The Impact of Emotion in Cinema: Films that Evoke Feelings and Leave a Lasting Impression

Spencer Hawken
6 min readJul 28, 2023
Screengrab from End Of Watch

When was the last time you watched a film that truly made you feel something? The truth is, most of us treat watching films as a way of passing time, but actually, we rarely engage fully in a film to the point that it makes us happy, sad, angry, or scared. Most of the time, our engagement with films leaves us feeling indifferent. However, there are certain films that possess the power to evoke strong emotions and create lasting impressions on their viewers. In this article, we will explore a selection of films that had a profound impact on me, ranging from anger and sadness to joy and nostalgia. Each of these films demonstrates the incredible power of storytelling and the art of filmmaking in eliciting emotional responses from the audience.

Eden Lake — Reaction: Anger

The film “Eden Lake” left me furious, but in a good way. Our protagonists, Jenny and Steve, played by Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender, head off for a romantic weekend at a man-made lake. However, they encounter a group of truly despicable youths, and it’s not long before they discover that these kids are more dangerous than they ever expected, leading to a devastating outcome. Director James Watkins employs clever storytelling techniques that keep the audience on the edge of their seats until the…

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Spencer Hawken

A multi-award nominated filmmaker with a passion for travel, film, finance and social media.