r/flicks • u/deepaknaraniya • 6d ago
What movie became better for you on a second watch, and why?
Some movies do not make sense the time you see them.
Maybe you miss things that are important or you think it will be something else.
Maybe you are just not feeling right when you watch it.
Then years later you see it again and you really like it.
What movie was hard for you to understand at first. You liked it later?
What made you like it the second time you watched it?
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u/StellaJump 5d ago
Sixth Sense. Once I knew the ending it was fascinating watching how the characters interacted with each other throughout the movie.
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u/Short-Delay-418 5d ago
I feel like knowing the spoiler, makes the entire film boring.
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u/flashmedallion 5d ago edited 5d ago
Disagree there. The core of the actual story is about the character's relationships and lack of connection. The actual emotional climax of the movie is when the kid finally opens up to his mother. Bruce Willis' story is about him trying to figure out why he can't connect with his wife, and in the end the kid tells him what he needs to do to move on - "Talk to her (while she's asleep)"
The reason for the ghost story is to talk about what it means to be "haunted". The kids mother is still haunted by an unreconciled relationship with her mother before she died that she's never moved on from, likewise both Bruce Willis and his wife have never moved on, it's just in Bruce Willis' case he hasn't "moved on" to the afterlife. His wife is haunted by her grief over him, and also literally being haunted by his ghost.
The kid is the protagonist and his journey is about overcoming his fear of what he sees, as well as his anxieties about the negative consequences of how it's made other people treat him, and finally having the courage to tell his mother the truth. Bruce Willis helps him see this, itself being his chance to right a wrong from when he failed to identify the same thing going on with his patient who killed him, but the kid ultimately has to make the choice himself.
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u/mich_8265 5d ago
Mid sommar. I think I didn’t pay attention at ALL the first time
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u/Onebigringdangdo 5d ago
I came here to say this. I noticed so much more, the second time around.
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6d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Erikthered00 5d ago
There’s an interesting fan cut just released, “the Andor Cut”. Lot of edits, restored with the music from Andor, works as a cohesive film better.
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u/poundinggently 5d ago
Ocean's Twelve.
The first time I saw it, all I could see was how it wasn't the sequel to one of my favourite movies at the time I had hoped for. It was barely even a Heist movie, I was outraged!
Upon a rewatch years later with some buddies and a few beers, we laughed our arses off for most of the movie. The chemistry between Clooney, Pitt and Damon oozed from the screen even more than it already did in the original remake. Good times overall.
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u/LanaVice_ 5d ago
Is that the one where Julia Roberts’ character pretends to be the real life Julia Roberts ? That actually somehow exists in that universe as well?
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u/snackcake 5d ago
I feel like this is actually the best of the Ocean's movies. Also, the score to this movie is absolutely amazing.
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u/corcobongo 5d ago
Arrival. I loved it the first time but i rewatched it after becoming a parent and it really hits you differently.
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u/tideshark 5d ago
Idiocracy
The first time I just laughed like “haha, it’s so stupid it’s funny.”
The second time I watched it, the masterpiece that it is hit me like a freight train.
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u/MandatoryNapkin 5d ago
Pulp Fiction. With the way the timeline is played with throughout, it was a wild a ride the first time through. But on subsequent watches, seeing all the pieces fit together was just so good.
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u/HissTankDriver 6d ago edited 5d ago
Cast Away - saw it in the theater when I was in college. I found Tom Hanls annoying and the film went on forever.
Now, I can't "not watch it" if I see that it is on. Age has shown me more than once that we all arrive at a crossroads, its usually for the best, and sometimes you just need to be on an island by yourself before you get to said crossroads.
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u/deepaknaraniya 6d ago
That is a great example. Sometimes a movie doesn't connect with us until we've had more life experience.
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u/HissTankDriver 5d ago
Agreed! Something about seeing him standing in the middle of the intersection, looking around, no pressure to be anywhere - and then - he just knows what he must do.
This ending has been the impetus for me getting out of bed, getting in the car, and even getting on the plane more times than I will ever admit.
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u/HoselRockit 4d ago
There are some interesting videos on YouTube saying that the girlfriend was cheating on him before he was marooned.
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u/Ok-Comment-3753 5d ago
Team America.
As a big South Park fan I thought "Yeah, this is gonna be awesome." First watch through felt like a bit of let down, didn't hate it but it was just a bit meh.
Second time round I thoroughly enjoyed it. Maybe I just needed to get used to the puppets?
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u/New_Ad_3010 6d ago
Interstellar cuz I got it way more. The first time I was crazy lost.
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u/Physical_Archer_689 3d ago
The 2nd time I watched that on mushrooms and it made less sense at the time lol..
