I was talking to the wife last night about a movie that I thoroughly enjoyed in the theater but had no interest in seeing again. That got me wondering why some movies that we LOVE we watch repeatedly, while other movies that we LOVE get one viewing. Any thoughts about why that is?
And by way of example, what are five movies you really enjoyed that you never want to see again and five that you could watch at least once a year for the rest of your life?
Never Again:
1) Schindler's List
2) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
3) Gangs of New York
4) Capote
5) King Kong
Repeat Viewing:
1) Blade Runner
2) Empire Strikes Back
3) Godfather, Parts 1 & 2
4) Breaking Away
5) The Matrix
9 comments:
Never again:
1. Schindler's List (fo sho)
2. Titanic (so what! I liked it!)
3. Sophie's Choice (still makes me sad)
4. Silence of the Lambs (I have seen it more than once, but the thrill was gone)
5. Jay's wedding video (Except the parts featuring the other bastards)
6. The Matrix. (glad I saw, really liked it, over it now)
7. The Harry Potter movies (I always enjoy them, but they follow the book so closely, there's no need for re-viewing)
Over and over and over and over
1. Gangs of New York (not just to piss Jay off, I sincerely like this more each time)
2. Waiting for Guffman/Spinal Tap/et al
3. All Planet of the Apes entries
4. Godfather saga
5. Lord of the Rings III (Can't get enough of climactic battle scenes, but the *&^%ing ending gets turned off every time. I can only stand so much soft-focus gay jumping about and smiling)
Uh oh, I think your "soft-focus gay jumping about and smiling" comment just invalidated our time together in pophead.
Great question!
Never Again:
1. Ghandi
2. Citizen Kane
3. Zodiac
4. Lawrence of Arabia
Often:
1. Miller's Crossing
2. Blade Runner
3. Lost in Translation
4. Fight Club
5. Paris, TX
Most of my "never agains" require a higher level of attention/concentration than I'm willing to spend repeatedly. The "oftens" are all so effortless to watch, and even watching just part of those is enjoyable.
Most of Speilberg's films are so emotionally manipulative their edges get dulled pretty quickly.
I can't come up with a Never again list. Sorry.
Over and over:
1. Young Frankenstein
2. Any Python
3. Mystery Train
4. Any Cohen bros.
5. Star Wars or Empire
6. Spinal Tap
7. Apocalypse Now or Full Metal Jacket
8. A host of cheesy comedies of the Caddyshack variety.
9. Beetlejuice
10. The Kids are Alright
11. Any Elvis
The current regulars in our DVD player, usually after an evening with my good friends Sam Adams and Jim Beam are:
1. Shaun of the Dead;
2. Grosse Pointe Blank (now the longest running regular we have had, replacing So I Married an Axe Murderer, which dropped out of the rotation a couple of years back after a very good run);
3. Royal Tenenbaums;
4. Ronin (just watched this for the 50th time on a flight yesterday, as it happens)
Ronin is a great movie. Definitely my favorite car chase scene of all time. I haven't seen Grosse Point Blank for a number of years, but I'd really like to see it again.
Good observations, Lurker! Zodiac goes on my never again list, too. I remember Ghandi as being downright ponderous, but I was 12 when I saw it.
Any Elvis, Joe? Those go on my NEVER ... PERIOD list. Ha ha. I would venture that all Coen Brother's flicks are over-and-over material. At least I can't think of any that wouldn't be for me.
Welcome back, Andy! I was beginning to think your man cold had developed into man double pneumonia. I have somehow never seen Ronin, but it's going on my Netflix queueueueue, as is Mystery Train and Paris, TX.
Paris, TX is, to me, an anti-Speilberg film. To me it's great because it has some very emotional moments that are allowed to just be what they are, no soaring music scores or smarty cinematography. Wim Wenders is one of my fav directors, Harry Dean Stanton is amazing and Paris, TX has a great Ry Cooder soundtrack. Watch it.
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