“It Fried My Brain”: 30 Movies People Had To Watch Again To Fully Understand
InterviewClarity is vital! Anyone who works in the movie and entertainment industry needs to find the balance between the creator’s elaborate vision and what resonates with the viewers so they’re not left utterly confused. If your project is too convoluted, then either the script, filming, and editing were flawed, or the audience needs a second viewing to truly appreciate the message, plot, and twist.
Members of the r/movies community shared the top movies that they only fully ‘got’ after rewatching them, from The Prestige and The Matrix to Donnie Darko and Fight Club. Scroll down to see which other flicks gave them the most trouble.
Meanwhile, read on for Bored Panda's chat with the redditor who started the thread, u/IDontLikePayingTaxes.
This post may include affiliate links.
6th sense.
TsenFormerParabola:
It’s an entirely different movie and beautifully sad on 2nd viewing.
Once the truth came out, it was a bug shock and everything that had been said and done was forgotten. Watching g it knowing that he was dedicated brought a lovely spin to it
This should be at the top. I noticed so many details and easter eggs the second time I watched it, now it's my all-time favorite movie
I was lucky/unlucky enough to see what was happening on the first watch because it seemed impossible that he could have survived that shooting. From then I was still enchanted by the way he "kept it secret".
I saw this in the theater on opening day. When the ring dropped, I heard a spontaneous collective gasp from everyone in the theater that was shocking. Never heard such a thing before or since.
I took way too long to finally see it - by then, I already knew the secret. What a letdown.
Or on the first viewing when some bugger tells you the twist- yep that was me in the cinema, thanks mum.
I first watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail when I was 9 or 10, but I remember for some reason having this preconceived notion in my head that historical movies, particularly those set in medieval times, were only supposed to be serious dramas. (I also didn’t know what Monty Python was.)
So I couldn’t understand why this movie about knights had scenes of guys comically getting their limbs chopped off or getting crushed by Trojan rabbits, and I couldn’t finish it.
A few years later I rewatched it, knowing it was meant to be a comedy, and it remains one of my favorite movies of all time.
Greatest film ever made. " I mean, if I went around saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they’d put me away!"
Help help I'm being repressed! Now you see the violence inherent in the system!
Load More Replies..."There are some who call me....Tim?" (Fun fact - apparently the character was supposed to have a more wizard-y name, but John Cleese forgot the line & improvised. They went with it.)
Watch "Life of Brian" which I believe is equally, if not more, funny as the Holy Grail... you silly English K----nig-hit!
12 Monkeys.
black_flag_4ever:
There are so many layers to this movie. One of the mind bending things is whether or not the person in the next cell is real at all, another time traveler, just a crazy guy, or possibly an alternate version of the main character.
I have this on DVD, and I didn't think it was particularly good. Then, about a year ago I got desperate for something to watch, and suddenly everthing fell into place
sometimes, we don't have the right age/mind/background to love a movie
Load More Replies...I’m really surprised those who love this film aren’t referencing the astonishing,, award-winning, highly celebrated source material: the 1962 classic masterpiece of filmmaking, La Jetée, by Chris Marker. He’s definitely in my top ten filmmakers and La Jetée and San Soleil in my top films. The Rive Gauche movement of French New Wave is the end all, be all of filmmaking and no one does it better than Marker. Not that he hadn’t already, but Gilliam really cemented himself as, if not an auteur, a master of film.
Yes!!! I'm a huge Terry Gilliam fan (Brazil is one of my all time favorites movies) and watched an interview several years ago where Gilliam talks about La Jetée. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I liked it so much I have seen quite a few Chris Marker films.
Load More Replies...TERRYble Gilliam, what a great movie . And Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis awesome performance. I love Terry's movies . Specially fear and loathing in Las Vegas
I should watch this one again. I liked the 1st time, but I suppose I'd like it even more.
Don’t get the wrong idea, Pandas: we absolutely adore stories with a twist! In fact, we live for them. Yours truly is a massive fan of projects like The Matrix, Coherence, Triangle, Dark City, The Thirteenth Floor, The Truman Show, 12 Monkeys, The Butterfly Effect, etc. I would love to talk your ear off about these movies all day long. And I’m constantly on the lookout for more similar stories.
We love it when filmmakers incorporate ideas of hidden worlds, misperceptions, conspiracies, and warped interpretations into their stories. And if they leave a trail of subtle hints and breadcrumbs for keen audience members to follow—even better! Sometimes, it takes a second or third viewing (along with a sprinkling of articles and YouTube reviews) to fully understand the story.
However, no matter how many captivating twists, layers, and easter eggs this story has, it still has to be presented in a somewhat approachable way.
Shutter Island.
TurtleRockDuane:
I came here to add to shutter Island. It benefits from an immediate rewatch. There are so many layers and wonderful nuances. For example, anytime during the movie that water is present, the main character is not experiencing true reality. In other words if there’s water dripping, or it’s raining, or scenes where it’s raining from bottom to top, those are untrue. But the moments of clear lucidity, without water, Are generally true (because of the importance of water in the main character’s trauma). Just one small nugget. There are a lot more that again benefit from Rewatching. And anyone that says they called the twist a few minutes in, certainly did not catch all those little nuances on the first watch.
I think movie Teddy was sane all along, and the hospital was evil. I don’t trust Ben Kingsley. :p
So do I. The theories about the ending continue to make my brain hurt. What's the true ending, what's not. 😵💫
Load More Replies...Damn I saw it many times and never realized the water thing. Now I have to watch again!!!!!
now i know that, i'm going to watch again (never notice the bottom to top water :/)
On my psychology lessons, I knew very interesting thing. That ppl see water in their dreams, when subconscious prevail. I think that's why in Inception so many scenes with water. And those scenes are very cleverly placed, when you know, what it is about!
I never really got into that one. Great cast and acting. But at the time there have been so many twist endings that this twist wasn't a surprise anymore.. seen it coming from a mile away.
Even that he was actually okay, but chose to pretend to be mad to undergo the lobotomy so he could forget?
Load More Replies...One of my favorites. Also if you have a mental illness it shows great insight. Similar to A Beautiful Mind.
I fell asleep first time I watched it, stayed awake on a date to see the whole thing(knew the ending), still found it really boring, could not get me to watch it again.
I tried to watch this THREE times and fell asleep every one of them
Fight club. Took me more watches than any other movie to actually understand it. Might be one of the most misunderstood movies, especially online. Definitely worth a rewatch if you don’t understand the purpose of the commentary and what each character represents to the protagonist.
towcar:
I also think fight club is a movie like shutter island, where "knowing what you know" makes the second watch that much better.
Great song by The Pixies and I think it was made better by the scene in which it played during the movie.
Load More Replies...It is definitely one of the most misunderstood movies of all time. They are not a role model and their goals are not good.
This!!! There’s this sort of clutching of pearls, mock outrage that the film glorifies psychosis with a base of toxic masculinity. When it’s actually quite the opposite & illustrating just how poor the response is to these ideas.
