Melancholy movies and shows: sad in the good way

448 titles tagged melancholy with an emotional weight of 1 or 2: wistful, quiet and reflective, without the full gut punch of the tearjerker list.

1. 1Forrest Gump (1994)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A simple man's extraordinary journey through history unfolds, chasing a love that always feels just out of reach.Paramount+ · Kanopy75
2. 2Your Name. (2016)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGTwo strangers swap bodies, navigating a dreamlike, whimsical romance with a touch of melancholy.Max
3. 3The Truman Show (1998)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA cheerful man’s perfect life slowly unravels as he suspects his entire reality is a surreal television show.
4. 4Howl's Moving Castle (2004)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA young woman cursed into old age finds whimsical adventure and a melancholic wizard in a world at war.Max
5. 5Dead Poets Society (1989)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGAn inspiring teacher encourages students to defy rigid tradition and find their own voices, stirring both joy and sorrow.
6. 6The Vampire Diaries (2009) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-14Two vampire brothers share an obsession with a mysterious woman, echoing a century-old, ruthless romance.Max · Peacock
7. 7The Queen's Gambit (2020) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-MAA chess prodigy rises through the ranks, battling intimate demons with earnest, melancholy focus.Netflix
8. 8Inside Out (2015)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGWhimsical emotions navigate a young girl's mind, learning that sadness is a necessary part of growing up.Disney+
9. 9Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14A 939-year-old immortal, a grim reaper, and a fated student navigate an epic, whimsical, and melancholy romance.
10. 10Call Me by Your Name (2017)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · RA nostalgic Italian summer unfolds intimately as a young man's first love blossoms with bittersweet melancholy.
11. 11The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · measured · RA legendary concierge and his protégé navigate a whimsical, darkly comic caper through a changing Europe.85
12. 12Cinema Paradiso (1988)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA filmmaker fondly remembers his childhood friendship with a projectionist and his first love for cinema.MGM+
13. 13La La Land (2016)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13Aspiring artists in Los Angeles chase their dreams, finding bittersweet romance amidst nostalgic, uplifting melodies.77
14. 14The Sixth Sense (1999)Properly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A child psychologist uncovers a boy's chilling secret, weaving a measured tale of suspense and melancholy.Apple TV+ · Peacock · Fandango at Home (free)
15. 15Futurama (1999) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14A pizza delivery boy awakens a millennium later, navigating a whimsical yet melancholic future with absurdist wit.Hulu
16. 16It's a Wonderful Life (1946)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA selfless man's Christmas Eve crisis reveals how one life profoundly shapes an entire community.Prime Video · Hoopla · The Roku Channel
17. 17Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · PG-13A mysterious stranger and a ruthless killer collide in an epic, slow-burn Western where melancholy hangs heavy.Kanopy
18. 18Blade Runner (1982)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · RA gritty, atmospheric Los Angeles detective hunts artificial humans while confronting his own melancholy existence.
19. 19Five Feet Apart (2019)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13Two young cystic fibrosis patients find their connection tested by the very distance that keeps them safe.
20. 20Over the Garden Wall (2014) · seriesMildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-PGTwo brothers navigate a surreal, melancholy forest, encountering whimsical characters on their journey home.Prime Video · Hulu
21. 21Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (2023) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14An elven mage confronts humanity's fleeting existence while fulfilling old promises in a melancholic journey.Netflix · Hulu · Crunchyroll
22. 22Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · PGAn epic adventure unfolds with dark humor and melancholy as a wizard prepares for a destined, tragic battle.Max · Peacock
23. 23Her (2013)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA lonely writer finds intimate, heartwarming connection with an AI, exploring love's evolving nature in a measured, melancholy romance.Apple TV+
24. 24Cowboy Bebop (1998) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-14Bounty hunters drift through a lawless solar system, chasing targets and trading witty, dark barbs.Crunchyroll
25. 25Casablanca (1943)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA cynical club owner navigates old flames and wartime intrigue in a city steeped in melancholy romance.Max
26. 26DARLING in the FRANXX (2018) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-14In a surreal, melancholy future, children pilot giant robots against mysterious organisms, their intimate battles darkly comic.Crunchyroll
27. 27The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A shy freshman navigates the pangs of first love and friendship with witty, melancholic earnestness.Kanopy
28. 28Citizen Kane (1941)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · NRA newspaper titan's life unravels in a melancholy mystery, piecing together the intimate echoes of a childhood wound.
29. 29Edward Scissorhands (1990)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A gentle, unfinished creation finds bittersweet love and acceptance in a pastel, whimsical suburban world.Disney+
30. 30When Life Gives You Tangerines (2025) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14A spirited girl and steadfast boy on Jeju island navigate a lifelong journey of romantic, earnest, and heartwarming love.Netflix
