Rewatch Value

[Recoil]

This other thread on spoilers got me thinking of something. There are some shows and movies that I can just watch over and over and never get tired of them. Some of them aren't even great works of writing or magnificent stories, yet I can get roped in. Then there are cases of great shows that I really watch once and I'm done with them. Weird huh? So I thought it would be fun for people to list TV shows and movies that they can watch over and over again, and perhaps what they like about them. So here I go:

Movies:

* The Shawshank Redemption

I Never get tired of watching Andy go from rock bottom to Mexico. Just an awesome story.

* Starship Troopers
I
don't get why I can re-watch this as easily as I can. I mean it does have the four "B's" to make it a great B movie (Blood, Babes, Boobs, and Bugs), but what makes this different than other B movies? Perhaps the story and its "over the top" telling of a future fascist Government of Earth. Perhaps the characters are enjoyable. I don't know for sure, but when its on TV, I find myself watching it and not feeling bored.


* Airplane
* Old School
* Talladega Nights: Ballad of Ricky Bobby

The above three are comedies that never cease to entertain. Airplane is a classic and I know every line, but I love it. Old School is one of the best "new generation" comedies out and was an instant classic. Talladega Nights is a very recent one, and every time I see it, I like it more and more and I catch more and more things about it. I guess this ons is funny because they never take the "cliche" way out and just keep the humor coming. The dining room table scene was an instant classic.

* Serenity

Love the story and the characters from Firefly. Just thought this was an extremely well done and entertaining movie, no matter how many times Ive seen it.

* Raiders of the Lost Ark

The Indiana Jones movie that started it all. A classic I never grow tired of. My favorite scene --- him jumping in the water to swim to the submarine. That pretty much says it all about his adventurous character.

* Star Wars - A New Hope

The original is still the best for me. Seen it a million times as a kid and it still is enjoyable to watch.


TV Shows

* Babylon 5
* Firefly

I could watch either of those shows a dozen times over and never get tired of them. Ive seen B5 all the way through probably 6 times or so, which may not seem like many but when its 110 episodes and movies --- do the math, thats a lot of hours. Firefly being short and sweet I've seen more, but just love the characters and the universe.

* Season 1 - 3 Family Guy

I loved that Family Guy was brought back, but frankly, since it has the episodes --- while good --- just aren't the same or as brilliant to me as the first three seasons before its cancellation. Sometimes when I am doing housework and clean-up I'll toss in a couple episodes randomly and just listen to the brilliance.

The Jury is still out on whether I could re-watch Buffy or Angel over and over. I've seen them both once only (for the first time last year) and liked them both a lot. I'm debating going through them again for a second time, but not in the near future. Time will tell on those two.

 

[GKarsEye]

It's Friday, I'm done with all my work for the week, but I can't go home yet (just in case something goes wrong at the customer's site... *yawn*), so I'm prob gonna type a lot now.

Obviously I can, have and will re-watch B5 like a million times. Hardly a unique opinion 'round here. My last viewing was about two years ago when I briefly lived at home and got my sister into it. I can see myself doing another viewing within a year or so.

Re: Starship Troopers- I'm just a huge Paul Verhoeven fan. I can watch his movies, especially Total Recall and Robocop, over and over. The gore, the salaciousness, the smarmy knocks on corporate greed and corruption, the over-the-top visuals- he's like some awesome combination of James Cameron and Ed Wood. Love it. Heck, I even like Showgirls.
His latest film, The Black Book, is a tamer, more serious affair, but there are moments when the ol' sleazeball shines through.

I don't think I can stomach Star Wars anymore. It's probably the most referenced pop culture phenomenon ever. I think I was ready to discard Star Wars when I discovered girls.

I can watch the original Trek over and over again. I've gone into why before, but it certainly belongs on my list. Any episode of film featuring the original cast, even the worst of season 3 and the awful 5th movie.

The 40 Yr Old Virgin. Even though it's so stupid, there's a certain charm to it that I can't resist. There was like a two-week period where this movie would be on cable every time I turned on the TV and I'd watch it.

