An ideal remedy for the self-isolation blues, rewatchable movies induce palpable pleasure on multiple fronts. For starters, they often reveal new and clever details with each repeat viewing. However, there’s also something to be said for the build-up and fulfilment of your favourite scenes, performances, lines, music, showdowns, and climaxes. This is what rewatchable movies are all about.
Ultimately, if there’s a great movie worth watching, then it’s worth watching again. So load up your favourite streaming platform and pass the time with one or more of the following rewatchable movies (listed in no specific order). Oh, and if there are any titles you haven’t already seen, now is definitely your chance to watch them and then watch them again.
Table of contents
- 1. The Godfather
- 2. No Country for Old Men
- 3. Pulp Fiction
- 4. Back to the Future
- 5. The Prestige
- 6. Fight Club
- 7. The Big Lebowski
- 8. Snatch
- 9. The Shawshank Redemption
- 10. Forrest Gump
- 11. Goodfellas
- 12. Blade Runner
- 13. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- 14. Get Out
- 15. The Dark Knight
- 16. The Wolf of Wall Street
- 17. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
- 18. Scarface
- 19. Inglourious Basterds
- 20. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
- General FAQ
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1. The Godfather
One of the most rewatchable movies of all time is also one of the best, if not the best. Chronicling the exploits of the Corleone crime family, it touches upon every cornerstone of timeless cinema. Between the expert cinematography, iconic score, historic performances, and sweeping narrative, there’s simply no wrong reason to revisit Coppola’s indisputable masterpiece.
Year of release: 1972
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
You might also like: The Godfather Part II, The Deer Hunter
2. No Country for Old Men
Amongst recent movies worth watching, this adaptation from the Coen Brothers stands out in virtually every regard. Equal parts unforgettable and unsettling, it brings new meaning to the “thrill of the hunt.” Javier Bardem’s performance as a stone-cold killer named Chigurh will haunt you.
Year of release: 2007
Director: The Coen Brothers
You might also like: Fargo, Miller’s Crossing
3. Pulp Fiction
Indebted to various sources perhaps, but there’s no mistaking Tarantino’s indelible stamp on this early masterwork. Watch the film again to discover that the infectious soundtrack, gritty violence, brilliant dialogue and unique characters haven’t aged a day. This is the very quintessence of a rewatchable movie.
Year of release: 1994
Director: Quentin Tarantino
You might also like: Reservoir Dogs, Jackie Brown
4. Back to the Future
Anyone with eyeballs and a brain knows that this great movie is worth watching again and again. What’s less obvious is that it might very well be the “Chinatown” of adventure comedies, with perfect execution and an astounding number of iconic scenes. That’s not to mention all the downright zany plot points, which only get more compelling and bizarre when you revisit them. Why is this teenage slacker best friends with an old nuclear physicist again? And did he just make out with his own mom?
Year of release: 1985
Director: Robert Zemeckis
You might also like: Back to the Future II, The Goonies
5. The Prestige
Christopher Nolan is the man behind so many seminal works that this one falls through the cracks on occasion. Meanwhile, ask the right fan and they might say it’s his best film. We’ll just declare it a great rewatchable movie with a number of tricks up its sleeve and leave it at that.
Year of release: 2006
Director: Christopher Nolan
You might also like: Memento, The Illusionist
6. Fight Club
What was originally a box office disappointment has since become one of the biggest cult classics of all time. One might also say the prescient themes are more relevant now than they were when the film first debuted. Plus, pretty much every David Fincher movie is worth watching over and over again. Well, almost every David Fincher movie. We’re looking at you, Panic Room and Alien 3!
Year of release: 1999
Director: David Fincher
You might also like: Se7en, The Social Network
7. The Big Lebowski
We can all use a good laugh right about now and the Dude abides. Even if you’ve seen this rewatchable movie 100 times, your 101st viewing will still reveal something you previously missed. Or maybe you just forgot about it due to all those joints and White Russians.
Year of release: 1994
Director: The Coen Brothers
You might also like: Raising Arizona, Dazed and Confused
8. Snatch
Can you believe Guy Ritchie’s madcap caper comedy was released all the way back in 2000? Yet somehow it still feels like a recent movie and a recent movie worth rewatching at that. After all, it takes at least three viewings to figure out what the heck Brad Pitt’s character is saying.
Year of release: 2000
Director: Guy Ritchie
You might also like: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Layer Cake
9. The Shawshank Redemption
If you’ve seen this acclaimed prison drama only once, you might think that certain moments would render less impact the second or third time around. You’d be wrong. Indeed, there are only a few rewatchable movies that continue to pay off even after you’ve memorised every scene and this is one of them.