31. 31Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (2018) · seriesNo gore · measured · TV-14A witty, dry comedy explores surreal puberty syndromes and a celebrity's mysterious invisibility.Hulu · Crunchyroll
32. 32Captain Fantastic (2016)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA father's off-grid ideals clash with the modern world as his unique family navigates an emotional journey.Kanopy · Hoopla · Fandango at Home (free)
33. 33Young Royals (2021) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-MAA young prince at boarding school navigates royal expectations and a burgeoning, bittersweet romance.Netflix
34. 34The Apartment (1960)No gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA lonely clerk navigates corporate climbing and romantic melancholy through a darkly comedic New York.Kanopy · YouTube (free) · Tubi
35. 35Before Sunrise (1995)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RTwo strangers wander through Vienna, sharing intimate conversations and exploring life's possibilities during one fleeting night.The Roku Channel · Tubi
36. 36Fleabag (2016) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-MAA dry-witted woman navigates contemporary London, grappling with anger, grief, and modern life's absurdities.Prime Video
37. 37City Lights (1931)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · GA whimsical tramp navigates love and friendship, creating heartwarming moments with a blind flower girl.Prime Video · Max · Criterion
38. 38Wolf Children (2012)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA young mother navigates the bittersweet challenges of raising two extraordinary children with wild, hidden natures.Max
39. 39In the Mood for Love (2000)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · PGTwo neighbors in 1960s Hong Kong find intimate melancholy in a slow-burn romance of unrequited love.Max · Criterion
40. 40The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A man ages in reverse through a whimsical, melancholic life, finding bittersweet romance along the way.Kanopy · Hoopla
41. 41The Legend of 1900 (1998)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA foundling piano virtuoso lives his extraordinary life entirely aboard an ocean liner, playing haunting, whimsical melodies.
42. 42The Crown (2016) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-MAA melancholy, intimate drama unfolds across decades, revealing the measured intrigues of British power.Netflix
43. 43BEASTARS (2019) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-MAA gentle wolf grapples with primal urges while a darkly-comic murder mystery unfolds in a beast-filled world.Netflix
44. 44Tokyo Revengers (2021) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · TV-MAA desperate man time-travels to save his middle school girlfriend from a ruthless gang.Hulu · Crunchyroll
45. 45Control Z (2020) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · brisk · TV-MAA high school hacker exposes everyone's secrets, and an observant student navigates the tense, gritty fallout.Netflix
46. 46Rain Man (1988)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA self-centered man discovers an autistic brother and a fortune, embarking on a heartwarming, intimate journey.Prime Video · Max · Hoopla
47. 47How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)Mildly scary · emotionally heavy · measured · PGAn epic animated adventure unfolds as a chief and his dragon face impossible choices for their kind.
48. 48Flow (2024)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PGA lonely cat drifts on a whimsical, melancholy ark, learning to belong in a world remade by water.Criterion
49. 49Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RAn eighteenth-century painter captures a reluctant bride's essence, sparking an intimate, melancholy romance on an isolated island.Max · Kanopy
50. 50Crash Landing on You (2019) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-MAA South Korean heiress crash-lands in North Korea, finding unexpected romance and suspense with an army officer.Netflix
51. 51Stand by Me (1986)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RFour young friends embark on a gritty, nostalgic journey that blends wholesome humor with melancholy self-discovery.Max
52. 52My Holo Love (2020) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA lonely woman finds unexpected love with a humanlike hologram, mirroring his prickly creator in a melancholy romance.Netflix
53. 53Love, Rosie (2014)No gore · measured · RBest friends navigate life's romantic highs and lows, always finding their way back to each other.Starz · Hoopla · YouTube (free)
54. 54Gabriel's Inferno: Part II (2020)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA professor's belated realization about a student's true identity sparks a melancholy, intimate pursuit of lost romance.
55. 55Love Alarm (2019) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measuredA melancholy love triangle unfolds as an app reveals who secretly harbors romantic feelings nearby.Netflix
56. 56Mr. Nobody (2009)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · RA man's life unfolds in multiple realities, a dreamlike journey through love, loss, and profound choices.Hulu · Kanopy · Hoopla
57. 578½ (1963)No gore · emotionally heavy · a slow burn · NRA famous director retreats into surreal memories and melancholy dreams, searching for inspiration he cannot grasp.Max · Criterion · Kanopy
58. 58Big Fish (2003)No gore · emotionally heavy · measured · PG-13A son pieces together his dying father's epic, dreamlike adventures, revealing a life of whimsical passion and tall tales.Tubi
59. 59given (2019) · seriesNo gore · emotionally heavy · measured · TV-14A melancholy musician rediscovers his passion when an earnest singer's voice intimately changes his world.Crunchyroll
60. 60Barry Lyndon (1975)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavy · measured · PGAn Irish rogue's cunning rise through 18th-century English society unfolds with atmospheric, melancholy grandeur.

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