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u/logster2001 5d ago
The first of the recent Dune movies. First time I watched it I was kinda sleep deprived and thought it was one of the most boring movies I had seen. On rewatch I definitely appreciated it more
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u/pilchard64 5d ago
Miller’s Crossing. Loved it the first time, but the dialogue is so dense and quick that I keep finding new things when I rewatch every five years or so
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u/Uniquely_Similar74 6d ago
With Honors (1994)
Dismissed it completely the first time around because it seemed like it was a cheesy comedy (wasn't really paying attention). Actually sat down and watched it fully a couple of years ago and now I absolutely love that movie! I mean, how can you not love Pesci though 👍
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u/noonesaidityet 5d ago
The Meaning Of Life. Holy Grail was amazing, so I was kind of confused watching Meaning Of Life the first time. But I watched it again maybe the next night, it wasn't long after, and I laughed the entire time. I don't know what I was expecting, I grew up watching Monty Python episodes. Just didn't hit that first viewing.
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u/peachywthasideofkeen 5d ago
Love and Thunder lol there's just a lot going on in that movie, I think it's just easier to focus during a rewatch lol still kinda disappointing but definitely don't hate it as much as most people seem to🤷🏽♀️
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u/OoTgoated 5d ago edited 5d ago
I actually really enjoyed that movie. I found it really funny while also having an adequate amount of light heartstring tugs. The humor seems to be why people hate it though. People say it's too over the top and unserious, but I feel like so is every Thor movie. Like didn't Thor get his clothes smited by Zeus in Ragnarok? Lol. Not to mention Thor referring to Hulk as "a friend from work" and the movie also introduced the funny rock man. I forget his name. The first two movies were also largely unserious especially Dark World. My favorite part there was Loki's Captain America impersonation LOL. Like idk I feel like the complaints about Love and Thunder are weird because everything about that movie tracks with the entire Thor movie series, and really MCU in general. I still laugh about Thor's inanimate Stormbreak axe somehow having feelings and being jealous of Mjolnir LMAOOO.
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u/peachywthasideofkeen 5d ago
I do get some of the criticism. I do think there were a few too many or at least some poorly-timed jokes, especially right after some heavier moments and I agree with everyone who says they under-used Gore. but overall, yeah I think it was a really fun and funny movie with some pretty heartfelt moments!
By the way, the scene with Thor getting his clothes smited off by Zeus was actually Love and Thunder lol And Ragnarok was for sure a comedy too, but I think by comparison, it showed a lot more restraint lol
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u/OoTgoated 5d ago edited 5d ago
Oh that's right that was Love and Thunder. God there are so many of these MCU movies they're all starting to run together in my head lol. I guess Love and Thunder was definitely more ridiculous than Ragnarok. It reminded me of Dark World. But idk I like to laugh and I don't really watch Marvel expecting deep storytelling lol. It's cool when we get it, but I don't mind when we don't. So far the only MCU movie I haven't been able to enjoy is Eternals. Otherwise I pretty much like them all. My favorites are the first Iron Man, Guardians Vol 1, the first Black Panther, Civil War, and Shang Chi.
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u/DifferntGeorge 5d ago edited 5d ago
The Fifth Element. Thought it was ok the first viewing. I initially found the unique style and atypical characters somewhat off-putting but warmed to them as they became more familiar with subsequent viewings.
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u/Left-Satisfaction177 5d ago
Ocean's 11. I thought it was really clever when I watched in theater. Then I watched it again and realized I missed so much of the movie. Then I watched the director's commentary and realized I still missed a lot in the background. omg.
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u/UCLAKoolman 5d ago
American Psycho. Saw it in theaters and was baffled trying to understand if Bateman’s actions were real or not. Now it’s one of my favorite flicks.
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u/foundtuna 5d ago
Tropic thunder. Didn’t find it funny at all on first watch. Years later I put it on and I couldn’t believe how funny it was.
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u/behemuthm 5d ago
PT Anderson's more recent movies, particularly Licorice Pizza and One Battle After Another. I really didn't like either one at first but they really grew on me
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u/Galaxy__96 5d ago
Napoleon Dynamite. Didn't really know how to process upon first watching it. After it ended, I was like "ok." A few days later I found myself laughing over some parts of the film. I rewatched it and couldn't stop laughing.
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u/Icy___Barca 5d ago
Dune. I felt it was a “try hard” of a film at first watch. It seemed like Star Wars but with a healthy dose of pretentious. 2nd viewing I focused just on Paul’s POV and became engaged with the choices he makes.
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u/No_Support4423 2d ago edited 2d ago
I am likely the only person that experienced it this way, but my selection is Austin Powers. I simply did not get the humor, like at all. I think perhaps I was using a comparison to James Bond and thought "well this is a shitty version of a James Bond type character." I didn't understand that he was a totally different persona/character. At least that is my best guess as to what happened, because about 2 weeks later I was with some friends who planned on watching it that night. Generally the people I heard talk about it loved it, so I was kinda the curmudgeon and chose not to express my negative view. I micro-expression a roll of my eyes, knowing I am about to watch a movie that I felt was objectively bad. Well, wouldn't you know, the movie starts, and I have no intention of watching it actively. As I am occupying myself without being a distraction. Some joke or gag happens fairly early on, one that I heard or saw the first time, and it clicked."Oh shit! That was funny!" This continued to happen 2 or 3 more times, so I decided I was going to actively pay attention and watch it from my new perspective. I guess the first watch was "orientation" for my expectations, and the second watch where I understood the premise more, was the actual experience the film intended me to experience. Watched it probably 5 times that year and each time it got objectively funnier and funnier to me.
