I am a re-watch fiend. That being said, certain movies offer little in terms of their re-watchability quotient. Usually, ‘great’ films of this nature fall under two categories for me:
- They are deeply disturbing or unsettling.
- They are well-crafted and made but do not connect with me at an emotional level.
Here are some such films I am unlikely to watch again:
Room
Painful, depressing, grim, heartbreaking; take your pick. There is much to admire about Room and the exceptional performances of Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay are worth extolling, but it is also a film that makes you feel deeply despondent; an aching sadness somewhere deep inside.
For me, much of that stems from Larson, who is scintillating, transcendent even; as worthy a Best Actress winner as any last decade. And while the film’s resolution is decidedly optimistic, for most its runtime, Room is almost unbearably bleak.
Similar “bleak and depressing” films: We Need to Talk About Kevin, Leaving Las Vegas, Blue Valentine, Incendies
The Revenant
Breathtakingly beautiful cinematography achieved through the painstaking use of natural lighting; wonderful vistas; committed performances; and Alejandro Innaritu’s steady hand at the helm - on paper, The Revenant has everything going for it. But to me, it is a film without a soul.
I appreciate the craft involved, but in terms of drawing me in and keeping me invested, the film was a misfire. Turgid and flat, I found The Revenant as difficult to watch as it was to make.
Similar “Well Made” films: Titanic, American Hustle, The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo
Green Room
I can’t take it. Not again. In terms of intensity, Green Room is unrelenting. Spectacularly paced, Jeremy Saulnier’s pulsating thriller goes from nought to 100 in the blink of an eye and sustains that pace for the duration of its 95-minute run.
Tense, claustrophobic and hauntingly atmospheric, Green Room is a piece of bravura filmmaking and is a film I can’t recommend highly enough, but it is also one I am unlikely to revisit. I can’t take it. Not again.
Similar “I can’t take it again” Films: Nocturnal Animals, Boys Don’t Cry, Requiem For a Dream, Bone Tomahawk
12 Years a Slave
This one should be fairly self-explanatory. It is brutal. Films that portray the very worst of humanity are always difficult to digest. The unflinching violence on show is harrowing, but it is the psychological fallout that stays with you.
Living through Solomon Northup’s journey is emotionally draining. Watching the cruelty and evil unfold in such a staunch manner is not an experience that demands a re-watch. I have still not forgotten the horrid lynching scene. And I’m unlikely to.
Similar “worst of humanity” Films: Schindler’s List, The Pianist, Hotel Rwanda, The Act of Killing, The Killing Fields, Fruitvale Station
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