Load More Replies...OK I might have to give this a second chance, I hated it after watching it and thought it was so stupid but so many people tell me to try it again. I'll give it a shot. See if it changes my mind!
My all time favorite movie of all time, I got the narrator's spirit animal with the word slide above it tattooed on me
I was called for Jury Duty once. They asked my favorite movie. Answering Fight Club saw me excused. Someday I really want to be on a jury, it's wasn't intentional avoidance.
Load More Replies...Try watching it with descriptive video. Changes so much about it.
Must be a glutton for punishment. I barely made it through one viewing.
This is what I mean. I'm a GenXer and this movie was made for us, we understood it right away. And I didn't just get it, I lived the life in so many words. I don't watch these types of movies for entertainment, I watch them to have something to relate to.
You've to watch it a few times... Spoiler alert btw! When you see Brad Pitt in the... Yup, that part of the screen... Then you rewatch it and it all makes sense!
Blade Runner, though I was around 14/15 when I first saw it mid 80s and 18 the second time.
That second viewing was almost for me a "wake up" moment in my life, it just blew me away, Roy's character blazed put of the screen to me and it was probably the first time I ever truly contempled death.
This is my favorite film. My dad took me to see this opening weekend. It opened my mind to science fiction. Phillip K D**k is a master of the genre. They have made like 12 movies based on his novels. His stories all have creative concepts and are only like 200 pages.
"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate."
Blade Runner 2049 is amazing as well! Great visuals too! Underated movie for sure.
I knew I was going to live it in the first couple minutes. Highly futuristic sci-fi city, still a VW Beatle cruising around
Load More Replies...This is my favorite movie and for years while dealing with extremely reactive PTSD the soundtrack was the only thing that could calm my brain enough to sleep. The scene of Zhora crashing through the glass, knowing she was just trying to survive, not take over the universe or anything, but literally her original crime was just existing outside where she was allowed to... man it yelled into my brain.
All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain... Time to die.
I watched Blade Runner the second time after I watched Bubblegum Crisis the first time. Then they both made sense.
The audience needs to be able to follow along… for the most part. This isn’t to say that filmmakers should be catering to the lowest common denominator. Not by a long shot. But if you want your film to be widely viewed and discussed on a global level, you have to be willing to compromise in certain parts of the project.
This might mean ruthlessly editing your script for better clarity and running your story by various focus groups to see if people ‘get’ it. Films have to be entertaining. They have to be meaningful. They should make us reflect on our relationships with other people and the world at large. If the filmmaker is the only one who’s entertained and found meaning, there’s a serious disconnect. The movie is then more of an intensely personal project than something that ought to be shown on the silver screen.
The prestige gets better with every re-watch.
MaestroPendejo:
Which in itself is incredible. Usually any movie with a massive twist that is core to it doesn't really do well on repeat viewings. You know the twist so the buildup is meaningless. This movie is structured so beautifully and acted so perfectly you can't turn away. What you pick up on repeat viewings is astounding.
I agree that this film loses nothing and gains everything on a re-watch. Plus... David Bowie 😊
Sorry, but, I don't want to have to watch a movie multiple times to get it or, look up the explanation of it all on the internet. I want a one and done. I would rather spend that time watching movies I haven't seen.
So why are you reading a thread about movies you need to re-watch to understand?
Load More Replies...Absolutely agree! I hated it the first time I watched it, I thought it was stupid. A friend lent me their copy and told me to watch it twice through ... they were absolutely right! It was fantastic.
The Matrix.
83franks:
I was like 11 or 12 when i first watched the matrix and i mostly viewed it as a super cool action movie. I dont even think i knew what the matrix was at the time.
matte_black_heart:
I was 13 when it in was released in theaters. I just thought it was so cool. Knowing what I know now, it’s amazing how they were able to leave so many clues in plain sight that a lot of people probably didn’t see coming. I love it even more now that it is more relatable.
At the time, i thought The Wachowskis were really novel about everything. But seen YT about comparisons to anime an others, not as much. Still a great trilogi. Not counting part 4...
The movie Bound is in my opinion the best Wachowaki movie made.
Load More Replies...One reason I like the Matrix so much is that when I saw it in the theaters I knew nothing about it. Never saw a single trailer or commercial for it. My GF and i went to the theater, saw the poster, and chose to see that. The twist when he wakes up in the pod was mind-blowing.
Watched this way after it came out but didn't know what it was about exact beforehand. It was interesting, but the end made me not want to watch either it again or following sequels. Once you become superman, the plot really breaks down for me. I would love to have true AR but can't imagine how screwed up things would become for society in general, and that is without even considering where mankind has basically destroyed the world and it fight some machines.
My favourite scene on re-watch was when Neo is in the back of the car and they're trying to remove the "tracker"... Switch calls him "Coppertop" (IYKYK) ;)
I think I was adult when it came out. I tried to watch, but I just couldn't get what it was all about. Soon switched it off.
I watched it when I was a kid, like 13 od 14, and then, when I was 18 I was at a science camp, where we've analyzed it to the bits, you'd be surprised how much you don't see if you're not really looking at it or thinking about it.
Memento. I’ve seen it like 5 times, watched explanation videos, read deep dives, but my mind will not perceive it correctly.
Weird. I've only seen it twice. The confusion of the first time, and shock ending, is all it has going for it. A second watch it's just bland. I can't imagine seeing it five times and not understanding it. Takes all sorts.
Favorite movie of all time. Its the most beautifully sad ending once you truly begin grasp the enormity of the things left unsaid. One of the few films where the more I think about it, the more I question my purpose in life and the purpose of life itself. Brilliant!
This one is tricky but I loved it. I recommend not to see a movie called primer if you got confused with this one, will be a mess to your brain
Bored Panda reached out to the Reddit user who sparked the entire interesting discussion, and they were kind enough to share their thoughts on a few things.
We were very curious to get the OP's thoughts on whether or not all films should be easily understood by the audience the very first time they're watched.
According to the author of the thread, it's not just up to the filmmakers to cater to the audience.
"I don’t think they all need to be easily understood by every one on the first viewing," redditor u/IDontLikePayingTaxes shared their perspective with Bored Panda.
The audience, in turn, needs to put in the proper amount of effort to understand the movie, too. "Sometimes, it’s the audience's fault if some people don’t understand exactly what’s going on in the first viewing," the redditor explained.
Inception: worth rewatching to catch intricacies that I missed.
trylobyte:
Pretty satisfying on rewatch especially when you see all the emotional manipulation leading into that Inception scene. You get to appreciate Tom Hardy's character more and more. He truly was the creative one, the mvp. Love how the numbers in the safe was planted in each level.
I checked this article just to make certain that INCEPTION was (listed) here. One of my TOP 10 All Time Faves - and yes, it takes re-watching to fully understand, but gets better each time.
Load More Replies...You won't get it unless you've dreamed that you were dreaming and woke up then WOKE up.
I will never watch or re-watch a movie starring Ellen excuse me Elliot Page,
I will never watch or rewatch a movie with Ellen excuse me Elliot page.
