mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
Earlier this month we had a nice discussion of books you can’t put down — the comments led me to buy several new books, the first of which I’ve already failed to put down (thanks for the Shadow Divers tip, Capt Grayson!). But a comment left by septer leads us to a related discussion about movies. Here it is:
You should blog about such movies too, ones that you wish you could erase from your mind, just so you can relive the experience of watching it for the first time!
This is a particularly interesting point, because we’re talking about something other than movies you love and like to watch over and over. There are lots of movies I love that I don’t wish I could relive watching for the first time. For example, I feel like Rushmore is a touchstone — I can watch it again every year or so and experience both nostalgia for the first viewing, as well as a new perspective on the movie provided by later viewings. But there are definitely some movies I’d zap my brain and watch again for the first time. Here are two favorites:
The Village - I’m not usually a big fan of twists, period pieces, or horror, but boy did I love watching this movie for the first time. In this M. Night Shyamalan picture, I actually figured out several of the twists long before they were revealed — but I loved that feeling of figuring them out, putting together the pieces. Knowing that a twist was coming (based on seeing The Sixth Sense), I kept an eye out for clues, and became a very active viewer, questioning everything I saw and trying to fit bits of evidence into various theories…all while watching and enjoying the movie. When the twist (and subtwists) were finally revealed, it was deliciously gratifying, and I remember feeling physically tired and happy after the movie ended. Wow. Subsequent viewings have been okay, but I’ll never get back that feeling of fresh engagement from the first time.
Adaptation - Again, this movie had a lot going on structurally that wasn’t clear to me at first. On the first viewing, I was utterly unaware of anything fishy going on until maybe a half hour in. At some point (perhaps during the scene — no spoiler here — when Kaufman describes movie-opener scenes going back to the dawn of time), aspects of the movie’s plot and narrative perspective start to fray around the edges, and I started to wonder what was actually going on. Watching it come apart was a revelation for me, as I enjoyed the movie on at least two levels. On the surface it’s a funny, touching, weird movie. Beneath that, there’s a meta-narrative about writing and identity that floored me. Anyway, I do enjoy watching this one over again, but I feel like now it’s more like studying a work of art — trying to figure out how the writer put it together — than the pure joy of experiencing the reveal for the first time.
So, what movies would you like to see again for the first time? (Please avoid posting plot- or twist-related spoilers in the comments!)
“Memento”, without a doubt.
It just doesn’t have the same “oomph” on repeated viewings.
Obviously, most films with skewed chronology or mysteries are not as good after the first viewing.
“The Usual Suspects”
“The Sixth Sense”
“Pulp Fiction”
posted by Vitajex on 4-23-2008 at 3:28 pm
It’s been a long time, and I don’t remember exactly how the twist went; but I’d say definitely Memento.
posted by Empty Jay on 4-23-2008 at 3:30 pm
definitely momento, sixth sense, the game, resevoir dogs, and dude, where’s my car? kidding on the last one. if you could just erase it, i would be fine with that…
posted by theYerg on 4-23-2008 at 3:35 pm
Vitajex: I completely forgot about The Usual Suspects! I came in half-way through the movie the first time. I had to go back and start over, but it wasn’t the same.
posted by Empty Jay on 4-23-2008 at 3:37 pm
I hate that someone beat me to Memento!! Best movie ever.
I’d also like to relive Legally Blonde and Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion. Okay, I’m kidding.
But I did like Fight Club, Matchstick Men, and Mystic River.
posted by Pearl on 4-23-2008 at 3:44 pm
Memento was my first choice, but my second choice has to be The Skeleton Key. That movie creeped me out so bad the first time.
posted by downchez on 4-23-2008 at 3:49 pm
I’d like to relive “The Illusionist”, even though I wanted to see it again immediately.
posted by Amy on 4-23-2008 at 3:49 pm
Memento, definitely. What about The Crying Game!!
posted by Christian on 4-23-2008 at 3:53 pm
No Question about it.
Star Wars.
And I mean the original one, not any of those sequels.
posted by Ed Hands on 4-23-2008 at 3:54 pm
Without a doubt, Fight Club. Not only was this movie incredibly underrated, It contained brilliant acting, sharp dialogue and a jaw dropping sensation that hollywood films fail to replicate to this day
posted by nes on 4-23-2008 at 4:08 pm
CADDYSHACK
DUMB & DUMBER
BILLY MADISON
posted by Bx on 4-23-2008 at 4:10 pm
I would agree on Memento and Fight Club for sure. Also the Machinist threw me for a loop the first time I saw it.
posted by Steve Plevak on 4-23-2008 at 4:11 pm
I was so confident I would be the first to post Momento.
