Movies You Wish You Could Forget... But...

[K'Tesh]

What did you dislike so much about Gladiator, @K'Tesh ?

I don't remember exactly... Like all of Ridley's work, it was beautifully shot, but there was something about the story that made me leave the theater, wishing I had my time back (I was able to see the movie for free, so it wasn't the money). Ridley's work is very hit or total miss for me, but I like is earlier stuff much more than his new stuff.

 

[farsidius]

A few more to add:

• Galaxy Quest - although I love rewatching often to pick up on all the subtle details.
• Futurama - same thing. First time through is blast, but rewatches are just as fun with all the subtle and overt science humor, episodic easter-eggs, and absolute irreverence for most social norms.

 

[Rob Campbell]

A few more to add:

• Galaxy Quest - although I love rewatching often to pick up on all the subtle details.
• Futurama - same thing. First time through is blast, but rewatches are just as fun with all the subtle and overt science humor, episodic easter-eggs, and absolute irreverence for most social norms.

Galaxy Quest is a masterpiece. Futurama is a riot. My favorite gag is a descendant of Art Garfunkel performing with a robot, Cylon and Garfunkel! They totally butcher Scarborough Fair.

 

[Hyak]

I've never felt what you mentioned about wanting to recapture that first-time experience about a movie, but I feel that way about a video game called The Outer Wilds.

In it, you fly a spaceship to explore a solar system (an alien one; your character is not a human), uncover clues about an alien race that used to live there when your race hadn't fully evolved yet, and put the clues together to find how to reach the end, all while experiencing a 22-minute time loop that ends with the sun going supernova.

The game has no combat of any kind. The gameplay entirely revolves around exploration and discovery, and when you piece all the clues together and reach the end of the game, the payoff is absolutely sublime.

I can play again and revisit some old favorite locations, but I will never discover anything for the first time in Outer Wilds again. I also already know all the solutions so I will never piece the clues together and see the ending for the first time either. And that makes me very sad.

Welllll, the bright side is * at least for me* is thanks to your post, others can experience it now! (Just looked it up. It should be available on Steam! So Thanks!

 

[Hyak]

I like watching some movies over and over... And I find myself wishing that there was a way that I could forget some of them... Not because they're bad... But to re-capture that first time experience.

A few of them would be...

Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters Afterlife

ALIEN
ALIENS

The 6th Sense

The Back To The Future trilogy.

Contact

Star Trek 3, 4, 6
Star Trek Generations, First Contact

Star Wars

The entire MCU franchise (Esp. Guardians of the Galaxy)

The first 3 Indiana Jones movies

E.T.

The Iron Giant

Blade Runner

The Shawshank Redemption

The Lost Boys


A few that I wish I could erase from my memory completely and never experience again (preferably I'd also get the time I spent watching them returned to me)

Hannibal
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Gladiator
Prometheus
Covenant

Yep for ALIEN! I have watched that movie at least 100+ times, and while it still is Awesome, that's one film you can't experience 'for the first time, a second+ time around'

I remember taking my 17 y/o girlfriend to see it. (I had already seen it once, so I knew what was coming) She reacted....as one might expect! (She still married me several years later....hmmm???)

Some you can.
For instance Star Wars. its been years, but I recently re-watched in on a very big tv with a very good sound system recently and that opening scene of the Imperial Start Destroyer overhead, chasing Leia's 'Diplomatic' ship, is to this day the best opening scene EVER!

 

[georgegassaway]

While not movies, I've gotten some enjoyment from watching Youtuber's reactions to watching various episodes of Doctor Who (particularly the 9th, 10th, and 11th doctors) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for the first time. Seeing their reactions, reminds me somewhat of mine, so it's a bit like watching for the first time. Finding out who River Song was....mind blowing, so neat to see people reacting to that, and so much more stuff.

Of course there are people who react to movies, too. But it was reactors to those two TV shows that really got me started to see those.

Ironically, perhaps the biggest surprise in movie history, or at least sci-fi (I'll give the 6th sense some props), was totally ruined for me, a guy to wanted to impress us with his "inside knowledge" in 1980, told us who Luke's father was....weeks before The Empire Strikes Back opened. So, I never got to live that moment as a surprise when I saw the movie. Still P.O.'ed that he did that. I have seen Youtubers react to that scene though, often with their kids.

And oh yeah, the 6th Sense got spoiled for me too. I did not go to many movies, watched most on pay cable like HBO/Showtime, and someone gave that away before I saw it.

