There’s a unique category of films that, despite their brilliance, people find unable to revisit. This can be for various reasons, whether it be how emotional they are, how disturbing the context is, or because they leave viewers exhausted by the end. No matter how entertaining a film might be, sometimes they’re just too much to revisit.
Midsommar
Ari Aster’s Midsommar disturbingly takes the horror out of the dark and into the glaring light. The unsettling portrayal of a Swedish festival gone wrong leaves viewers haunted by its relentless and graphic depictions of grief and violence. While it’s a masterpiece of modern horror, the trauma it inflicts makes a second viewing almost unbearable due to how mentally drained people are after their first viewing.
Requiem for a Dream
Requiem for a Dream is often lauded for its unflinching look at addiction. Darren Aronofsky’s direction, combined with Ellen Burstyn’s heart-wrenching performance, creates a masterful film that’s as devastating as it is. The raw depiction of drug abuse’s destructive power ensures most viewers won’t volunteer for a repeat experience, which is the intention of the film.
Schindler’s List
Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List might be an Oscar winner, but it’s a harrowing portrayal of the Holocaust that can be very difficult to watch. It’s celebrated for its historical accuracy and emotional depth. The film’s brutal scenes of inhumanity are essential viewing but emotionally taxing, making it a brutal film to revisit despite its cinematic importance.
The Road
Adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s novel, The Road is a bleak and unrelenting journey through a post-apocalyptic world. The portrayal of a father and son struggling to survive amidst desolation and despair is compelling and crushing, leaving viewers with little desire to endure its grim reality a second time.
12 Years a Slave
This movie tells the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man sold into slavery. Directed by Steve McQueen, the brutal and honest depiction of slavery’s horrors is essential viewing but extraordinarily difficult to watch more than once due to its graphic and emotional intensity. The fact it’s based on a true story helps to make it powerful, but it also ensures the film is tough to watch as audiences can invest emotionally.
Grave of the Fireflies
Studio Ghibli is known for creating emotionally charged, beautiful, and powerful movies, and Grave of the Fireflies fits that bill. It’s a tragic story of two siblings struggling to survive in war-torn Japan. With a heartbreaking narrative and emotional depth, it’s one of the most impactful animated films ever made, but its sorrowful content ensures it’s rarely rewatched.
The Passion of the Christ
Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ is a graphic and visceral depiction of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. While it’s a profound religious experience for many, its intense and detailed portrayal of suffering makes it a challenging film to sit through more than once.
Manchester by the Sea
Manchester by the Sea, Featuring Casey Affleck as a man grappling with overwhelming grief and guilt, is a beautiful movie. The film’s realistic portrayal of personal tragedy and emotional devastation is beautifully crafted yet so sorrowful that a second viewing feels almost impossible.
The Deer Hunter
Exploring the impact of the Vietnam War on a group of friends, The Deer Hunter manages to connect with audiences from start to finish. Its haunting portrayal of war and its psychological aftermath and iconic performances make it a cinematic classic. However, the intensity of the emotions showcased throughout can make it draining, and it is not one that people want to revisit in a hurry.
Synecdoche, New York
Synecdoche, New York, is a complex and surreal look into a theater director’s life and his quest to create a life-sized replica of New York City. It’s a wild concept on paper, but the acting brings it together beautifully. Forcing viewers to question their own reality can be a mentally draining film that is challenging to rewatch, no matter how good it is.
The Revenant
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar-winning performance in The Revenant is unforgettable. The brutal focus on survival and revenge in the harsh wilderness is both visually stunning and grueling. It’s clear the characters are being pushed to their limits in the wilderness, and because it’s captured so well, the audience ends up feeling that way, too. The entire thing combines as a beautiful experience, but one that does feel like an ordeal at times because people feel the struggle.
Black Swan
Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan delves into the psychological unraveling of a ballet dancer, played by Natalie Portman. The film is intense throughout, and that type of viewing can sometimes be difficult to get through. While the movie is gripping and will command the attention of anyone watching, many disturbing moments can be troubling for people.
American History X
Tackling the complex subjects of racism and redemption will never be easy for a film, but American History X does a great job of making that happen. Edward Norton’s powerful performance and the film’s raw portrayal of hatred and violence are both compelling and distressing, making it a brutal movie to revisit. While it’s an important subject to be covered and one that will force people to think as they watch, it can be challenging to sit through again.
Room
Room tells the story of a mother and her son escaping from captivity. The film’s emotional depth and the performances by Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay are outstanding. But the harrowing circumstances and the emotional journey make it a one-time experience for many viewers.
Melancholia
This is a visually stunning yet depressing film about a planet on a collision course with Earth. Melancholia’s deep dive into depression and dread is beautifully executed but leaves viewers emotionally drained, discouraging a second watch due to the many emotions involved.
Hereditary
Ari Aster’s Hereditary is a chilling horror film that explores family trauma and supernatural terror. Its intense and unsettling atmosphere, combined with shocking moments, makes it a powerful film but one that is hard to endure more than once. Certain scenes will stick in the minds of anyone who watches them, and those harrowing moments often don’t need to be revisited.
Blue Valentine
Blue Valentine focuses on the breakdown of a marriage with raw and painful honesty. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams deliver heartbreaking performances that make the film incredibly moving but also emotionally taxing, leaving viewers reluctant to watch it again.
Silence
Following two priests in 17th-century Japan facing persecution, Silence focuses on faith and suffering. It does so in an enlightening but also harrowing manner, making it challenging to revisit despite its artistic merit.