I’ll give this one though: Matrix Reloaded. The architect scene still blows my mind hole.
posted by Els on 4-23-2008 at 4:11 pm
I was pretty confident I would be the first to post Momento.
Anyways, I’ll go with Matrix Reloaded. The architect scene still blows my mind hole.
posted by Els on 4-23-2008 at 4:13 pm
City of Angels.
posted by elegguaschild on 4-23-2008 at 4:17 pm
‘Big Fish’ definitely. The fantasy bit at the end really got me.
posted by heather on 4-23-2008 at 4:18 pm
Good call with “The Usual Suspects”. Im also going to have to say “Primal Fear” with Richard Gere and Ed Norton. Brilliant!
posted by Jeremy on 4-23-2008 at 4:21 pm
Like everyone else, I thought of Memento immediatly. Once you’ve seen it, and figured it out, it’s really a very basic movie.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Similar to Adaptation (weren’t they done by the same guy?), there are a lot of layers that only make sense at the very end.
posted by Jenny on 4-23-2008 at 4:22 pm
Thanks Heather, I am going to go home and watch Big Fish again tonight, great flick.
And definatly “Count of Monte Cristo” for the discussion. My brother dragged me to the movie which I thought was going to be an old timie French snooze fest it is easily my favoriate movie of all time, it is also the first time Jim Cavizeil was unjustly denied an Oscar.
posted by Witty Nickname on 4-23-2008 at 4:31 pm
The Others had a great twist!
posted by Christy on 4-23-2008 at 4:32 pm
My list is as follows:
Altered States
Night of the Living Dead
Idiocracy
And good call on Memento and The Illusionist. The first time I watched The Illusionist, I immediately watched it again.
posted by nikki on 4-23-2008 at 4:45 pm
The Life of David Gale. Hands down.
posted by ovaryacting on 4-23-2008 at 4:48 pm
“Into the Wild”, I sat in silence for a while after my first viewing… it’s not quite the same with a second viewing.
posted by Keri on 4-23-2008 at 4:49 pm
“Memento”, “The Sixth Sense”, “Reservoir Dogs”.
posted by Laura R. on 4-23-2008 at 4:49 pm
I would have to say “Pulp Fiction”, “Everythings Illuminated”, and “American Beauty”
posted by brookie on 4-23-2008 at 4:54 pm
“The Passion of the Christ”
Only because on subsequent fviewings it loses the emotionally jarring aspect that seeing it the first time gave me.
“Ladyhawke” I’ve seen it 40 or 50 times and will watch it that many more, but still wish I could enjoy it for the first time again.
“Sunshine” probably the most enjoyable hard sci fi movie I have seen in ages. I watched it on the edge of my seat and would love to have that experience again and again.
posted by Patrick B on 4-23-2008 at 4:59 pm
I am going to take a different route…..
Layer Cake
Snatch
Clerks
Kung Fu Hustle
posted by William on 4-23-2008 at 5:00 pm
How about the Matrix? It was such a ground-breaking movie and I will never forget my first time. Too bad the sequels destroyed it.
posted by Betty on 4-23-2008 at 5:01 pm
The Count of Monte Cristo, without a doubt.
note: I’m surprised someone else (”Witty Nickname”) already said it.
posted by Robert on 4-23-2008 at 5:02 pm
I second The Life of David Gale. That is one of the few movies that made me go “Holy shit!”
posted by Christine on 4-23-2008 at 5:09 pm
How about The Prestige? I liked it much better than the Illusionist, althogh they’re both along the same line.
posted by Lynne on 4-23-2008 at 5:14 pm
it’s funny the post below this is about labyrinths, because the first movie I thought of was “Pan’s Labyrinth.” when I saw it at the theater, it made me feel like a kid again. I still love watching it, but I don’t think any viewing will live up to the very first.
posted by Jessica on 4-23-2008 at 5:16 pm
The Prestige.
posted by Haley on 4-23-2008 at 5:18 pm
Dead Again. That’s the first movie I remember watching that really got me with the twist. I really started to pay better attention to movies after that.
posted by Rachel on 4-23-2008 at 5:34 pm
Is it so morally wrong to say I’d like to watch Schindler’s List all over again? I mean, history, in the case of a DVD movie, can’t repeat itself.I’m not causing another massive genocide by watching it again. I’m just jogging my memory and re-teaching myself Schindler’s story and the Holocaust. I get to feel humanized all over again. Er…maybe that is morally wrong.
posted by L on 4-23-2008 at 5:37 pm
“Stranger than Fiction” - I had no idea where that film was going and I loved it.
