# Movies You've Seen Dozens of Times but are NOT Your Favorites
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [August 2, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548 "2016-08-02T13:45:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/1 "2016-08-02T13:45:10Z")
Inspired by “Your Five Favorite Movies” thread. (I would link but that’s hard on a smart phone, at least for me.)
There are several movies that I have seen multiple times. Heck, some I’ve practically memorized, yet I never include them on any favorites list. I’m not sure why. But if I stumble over them while channel surfing, I’ll stay and watch.
For example:
**My Cousin Vinnie** : This one is always on somewhere, and I always watch. Always. I like it but I don’t love it.
**Long Time Companion** : This used to be always on somewhere. It’s about a group of gay friends and lovers dealing with AIDS. There’s a death scene that I always stayed tuned for whenever I ran across it.
**Month Python and the Holy Grail** : I can quote long stretches of it, word for word. Yet I never list it when asked about favorite movies. I don’t know why.
**True Grit** I like it enough that I avoided the remake. Again, never comes to mind when asked to list favorites.
**Apocalypto** : Gruesome and fascinating, but with such laughable flaws I can only shake my head. Typical Mel Gibson stuff.
**The Crucible** : My favorite Daniel Day-Lewis movie. But never given as a _favorite_ overall.
Anyone with more also fans?
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### Author:  [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/2 "2016-08-02T14:09:51Z")
Darn, missed the edit window.
That last phrase should be also rans, not also fans.
I notice in making this correction, that my phone substituted that word “fans” automatically. Why is it called a Smartphone again, when it is obviously as dumb as shit?
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/3 "2016-08-02T14:27:29Z")
**Return of the Jedi** : Part of a legendary series, but just not a good movie.
**Temple of Doom** : Same as above.
**There Will Be Blood** : A great movie, one of the best ever made by nearly all accounts, but occupies a bizarre space where it is somehow both “can’t-look-away” fascinating and boring as shit.
**Gangs of New York** : Chock-full of memorable scenes, but not the best work of anyone involved, and as a whole a great big mess.
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### Author:  [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/4 "2016-08-02T15:25:22Z")
**Searching for Bobby Fisher** - it might be a good movie but I am not a chess player, and have no reason to watch it multiple times but I have.
**Children of a Lesser God** - I have to watch it when it comes on the see the ba-boomarang-rang-rang scene
**Stand and Deliver** - Maybe I wished I had a teacher like Edward James Olmos.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/5 "2016-08-02T15:35:43Z")
I can’t think of many movies I’ve seen even one dozen times. Maybe Wizard of Oz and A Christmas Story because they’re annual favorites on TV.
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### Author:  [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/6 "2016-08-02T15:39:40Z")
I have no idea why, but anytime \*\*Twister \*\*comes on I end up watching the entire film.
I’ve probably seen it seven or eight times so far, but I predict I will reach a dozen.
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### Author:  [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/7 "2016-08-02T15:43:42Z")
_Beetlejuice_ - I know why I’ve seen it dozens of times. My darling wife will watch it any time it’s on. I still thoroughly enjoy the Harry Belafonte portions, but I grew tired of most of it by the fifth viewing. Really, she can watch any Tim Burton production repeatedly. I’m still delighted when _Mars Attacks_ is on, everything else is my signal for fining something else to do.
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### Author:  [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/8 "2016-08-02T16:10:57Z")
> [@scabpicker](#):
>
> _Beetlejuice_ - I know why I’ve seen it dozens of times. My darling wife will watch it any time it’s on. I still thoroughly enjoy the Harry Belafonte portions, but I grew tired of most of it by the fifth viewing. Really, she can watch any Tim Burton production repeatedly. I’m still delighted when _Mars Attacks_ is on, everything else is my signal for fining something else to do.
The Harry Belafonte parts are the worst parts of the movie. This whole “spontaneously” breaking into (either by lip syncing or a sudden sing-along) a pop or rock classic thing was original exactly once and wasn’t particularly clever even that many times.
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/9 "2016-08-02T16:12:12Z")
_Bullitt_ in my opinion is not a very good movie. But I’ve tuned in close to a dozen times just to watch the chase sequence.