This Is Spinal Tap. As a reformed metal-head, this one's a no-brainer.
"And oh how they danced... the little children of Stonehedge"

I like boxing movies, and of course the two greatest are Rocky and Raging Bull. Just bought the RB DVD recently- wonderful, wonderful stuff. I'll also admit to loving Rocky III, the one w/ Mr T. Certainly his finest acting role.

Deadwood is definitely cool to re-watch just for all the fancy dialogue.
While I consider The Wire to be the greatest TV show of all time, and I will re-watch the series once season 5 comes out on DVD, I dunno if I'll watch more after that.

I get a kick out of old Twilight Zone episodes.

My single favorite movie ever is probably The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. It is the perfect movie for me: a western, has THREE awesome actors that just own the screen (and as much as I love Clint, even he can't compete with Elli Wallach for screen presence). It's got one of the most unique and magnificent soundtracks, stunning visuals, some nice social/political commentary, action. It's long, but every scene is gold. And of course the most awesome cowboy gunfight finale in any movie ever.

And now we get to why some people think I might be disturbed- here are three movies I watch maybe twice a year each... alone:

A Clockwork Orange
Dawn of the Dead (original)
American Psycho

I put these movies on, watch people being brutalized, and laugh my stupid head off. Then I'll go around for a week throwing bastardized Russian into my speech or asking people if they listen to Huey Lewis & the News.

 

[hypatia]

The U.K. series "Coupling" seems good for a few re-watchings, at least.

I'd also say Deep Space 9, but I liked that show, and I know a lot around here didn't. Most of Star Trek, TNG I can also see over and over again. So far Futurama is a watch-again-and-love-it-like-new series for me, as well.

Victor/Victoria is a definite watch-over-again.

Lawrence of Arabia (rather surprising for me) is another, just for the brilliant performances, alone.

For a long time MASH was one I loved to rewatch. I think it was just overplayed on syndicated television, and I eventually stopped watching it altogether.

"Inherit the Wind" is definitely on the list, for me.

On the top of my list would probably be "To Kill a Mockingbird". I actually have to make myself wait on that one, so I won't burn out on it, I love it so much.

 

[Recoil]

I can watch the original Trek over and over again. I've gone into why before, but it certainly belongs on my list. Any episode of film featuring the original cast, even the worst of season 3 and the awful 5th movie.

I can't believe I left that off. Yea I love the original series, and can re-watch it again and again. I'd seen those episodes a dozen times over growing up, and when I got the DVDs I watched it again and enjoyed it just as much. I'm hoping to get my hands on all of the HD remasters when they come out.

There was like a two-week period where this movie would be on cable every time I turned on the TV and I'd watch it.

That is what just happened with Talladega Nights. It has been on Starz like, round the clock for the last two weeks so you can't help but watch it and laugh your ass off. I just don't get tired of it.

 

[GKarsEye]

Really? Man, Will Farrell is just so freakin' corny, though. I think the only movie I've seen of his is Anchorman and... meh.

Is Talladega Nights the one where Jenna Fischer tries to seduce him while wearing lingerie? Whatever that movie's in, that scene is... um... good.

 

[Recoil]

No that isn't the movie. I don't know which that is actually.

See, Will Farrell is kinda corny, but his character is different than his other movies. The movie itself is kinda similar in that it does have plenty of silly humor, but its redneck silly humor so it isn't so silly, its realistic.

Seriously though, there is something about the movie that gets me every time. Rent the UNRATED version if you watch any version at all.

But it sounds to me like you haven't seen this movie afterall.

 

[Ranger1]

A Clockwork Orange
Dawn of the Dead (original)
American Psycho

I put these movies on, watch people being brutalized, and laugh my stupid head off. Then I'll go around for a week throwing bastardized Russian into my speech or asking people if they listen to Huey Lewis & the News.

american psycho is a comedy though, a fucking brilliant one.

for me the big stuff with high rewatch value comes in the form of the classic BBC comedies, particularly anything with ronnie barker in it, and the carry on films i love sid james and kenneth williams.

 

[hypatia]

I've never seen anything worth Ronnie Barker in it.

Any recommendations on what might be worth renting (assuming any of his stuff has made it to Netflix in the USA)?