“Inside Man” - Great characters, great acting, Great twists.
“Matrix” - I don’t understand why people are so disappointed with the sequels. It seems that they liked the original for the special effects alone. The sequels do a great job advancing the underlying philosophy.
posted by n2y2 on 4-23-2008 at 5:46 pm
I agree with Jessica about Pan’s Labyrinth. I did feel like a little kid watching it for the first time. And thought I pick up something new every time I watch it, it’s not the same as the first time.
posted by Melea on 4-23-2008 at 5:59 pm
I agree with every movie listed so far, and don’t have anything new to add. However, I first saw several of these whilst quite drunk–so the next time I saw them the were fairly new to me! Alcohol does have useful functions…
posted by Amanda on 4-23-2008 at 6:06 pm
Ladyhawke, wow haven’t seen that in a while. Great movie. My choices are “The Crying Game” and one whose name escapes me and its driving me nuts. Its about these two boys who live with their father and their father comes home one day to say God was telling him to kill these evil people. One brother was all for it but the other didn’t want anything to do with it. Surprise ending. Can anyone help me with the title?
posted by Carol on 4-23-2008 at 6:13 pm
The Usual Suspects, Fight Club, American Beauty, and The Sixth Sense for those twists that make you go wow!
A Hard Day’s Night, simply because it’s just so funny and hey, it’s the Beatles!
posted by Melodye on 4-23-2008 at 6:15 pm
The Game absolutely blew my mind in the theatre… and Carol, the movie is “Frailty” with Matthew McConaughey.
posted by Megan on 4-23-2008 at 6:24 pm
American Beauty
posted by Eden on 4-23-2008 at 6:26 pm
Thin Red Line
Blade Runner
Rushmore
Igby Goes Down
American Beauty
Miller’s Crossing
Requiem for a Dream
Kingpin
City of Lost Children
posted by Andrew on 4-23-2008 at 6:28 pm
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (fitting?)
Life is Beautiful
Harold and Maude
Okay, so these aren’t the most twist-ending types but I’d still like to watch them for the first time again!
posted by jenny on 4-23-2008 at 6:33 pm
Thanks Megan, that would have drove me nuts trying to remember the title.
Another movie with a surprise ending was Arlington Road. As usual Tim Robbins was awesome in that movie. I highly recommend seeing it. Boy, I’m in the mood to watch a good movie now.
If you like old movies, I also recommend The Stranger with Orson Welles. Saw that on TV a few weeks ago and its as good as I remember it.
posted by Carol on 4-23-2008 at 6:35 pm
Echoing comments above: Star Wars/Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi (original releases); The Usual Suspects; The Sixth Sense; The Prestige; The Illusionist
A few others (all on a large screen):
– the extended Lord of the Rings trilogy
– Casablanca
– About a Boy
– Raiders of the Lost Ark (but not the following two)
– Pirates of the Caribbean (but not the following two)
– Ben Hur
– Gone with the Wind
– Sleepless in Seattle
and last but far from least:
– Monty Python and the Holy Grail
..bruce..
posted by bfwebster on 4-23-2008 at 6:39 pm
Mine would be: The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (one I also watch repeatedly), The Game, O and Big Fish. Most of them have been mentioned already, so I guess that means I’m in good company!
posted by Nicole on 4-23-2008 at 6:43 pm
Psycho.
posted by Friggin Becca on 4-23-2008 at 6:43 pm
Nueve Reinas (Nine Queens)… I believe there might be an English version, but I saw the Argentinean one and it absolutely blew me away! I thought I had it all figured out, too!
posted by Julie on 4-23-2008 at 6:43 pm
Fight club. That movie was great.
The game.
Usual Suspect.
