Movies You Like, But Have No Desire To See More Than Once

Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer - This is a great movie. It is also profoundly disgusting, disturbing and downright aweful. It portrays the serial killer mindset to a tee (as far as I know and I don’t want to know more), and is extremely graphic. I will never be able to wash some of the imagery out of my brain.

You know what? This could apply to every movie I have ever seen. Not that I don’t like movies, just that if I’ve seen it once before I really don’t care to watch it time and time again. Maybe that’s why I don’t buy movies; I rent them.

Books, however, are another thing entirely.

Dancer in the Dark made me fell utterly violated when I saw it. It was a wonderful movie, but it was so painful and sad to watch, that I felt like I was in physical pain by the time it was over. I’ll never watch that one again.

Rushmore was a great film, but I can’t watch it again in its entirety. I knew too many people like that . . . .

I’m never watching City of Lost Children again, and I think it’s a great film, but I’m not sure if it fits the topic, since I can’t honestly say I enjoyed it the first time.

Also, I don’t think I want to see The Man Who Wasn’t There again, though it was quite good, and I loved the cinematography.

I can’t believe I’m the first to suggest Requiem for a Dream. When I saw the thread title, it was the first to come to mind, followed by Dancer in the Dark. Both brilliant, both depressing. Ironically enough, I saw them back to back over two nights. Ouch.

Robocop. I still haven’t watched it again…too damned brutal and sadistic.

Fight Club. Now that I know the twist, it seems pointless to re-watch it for some reason (although I don’t feel that way about The Usual Suspects).

Impostor. I enjoyed this mildly at the theater, but again once I know the twist, rewatching it seems pointless.

The Matrix- I thought it was horrible until the end when I finally got what it was about.

Another vote for DANCER IN THE DARK here. I sobbed like a baby. I can’t watch that movie again, knowing what’s going to happen.

Saving Private Ryan

I thought this movie was great. Very moving, especially to me, a fairly young man, who for the next week had the quote “There but for the grace of God go I” stuck in my head.

But I refuse to see it more than once. I don’t want the effect it had on me to be lessened by repeated viewings. I don’t want to become jaded to the feelings in inspired.

Which ending?


Black Hawk Down
American History X
Leaving Las Vegas
Welcome to the Dollhouse