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/10 "2016-08-02T16:22:29Z")
_Gone With the Wind._ My mom used to drag me to see it any chance she could, she just _adored_ the movie and story. When I was a kid I’d usually get bored and fall asleep at some point. I just never could get into it. Still can’t.
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/11 "2016-08-02T16:35:16Z")
_Independence Day_ – just a terrible movie that I watch every chance I get, and it’s on a _lot_.
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### Author:  [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/12 "2016-08-02T17:28:03Z")
_Legally Blonde_ - It has some cute parts but it’s generally not my type of film. I didn’t, for instance, have any interest in seeing it in the theater. Parts of it are down right annoying - the “bend and snap” scene is just excruciating - yet I always watch it when it’s on, and it’s on a lot.
_How to Lose a Guy in 10 Dates_- Another romcom that I caught on tv one day and, though it loses steam about half way through, Kate Hudson is so freaking adorable when she’s pretending to be the clingy, cloying pita girlfriend that I always figure I’ll just watch the first part and I end up watching the whole thing.
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### Author:  [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/13 "2016-08-02T17:37:27Z")
this thread demonstrates my theory on how we get the “new classics” not because there good … its just they get repeated so much that you memorize them …
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### Author:  [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/14 "2016-08-02T17:47:46Z")
[Man of Steel](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0770828/?ref_=nv_sr_1)
[A Knights Tale](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183790/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)
[Men in Black III](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1409024/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4)
[The Dark Knight](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4)
[Big Fish](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319061/?ref_=nv_sr_1)
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### Author:  [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/15 "2016-08-02T17:55:45Z")
I’m sure I’ve seen Miracle on 34th street more than a dozen times. And I mean the original version or the colorized original version not the new one that ruined it.
My son watched our Star Wars (original) on video tape almost constantly it seems when he was under 10 so I’m sure I’ve seen all of it dozens of times though I’ve not sat through it dozens of times.
I’m sure I’ve seen Wizard of Oz more than 5 or 6 times all teh way through and very likely I’ve seen it a dozen times.
For the past 3 or 4 years we’ve watched 1776 on the 4th of July. I’ve not seen it dozens of times but probably 6 or more times.
I watch The Sting almost every chance I get, but they don’t show it too often and I don’t have a DVD of that. That one gets my vote for movie I’d most like to forget so I could watch it for the first time again.
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### Author:  [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/16 "2016-08-02T18:49:46Z")
_ **Rounders** _
When I saw it in the theater I thought it was okay, strong cast, interesting story. But if I’m flipping through the channels, I just **have to watch it**! Especially through the final game between Mike and Teddy KGB. I know exactly what’s going to happen, I know who will win, but damn it. I have to watch it!
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### Author:  [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/17 "2016-08-02T18:54:42Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#):
>
> _Independence Day_ – just a terrible movie that I watch every chance I get, and it’s on a _lot_.
Yeah, what is it about this movie? Stupid, cliche, ridiculous contrivances, over-acting…and I stop at it every time I’m channel surfing.
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### Author:  [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/18 "2016-08-02T19:02:39Z")
I watch **It’s A Wonderful Life** and **A Christmas Story** every year around Christmas. I don’t dislike them but I wouldn’t consider them my top 5 favorite movies.
I don’t see many movies a dozen or dozens of times. I’ve seen **Born on the 4th of July** and **Shawshank Redemption** many times when still living with my parents because they are two of my dad’s favorites. Not my favorites whatsoever.
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/19 "2016-08-02T19:09:13Z")
> [@TroutMan](#):
>
> Yeah, what is it about this movie? Stupid, cliche, ridiculous contrivances, over-acting…and I stop at it every time I’m channel surfing.
Bright lights, sparkly stuff, explosions, action, etc… it’s eye candy. Meaning nutritionally worthless, may even give you an upset stomach, but it pushes buttons in the more primitive parts of your brain so it gets your attention anyway.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2016, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-youve-seen-dozens-of-times-but-are-not-your-favorites/761548/20 "2016-08-02T19:09:41Z")
I’ve seen Thor 2 three times in the past couple years and I have come to the conclusion that it is merely adequate. I know this isn’t dozens of times, but it is a lot.
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