Maybe even the Graduate, but that’s because it’s my favorite movie.
posted by Kinglink on 4-23-2008 at 7:07 pm
I forgot one more. Total recall, just for the inherent humor.
posted by Kinglink on 4-23-2008 at 7:08 pm
I know I will probably get laughed at for this, but I have to go with The Blair Witch Project. I was SO freaked out when I saw that movie for the first time. I was still under the impression that it was completely real. I almost had to leave the theater before it was over I was so freaked. And because I am kind of sick, I LOVED the feeling. I was highly disappointed upon finding out this movie was not real at all. Highly.
(Sorry if this is a duplicate, I didn’t do he captcha thing the first time.)
posted by Shanna on 4-23-2008 at 7:15 pm
EASY - I’ve asked myself this question many times and the answer is always AIRPLANE! I first saw this in unusual circumstances - an outdoor theatre on a tiny Pacific island (non-military radar site) - I had to work late that evening and I could here the guys howling all the way across the island so I had to rush over to see it. First and best of its genre.
posted by regger on 4-23-2008 at 7:47 pm
Dances With Wolves. Originally I saw this at an Imax theatre. Vivid.
posted by Jim on 4-23-2008 at 8:04 pm
Rules of Attraction
posted by jodie on 4-23-2008 at 8:08 pm
Kung Fu Hustle. It has some shocking surprises, and it’s pure joy to watch its brilliance unfold.
I wish I could forget ‘The Village’ too, but not for the purpose of rewatching it.
posted by Austin on 4-23-2008 at 8:11 pm
Definitely The Departed. Because that ending….
Also (in looking at my movie shelf), Serenity and Skycaptain and the World of Tomorrow.
posted by Kacie on 4-23-2008 at 8:18 pm
I think I’m tackling this from a different angle than most. What I’d love to see for the first time are my favorite movies from my childhood that I still LOVE today.
Every time I watch A Little Princess and Beauty and the Beast I get a lovely feeling- and I cry my eyes out, even though I’ve been watching them since they first came out in the early 90s.
I think it would be so cool to see them for the first time as an adult. I wonder if I’d still like them as much- or if a large part of my fondness of them has to do with nostalgia.
posted by Laura on 4-23-2008 at 8:33 pm
I agree with all the big ones listed so far (Usual Suspects, Fight Club, The Game, Star Wars, etc.), so I’m going to throw another David Fincher film into the mix because it hasn’t been mentioned yet - Seven. Or, if you prefer, Se7en.
The first time I saw it I was right there with Detective Mills asking, “What’s in the box!? What’s in the box!?” And then I found out. It was one of the most gut-wrenching scenes I’d ever experienced. Loved it :)
posted by SpaceMonkeyX on 4-23-2008 at 8:34 pm
Fight Club and maybe Donnie Darko.
Bourne Identity would be good too.
posted by Louisianna on 4-23-2008 at 8:35 pm
What? No one has said ‘Sleepaway Camp’ yet?
posted by rexology on 4-23-2008 at 8:44 pm
the two movies I’m going to say aren’t going to be very ordinary ones. When I first read this post i immediately thought of my favorite movies like magnolia or fight club but then i remembered the reason why i like these movies are because of the replay value. There is so much going on in movies like these that you need to watch them more than once so that you can analyze them and try and find things that you mite have missed for the first time. Half of the fun in movies like Fight Club is realizing that they never call Edward Norton’s character by his real name and that they never say what city they’re in. These are why my favorite movies don’t apply for this post. That being said the movie I can think of is one that requires a lot less brain power. KUNG POW… That’s right Kung Pow, the stupid dumb adolescent brain child of Steve Odekerk. You see, this is one of the simplest easiest to quote movies of all time, so simple in fact that when you see it more than once the humor is sucked out of it. I really want to luagh a this movie and not just at the memory again. :(
posted by chuck on 4-23-2008 at 8:45 pm
I’d say:
The Usual Suspects - That ending is incredible. I’d love to experience that again.
The Shawshank Redemption - No, not a surprise/shocking ending, but the buildup is wonderful. I’ve rarely finished watching a movie feeling so good.
posted by BajaJ on 4-23-2008 at 9:33 pm
Kung Fu Hustle is great…
First time viewings? That one is good, but also Memento (priceless on first viewing!), Count of Monte Cristo is awesome - I also thought I would hate it and now it’s one of my favorites, also Sixth Sense. Big Fish is great but it’s the same for me each time, I still enjoy it just as much. Totally Usual Suspects though. How about Total Recall?
posted by Kelly on 4-23-2008 at 9:38 pm
Lucky Number Slevin, Brick, The Butterfly Effect, Edward Scissorhands, Number 23, Secret Window, The Village.