 

[GKarsEye]

american psycho is a comedy though, a fucking brilliant one.

Words cannot express my obsession and love for this movie. It's as if someone said, "hey, let's make a movie that is perfectly suited for the mighty GKarsEye's enjoyment."

- Blood, gore, violence? check
- making fun of the 80s? check
- criticizing corporate culture and over-privileged yuppies? check
- references to crappy pop music, including both Genesises*? check
- Jared Leto getting an ax to the face? check

lol @

Call me a sexist, but I was in shock to find out that the director and screenplay adapters were women. And the screenplay writer also acted in the film, as the yuppie chick that Bateman gets to do a 3-way with the hooker and then kills right before dropping a chainsaw down the stairway on said hooker.

I like Genesis. Both of them. Even Phil Collins' first solo album. I'm not really hip, I just pretend sometimes.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

Well, Recoil, I agree with you about The Shawshank Redemption, but you lost me with Starship Troopers. I would pay NOT to watch that, if I had to, even though I am usually a Paul Verhooven fan.

There are lots of things I like to rewatch, but there are things I can't stop watching, when I run across them on cable, even if I have them on DVD. That would include most things by Kurosawa, Fellini, the Coens, Lindsay Anderson, any good film noir, and yes GKE, A Clockwork Orange as well. Probably my all-time rewatch film champ is Lindsay Anderson's O, Lucky Man, starring Malcolm McDowell, finally released recently by WHV. McDowell had to blackmail them into it, by refusing to do commentary for a new Clockwork release, unless they did O, Lucky Man first. Thanks, Malcolm!

 

[GKarsEye]

Thanks for the recommendation, Jade, I just put Lucky Man on my queue, but only after "If..." which apparently came first and features the same character.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

Yes, see If first, it is also excellent, and given our times, prescient. The third film where McDowell plays Mick Travis is Britannia Hospital. It is kind of fun, but nowhere near the same league as the two earlier films.

P.S. GKE, there is another film called Oh, Lucky Man, so make sure the correct one is on your list.

Edit: My error. The other film is also called O, Lucky Man, made in Thailand in 2003. According to IMDb/Amazon, it is NOT on DVD.

 

[Recoil]

GKE:

American Psycho goes even beyond criticism of corporate culture or over-privileged yuppies. Bateman's entire stance with music in the show to me really hit the mark. When he is talking about Huey Lewis, or the Genesis albums, it really is a mark on a LOT of people in this world --- ESPECIALLY with the new iPod culture (which I realize this movie pre-dates iPods, but iPods have brought the phenomena that American Psycho illustrates out even more so.

When he is talking about Genesis or any other artist in the film, he is always talking about their "POP" hits. The albums released after a band "sold out" so to speak. Basically in yuppie culture, it is a rip on the people who say they are "music fanatics who love all types of music" but if you looked at their collection they have all the "Greatest Hits" albums from various artists and no albums. They get the best of the "popular" stuff, but not their REAL music and don't appreciate albums as they are. It is like one of his opening lines in the movie "when you look at me, there is just nothing there"

 

[Ninja_Squirrel]

I'm not much of a DVD watcher, so for me, re-watch value has more to do with a movie shown on cable TV, during the rare times I'm surfing channels or my TiVo picks up a movie for me.

The American President: At one time, this was my all-time, #1 favorite movie. Just when I started to doubt it's quality, it started re-running on cable, and it still maintains a place among my nine all-time favorites.

Braveheart: The college I went to had a one-month winter term in January. Two of those January's I had courses mandatory to my scholarship, and in another I took a Philosophy in Star Trek course. My senior year, I simply didn't need the extra credit and didn't like the selection of winter courses that year, so I took the winter off yet lived on campus anyway. Every day I played at least one game of Risk against my suitemates and watched Braveheart on campus cable. They replayed it constantly. Consequently, I've probably seen Braveheart 30 to 50 times in my life, though not all the way through each time. Another of my nine favorites.

Rounders: I haven't seen it in a while, but either TNT or FX played it almost constantly a few years ago, and I rarely resisted to watch at least a few minutes. Another of my nine favorites.

