When it comes to movies, there are some that I can watch over and over again and never get bored. I’m talking about the Harry Potter movies, or maybe the Star Wars franchise. Heck, I’ve even become a fan of the Indiana Jones flicks in the last year, so I’d definitely be willing to watch those repeatedly. Marvel’s movies are also high up there.
But, then there are the movies that are really good – whether that be acting-wise or for other reasons – but once I’m done watching, I am never going to watch them again.
I’m talking about Requiem for a Dream, Hereditary – movies that are truly amazing, and you can tell had so much time and effort poured into them, but there is not a chance in hell I am going to put myself through that misery again. Today, I’m going to go over seven movies that were good in different ways, but I most certainly will not ever watch these again.
Requiem For A Dream (2000)
I had to start off with this one. Fun fact – I only just watched Requiem for a Dream because I actively avoided it for years. Everyone always said it was this film that really made you think and contemplate your life and the ending was so dark. Recently, I decided to give it a shot and I can fully say yeah, it’s great – but I’m never watching it again.
It’s the same case for most Darren Aronofsky movies. He makes these films that truly get under your skin and you know you’re never going to see them after watching them for the first time, such as Mother! or The Whale, but Requiem for a Dream is a whole other version of the word “nope,” because it just pains me to watch it.
The acting is great, specifically from star Jared Leto and Ellen Burstyn, both of whom give standout performances, but it’s just so sad. I don’t think I’ve felt that depressed over an ending in a long time, and it certainly made me never want to do any kind of drug. The movie has some amazing qualities, but overall, I wouldn’t return to it.
Schindler’s List (1993)
The first time I watched this movie, it was based on a recommendation from my mother, because she always loved it because the star, Liam Neeson, reminded her of her father when he was young, and she thought the story was exceptional. I decided to give it a shot, and yeah, no, I can’t watch this movie again.
There are multiple heavy scenes in this that feel almost too real. I know that it’s just a movie, but the fact that the entire film is based off of a real person who did all these things to save all these people gets to me. If you haven’t seen it, I don’t want to spoil it, as I do believe that everyone should see it at least once, but there are a few moments that really get to me – such as the girl in the red coat. Just thinking about it turns me into an emotional mess.
The movie overall is fantastic – as is most of Steven Spielberg’s work – but this is a one-time watch for me.
Hereditary (2018)
It’s funny, most people say they can’t watch Midsommar more than once, but I’ve seen that Ari Aster film multiple times. You want to know what movie I can’t watch again? Hereditary, the movie about a family of true evil that is passed down for generations.
I’ll be straight up with you – this is the first horror film in years that gave me nightmares. I didn’t get nightmares from Midsommar, I didn’t get nightmares from any of the Halloween movies, I didn’t get nightmares from any other horror movie for years, and then Hereditary went and made my mind mush.
It screwed with how I perceived the dark and the secrets that family can hide, and really made me question literally everything. The movie itself is full of super creepy imagery that genuinely makes me want to turn my TV screen off everytime. Respectfully, if I'm in charge of movie night, I’ll probably never watch this again.
The Green Mile (1999)
Okay, hear me out – I love this movie. I really do. I think Tom Hanks is great in it, and the late Michael Clarke Duncan gave a standout performance in the movie about a prison guard during the Great Depression. Frank Darabont knows how to make fantastic movies and this was most certainly one of them.
But man, that ending, I hate it. It’s the main reason I can’t watch this movie again; it just makes me mad because all I think about is the ending. All this emotional weight and feeling I am put through for the two plus hours that The Green Mile delivers, and then it’s torn away from me near the end.
This is another movie where I just can’t give away the ending if you haven’t seen it, because again, it certainly deserves to be watched. However, I will most not be watching it again and going through all those feelings.
Sophie’s Choice (1982)
Meryl Streep is astounding in her starring role here, but that’s about all the praise I can give to Sophie’s Choice.
Another film on this list that takes place during the Holocaust, the film features one of the hardest decisions a mother could ever have to make – choosing between which child will live or die, and the consequences that follow. Every time I’ve seen this movie, I just start to bawl. There are movies that are there for a good cry and then there are movies like this.
It’s just too much for me to handle, and I can respectfully say that it is tragic in every way possible, but the performances are great.
The Boy In The Striped Pajamas (2008)
This is another example of a movie that just makes me cry every time. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is based on the book of the same name, telling the story of a boy who’s backyard suddenly becomes a concentration camp during the Holocaust and how he befriends a boy behind the gates.
The overall film itself isn’t what gets me. It’s another case of the ending being what absolutely breaks me, even more so than The Green Mile. It’s heartbreaking and traumatic and so upsetting that the first time I watched this movie, I truly believed there was no way that was the ending. Then I watched it a second time and swore to myself I would never watch it again.
If you haven’t seen it, it's deserving of one watch, but nothing more than that.
A Serbian Film (2010)
Ah, this film. A Serbian Film is a Serbian exploitation horror film that was trending on TikTok not that long ago and I decided to give it a watch, because I love horror movies. And yeah, no, I’m never watching it again. The movie follows a semi-retired porn star who decides to take on a suspicious job because his family needs the money, and bad stuff goes down.
While Hereditary gave me nightmares, A Serbian Film just disturbed the hell out of me. There’s so much in this movie that if you’re faint of heart, you should not watch, and the ending itself is also quite upsetting. The only reason I put it on this list is because I do think it’s shot well. It’s a really good horror movie that truly makes you feel some type of way towards the end, and nasty, but I’ll respectfully never check it out again.
Maybe you just found a new film to check out, or maybe you’ll be smart and avoid them all together. At least now you have an idea of some great movies that should only be watched once – at least in my book.
