Abyssmal

The 1989 film, Abyss, always captures my attention, even though it's by James Cameron. Of course, it stars Ed Harris, reason enough to watch it, or anything (still waiting for Riders of the Purple Sage to come out on DVD) ...But I watch the ending to see if I can contain my sentimentality. And I always lose, as I have just now.

Plot? "A civilian diving team are enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and face danger while encountering an alien aquatic species." Harris plays Virgil Brigman, sort of a driven hydronaut, and his estranged wife is Mary Elizabeth Mastroantonio. They are on this deep sea mission together and sort of get back together and then he goes off into the deep to save the ship and she thinks she's lost him after just finding him again. I always cry, too.

But on the brink, he is rescued by kindly and superadvanced aliens who have monitored their underwater texting, Virg and his wife, and discover their spousal attachment ("I love you, wife.") and decide for that reason not to destroy the otherwise violent and dangerous human race. Did I say Abyssmal?

And in the end everyone is rescued and saved. Harris and Mastroantonio meet on the wet surface of the huge otherworldly craft and she says, "Hi, Brigman" and he says, "Hi, Mrs Brigman" and they smile and kiss and I always have tears running down my face. Alan Silvestri's score helps.

I know, turn in your man card, Ex cathedra. But I can't help it.