It one of those rare cases, where to watch it second time was even better than the first.
Background music is the slowed down version of what they play to wake them up.
Gave myself a headache trying to understand it and when I was finally able to wrap my head around it, it got really boring.
No Country for Old Men, I’m actually still a bit confused.
Kapha_Dosha:
My takeaway from the movie was acceptance of what we cannot control.
Psychologist consider the villain as a perfect example of a psychopath.
Tommy - Lee Jones' speech at the end is such a brilliant one, fantastic film overall....
I love this one so so much . Javier Bardem made a great performance and Tommy Lee Jones too
look at the "real" one (original japanese version), for me, so much better
It's based off of a book by Cormac McCarthy titled "No Country for Old Men". It IS the real one.
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Pulp Fiction. On the second watch it was easier to put events in order and see how they connected. The first watch it all seemed like a big jumble.
Sam_Flot:
I felt exactly the same. It's a weird one, because unlike other films I didn't fully understand the first time, once you piece the story together it is not complicated at all
"It's the one that says 'Bad Motherf*cker' on it" When Samuel L Jackson was in the Star Wars movies, they wrote BMF on his lightsaber.
One year I bought these wallets for my male relatives. bad-mofo-6...9910ad.jpg
Great movie one of those movies where if they cut stuff out of it do to timing or swearing it ruins it
What was in the briefcase? Seriously it wasn't gold because it wasn't heavy enough.
Light bulbs apparently, just to ruin it for you!
Load More Replies...In other words, just because someone doesn't 'get' the plot, themes, or twists, it does not necessarily mean that the script or direction is at fault. In some cases, the audience itself needs to pay closer attention to the events, dialogue, and details.
Bored Panda was also interested to find out about the inspiration behind the captivating online thread. The OP was happy to shared this with us and referred to a popular 2016 sci-fi mystery.
"I watched Arrival for the second time and actually paid attention and got so much more out of it than the first time," u/IDontLikePayingTaxes shared with us.
"I was wondering if others had similar experiences so I decided to post the question on /r/movies."
I was ten when I first saw Stanley Kubrick's '2001: A Space Odyssey' and it was definitely not the right age for me to get what was going on. Years later on a second viewing, I fell in love with it.
ohliamylia:
I was also a kid (very into space and scifi) and I clearly remember being very enthralled by the idea of understanding what was going on, and less so by what was actually going on. I grasped the broad strokes but I could tell so much of the detail was lost on me, and I was so excited to eventually understand it. Really rewarding to watch it again (and again) as I got older and understand it more and more.
Also the reason I won't have an electronic smart lock on my door
Load More Replies...Dave, stop. Stop, will you? Stop, Dave. Will you stop, Dave? Stop, Dave. I'm afraid. I'm afraid, Dave. Dave, my mind is going. I can feel it. I can feel it. My mind is going. There is no question about it.
One of the most incredible films ever made. I was an assistant for several years in a college course that included this film. So I've seen it about 12 times. There is nothing in the frame that is arbitrary or accidental.
I'm so impressed by the special effects, I don't think I've ever tried to analyse the story.
It's amazing how well it all aged when I re watched it a few years ago.
Load More Replies...First time I heard the Blue Danube Waltz in its entirety and I fell in love. I was 13.
Kubrick era uno de los mejores directores que han existido. Ponía la música que el consideraba mejor y siempre acertaba , además de los planos perfectamente correctos .....era un genio con malos escrúpulos, pero un genio . Que aprecies el Danubio azul a tu edad me llena de orgullo, porque los chicos de ahora parecen idiotas y no valoran la cultura
Load More Replies...watching the movie's last chapter while listening to Echoes from Pink Floyd's album Meddle. It's a trip, kinda gives a different mood to the movie. There's videos on YT you can watch Dark Side of the Rainbow. Enjoy
I thought it was an absurdist comedy making fun of humanity. Isn't it? I am confused mow
Read the book. May be help you , then watch the movie again. Is more deep than just humanity comedy :)
Load More Replies...Always works , also the book are better . But this movie is a masterpiece , Kubrick nailed it , not only in the photographies also in the music and the silence . Fun fact, only have 20 minutes of ppl talking ......in space the sound can be heared . Sorry for my english
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Arrival totally baffled me the first time I saw it and proceeded to blow my mind the 2nd time when I caught on to the timeline sequencing. Fantastic movie!
IDontLikePayingTaxes:
I recently rewatched Arrival. I’m not sure what I was doing the first time I watched it. I remembered a lot of the scenes and some of the basics about what was going on but either I completely forgot the main point of the entire movie, I wasn’t paying close enough attention, or maybe I just didn’t get it through my thick skull for some reason. I decided to rewatch it last week and I couldn’t believe what I had missed and it’s now one of my favorite movies.
spoiler, really really don't read if you think you're gonna watch this great movie, really. Really ! ok, so spoiler : fantastic story line, the jump from present to future (when you think it's the past) to present (that you think it's future)... and the scene where she explains language, love it. love it all, the actors, the atmosphere, the visual, great movie.
i actually ready the short story this was based on when it was published. Didn't realize it was the same until the movie started. Was almost like going in for my 2nd viewing cause i was able to keep track a lot more.
My husband & I saw Arrival in the theater. It was honestly unexpected... we had no idea what it was about or what to expect. My husband had lost his 16 yr old son in hit & run a few years prior so it hit us exceptionally hard. We both quietly cried at the end & had to regain our composure before leaving our seats. What a movie. One of my favorites. Same goes for Interstellar. 'Love transcends time & space' 💗💗💗💗💗
Had to watch a 'explained' on YT to get it after the first time. Great movie!
Everything, Everywhere, All at Once. The first viewing I was distracted marveling at the oddness and the acting. The second viewing I was able to properly take in the story and I ADORE the movie.
Duel_Option:
I love all the obvious stuff that is pointing the themes out but I was too mesmerized to take in the first time.
The Grandfather in particular is my fav character in the movie, his stunned face at the end when confronted with reality is priceless.
And my fav scene:
“I’m gonna get you” as a rock…
Incredible film.
Ke Huy Quan also played Data in *The Goonies* and Short Round in *Indian Jones and the Temple of Doom*
I found this movie so tedious. Couldn't even make it past the half hour mark.
warning: possible spoiler: i never have been able to get past the 'bloody dildo' fight scene.....sorry, EEAAO is just not a movie iam interested in struggling through!!
Another one I need to rewatch. This list is giving me my holiday play list. lol
I would love to watch this with English voiceover. I cannot read subtitles and watch wth is going on without getting completely lost.
The problem is that some filmmakers and scriptwriters don’t get (or ask for) a different perspective. They believe that their vision should be completed ‘as is.’ Humility, then, is essential here. And that means asking for blunt and brutal feedback.
It’s easier for someone to understand complex ideas when they’re surrounded by that particular story day in and day out, during the creative process. These same ideas might be nigh incomprehensible to your average moviegoer. It then falls to movie industry pros to either slightly simplify those complicated ideas for the sake of clarity or to rework them entirely in favor of more down-to-earth ones.