Year of release: 1994
Director: Frank Darabont
You might also like: The Green Mile, Escape from Alcatraz
10. Forrest Gump
Some folks love to bash this sprawling adventure comedy for its revisionist posturing and overly sentimental gestures, but we still think it hits all the right notes. Don’t believe us? Try watching it again and see if you don’t swell up toward the end. We’ll wait.
Year of release: 1994
Director: Robert Zemeckis
You might also like: Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Cast Away
11. Goodfellas
No list of the most rewatchable movies is complete without this one, which follows gangster Henry Hill through a life of crime. Follow it up with “Casino” for a classic doubleheader. While you’re at it, check out all of Scorsese’s mobster masterpieces. This is how you pass the time during self-isolation, folks.
Year of release: 1990
Director: Martin Scorsese
You might also like: Casino, The Departed
12. Blade Runner
Ridley Scott’s arthouse answer to “Star Wars” is replete with music and visuals that cut straight to the bone. Be sure to track down “The Final Cut” as it’s widely considered the ultimate version.
Year of release: 1982
Director: Ridley Scott
You might also like: Alien, Blade Runner 2049
13. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
All it takes is one or two viewings of this rewatchable movie to get its most memorable bits stuck in your head. And when we say “stuck in your head,” we mean you’ll still be thinking about them over a decade later. Does the film itself hold up? Watch it again to find out.
Year of release: 1975
Director: Terry Gilliam & Terry Jones
You might also like: Life of Brian, The Naked Gun
14. Get Out
Blending multiple genres in its exploration of both class and race, Jordan Peele’s modern-day blockbuster didn’t capture the zeitgeist as much as it did stomp all over it. With or without context, this movie makes for a fun and highly rewatchable experience.
Year of release: 2017
Director: Jordan Peele
You might also like: Scream, Shaun of the Dead
15. The Dark Knight
With 2019’s “Joker” still fresh on the mind, why not revisit Heath Ledger’s groundbreaking performance in this modern-day masterwork? Sure, you’ve already seen it like 500 times, but one more viewing won’t hurt.
Year of release: 2008
Director: Christopher Nolan
You might also like: Batman Begins, Inception
16. The Wolf of Wall Street
Extract the human id and turn it into a movie and you might very well arrive at this outrageous biopic. Not only is it a terrific Scorsese movie worth watching, but it only gets better with each subsequent viewing. Horrible behaviour was never as fun to witness as it is right here.
Year of release: 2013
Director: Martin Scorsese
You might also like: Wall Street, Boiler Room
17. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Follow hometown hero Ferris Bueller as he skips school to embark on an adventure of epic proportion, dragging both his girlfriend and best friend along for the ride. Consider making it part of a John Hughes marathon because the man created some seriously rewatchable movies. Ohhhh yeahhhhhh…
Year of release: 1986
Director: John Hughes
You might also like: The Breakfast Club, Home Alone
18. Scarface
With their brutal violence, iconic characters, and extended runtimes, rewatchable mob movies are guaranteed boredom-killers for when you’re stuck at home. This one from Brian De Palma (with a script by Oliver Stone) is certainly no exception. Everything about it is off the walls, including Pacino’s endlessly quotable performance as Tony Montana.
Year of release: 1983
Director: Brian De Palma
You might also like: The Untouchables, Carlito’s Way
19. Inglourious Basterds
A famously intense opening sequence paves the way for a WWII revenge saga, Tarantino style. Prepare for some glorious revisionist history, to say the least.
Year of release: 2009
Director: Quentin Tarantino
You might also like: Django Unchained, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
20. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Do the time warp again and again by rewatching this classic midnight movie, which elevates camp to a timeless work of art. You might be keeping a social distance from others, so bring them up on video conferencing and go all out with costumes and dance numbers.
Year of release: 1975
Director: Jim Sharman
You might also like: Grease, Hairspray
General FAQ
There's no shortage of classic films that you can watch over and over and over again. Here are a few quick examples: The Godfather, The Shawshank Redemption, Back to the Future, Goodfellas, No Country for Old Men, and Pulp Fiction.
The best movies are meant to be watched over and over again. Even if you didn't enjoy something the first time, try watching it again to see if your attitude changes. You just might be surprised.
When you watch a movie over and over again, it means you're continuing to discover new pleasures with every viewing. That's not to mention the thrill of anticipating and then enjoying your favourite scenes.
Based on various surveys and reports, some of the most rewatched movies are as follows: Gone with the Wind, Titanic, Star Wars, The Godfather, The Sound of Music, Back to the Future, Dirty Dancing, Grease, Jurassic Park, The Shawshank Redemption, Goodfellas, The Dark Knight, and so on.
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