Back to the Future, Part III: Why I haven't yet declared this my 10th all-time favorite movie, I don't know, because any time it's on TV, it captivates me. I keep thinking that there are things I need to do or places I need to go, and I end up watching this movie instead. After seeing it one or two dozen times, it's still funny, romantic, exciting, and nostalgic every time.

Honorable Mentions:
The Thomas Crown Affair
Love Actually
Star Trek: First Contact
Ocean's 11/12/13
Spider-Man 1 & 2

Rewatchable TV:
Stargate SG-1
The Presidents and The States (both on History Channel)
Mythbusters
Old episodes of The Practice (on FX early weekend mornings)
A few particular episodes of South Park

 

[hypatia]

Oh, Lucky Man sounds interesting. Enough so to make me consider renting it.

I get so many movie suggestions (indirectly) from posts on this board.

 

[maneth]

Babylon 5 of course. I'm currently on my fourth round. The first season is a lot better the more often you watch it, because of the hints of things to come you miss on first viewing.

Movies:
Star Wars original trilogy
Indiana Jones 1 & 3
Lord of the Rings EE (even though it's nearly 12 hours watching back-to-back without breaks I still have to watch them at least once a year).
Apollo 13
The Abyss




Dirty Dancing (at least 10 times to date...)

 

[Jonny_Fever]

Back to the Future, Part III: Why I haven't yet declared this my 10th all-time favorite movie, I don't know, because any time it's on TV, it captivates me.

This is also in my top 10. Most people I know say this is their least favorite BTTF film. For me it is one of my favorites; it goes 1, 3 and then 2 for me. I remember watching this one twice in the theater when it came out. If it is on tv, 80% of the time I will watch it, even though I own it on DVD.

One of my all-time favorite westerns, that I watch several times a year is Silverado. That movie just appeals to me for some reason. I must have seen that movie about 30 times so far.

Most of the movies that I enjoy re-watching are usually either really oddball comedies or sci/fi and action films.

 

[Recoil]

Back to the Future III is awesome! The original one is of course fantastic, but this one is right up there with it. BTTF 2 for me was a bit sub-par.

The American President is a good flick too. One of those "we wish our President was like this" kinda movies (Dave also). I've been wishing we had a President for the last...oh...as long as I've been alive.

 

[Chilli]

Bit late in this thread, and all the things I would have wanted to mention have been mentioned. Alas.

Things with high rewatch value:

* Star Trek TOS, Movies 2-6

* The Back to the Future trilogy - probably the thing I have most rewatched, as I started repeatedly watching it when I was 6 or so - when the complete trilogy first aired on TV here. And I never stop enjoying it. Even the second one, also if it .. like .. sucks. It's still fun sucking, unlike Indy 2.

* The original Star Wars trilogy. I avoid annoying fanboys enough that I can still enjoy it.

* Monty Python's Life of Brian. Never gets any less awesome.

* Firefly and Buffy, more than Angel.

* B5 - duh. Though that's more because it is super-awesome than due to its rewatch value - it will never be as fun again as it was the first time.

* Galaxy Quest is an example of a movie that left me pretty neutral on first viewing ... that I liked a lot on second viewing, and LOVED on third viewing. Maybe I'm just slow.

 

[GKarsEye]

When he is talking about Genesis or any other artist in the film, he is always talking about their "POP" hits. The albums released after a band "sold out" so to speak. Basically in yuppie culture, it is a rip on the people who say they are "music fanatics who love all types of music" but if you looked at their collection they have all the "Greatest Hits" albums from various artists and no albums. They get the best of the "popular" stuff, but not their REAL music and don't appreciate albums as they are. It is like one of his opening lines in the movie "when you look at me, there is just nothing there"

I got such a kick out of him calling early Genesis "too artsy, too intellectual." In my younger days, I was involved in quite a bit of pointless arguments about the relative merits of Gabriel vs Collins era Genesises. Now that I'm older I realize they're both incredibly corny but fun as all get-out.

Which reminds me of another movie I can watch a million times: The Blues Brothers. Kind of no-brainer for me, given all the music references and cameos and performances.
"What kind of music do you usually have here, ma'am?"
"Oh we got both kinds, country and western."