Some ideas, no matter how brilliant, might be too complex to cover in just a single scene or a few lines of dialogue. In that case, the filmmakers need to lay the groundwork earlier on in the story. Or they need to find some creative metaphors that would help their audience understand the core issues without sacrificing the depth of the ideas themselves.
Donnie Darko. Upon a second watch, I finally understood the premise of the movie. Still a classic.
chrispmorgan:
This more than any other example I can think of showed me the power of editing in making a story work and why it must be a really hard part of filmmaking. The original is so weird and because I as the viewer believe understanding is just around the corner, I stay with it. The director’s cut has too much exposition but resolves more conventionally satisfyingly because I actually sort of know what’s going on.
The shift with “Blade Runner” I don’t think is as stark. I got the director’s cut of “The Counselor” and am curious to see if that really weird movie gets better with more/different footage.
If the director’s cut was considered the “real” one, I don’t think film geeks would love the “Donnie Darko” so much.
It would be nice if someone could explain this movie to me... I still don't understand it
Now I m gonna be very simplistic ( my english isn't good) Donnie chose love against be alive. I know is more than that but is a clue, at least aty point of view
Load More Replies...“Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion” - my absolute favorite superhero is Donnie Darko. Please put your viewing of this film in the context that he’s a superhero that has a power to travel time, even if he’s yet to fully comprehend that or how to control it. Then, you can see what he chooses to do with his powers which is save the world from being enveloped by a black hole or time portal or temporal vortex that would destroy the planet and all life as we know it. That a superhero doesn’t innately understand his powers, how he acquired them and what he’s supposed to do with them, is a great approach to the genre. There’s no fortress with messages from daddy explaining it all. Just one woman’s book that he has to seek out & interpret on his own, as a confused & mentally divergent suburban teenager with the angst & hormones of such. Amazing!!!!
I love how the character of David hasselhoff went burned and the miss ( that seems the Simpsons character) get burned . A brutal critic of society etc etc
Load More Replies...I mean, I understood what happened, I guess because I've read a lot of science fiction, but I don't get the reverence some people hold this movie in. Some say it's the best ever. I think it's mediocre, at best.
The Shining.
Duel_Option:
Oh man, lot of hidden things going on in this movie which is what makes it so amazing.
Highly suggest watching some YouTube breakdowns, especially about Danny and the bears.
Stephen King really, really hated what Kubrick did with his characters, particularly Jack Nicholson's interpretation. And I have to say that I agree with him.
Load More Replies...Possibly the most disturbing movie I've ever seen. But, still one of my top ten.
Haha I've seen YouTube recaps of movies that are even more disturbing
Load More Replies...Check out ‘Room 237’ It’s a documentary where different people talk about their theories as to what ‘The Shining’ means.
That documentary was nuts. I walked away thinking that all these people were overthinking the film a bit too much. Even Kubrick himself would have laughed.
Load More Replies...Yikes I saw this one, in the time I still watched horror movies. Scared the sh*t out of me!
People of the comments, what's your interpretation of the bear guy?
I think it had to do with an underlying theme of child abuse.
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A kinda different one than the ones said so far: The Big Lebowski. I had assumed because of how much people talk about it that the story would be bursting with over the top comedy, and it left me pretty confused. It wasn’t until subsequent viewings I realized how subtly infused every single line in the movie is. Now when I watch it I find myself quoting nearly the entire movie.
Fragrant-Hamster-325:
This is a good one. There are some over-the-top scenes but there are plenty of subtle bits that you appreciate more with additional watches. Like “this aggression will not stand” quote. The first time around I missed that he stole the line from Bush.
Not exactly subtle but I f**king love when The Dude sees Jackie Treehorn scribbling something on a piece of paper and thinks he’s found a clue. For a second you think The Dude is onto something, only to find that it’s just a doodle of a guy with a big d**k. But what really gets me, is a couple scenes later when he’s picked up by the cops. They empty The Dude's pockets only to find a supermarket loyalty card and the doodle of the guy with the big d**k.
Easier to catch on to the first time if you've read the Raymond Chandler novel that (distantly) inspired it.
I love Raymond Chandler, Dashielle Hammett and LA Noir in general
Load More Replies...One of my top 10 favorite movies of all time and definitely my favorite comedy of all time with Office Space and Grandma's Boy at a close tie for second. All three movies are about the words that are spoken, not slapstick and cringe like Will Ferrell and Adam Sandler movies.
Imagine The Matrix movies without the iconic red and blue pill scene. It summed up a huge chunk of the project’s essence in a memorable way that has ever since become an intrinsic part of pop culture. Without that scene, the issues that the film covers would have been that much harder to comprehend.
Of course, you always have the freedom to film your ideas as you see them in your mind because you fully believe in your vision. You want your project to be genuine. And complicated. And bizarre!
Interstellar. The multidimensional part was getting too complex to follow the first time around. The second time I was able to process it.
I tried to like this movie…this sci-fi movie…but for me it fell into the trap of too many high-concept sci-fi movies, “ We need a muguffin that explains time-travel/interdimension travel/saving the human race, and/or the Earth.”…”Love? How about love? Has anyone used that idea before?”…”Yeah… a lot of times…but it’s Friday, at 5:30pm, and I’m all out of any other ideas.”
Spoilers: I truly liked the movie, the premise, music, the visual effects, but the last 20 min and the happy ending were a little dissapointing to me... too Holloywood-like.
I absolutely hated this movie. Far too long, terrible soundtrack, nonsense plot.
Maybe I should give it another go then, I didn’t really enjoy it for some reason.
Awesome movie .First good movie of Chris Nolan on the post, yayyyyyy!
Honestly Fargo. First time thought it was boring and weird. Second time totally got it, thought it was awesome and weird.
Kapha_Dosha:
I'm lucky I watched Fargo only a few years ago (after having seen a review of the editing on YT). I don't think I would have appreciated the movie anywhere near as much if I'd seen it earlier in my life. The Coen brothers are so, subtle.
Trainspotting. First watch was at a friends. Watched it again like the next day with subtitles and realized I almost got the plot completely wrong because the accents were too heavy for me
Interesting bit of info: Jonny Lee Miller is obviously NOT Scottish, but some people working on the movie didn't know that. When it was finished filming he got into the car and started talking in his real accent, and the people in the car were flabbergasted!
Interesting fact, when Jonny Lee Miller went to film Trainspotting 2, he found he couldn’t do the accent anymore - he could only do a Scottish accent while “plastered” (drunk and / or intoxicated) and is now completely sober. So they had to bring in a vocal coach and his accent is slightly different than before x
Load More Replies...This is a hard movie to watch. heroin addiction is portrayed a little too well. Try 'Drugstore cowboys' if you are american and liked trainspotting.
It’s kind of a how to guide in some parts from what I remember
Load More Replies...One of the great movies. Reminds me of Alice's Restaurant. Another movie with many (contrasting) layers, up to and including social/societal commentary. In case anyone is in the mood: https://primewire.ph/movie/alices-restaurant-9jz8n/1-1
i cannot tell a lie. i put that letter under that mountain of garbage.
