I'm sorry Amp. I experience the same emotions. It's kinda like going through puberty all over again. Events like those can often come with high expectations and if they aren't met, then we get emotional real quick.
It's funny you mentioned the boyhood movie. I've been wanting to see that, but I have fears for what what you experienced. You may recall I was messed up emotionally after watching inside out. That movie really hit a chord with me. In that case it drove home what my boys are experiencing through divorce. I cried a lot. The next day I was still an emotional wreck.
It's just who we are for now. We'll level out for sure. Our brains and emotions are still rewiring.
I think a big part of recovery is learning how to deal with those emotions. The emotions come and then we respond in a certain way. The sooner we figure out healthy and productive responses, the sooner we level out. Trial and error. Either consciously or subconsciously, we are learning.
Where you are stronger now then before is that you didn't turn to alcohol to deal with them. You allowed yourself to live through them and you dealt with them naturally. If your response did not produce the results you desired, then you learned something. Again...either consciously or subconsciously.