Ray Bradbury once said, “A book not worth reading twice is a book not worth reading once.”
But movies aren’t books–are they?
Reservoir Dogs. I liked the film and the things it had to say and thought it had a really great ending, but I have no wish to see it again.
A.I.
Saw it once and thought it was fairly well made (until the ending), but I never want to see it again.
In the Company of Men. That movie was gutwrenching, and I was pissed at every male within 20 feet for a week. I can’t believe some video stores stock it in the comedy section.
Thelma and Louise.
Loved it, it really struck a chord with me, but there is no way I could watch it again. It would make me utterly despair.
Breaking the Waves is a wonderful movie, but it’s the emotional equivalent of being hit by a mack truck. I was reduced to a blubbering blob by the end. Interesting story, powerful acting, and I would recommend it to anyone else, but I wouldn’t ever watch it again.
Braveheart
Platoon
Saving Private Ryan
Steel Magnolias
Blackhawk Down
Of Mie And Men (the Sinise/Malkovich version)
Glad I saw them. Never want to sit through that kind of emotional blast again.
Oh, I was gonna say Platoon.
A couple other ones:
Blade - too gory, can’t stand all the vampire stuff
The Crying Game - once you know “the twist”, it’s kinda boring to watch a 2nd time
A Beautiful Mind - basically an awesome performance by Russel Crowe wrapped by a snoozefest of a movie.
Star Wars Episode I
Star Wars Episode II
Are you sensing a pattern here?
One Hour Photo
I liked ** Big Fat Greek Wedding **, but really have no desire to ever see it again.
** Lawerence of Arabia ** was good, but I’m probably gonna wait for a long time to see it again, just due to the sheer length.
American Beauty. I didn’t want to see it twice but my housemates had it on the other day and I joined. I remembered why I didn’t want to see it twice. I liked it the first time but there’s absolutely no subtlety in it at all. All I could do the second time was play MST3K in my head.
Life is Beautiful. I enjoyed it greatly, so much so that I bought the video when it was released, but I haven’t been able to watch it, and it’s been like 2 years already. It’s just really hard to psych yourself up to watch such a sad movie.
There are very few films I ever watch more than once:
Casablanca
Wizard Of Oz
Gone With The Wind
Citizen Kane
Cabaret
and a few others I flip through on cable and wind up watching.
But for the most part, I can really like a film a lot, and yet have no desire whatsoever to see it again. I mean, how often could you sit through Shindler’s List or Saving Private Ryan? They were good films, but I think once was ample.
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard in my life. I am normally a square, taciturn, American Gothic-like person, but MARY made me laugh until I was literally in pain.
Problem was, every time I laughed I HATED myself. For this reason alone, I don’t think I can bring myself to see it again.
It sure was fun. though!
Titanic
Dancer in the Dark
Titanic
Schindler’s List
The Accused
Silence of the Lambs
American Beauty
Midnight Express
…mind you, that’s just the beginning of the list…
“The Naked Lunch”. Utter, absolute, fearless dedication went into every moment of that film. From the script to the sets to the characters to the art direction to the performances, there is not one single thing to criticize in the entire movie. I have the conviction that “The Naked Lunch” represents the purest form of love for a subject that you will ever see in cinema. And I hope I never have to see another single stinkin’ frame of it ever again.
I loved Oh Brother Where Art Thou the first time, but find I’m unable to watch even a few minutes of it a second time.
I remember being devastated by A Man for All Seasons, and I would not willingly watch it again. I saw this movie while in college and remember my film major friend saying afterwards, “A great movie should be so cathartic that people commit suicide after seeing it”.
Almost every movie I have ever seen. I rarely will watch a movie twice. However, like the Great Bradbury, I often re-read my books.
Ironically enough, “Memento” is a movie that I don’t think held up particularly well to repeated viewings…