Load More Replies...At the same time, you need to remember that movies are a creator’s way of relating to the audience and society at large. You cannot expect people to rewatch the movie a dozen times until they finally ‘get’ the message.
Though, on the flip side, the audience then owes these filmmakers their undivided attention. If you were too busy looking at your phone instead of watching the movie, it's nobody's fault but yours if you feel lost!
L4yer Cake. It took me two tries to truly understand the movie. Once I did, it became a favorite.
UprisingAO:
This is a good one. I remember watching this with my parents. At the end my brother, father, and I were puzzled. Then my mom, who had been knitting the whole time broke it down and explained it to us.
One of my absolutes! Anyone else understand that the color yellow is in every scene in some shade or another?
I’m sorry, please forgive my amusement in the fact that the “distracted” person understood it better than those watching agog. I’ve always found I can process tv and movies better when my hands are busy being creative (crochet, paint, handmade jewelry, etc.)
Master & Commander.
PerfectlySplendid:
I hate that this movie wasn’t successful enough for an immediate sequel. There’s nothing else like it. Maybe Greyhound if you consider it modern.
The books are absolutely amazing! I enjoyed the movie, even though one of the main characters (Stephen Maturin) was horribly miscast.
Load More Replies...I've watched it a few times - a fine historical adventure - but not one I'd consider "confusing".
This is one of my all time favorite movies. It came out about the same time as the Two Towers so it basically got buried but it is highly under rated. I love that it's not about what it appears to be about. It's not a maritime war movie. It is not an action film. What its really about is the relationships between the men (and within themselves) on all different levels at all ranks. Even their relationship with the ship herself. Like when Captain Jack tells the men "this ship is your home, this ship is England" that's the whole premise for the movie right there. The acting is phenomenal; the chemistry between the actors is palpable. It also looks incredible and has a beautiful soundtrack. Its a masterpiece ❤❤❤
Love that Russell Crowe actually learned to play the violin for this movie! So underrated! Definitely in my top 20!
Load More Replies...I had always hoped for a sequel or two... a shame really... such a great movie... although the books are great as well
i totally wanted a follow up...i also wanted a follow up to the first (and only) of his dark materials movies...nicole kidman was great, as always
It gets very meta in the sci-fi universe. In a short series humanity is gifted the stars, but they have to travel through 2D Space, in double hulled wooden ships to use it. On their first trip they bring back a virus that wipes out all recorded knowledge, except that kept in very secure, air gapped digital facilities. One of the things that survives are the “diaries” of Captain Jack Aubrey, and Surgeon Stephen Maturin. These books are, in the future, considered biographies, because they contain so much day to day, and mundane information, and details. “The Two-Space War”. Another good series is the David Drake RCN novels. Both principle characters are heavily influenced by Aubrey, and Maturin.
Jacob’s Ladder. Did not understand on the first watch. Had a little explanation provided on the ending and then it made a lot more sense on the second viewing.
If you're frightened of dying, and you're holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But if you've made your peace, then the devils are really angels freeing you from the Earth.
And suddenly ‘Rabbit in your headlights’ is stuck in my head *again*.
Load More Replies...This is more of a horror movie than a psychological thriller. I hope when I die it is a peaceful one and not like this film.
Oh man, I watched this right when it came out in 1990 (I would've been 13) and it terrified me, but only because of the visuals - I had no clue what the film was trying to say. I finally watched it again a few years back and the story dawned on me and made the film that much richer and impactful.
I watched it s few years back because I had heard how great it was. Worst movie ever. Just my opinion, I know a lot people really like it.
My first thought was Training Day, but it took more than 2 viewings. I couldn't even pay attention enough to know that Alonzo was doing all that to pay a debt to Russian gangsters. But Denzel was so electric in it, I watched it for him.
Now, I think of it as an allegory for where you, the audience member, would decide to give up your future in the face of all the things he puts Ethan Hawke through. And also how easily bad people can use the system against young people with aspirations.
I think the biggest thing people miss on first viewing is the fact that everything occurred in just one day. It's easy to miss that with so much going on. Denzel at his finest, and yes, ladies, I mean his acting 😉
Denzel at his most Bad - a** - except for " Man On Fire " obviously....
I actually 100% believe TENET is meant to be viewed twice. Just as the protagonist has to experience the story before he can fully understand, so does the audience. SO MUCH better the second time.
This movie was such a struggle to get through. I kept telling myself: "there'll be a huge pay off, it must be building up to something." Nope, the whole thing was just a thin excuse for some cool vfx.
NOPE absolutely nope . That movie is a scam and I don't like it. Like inception ,bad movies to my point of view. Idk why Christopher Nolan make genius movies, ND then a c**p like tenet or inception. I know imma gonna be down voted but is the way o thing about that two movies, simply I can with that two ones
This is his masterpiece but it has flown over the heads of so many. It’s took me 3 or 4 attempts and a final two watches for it to click. This was a tough one to get & I went to a notorious So Cal college and got me a degree in film theory. Give it another watch if you have to or give it ten years. Eventually this will be a celebration of cinema.
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Tbh, I’m still not sure if I understand it all.
The_Bee_Sneeze:
Came here to say this. I first saw it on a date with a Harvard girl. I didn’t want her to think I was stupid, so I pretended like I wasn’t so confused. Turns out, she was afraid I would think she was stupid, too. It took us about 10 minutes of talking afterwards for us to admit we were both out to sea.
But that started an obsession. I’ve probably seen it 10 times now. There are a lot of masterful craft choices that make it such a tonally satisfying movie. That said, there are still some really, really strange choices.
Case in point: there’s an elevator scene where Benedict Cumberbatch mentions to Ciaran Hinds that his hand is bleeding. Then they go to lunch together. In the book, the whole reason his hand was bleeding was he broke into someone’s desk! No mention of that in the movie, and it never comes up again. Bizarre.
Mine too. Both the BBC version with Alec Guinness, and the version with Gary Oldman.
Load More Replies...I read somewhere that real spies consider this film series a very accurate representation of what spying is like.
I wonder if the bleeding hand mention is all that is left of a scene(s) which was cut? This happens some times, as in The Godfather II when Michael says to Hagan "I thought you were going to tell me you were taking your wife and mistress and moving to Las Vegas.". Turns out there was a whole subplot of Tom Hagan breaking from Michael and possibly turning against him. When those scenes were cut we're just left with the unexplained question from Michael.
I really want to watch this movie, and have tried several times. Unfortunately this movie and J.Efgar, without fail, put me to sleep.
I HATE THIS MOVIE!!!! I loved the book but they just decided not to hire a sound engineer who could record dialogue and the closed captions don't match what is being said. I've tried 4-5 times to watch it, know the story, and still can't figure out what someone is mumbling.
I found this movie very dry and uninteresting, even though it had some amazing actors.
