You can remove any film from your memory. What do you pick and why?
Some people want to be able to watch a movie "for the first time" all over again. Others want to forget a rubbish one. If you could remove just one movie from your memory, which would it be?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Ayy
Meta
That's the one I was thinking
Memento. But first I'd tattoo "Don't trust 'Memento'" on my stomach.
The Matrix. Blew my fucking mind the first time I saw it. It's awesome on repeat viewings, but that first watch is magical.
Could you imagine forgetting The Matrix, but not the sequels?
Wait, is this a good genie wish or an evil genie wish? I feel like the spirit of the wish would make me forget sequels to any movie I specify or that'd just make it impossible to properly forget.
I've still never seen it. I'm 31
I am not entirely sure how this turn of events has occured
Perhaps you did saw it but managed to gmforget it to watch it again.
Realistically the matrix is a bad idea to forget, if you watched it when it came out it was awesome, if you watch it for the first time now it's sort of obsoleted and slow. I still like it, but I think it's because I first saw it when it came out.
The Mark Wahlberg's planet of the apes.
It featured Helen Bonham Carter in full monkey makeup.
It awoke something inside of me that I wish had remained sleeping.
Ape* makeup. Not monkey. Ape. Have you forgotten the scene in which Mark Wahlberg's character called them monkeys and one of them got on him and corrected him?
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Fight Club as a thing to rewatch with no memory that would be amazing.
For a film I’d want to erase cause it was awful I’d go with the last Jedi I genuinely hated that film. Or Star Trek into darkness hated that also.
Honestly, rewatching Fight Club when you already know the twist and can see all the small details that lead to it is, imo, even more fun that to forget it and watch again.
That's so true. I think it was only the third time when I had the feeling of finally really understanding all what's going on
Agreed, but after several rewatches it'd be amazing to be able to see it fresh again.
People hated TFA for all of the wrong reasons (and several REALLY wrong reasons), but it was actually a decent and competent action/adventure movie. Albeit not a great Star Wars movie, but pretty decent. TLJ was hot garbage. I didn't even watch TRoS. Still haven't.
I remember going to see TLJ at Leicester Square on opening night me and my brother and sister all paid silly money relative to other cinemas and I just came out of it going I don’t know if I even like this while my brother was raving about how it was the best thing he’s seen in years lol
I think he got caught up in the moment.
Honestly it’s also like when I saw Star Trek 09 with a friend at the BFI imax and I came out of it with him having had the time of his life and the only positive thing I could say was “ I liked the music “
Tucker and Dale vs Evil
I haven't laughed at a movie like that in years. I would like to again
I got scared because I thought you were gonna say you hated it. Great movie
Just ordered the blu ray last night! It’s been on my radar for years, but never watched it.
We’re renting a cabin this Halloween and it’s on our watch list for sure!
ATLA live action. It's already almost gone from my memory but not quite all the way gone.
There is no ATLA movie in Ba Sing Se...
looks at comments Really? No Requiem for a Dream? Eff that movie.
Ayyy…that’s the film that came to mind straight away of one I’d love to forget. Such a messed up story.
For those that haven’t seen it, the film is technically excellent. Nothing wrong at all there. The tale it tells is quite unnerving.
The film is a masterpiece. The fact that people would rather have never watched it is due to how well executed it was. Personally, I still enjoy watching it every couple of years.
That movie is a tool, a very useful tool.
My friends kid started smoking weed and getting into trouble at 14 he was bitching about it to me and I said "Make her watch Requiem, I'm a grown ass man who did drugs and that movie makes me scared of drugs"
Few weeks later he had to pick her up from a friends house when the parents caught them smoking a joint after dinner at a sleepover.
She was all surprised he wasnt yelling and screaming and said "So, am I in trouble?" He just said "Nah, lets go home and watch a movie."
In high school, most of my friends were into weed and normal shit like that. But then, our group started to get into ecstasy. After a few particularly weird e experiences, my ex and I were sick of it. We decided to decline an invite to go take ecstacy with some friends and watch this film instead. To this day, I have never touched ecstacy again. It reprogrammed us!
That'll do it.
I'd lobby to show that movie to every middle school to scare the shit out of them, it is so freakin good. It should scare you.
Yup. No waivers!