There’s a big one I’m forgetting…
posted by Reese on 4-23-2008 at 9:41 pm
Are people picking Memento because it’s about memory loss? Or just because it’s one of those movies that you can’t really watch twice? Because it seems awfully funny to me that six out of the first ten comments picked it.
I’d choose Citizen Kane. You can watch it more than once and it’s always great, but the ending just makes the movie the first time around.
posted by k8lin on 4-23-2008 at 9:49 pm
Wow, I am surprised to see two of my favorites not on this list: The Spanish Prisioner and Pleasantville.
The Spanish Prisioner would fall under those twist endings that everyone is mentioning with Momento (which is the first one I thought of too…) but I think it’s an even better twist, not so easy to see.
Pleasantville is one of those movies that you are completely entranced by, and I’d love to relive the feeling I got the first time I saw the car driving through the lane with the trees…
Others that would make my list:
Momento
Fight Club
What Dreams May Come
The Game
The Sixth Sense
Kiss the Girls
Star Wars
Life is Beautiful
posted by Amauriel on 4-23-2008 at 10:03 pm
Spartacus - saw it at the drive-in with my parents. I was supposed to go to sleep in the back seat after the first feature, whatever that was. It was the first “grown-up” movie I remember watching and the movie that got me interested in movies.
The Day the Earth Stood Still - another first - the first “Friday Night Fright Night” movie I was allowed to stay up for and watch. I vividly remember splashing water on my face to keep me from falling asleep; but once that movie started. . . Wow. It’s also the first VHS movie I ever bought. And this year we have Keanu Reeves as Klaatu. Hmmmmm. . . .
posted by gwdMaine on 4-23-2008 at 10:14 pm
How has no on said “The Sting” the original oh-my-god-what-the-hell-now-I-have -to-rethink-everything-in-the-last-two-hours movie.
posted by Bill on 4-23-2008 at 10:17 pm
I can’t beleive no-one has mentioned The Shawshank Redemption - even though I’d read the short story years before watching the movie the ending really blew me away.
Momento is an equal first.
If you could erase The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - The Next Generation from my memory I’d be happy.
posted by Ian on 4-23-2008 at 10:19 pm
“Brokeback Mountain.” Only in this case, I’d not only erase the movie from my memory, but that time my brother had to be a jerk and ruin the ending. Perhaps I could say the same thing for “The Others.”
posted by Sillstaw on 4-23-2008 at 10:22 pm
The Shawshank Repemption, without a doubt it has one of the best endings of any movie, ever.
posted by Ian on 4-23-2008 at 10:23 pm
I’m surprised I didn’t see “Backdraft” listed in there, what with its nice little plot twists, effects and action. It was one of the best movies I’d ever seen, up ’til Twister and Dante’s Peak came out and outdid it in the “disaster” department. :)
posted by Myiasia on 4-23-2008 at 10:26 pm
I’m going to go a different direction on this one, but I would like to see Borat for the first time again… Watching that movie for the first time was freaking hilarious.
I will also re-affirm the previous posters with Se7en, Usual Suspects, Fight Club, and even Sixth Sense(someone spoiled that for me).
For added measure, I would like to get Dusk to Dawn out of my brain forever, so go ahead and zap that out while you’re at it.
posted by Jeff on 4-23-2008 at 11:02 pm
Duh. Memento.
posted by Benjamin Baxter on 4-23-2008 at 11:24 pm
The Spanish Prisoner - I found many but not all of the twists while watching it for the first time.
Planet of the Apes - That last scene…
Psycho - The original of course.
Hero - It knocked my socks off when I first saw it.
Twin Peaks (the series, not the movie) - Sometimes I still can relive that weird sensation I had when watching it for the first time.
Thank you all for mentioning movies I’ve never seen before. I will watch them and have that special first time.
posted by Marcel on 4-23-2008 at 11:30 pm
WAR - RI- ORS… come to playyy!!!! ;-)
posted by Anon Emous on 4-24-2008 at 12:26 am
1. Blue Velvet
2. The Godfather
3. The Swimmer
4. The Right Stuff
5. Pulp Fiction
6. Ground Hog Day
7. Papillon
8. Shawshank Redemption
9. 2001:Space Odyssey
10. Melody Fair (SWALK)
posted by juls on 4-24-2008 at 1:37 am
Fight Club springs to mind immediately.