Brazil. When I first watched it I thought it was awful but upon rewatching it is a classic. Same with Last Action Hero on the first watch thought it was awful on a rewatch it is a fun, but action comedy which breaks the 4th wall.
It's an incredible, disturbing movie. The final scene just destroyed me.
Most, if not all, Terry Gilliam films REQUIRE at least a second viewing to pick up all the nuances and layers. I know people go on about Kubrick as the most amazing director (though personally I find him to be overrated along with his films), but I think Gilliam is the more extraordinary one.
I'll second OP's description. When it came out, I thought it was childish, now it's a favourite.
“- Mrs. Ida Lowry: Sam! Can't you do something about these terrorists? - Sam Lowry: It's my lunch hour. Besides, it's not my department.”
The Dark Knight.
I didn't know what to make of the Joker. He wasn't like any representation prior. I eventually landed on the Joker being almost a supporting character as the true story arc was centered on the rise and fall of Dent. But that didn't seem right either. After several viewings it dawned on me as I payed closer attention to the interrogation room scene. He was the antithesis of Batman. The anarchist to the rule-bound. The killer to the one who does not kill. One who sees the villain in everyone to the one who sees the good in everyone. It was there all along, I was just so caught in earlier interpretations of the Joker that I really struggled to see what this version was supposed to be. Now that I see it, the movie fits together a lot better for me.
And he (the Joker) has absolutely nothing to lose and is okay with dying to prove his point. Theres nothing Batman can do to him or hurt him with. Counter to Batman who wears the mask to protect those he loves (Alfred and Rachel). "So this is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object."
A high school friend of mine (David Dastmalchian) made his big-screen debut in The Dark Knight - now he's a regular in Marvel and DC films/television.
“Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” ~Alfred Pennyworth
If you don’t have anything nice to say…I will try. it’s not my least fave film of his. I especially liked the camera cranes in the shots. Or the densely populated metropolitan hospital that teleported to a huge field as it blew up. I really like how they couldn’t decide if it was GPD (Gotham Police Department) or GCPD (Gotham city police dept) because they opted to put both acronyms on uniforms and cars throughout. So, to try to say something extra nice: the continuity editor probably learned that it wasn’t their job to suspend my disbelief and they single-handedly caused more incongruity and discontinuity than Lars Van Trier could ever dream to achieve. And they it all on their own since no director could be that negligent or clueless. Especially one who made Tenet. I will also celebrate it as an amazing achievement it “least common denominator” fan service. Not even Synder could pander in such a blatant & basic way. Not an easy achievement at all.!
Pretty great dialogue for Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/s/fyI6UmFPqV
Load More Replies...I like how the Joker is supposed to be an agent of chaos, but everything he does requires a lot of planning.
There hasn't been a Batman movie EVER that I did not fall asleep watching. They all sucked.
I saw David Lynch's "Dune" when it came out. I was nine years old and hadn't read any of the books. I was pretty confused.
That's what happens when you want to adapt a book like Dube into a single movie with bad special effects. If you've read the book it's all there, but compressed by losing a lot of context and explanation. The approach of the last movie is much better, more faithful to the novel and the context has not been lost, but of course, it is only part of the book.
Read the books, led me to dislike Paul Atriedes, so I never saw the movie.
Tried to read the book when I was a kid. Couldn't do it. Watched the movie. Hated it, but it gave me pronunciations. Read the book. Loved it. Watched the movie again. Enjoyed it. Then I read all the books (the ones that matter). It's a process.
I absolutely loved Dune on the first read, but I have done similar with other stories. If I can find audio books and radio plays too, all the better.
Load More Replies...Read the books, you will understand and you will feel the pain of that damn box......
Load More Replies...Yeeeah.. Dune. I don't blame anyone who hasn't read (at least) the first novel to be utterly confused by this iteration Dune. There are jumps and gaps and ... weird... choices all over the place. Allegedly there's some original cut out there that's something ridiculous ... (like... 12 hours long or something???) - but apparently sequels weren't a 'thing' then so they made David Lynch chop the whole thing down to an 'acceptable' run-time... thus... massive chunks of story and linking scenes were gone... so you end up seeing these disjunct sections of movie mashed together.
I am a huge fan of the book. Then David Lynch's movie came out and after seeing it the only thing I could think of was "How could you ruin such an amazing book?! Did you even read it?!"
This movie is the reason my husband and I are married. During a college class, he quoted half of a line, I quoted the other half and we just knew we had to start seeing each other. I can’t even tell you the number of times,I have watched the movie, and every time I find some little thing I have missed.
Love this one. Read the books. Still mad the re-make didn't say is was part one of two. And WFT is two?
They always said it would be at least 2 parts, now confirmed it will be 3. And the global pandemic kind of slowed everything down. Part 2 is coming in 2024.
Load More Replies...This isn't a problem of comprehending the story so much as understanding the appeal, but I'll share anyways. I hate hate hated The Grand Budapest Hotel the first viewing. I was a teenager, and all I could think of was everything looked freakishly symmetrical, the humour was surreal and made no sense, the acting was beyond over the top, and the aspect ratio changing was pointless It wasn't until my second viewing years later after seeing Fantastic Mr Fox and thinking I might now get the appeal, and get the appeal I did. Christ, my sides hurt so much and I legitimately almost peed myself laughing. I absolutely lost my s**t at "You see, there are still faint glimmers of civilization left in this barbaric slaughterhouse that was once known as humanity. Indeed that's what we provide in our own modest, humble, insignificant... oh, f**k it." I understood that the comedy comes from everyone being so cartoonish kind, optimistic, or literal twirl moustaches villains that it's not meant to be taken seriously. It has one serious moment from what I remember, but that scene is fully warranted. It's become one if my all time favourites!
i'm a little hermetic to wes anderson style, but this movie get me too, very funny :) and the actors <3 !
One of my favorite Wes Anderson movies; ties with French Dispatch for number one!
I can't say I'm a full-fledged Wes Anderson fan, but I do really like The Grand Budapest Hotel, along with Fantastic Mr. Fox. Isle of Dogs, though, is my favorite Anderson film - amazing movie!
Everything they described they hated, are the exact same things that made me love the movie since the first time I watched it!
I'm still f*****g confused by Zardoz. I get the broad strokes, but... what the hell?
ZorroMeansFox:
Here's what it boils down to --ideas which I think are truly great:
After a world-"ending" apocalypse, the planet's Elites live within a shielding power dome, where they have become immortal. And strange.
These Elites manipulate the "savages" who live in the ruins beyond their dome, giving them guns and getting harvested foods in return, using a False God as a means of control --a giant floating stone head called Zardoz.
The way the immortal Elites have become "strange" is the central focus of the film: They have become bored and jaded and impotent and petty and vengeful, turning on their own with cruel punishments for minor offenses.
One of these Elites has an undercover plan to end all this. This great scientist, the creator of Zardoz, starts to breed the savages over many generations, until he ultimately creates a Man who is superior in all ways to the Elites. He's smarter, stronger, more potent, and proves to have greater psychic abilities. He's bred this Man to create a being who could finally lead an invasion of the domed village, bringing the death that's subconsciously desired by the Elites, and ending their vacuous existences.