The first one that comes time mind is the one I’ve watched the most times and pretty much know by heart: The Princess Bride.
That said, I wonder how much of my love for the movie is nostalgia. Maybe it would ruin it for me. But it would be interesting to find out.
"You got money?"
"Sixty five."
"Psh... I never work for so little. Except once! And that was a very noble cause."
Ironically…Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
I don’t remember anything about it. I saw it after chugging a bottle of Robitussin DM and rented it thinking “Oh, Jim Carey, this’ll be hysterical”.
It wasn’t.
Who hates that movie? I mean if you don't like indie romcoms... It's definitely not your standard Jim Carey flick.
It’s probably a great movie. But it’s a terrible film to watch when you’re robotripping and expecting a comedy.
But it’s the perfect movie to forget… because you’ll just up watching again anyway.
Spirited Away. I'd love to see that movie again for the first time. So beautiful and magical
They're putting on a live stage version of it in London next year, I'm travelling from Australia to see it.
Fucking Serbian Film. And eff your post for reminding my stupid brain that that film exists. /s
Fucking trash movie. Not even shocking. Just complete garbage.
Your Name, a beautiful anime movie. I was legit floored the whole way through. I'd watch that with new eyes in a heartbeat.
In not really into anime at all, but a friend convinced me to watch that and it was just so satisfying. Loved it.
There are a lot of others that live in that same vein. Ones that are closer to slice of life or drama and don't have the tropes associated with most anime. Anime can be as broad as all of film as far as content and story.
A few you may enjoy if you liked 'Your Name'
I'm really picky about shows and movies and I've found all of those to be excellent.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
Came here to say this. Love this movie and it's unique premise.
Matrix 4
for a long time, I was like if I had a wish, it would be to see the Matrix movies like the very first time.
after seeing the 4th, my wish is to clear Matrix 4 out of my mind.
There are two ways to view The Matrix 4.
When I first watched it I hated the fuck out of it.
After thinking about it, I realised its genius; it is immune from criticism. The movie is shit on purpose.
Don't think of the movie as a Matrix sequel - because it isn't. Lana didn't want to make this movie (as explicitly stated in the first act), but she also didn't want anyone else to touch it.
So, she permanently and deliberately sabotaged her legacy. There is no ambiguous ending; she executed her baby in the messiest way possible and I respect the fuck out of her for it.
Matrix 4 felt like a direct-to-video sequel.
It more or less was to be honest.
If I remember correctly the wachowskis were about to lose some rights to Warner Bros or Warner had to remake to not lose rights or so.
Therefore the one Wachowski sister did that one... That's similar to a lot of the direct to dvd sequels that are done by disney. They remain to hold the rights.
(Please correct me if I am wrong)
Fucking Elf. I hate that fucking movie and yet due to the people I was hanging out with at the time somehow ended up seeing it 5 times. Didn't like it the first time, spent the whole time annoyed the second, don't know why or how I tolerated it 3 more times, but I'm never watching that shitty fucking movie ever again and wish I could bleach it the fuck out of my skull.
You watched elf 5 times? I'm sorry but I'm laughing here, you dumbass lol
Yeah that movie is all kinds of godawful
Dumbass is almost too nice lol. I was really wanting to hang out with people at the time. I stopped hanging out with them once I couldn't tolerate it anymore. Decided being alone was more fun.
I was reading the comments and realized that most people would want to forget a good movie so you can enjoy it again for the first time. But the first thing my negative ass thought of is "well I really wish I could remove the movie Tusk from my mind".
Shit, same tho. They brought him a fucking fish at the end. What. The. Fuck.
There are too many to choose!
And the award goes to:
Lord of the Rings. If I can only choose one, then Return of the King.
Honourable mentions:
Avengers Endgame (watched it at a midnight screening at a Infinity-War/Endgame double bill and it was one of the best experiences ever)
Tron legacy: unlike many movies, it completely drew me into its world, with the visuals and music.
Nolan batman films: probably Dark Knight
I never got the hate for Tron: Legacy.
Its still one of my favorite movies to watch on Bluray on the big tv with the volume up too loud when I have the house to myself for a night.