 

[KC3KNM]

Everything is Illuminated or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Probably have seen both a hundred times now, still almost as good as the first time.

 

[Antares JS]

Ironically, perhaps the biggest surprise in movie history, or at least sci-fi (I'll give the 6th sense some props), was totally ruined for me, a guy to wanted to impress us with his "inside knowledge" in 1980, told us who Luke's father was....weeks before The Empire Strikes Back opened. So, I never got to live that moment as a surprise when I saw the movie. Still P.O.'ed that he did that. I have seen Youtubers react to that scene though, often with their kids.

My mom did the same thing to me when I first saw Star Wars in the 90's. I too have never quite forgiven her for that. My kids aren't quite old enough to appreciate Star Wars yet but I'm zealously keeping my and everyone else's mouth shut for them.

Welllll, the bright side is * at least for me* is thanks to your post, others can experience it now! (Just looked it up. It should be available on Steam! So Thanks!

FYI, the Echoes of the Eye expansion is 100% worth it. It adds a new place (not getting any more specific than that) to the game to explore, but you have to find the clues to figure out how to get to the new place. It came out some time after I had beaten the game, so in my case I went back into the game after I had already beaten it to check out the new content. It's a side story and obviously contains nothing you need to reach the end, but the new place is absolutely fascinating, and if you beat the new content, you get a little something added to the ending of the game that's very nice.

 

[SecondRow]

Memento.

I had absolutely no idea what the movie was even about the first time I saw it. I was in complete confusion with the narrative structure for the first 10 minutes or so, and then realization dawned on me. Without giving it away, once I realized how the movie was being presented, I was on the edge of my seat. The narrative structure meshes perfectly with the main character’s state of mind and makes you feel like he does the entire time, until the end.

I’ve watched it many times since then. It’s always been one of my favorite movies, but I’ll never be able to experience it the way I did that first time. It‘s impossible to, and unfortunately that’s one of the movie’s weaknesses.

And yes, I am fully aware of the irony of choosing this movie given the thread topic.

 

[trialsguy]

I’m sorry I watched “A Clockwork Orange” by Stanley Kubrick, back in the ‘70’s. Too frenetic and violent.

When I saw “No Country For Old Men”, I wished I could un-see it. But now, I’d say it was one of the better movies I’ve seen.

 

[Marc_G]

Wish I could forget: Birdemic: Shock and Terror.

Not because it's the worst film I've ever seen, but because it is the worst film it is possible to make. Absolutely awful, unredeemable, so bad it's not even funny to mock it.

 

[skaffgeorge04]

While not movies, I've gotten some enjoyment from watching Youtuber's reactions to watching various episodes of Doctor Who (particularly the 9th, 10th, and 11th doctors) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for the first time. Seeing their reactions, reminds me somewhat of mine, so it's a bit like watching for the first time. Finding out who River Song was....mind blowing, so neat to see people reacting to that, and so much more stuff.

Of course there are people who react to movies, too. But it was reactors to those two TV shows that really got me started to see those.

Ironically, perhaps the biggest surprise in movie history, or at least sci-fi (I'll give the 6th sense some props), was totally ruined for me, a guy to wanted to impress us with his "inside knowledge" in 1980, told us who Luke's father was....weeks before The Empire Strikes Back opened. So, I never got to live that moment as a surprise when I saw the movie. Still P.O.'ed that he did that. I have seen Youtubers react to that scene though, often with their kids.

And oh yeah, the 6th Sense got spoiled for me too. I did not go to many movies, watched most on pay cable like HBO/Showtime, and someone gave that away before I saw it.

I'm more of a fan of Classic Who, Tom Baker was the first doctor I started to watch on a regular basis, but Peter Davison was the first doctor I ever saw. Which do you prefer, Classic or New Who? Troughton, Baker, Pertwee, they were all great in their own way,but I do think Tom and David Tennant were the best.Which do you prefer, Classic or New Who.I think if there's an episode I like to see again for the first time it would be The Caves of Androzani.

 

[mo2872]

Wish I could forget: Birdemic: Shock and Terror.

Not because it's the worst film I've ever seen, but because it is the worst film it is possible to make. Absolutely awful, unredeemable, so bad it's not even funny to mock it.

Have you seen Battlefield Earth? Or perhaps Cloverfield??

 

[H_Rocket]

Wish I could forget having ever seen - American Beauty

Kinda in the first time ever - Sunday I'm going to see John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara in "The Quiet Man" on the big screen for it's 70th Anniversary.