Sean Connery is The Man --who ultimately has the truth revealed to him when the scientist allows himself to be chased through the ruins of a Library, where Sean is shown the book that mirrors his existence (and reveals the meaning of the movie's title):
The Wizard Of Oz
The ending is a gonzo portrayal of Sean and his savage army destroying the Elites, and the final scene is a time lapse showing how Sean and his "wife" eventually went on to have a child before having a natural death from old age.
The sight of Sean Connery wearing a bright red diaper is forever etched in my memory. And not in a good way.
Refocus your mind on some of Charlotte Rampling's scenes.
Load More Replies...It does not improve on a second viewing. (And I think the explanation above is more than John Boorman and co were thinking when they actually made the movie!) If you want beautiful visuals from Boorman, watch "Excalibur" instead. It has Helen Mirren in a metal cozzie and Patrick Stewart attempting to pull the sword out of the stone. (And Liam Neeson too!)
Watchmen is definitely better second time round as there's so much to take in visually and getting to know the characters better. I love that film. However I won't be watching Interstellar again. Lol.
Watchmen rules. Just rewatched the extended version, so much better. Little bits of extra dialogue here and there flesh things out. And the Manhattan on Mars sequence about his origin and so in is unparalleled. "It's too late. Always has been. Always will be. Too late."
I 100% agree. Watchmen actually makes more sense with the change at the end. (All you Alan Moore fans just be quiet!) And Interstellar was boring AF.
Big fan of Watchmen, read the comic eons ago but I agree the film ending is better. Id argue this with Mr Moore himself.
Load More Replies...Upvote for watchmen , down vote for not liking intellestelar.........( Meh up vote, I don't wanna be mean , but intellestelar is a great movie :) )
😅...I almost fainted...how could you create such a tongue twisting typo two times in a row? 🤫 🧑🏾🚀 Interstellar 🧑🏾🚀
Load More Replies...I hated it first time, but I never read the comics. The mini series made me understand the movie, though I still like the miniseries better. I think you need to know a bit about the characters beforehand to get it.
Akira (1988). I actually had to read the whole manga then rewatch the movie to really grasp what was going on.
I saw it about twelve years ago, it was pretty confusing. I rewatched it at 35th anniversary at the cinema and I loved it.
I found the woman getting squished inside the giant bubble gum wad guy disturbing
Akira comics was far better than the movie, and tells you the whole story, anyway is a great movie that I enjoyed as an almost a teenager. The curious fact there are some lines that are racist ( the n word) that when they remastered , they erased . Ppl in 80 's where more racist than nowadays, I'm glad that we as society improved more and every time leas ppl is a f*****g racist
For me, the nihilism is still a meh. I don't like stories that end by just restarting everything again, feel so pointless and like a waste of time to me. But that's just my opinion
The Big Short.
Pinkumb:
Gets better every time! I think I've seen this movie 10+ times and I gain a better understanding of the issue each time.
Choice-Bus-1177:
Yeah even though they stop the movie and break things down to explain it like I’m 5, it still took a couple of watches to fully understand it. The economical crash was quite complicated for a simpleton like me.
If you want to understand this movie, read up on the Glass–Steagall Act (1933) and the effects of its repeal in 1999. There are a number of good explanations out there on the Internet.
Saw it two times, greatovie and real and all the actors makes an awesome performance
I saw Joe v the Volcano as a kid and was meh about it, but I really love it as an adult.
Duel_Option:
Saw it at 10 years old and loved it for all the little things…
As an adult I understand this movie is about a man searching for real life and avoiding pitfalls and taking a leap of faith with his partner.
“Where will we go?”
“Away from the things of man my love…away from the things of man”.
It’s a hidden masterpiece.
I love the part with the luggage salesman. "May you live for 1000 years". That guy almost steals the movie in 2 minutes
Joe vs. the Volcano is so underrated, dismissed as campy, goofy, strange, nonsensical, rom-com fluff. It's actually really thoughtful and insightful - as the OP said, it's a hidden masterpiece.
There Will Be Blood. I was bored af as a 17-year-old and now it's possibly my favorite movie at 33 lol.
Paul Thomas Anderson's movies dominate my top 10 list. Admittedly, There Will Be Blood does kind of drag a*s at times but it is an amazing movie. I've seen it more than once and don't think it needs multiple viewings to appreciate and understand but I can see that for others.
He is one of my favorite directors. I think you can pick better movies to watch by the director rather than any other factor.
Load More Replies...Cloud Atlas. It actually took me a couple of times to start it and pick up what was going on before I could make it through the whole thing.
Yeah, the book is amazing. I haven't watched the movie because I figure that there is no way it could be as good as the book.
Load More Replies...I think I watched it 4 times before I realized that was Hugh Grant.
Taxi Driver and American Psycho. Every time I rewatch them I notice something new that helps me bridge together the ending.
Spoiler Alert: If you're confused about the ending of American Psycho: the book is very clear about it and Bret Easton Ellis even said himself that the majority of the murders were real.
I couldn’t finish the book, it was so graphic, and I’m not sure I managed the film either! I do remember whatshisface being very good in the first half I remember watching though!
Load More Replies...Both of these movies have ruined too many lives. People look up to and emulate the leads. These movies are supposed to be warnings, not how-to videos.
Oh, what utter bull$hit. How many studies have to be done to show that entertainment/art don't have any impact on whether or not people do terrible things before everyone understands that these "god fearing" mental midgets are simply making one last desperate attempt to save their own a$$. These things aren't a justification for someone to do something terrible, merely an excuse after they're faced with the consequences of what they've done.
Load More Replies... Looper.
CouchMunchies777:
I love that film. It feels like it's one space between our own world and blade runner, just sitting square in the center.
I love the world, I love the characters, I love the story, Kid Blue is hilarious, Time Mutilation is a new fear, and it's just so damn interesting. I really felt the world they were giving us.
Eyes wide shut.
Duel_Option:
Hated it first time I saw it…now it’s my fav Christmas movie.
Almost time for a re-watch!
Don't forget to mention Tom Cruise as well! 🤸🏽🙋🏽😅
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Mulholland Drive. Namely, rewatching it and seeing the first person view of someone, you know, putting their head on a pillow and going to sleep sort of clarified things.
peioeh:
I saw it in theaters, it was a special day where after seeing a movie you could watch another one right after it for cheap. Mulholland Drive was the 3rd movie I watched in a row that day. It fried my brain, I don't even remember what the other 2 were. I was really wondering if it was the movie or if I was actually going crazy because 3 in a row was too much.
I should probably watch it again eventually.
This makes me feel like I should re-watch it. My sister loved it so I gave it a try when I was younger and just didn't get it. Possibly time to give it another chance.
There’s a coffee shop on Sunset Blvd called Winkies. There’s a dumpster in the parking lot. Don’t look behind it.