American Beauty, because I remember being told beforehand that it was one of the greatest movies ever made, and I wish I could watch it again without that remark. (Although I love the movie now for its merits, I was impressionable at the time and would have ‘loved’ it anyway just because the people around me did).
Pan’s Labyrinth is another good choice.
Also, Fantasia. My favorite movie as a child, I watched it so much that the tape on the VHS got stuck and was subsequently ruined. I’d love to watch it for the first time as an adult and see if it holds the same magic it held when I was a child.
There’s plenty more, but the rest of the posters seem to have them covered, and my only original choice is Fantasia, anyway.
posted by Ana on 4-24-2008 at 2:00 am
I would have to agree with the Fight Club enthusiasts. When i finished that movie, i had a hard time seeing Brad Pitt in the same light again. Um, i really dont know how to explain much more without spoilers, so… moving on.
Others that have twist endings that lose their oomph when you see them coming are Michael Clayton, and I Am Legend (not the alternate ending, the actual in-theatre one).
One that is really messed up is the Mist. It is frustrating the entire way through, and then ARGHHH!!! i literally threw a pillow at the TV when it was done.
One that i COULD watch over and over because i can guess something different each time is Cloverfield. I didn’t particularly like it, but i dont have to forget i’ve seen it to get a different ending, i just watch it again, and come up with a different one than last time! its fun for years!
posted by Andre on 4-24-2008 at 2:08 am
The Shawshank Redemption
posted by Allison on 4-24-2008 at 2:10 am
Vitajex - I agree with your list. I would add ‘The Others’ as well
posted by JaneM on 4-24-2008 at 3:33 am
I’m going to list a comedy, just because nothing is ever quite as funny the second time around. For that reason: Shaun of the Dead. The scene where Simon Pegg kicks zombie butt to Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” is brilliant and I will never, ever forget hard hard I laughed the first the time I saw it. An amazing feeling. For thrill effect, has anyone else seen the Koren movie “Old Boy”? That was one movie that worth reliving for the “OH CRAP!”
posted by Heather on 4-24-2008 at 5:37 am
Donnie Darko, Pulp Fiction, Diary of a Mad Black Woman. The crackhead scene did me in.
posted by QuinO on 4-24-2008 at 7:50 am
To everyone who mentioned Shawshank, I watch this every time it’s on… and I always find something new.
Although, I LOVE certain parts every time I see it (I think I’ve memorized the whole Warden Norton dialogue for the ‘Man disappeared like a fart in the wind’ section).
I too would love to see Godfather afresh. Even though, I also watch it over again - not as frequently as Shawshank - it would still be great to see without knowing certain things beforehand (on my first viewing, the others watching w/ me - who’d already seen it- alerted me to certain horseheads/tollbooths/etc- just before their occurrence. That broke my heart, that broke my heart.
And just for the sheer silliness, I can always watch Dudley Moore in Foul Play, during his Swinger mode scene at the beginning. Hot hot hot!!!!
Why don’t we do a post on OUR favorite scenes/movie lines?????
posted by Amy on 4-24-2008 at 7:50 am
A couple oldies:
Rear Window - I watched it when I was a kid, it was the first movie that made my heart pound with excitement. I would love to feel that again.
Same thing with:
North by Northwest and Psycho- Hitchcock was a genius!
posted by Jakub on 4-24-2008 at 8:10 am
Has anyone got any suggestions for something to watch in the vein of ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’?
I’m also interested in books like this.
posted by Amy on 4-24-2008 at 8:16 am
I’d have to say Crash, because the first time I saw it I was totally blown away, but watching it again I don’t have quite the same sense of awe.
posted by Kristin on 4-24-2008 at 8:29 am
Abre Los Ojos
It’s the original Vanilla Sky, but I haven’t seen that Americanized version.
posted by Kelly on 4-24-2008 at 8:35 am
I agree with Usual Suspects (who can forget the slow-mo cup falling to the ground?) and Memento, but I think Frailty should make the list too. I thought I was going to choke by the end. YIKERS.
posted by Lisa on 4-24-2008 at 8:42 am
I would like to wipe every single BBC special staring David Suchet based on an Agatha Christie Poriot novel from my memory so I can relive being agonizingly wrong about who the killer is *over and over*.