 

[Marc_G]

Have you seen Battlefield Earth? Or perhaps Cloverfield??

I love Cloverfield! I just skip the first 15-20 minutes when I watch it.

Battlefield Earth is a once in a lifetime experience, and even they is too much, but I don't consider it among the worst films ever.

An unforgettable movie, weird but not bad, is Rubber. It's about a psychopathic car tire. Check it out!

 

[Cl(VII)]

When I was younger there were three movies I left the theater thinking WTF was that, in a good way and for slightly different reasons. I'd like to have a movie make me say that again.

12 Monkeys
Se7en
The Matrix

In a slightly different category is Alien, which is still the only movie I ever had to stop part way through before I could finish. It wasn't the horror, but the crushing, constantly building tension of that one that just got to me. It was "fun", but I have no desire to do it again, so maybe "impactful" is a better term for it.

Never again, even if you paid me: Devil's Advocate and Sixth Sense (figured it out about 15 min in and have been salty ever since).

 

[skaffgeorge04]

When I was younger there were three movies I left the theater thinking WTF was that, in a good way and for slightly different reasons. I'd like to have a movie make me say that again.

12 Monkeys
Se7en
The Matrix

In a slightly different category is Alien, which is still the only movie I ever had to stop part way through before I could finish. It wasn't the horror, but the crushing, constantly building tension of that one that just got to me. It was "fun", but I have no desire to do it again, so maybe "impactful" is a better term for it.

Never again, even if you paid me: Devil's Advocate and Sixth Sense (figured it out about 15 min in and have been salty ever since).

Sev7en is a great movie, Kevin Spacey played one of the best movie psychopaths ever.

 

[NateB]

I wish I could see the original Star Wars movies again for the first time. I grew up with them, but I don't remember my first time watching any of them. I also wish I could see Bringing out the Dead again for the first time. I first saw it in high school when it came out, but can relate to the PTSD depicted by Nicholas Cage's character much more now.

Movies I wish I could just forget:

Gummo - disturbing for the sake of being disturbing with no real plot. It's just a boring waste of time.

River's Edge - Not really because it's a bad movie, but we had to watch it in depth in a writing course in college. Similarly disturbing movies like Kids and Requiuem for a Dream are worth watching once, but not rewatching and analyzing.

This list is shorter than I thought, hut mostly because there are plenty of movies I stopped halfway through and forgot about.

 

[SecondRow]

I love Cloverfield! I just skip the first 15-20 minutes when I watch it.

Battlefield Earth is a once in a lifetime experience, and even they is too much, but I don't consider it among the worst films ever.

An unforgettable movie, weird but not bad, is Rubber. It's about a psychopathic car tire. Check it out!

If we’re going to talk about really terrible movies, I’d like to nominate Thankskilling, a super low budget slasher I found on Netflix once a long time ago. An evil demon turkey is summoned to kill white people by an Indian shaman. I can’t believe I just typed that out. The acting’s terrible, the jokes are terrible, the turkey looks like a rubber costume. I laughed during the movie, but it was more of a “laugh at” than “laugh with.” I don’t recommend it.

 

[NateB]

If we’re going to talk about really terrible movies, I’d like to nominate Thankskilling, a super low budget slasher I found on Netflix once a long time ago. An evil demon turkey is summoned to kill white people by an Indian shaman. I can’t believe I just typed that out. The acting’s terrible, the jokes are terrible, the turkey looks like a rubber costume. I laughed during the movie, but it was more of a “laugh at” than “laugh with.” I don’t recommend it.

When I watch movies like that, they're almost in a completely different category. I hope the director isn't taking themselves seriously and everyone is just having fun making a movie.

 

[dhbarr]

Started my kids on ST:TNG for the first time last night. Would love to be able to have that experience again.

 

[SecondRow]

When I watch movies like that, they're almost in a completely different category. I hope the director isn't taking themselves seriously and everyone is just having fun making a movie.

It had the feel that’s what it wanted to be. And I’m sure the director wasn’t taking it seriously and neither was the guy doing the voice of the turkey (who liked to say “beeyatch!!!” a lot) and some of the other actors. BUT, you could tell some of the actors thought this was their big break And didn’t realize they were in a complete crap fest.

 

[K'Tesh]

Ok... I *JUST* finished "Grumpy Old Men" for the first time (the music for the credits is still rolling)... WHY Did I Wait *THIS* Long... And I just heard Walter Matheau's final comment about the nude scene....

