sale by a toy collector named Al McWiggin. As Buzz Lightyear hatches a plan with their friends to rescue him, the kidnapped toy enjoys meeting Al’s toys that were designed based on the same show Woody’s character is from.
One of the toys Woody befriends in director John Lasseter’s Toy Story 2 is Jessie, who he has a big fight with. Everything changes after Jessie’s heartbreaking past is shown in a flashback, though, as the toy has abandonment issues because of the way her previous owner grew up and gave her away. It’s similar to Woody’s fear of abandonment with Andy, making the scene even more emotional.
Edward’s Hands (Edward Scissorhands)
Director Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands is an iconic fantasy romance film about the titular protagonist, who struggles to fit in since he’s an artificial humanoid with scissors for hands. After he’s taken in by a family with a kindhearted daughter, he finds himself falling in love with her.
Edward’s flashback reveals the tragic event that still lingers in his mind. The scene shows the Inventor’s sudden death after presenting Edward with a pair of hands he made for him. The protagonist ends up ruining these hands with his scissors as the Inventor falls down and dies, though.
Hector’s Song For Coco (Coco)
In the Pixar film Coco, the 12-year-old boy Miguel dreams of becoming a musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. His family’s bizarre ban on music makes that challenging, though, but a series of mysterious events lead the protagonist to the Land of the Dead where he learns the truth about his family’s past.
Directed by Lee Unkrich, the movie shows the fateful meeting between Miguel and Hector, who turns out to be his great grandfather. Ernesto’s murderous betrayal made Miguel’s family believe that Hector abandoned them, which couldn’t be further from the truth. A stirring flashback depicts how Hector used to sing to Coco, which is how Miguel manages to remind her about him later in the film.