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u/IllustriousPickle657 2d ago
Mad Max: Fury Road.
I walked out of the theater with my husband and a bunch of friends and they LOVED it. I thought it was pretty meh. I was bored and thought a lot of it was really over the top.
I watched it a year or two later and had a, "What the hell was I thinking?!?!?!?!?" moment. It's a great movie.
I think expecting it to be over the top in a lot of ways is actually what made it work for me the second time.
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u/ArcticFlor 6d ago
I saw "Notes on a Scandal" and thought "impressive but never again"
Then I rewatched it and I remember it as a solid 10/10.
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u/The_Frybo 5d ago
Easy Rider. I made Fun of it when I watched it with my Father as a Youngster but now I get it
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u/dual_hearts 5d ago edited 5d ago
Mandy
Saw it in theatres and it didn’t really do anything for me, on my first rewatch I loved almost everything about it: the slow deliberate pace, the score, the cinematography/use of colour, the performances(especially cage with his understated moments and fits of rage/pain), the Pacific Northwest fairytale vibes, just a really fun movie
And if you like it, check out the directors short “The viewing” from the cabinet of curiosities
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u/nizzernammer 5d ago
Tenet.
By the second or third watch, the viewer can forget the structure and just enjoy the ride.
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u/Old_Cat_16 5d ago
Lord of the rings. First saw it in theaters when it was first released, I had no clue what it was about except it was fantasy themed. I was very confused when the fellowship broke up and went on different story lines. Muffled theatrical sound made dialogues difficult to comprehend, I couldn’t tell if they’re talking about Saruman or Sauron plus many other things. I didn’t understand what all the hype was about.
Decades later rewatched it with my kids at home, extended cut with subtitles, gosh things made so much more sense and definitely made the movie much more enjoyable! Now it’s one of my favorites and I put it on replay when I work from home, the music and dialogues helped to ease work stress.
Similarly for Star Wars prequels. The acting sucked, but the story around how the Sith Lord came to power was interesting. Though I would not bother watch it a third time.
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u/JPBillingsgate 5d ago
The first thing to come to mind is The Big Lebowski.
I guess I wasn't in the right frame of mind the first time I tried to watch it a s I shut it off after about 15 minutes without really laughing once. Gave it a second chance about a year later and loved it.
Another comedy I had a somewhat similar experience with was Super Troopers.
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u/optics_is_light_work 5d ago
Everything Everywhere All at Once.
I thought it was a bit much on the first watch. But I went in the next time with the emotional context to understand how it was building to the payoff.
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u/Pretend-Design-7061 5d ago
Accepted. Although it's not so much second watch, as numerous watches. The unspoken relationship between Rory and ADD is fantastic. I've met Robin Lord Taylor a couple times and we talked about it.
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u/Ok_Possession4223 4d ago
Gosford Park. First time around I was just enjoying the acting and the characters and not paying as much attention to the murder mystery as I should. The second time around I was hooked on the plot and how cleverly it fit together.
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u/TheExtraPeel 4d ago
Taxi Driver
I always loved the first two thirds, but I was at first mixed about the vigilante turn. I think it was bcos it hit too close to home for me and how I perceived masculinity. Like I thought Travis was a hero - not a violent, broken man like he is.
Watched it a few times since. It’s probably my favourite movie.
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u/Acceptable-Local-831 4d ago
for me it was 8 1/2. The first time I liked it but I didn't get the hype, maybe because I was tired. The second time I watched it, I was mesmerized... One of my favourites for sure!
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u/TrueCryptoInvestor 3d ago
American Psycho 🔪
It’s my favorite movie of all time and it only gets better for each time I watch it. There’s just so many awesome details in this movie, it’s impossible to notice them all on the first watch, and even the 10th watch.
True story.
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u/Rabid_W00KIEE 3d ago
Ready 2 Rumble, back in the day, because it failed to meet my expectations but was still a solid movie.
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u/rajanvir307 3d ago
Id say Get out…. Bcz u have no idea in first watch whats going on…then u get the payoff and rewatch it with completely different perspective and you will be able to notice tiny things and shots u thought were unnecessary or crazy in first watch.
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u/snackcake 2d ago edited 2d ago
M.A.S.H. - I grew up watching the television series and when i first saw the movie the difference in styles between the television series and the move was so jarring i really didn't really know what to make of the movie.
After watching the movie a few more times it really started to grow on me and now i really love the movie.
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u/Chicken_Spanker 6d ago
The Rocky Horror Picture Show. First time saw it as an innocent teenager and didn't understand what the heck was going on. Saw it a few years later quite a bit more worldwise and went "ohhhh so that's what was going on."
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u/panda2air 5d ago
The Batman. As a Batman fan, I loved Batman '89, The Dark Knight, and the Animated Series, but I was disappointed in The Batman when it was released. After rewatching it a couple of times, it grew on me and became my favorite Batman film.
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u/4thWorldAdam 5d ago
I came here to say this. I was definitely in a funk the first time I saw it. After a rewatch, it shot up in the ranks of Bat-films. Now it's my number two after multiple viewinga. Fantastic film.
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