I am a complete sucker for those movies. I’m one of those jerks that pause the film at the BIG REVEAL ™ and make everyone say who they think the killer is and why. ;) Love it!
I had the unfortunate experience of walking into The Illusionist when my roomie had already watched half of it, so I totally missed out on the WTF factor of the movie :/ So I’d like to wipe that as well.
Also, I’m totally going and renting Memento after reading this thread. o.o
I think that Wiping The Bourne Identity and watching it again would be a good move.
Other than that, I can’t remember the last movie that saw me leaving the theatre going “Holy Crraaaap, my mind is well and truly blown!”
I’d love to be able to relive watching all the Indiana Jones flicks for the first time, though.
posted by Ashley on 4-24-2008 at 8:43 am
CRASH - completely thought-provoking and beautifully done. Can’t get the same “jaw drop” the second time around.
posted by Paula on 4-24-2008 at 8:46 am
I’m a sucker for foreign films /directors so here’s a short list of the ones I wish I could see again for the first time…
La Mala Educacion, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Science of Sleep
L’Atlante, City of God, Amores Perros and one of my all time (American) favorites: It Happened One Night(swoon)
posted by Dominique on 4-24-2008 at 9:11 am
I’m not big into twists so many of those movies I’ve not seen but there are a couple that I’d love to relive that first viewing.
“A Beautiful Mind”
“Life is Beautiful”
Both amazing movies with amazing depth (to me).
Movies I’d just like to erase period include “Spotless Mind” and “Romy and Michele” Hours lost I can’t get back….
posted by Bethy on 4-24-2008 at 9:12 am
Oh and “Love, Actually”! I wondered for most of the movie what the deal was with the nekkid people! It was really cool to see how all the threads came together and how we weave in and out of each other’s lives :)
posted by Bethy on 4-24-2008 at 9:34 am
The two movies that I most remember being true cinematic experiences as a child were The Lion King and Hook. I’d love to do that all over again! In fact, I can’t wait to show these movies to my own children someday, just to see the awe in their eyes. (Might be setting my hopes up to high, there…)
Beyond my childhood years, I think I’d most like to experience The Count of Monte Cristo and Donnie Darko for the first time all over again. I’d never read The Count of Monte Cristo, and really expected to dislike the movie. I was beyond pleasantly surprised. I just loved it, and still do! I’m actually surprised more people haven’t listed Donnie Darko.
posted by Bethany on 4-24-2008 at 9:52 am
Being There.
Points in favor: Good movie, classic Peter Sellers, awesome ending that can’t catch you the same after the first time you’ve seen it, and not yet mentioned.
posted by Dan on 4-24-2008 at 10:48 am
So after I posted Spartacus and The Day the Earth Stood Still, I got to thinking, yeah, big impact on me, but what about the ending part? Bethany’s right - Donnie Darko needs to be listed more. And NOT the Director’s Cut. Watch it with some friends who’ve never seen it too. Guarantee you’ll have a great discussion about what the hell was that all about. Watch it again and you’ll probably start all over again. Everyone will have their own theory. Be warned, the Director’s Cut takes all that away - ruins the fun some might say.
28:06:42:12!
posted by gwdMaine on 4-24-2008 at 10:51 am
1. The Muppet Movie
2. The Phantom of the Opera (if I could erase both the movie and the theatrical productions from my mind)
3. Clerks
4. Memento (of course)
5. Pulp Fiction
6. Spaceballs (I know all the jokes by heart)
7. Clue (hate the continuity errors, but I still love this movie)
8. The Matrix
As a side note, I didn’t get the whole “feeling like a kid” bit about Pan’s Labrynth. I thought I was going to be watching a children’s movie (never looked at the rating) and BOY was I wrong. I liked the movie, a lot, but it just wasn’t what I expected. I was scared and shocked and overwhelmed, and I didn’t like feeling like that when I was a kid. Just my $0.02.
posted by Jamie on 4-24-2008 at 11:04 am
Lawrence of Arabia and Patton, preferably on the big screen. Both films fill me with such a phenomenal amount of wonder. They revamp my passion for film each time I see them and give me confidence in the life I’ve devoted to it. They’re two gloriously crafted items that should continue to be celebrated, and I would love to relive the initial amazement and glory that a first viewing entails.