WARNING: If you haven't seen this movie... *DON'T* be drinking anything when the credits start to roll... I nearly sprayed my keyboard. Burgess Meredith's ad libs are *QUITE* amusing.

This one is going on the rewatch list. I had several guffaw moments while watching it.

 

[teepot]

I would like to experience for the first time:
Casablanca
2001
Blazing Saddles
Flesh Gordon X rated. One of the funniest movies I have seen. Right up there with Blazing Saddles.
Star Wars
Saving Pvt Ryan
Fifth Element. wife and I watched it two times back to back when it first came to HBO.
Blade Runner
Ghost Busters
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Robinson Carusoe on Mars
The Thing from Another World. 1951 version
Movies I wish I hadn't watched and would like to forget;
Contact
Signs
12 Monkeys

 

[cwbullet]

Some you can.
For instance Star Wars. its been years, but I recently re-watched in on a very big tv with a very good sound system recently and that opening scene of the Imperial Start Destroyer overhead, chasing Leia's 'Diplomatic' ship, is to this day the best opening scene EVER!

Concur.

I took my wife to see Gettysburg for our first date. She sat for hours asking m questions about the history and I knew I had a keeper.

 

[ewomack]

Yes, that first time feeling, that first time viewing smell... it never comes back with the same pungency... like a new car... it never smells completely new twice...

I saw Der Untergang (Downfall) when it came to a local art-house theater way back in 2004. My friend and I were completely blown away. I still enjoy watching that film immensely, I've probably seen it 4 or 5 times since, but I will never be able to experience that movie for the first time again, especially in a theater with a friend who I dragged along, hoping it wouldn't suck. It certainly didn't.

I could never re-live my first Star Wars viewing way back in that shopping mall theater in 1977, probably because I was still in the single digits. I'm not even sure that I completely remember it. Yet I know that I loved it, but it's kind of hard to even comprehend a first viewing as a single-digit kid. Unless that massive black hole looming in the center of the Milky Way contains some neat party tricks, I likely won't relive that experience.

My most dramatic first viewings involved classic films. When Vertigo and Rear Window were restored in the early 'nougts, I saw both of them for the first time on big screens. Wow. I can only refer to those viewings in ridiculous semi-mystical hyperbole, such as "transcendent," "otherworldly" or "ineffable." I will never forget those experiences, even though those films came out long before I popped out onto this strange globe. Few things will ever live up to those cinematic encounters.

Another historical experience was seeing Buster Keaton's The General for the first time in a restored 1929 theater with live piano accompaniment. I saw Laurel & Hardy's You're Darn Tootin' and the 1925 Phantom of The Opera for the first time in the same way, though with a live Wurlitzer. I don't know if I'll ever be able to see those movies in that way again, and definitely not for the first time.

I would not even want to re-live my first, and so far only, viewing of Million Dollar Baby. In the same theater that I saw Der Untergang, the film suddenly stopped in the middle and someone shouted "call a doctor!" After about half an hour, a man was rolled out of the theater on a stretcher and the theater owner appeared on the balcony and told us all that the man had suffered a heart attack, but they expected him to survive. Undeterred, they started the film again. Somehow I made it through the rest of it. I was shaken not only by the film, but by that experience on top of it. Wow. I'm actually a little terrified to watch that film again. But it was definitely memorable.

 

[NateB]

...the 1925 Phantom of The Opera for the first time in the same way, though with a live Wurlitzer. I don't know if I'll ever be able to see those movies in that way again, and definitely not for the first time.

I saw this version of Phantom of the Opera and Nosferstu both performed with an organ installed in the 1920s with as much of the orignal scores as still exist. It's possible the screening I saw was performed by the same organist as you. It was really neat seeing those films as they were originally released, and in a Vaudeville Era theater.

 

[teepot]

The most memorable movie experience was at the Egyptian theater in Boise Idaho. It was/is an old building. Inside it had columns and heavy curtains. All in Egyptian theme. Several friends and I saw a 3 Stooges marathon there. We were in the front row. Not entirely sober. Some sheets of paper were given to us as we entered. It was a play list. I made a paper airplane turned around and flew it back into the crowd. A few minutes later there was a lot of laughing behind us. I turned around and the entire theater was full of paper airplanes. Sure do like The 3 Stooges.

 

[Pete.D]

Alien, no question. It's one of my top all-time favorites; I saw it first in a theater, but subsequent viewings just don't work.

 

[Five]

I wish I could forget the images I seen when I watched “two girls, one cup”.
Traumatizing