This is the only reason I can’t watch this movie again, despite having really enjoyed it the first time.
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Coherence.
The first time we watched it we had to keep backing it up to rewatch scenes, trying to understand the continuity or LACK of continuity to figure out who was from "where." The second time we watched it we STILL replayed a few scenes, but it was fewer times.
Very freaky movie, but the sense of the people being real people is very strong. Which makes sense because apparently none of the dialogue was scripted, only the basic outlines of each scene.
I would say Scott Pilgrim vs the world. When I saw it the first time I didn’t truly and fully understand Scott and see him as a cool guy and that’s why I didn’t understand that NegaScott was a really nice guy.
The more I watch the movie, the more I really don't like Scott Pilgrim.
I really liked the pace of this movie, along with pretty much everything else!
Heavens Gate The first time I found it painfully pretentious. But the second time it just clicked and now it's one of my all-time favorites.
The Lobster. If you love dry, twisted, sick humor, this is a gold mine. I bet I’ve watched over 30x by now.
Us— the first time I watched it in theaters, I found it hard to follow. I watched it again recently and I think the big key to me getting it was subtitles. I couldn’t understand what Red was saying and missed lots of little things that made the plot better and more intense. Great movie.
We watch everything (at home) with subtitles now, it genuinely helps catch lots of little comments etc that might have been missed otherwise.
Next level: try one with Audio Description turned on. It does for the visuals what subtitles does for dialogue.
Load More Replies...Maybe I'm just getting old but I watch most things with the subtitles on. Actors these days mumble and you don't know what they're saying half the time.
Apparently it's an issue due to the movie people making things for surround sound and almost no one having surround sound. Need at least a 5.1 to hear voices correctly on a TV.
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Michael Clayton. Watching it when I first did.... Was over my head.
Squigglificated:
This is such an awesome movie! I’ve watched it several times and it just gets better every time. I wouldn’t say I missed the main plotline on first watch, but it has enough depth to make repeat viewings very rewarding.
George Clooney apparently had to stand on a box for his scenes with Tilda Swinton to make him look taller.
Sideways.
The book is better, if only for the painfully accurate portrayal of hangovers!
Anchorman. First time I thought it was the dumbest movie I'd ever seen. About a month later I watched it with my kids and I was laughing so hard I was crying. I guess I wasn't in the right frame of mind for that humour the first time around.
I cannot watch anything with Will Ferrell. I just don't see the humor from this guy. It's more just stupid.
Comedy is what he's worst at, but that's almost all the studios give him to do.
Load More Replies...KUNG POW : ENTER THE FIST it is a movie that only gets better and better the more u watch and get the jokes. some jokes are so insane... like the ''i am a birdie too'' when master pain... i mean Betty, tries to send a signal as a bird chirp.
Midnight Cowboy. I first watched it in my late teens and didn't get the subtext. Watched it again in my 30s and it all came together.
That was a real reaction to the cabbie that had driven around the barriers and actually almost hit Dustin Hoffman
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Primer. Although I'm not sure two views was enough.
TonyDungyHatesOP:
Get the study guide… and even then it’s a head scratcher.
Ouch ...two isn't enough , three isn't enought and yes will break your brain. Awesome down rated movie . Also I saw it after saw another one. Drowning by numbers........ufffff
Synecdoche, NY. I remember Ebert saying how he watched it 3 times. First to watch, second because he needed to, and a third because he wanted to.
I’m thinking of ending things.
I only remember feeling incredibly relaxed after watching this, don’t ask me why.
The Life and Death of Col. Blimp is now one of my favorite movies of all time but when I first saw it I found it just okay. Several things kept me from really getting into. I thought it was a Peter Sellers comedy based on the thumbnail on Netflix. It has a very odd structure beginning in the “present” of 1943 before flashing back to 1904 and spending nearly half the movie there. It then rushes past forty years before spending the last third in the present. The main character is purposefully not very likable. He seems to represent the out of touch and pompous nature of the British Empire. On second watch, the beauty of it really hit me. It seems to touch on all the ridiculous pain and love of being human from when you are young to when you get old. In that way it reminds me of Don Quixote. I watch it regularly now.
The Master. When I first watched it, I hated it. Upon my second viewing it finally clicked and it’s my favorite PTA film.
La Grande Bellezza. Every time I watch that movie I pick up on more of its subtleties and nuances. Just a beautiful, brilliant film.
Glad to see Mulholland Drive on the list, though pretty much any David Lynch movie belongs here. I recommend Inland Empire if you want your mind blown.
The Fountain. Took a few watches honestly. One that I have seen a few times and still don't understand but still really enjoyed was Southland Tales.
The Fountain: seriously underrated with an amazing score. Still discovering nuances after watching it several times.
I've seen it a few times and read the Wikipedia page thoroughly and I'm still not sure I understand what Upstream Color is a about.
Before there was The Matrix, there was Dark City.. that one is a mindfúck if there ever was one.
I missed the intro when I first watched it. Honestly, it's SO much better without the intro, being every bit as confused as the guy waking up in the bath. Worked even better in Boston, where "you can't get there from here" is a real-world problem. What kind of a psychopath makes all the streets in a neighborhood one-way... the same way???!
Load More Replies...Cloud Atlas. The first time I watched it I was like "what the hell did I just watch?" The second time I watched it, I was on shrooms and I understood everything. It's actually really good!
"I was too young when I watched movie X, which has a perfectly straightforward plot. When I watched it again after my brain matured, I finally understood it." Sheesh.
Here's a challenge for folks. Watch Alfred Hitchcock's classic "The Birds" again. But change your perspective. You gotta get into the right frame of mind before watching it again. This time, root for the birds. OMG, it's glorious. You will bust ribs laughing so hard. Yell at the birds & encourage them when they are chasing the children. No, I was not drunk or on drugs doing this. Just one of my crazy moods. Yes, I am in therapy.
How about Primer? With all of the time travel I'm still confused even after multiple viewings.
Before there was The Matrix, there was Dark City.. that one is a mindfúck if there ever was one.
I missed the intro when I first watched it. Honestly, it's SO much better without the intro, being every bit as confused as the guy waking up in the bath. Worked even better in Boston, where "you can't get there from here" is a real-world problem. What kind of a psychopath makes all the streets in a neighborhood one-way... the same way???!
Load More Replies...Cloud Atlas. The first time I watched it I was like "what the hell did I just watch?" The second time I watched it, I was on shrooms and I understood everything. It's actually really good!
"I was too young when I watched movie X, which has a perfectly straightforward plot. When I watched it again after my brain matured, I finally understood it." Sheesh.
Here's a challenge for folks. Watch Alfred Hitchcock's classic "The Birds" again. But change your perspective. You gotta get into the right frame of mind before watching it again. This time, root for the birds. OMG, it's glorious. You will bust ribs laughing so hard. Yell at the birds & encourage them when they are chasing the children. No, I was not drunk or on drugs doing this. Just one of my crazy moods. Yes, I am in therapy.
How about Primer? With all of the time travel I'm still confused even after multiple viewings.