posted by mary t. on 4-24-2008 at 11:09 am
Lawrence of Arabia and Patton, preferably on the big screen. Both films fill me with such a phenomenal amount of wonder. They revamp my passion for film each time I see them and give me confidence in the life I’ve devoted to it. They’re two gloriously crafted items that should continue to be celebrated, and I would love to relive the initial amazement and glory that a first viewing entails.
posted by mary t. on 4-24-2008 at 11:09 am
Some great ones and I know some have already been named - doesn’t make them any less classics:
The Usual Suspects
Fight Club
The Ring
posted by Joe on 4-24-2008 at 11:32 am
The Proposition, an Australian western film with a shattering ending.
(Someone said Old Boy… I hated that movie. It made me feel nasty and I had to have a shower afterward. The same director did do another about a lady seeking revence that was excellent though.)
28 Days Later did all sorts of emotional things to me, and I was worn by the end (but this was a good experience).
Also, if Asian movies are your cup of tea, Casshern was another good first time is best one.
posted by Celeste on 4-24-2008 at 11:36 am
Fight Club would be great to see for the first time again. This one may have been posted already but Seven with Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman would be good also.
posted by Justin on 4-24-2008 at 12:06 pm
“American History X”
posted by Jennifer on 4-24-2008 at 12:34 pm
No one for The Orphanage? I thought it was far better than Pan’s. It’s beautiful and sad and incredibly eerie– one of the best movies I’ll never watch again.
posted by Carly on 4-24-2008 at 12:43 pm
Monty Python’s - The Meaning of Life. First time I saw it was with my mom. I’d rented it in high school with some friends but didn’t get to watch, so before it was due back my mom and I stayed up late and watched it at 1am. I don’t ever remember laughing so hard. When Mr. Creosote waddles into the resturant my mother yelled “Stop the tape!” and ran into the bathroom to pee because she’d been laughing so hard.
It was a great night. So I’d like to relive that one.
posted by Hannah on 4-24-2008 at 1:22 pm
Wow, I can’t believe I only see the Empire Strikes Back once. The plot twist that Vader was Luke’s father was just incredible, and as a little kid I was awestruck.
posted by Dwayne on 4-24-2008 at 1:49 pm
The Game
The Usual Suspects
posted by Deskmonkey on 4-24-2008 at 1:57 pm
Jurassic Park, for the reveal at the watering hole.
Being John Malkovich, because the first time I saw it the NJ Turnpike was funnier each time till I could hardly stand it.
posted by Liza Jane on 4-24-2008 at 2:20 pm
Run, Lola, Run
Not because of any real twist, but because I had never seen a movie like this (and really haven’t since). It was such a unique and exciting experience to watch without knowing what to expect.
posted by Dave Allen on 4-24-2008 at 2:27 pm
I’d like to see a few movies of which I knew the ending prior to seeing the movie. This is generally because many of them were parodied or mentioned in other movies or television shows.
Citizen Kane
Planet of the Apes
Soylent Green
The Empire Strikes Back
Psycho
All fantastic movies, but if I could’ve seen them without already knowing the ending…
posted by Eric on 4-24-2008 at 3:11 pm
A lot of people mentioned The Village, but I don’t think anyone mentioned The Sixth Sense yet.
Some other favorites:
Blood Simple
Miller’s Crossing
12 Monkeys
Brazil
Silence of the Lambs
posted by Jeff on 4-24-2008 at 3:41 pm
Lucky Number Slevin - I skipped this movie for so long just because the title had me thinking it was a different type of movie. I was surprised by its’ style and also the plot twists.
posted by Fred on 4-25-2008 at 7:43 am
The Evil Dead trilogy (possibly not the most meritorious trilogy, but watching Ash evolve from frightened nice-guy to the chainsaw wielding wisecracker was nothing short of transcendent…groovy).
Kieslowski’s three colors trilogy
(no explanation necessary).
Barton Fink - Because it completely blew my mind.
posted by Jonathan on 4-25-2008 at 10:20 am
Hoodwinked
Mr and Mrs Smith
Rabbit Proof Fence
Cast Away
and my husband says:
Big Fish
Lilo and Stitch
Matrix
Garden State
Boondock Saints
Dawn of the Dead
posted by Dawn on 5-6-2008 at 3:28 am