You know what? I think I'll do exactly that this weekend! In a dark room with the cold and cranked up, it's an absolute banger
A Serbian film... That ending I just cant... It is the only movie I actively tell people to avoid. My wife and I like to watch the most mind-fuck movies imaginable, but that one took it a step too far. We literally just stared at the screen for like 5 min after it was over.
Salo was for a long time the ultimate clout getter in conversations about fucked up films. A Serbian Film shit all over that upon its release. I actually think Salo is a bit interesting as a commentary on power and abuse, if not completely over the top, but ASF has little if any redeeming value. If it is trying to make any point it completely fails in making it because the content of the story is so awful It's impossible to reflect on what that could even be.
Nice! I had it on my list, but hadn't seen salo yet, thanks for the reminder!
I agree. Saw a lot of fucked up films, but "A Serbian Film" I will never watch again. Similar feeling about "Irreversible" and this one endless scene...
I've only read the wikipedia plot summary .... and it's still haunting me.
Yeah. First film I thought of when I read the title. My life would be better if I'd get to unwatch it.
Meet the Feebles
My parents thought it was the muppets. I watched it when I was 6.
I still get Vietnam flashbacks.
Hello fellow Feebles watcher. I was about 12 when my parents left me home with this lovely "kids classic" to amuse myself.
I'm sure this movie is to blame for a lot of my... quirks....
Kids classic is right!
That's why I donated copies of it to every child care centre in a fifty mile radius.
oh my God
I'd never heard of it so I looked up the synopsis on Wikipedia and holy **** I cannot believe the sheer volume of horrible things happening. every fucking line I was going "dear Lord, it gets worse???" I cannot imagine seeing this as a child. how did your parents not realize how fucked up it was and turn it off in the first couple minutes? I am astounded something like this even exists, what could possibly be the audience for this? people with a craving to just watch the world burn??? I simply do not understand. truely, you are most deserving of being at the top of this thread. if there were only one forget-a-movie pill made for all the world to share, I would give it to you, no question. my condolences for your murdered childhood innocence after watching that. holy fuck.
Lol thank you for your sympathies. I don't know the exact conditions for how my parents came into possession of this movie, but I was left to view it in its entirety without interruption. I appreciate the brains capacity to repress traumatic events - I only remember bits and pieces. Upon watching it as an adult, I was shocked to realise it was much worse than I remember.
The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Very meta. Nice.
Cannibal Holocaust. I'm reminded of it every time I see a tortoise. If you're an animal person, do not watch it.
All of the animal torture scenes were completely in bad taste. I met Ruggero Deodato once. I told him that I really respected how raw and violent Cannibal Holocaust was, and the legalities behind the movie were fascinating, but that the animal cruelty is beyond reproach, truly disgusting.
Oh no, I also remember the giant water tortoise. Specifically how disgusting the shell opening was with all the guts and slimy white body fat. Nothing I've seen in any other "hardcore" horror movie has come close to this scene.
I've seen the movie in German, it's called "Nackt und zerfleischt" (Naked and mangled/mauled) here.
Interstellar. I'd love to watch it for the first time all over again. I was so completely enthralled by it but also so heavily affected by it. It's one of those that stuck with me for weeks. Incredible movie.
I also wanted to say Interstellar.
Just placing my ticket here.
I put interstellar on when I feel like a good blub. Very cathartic.
What about it and thrilled you so much? I was really disappointed, personally.
I'm not the OP but I can understand both sides. The first 3/4 or so was great. Good plot, great characters, pretty sweet science. Then at the end... all this jazz about love. It felt like they didn't know how to end the story.
Additionally, if you're a big sci fi nerd like me, the ideas of ::: spoiler spoiler people lying to be rescued from an awful situation, the earth becoming uninhabitable, decades passing in minutes and everyone you know dying or getting older... ::: all of that has been done before. I mean shit, in Star Trek ::: spoiler spoiler both Picard and O'Brien have lived decades or lifetimes in false lives only to return to where they left from and been expected to resume living as if nothing happened. :::
I developed a moderately effective technique to suppress memories to the point where they're functionally removed. Perhaps not coincidentally, I don't know of any movies I want to forget.
“I saw a commercial on late night TV, it said, "Forget everything you know about slipcovers." So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were.”
I miss Mitch.
“…also, I’ve forgotten the technique”
The technique is actually pretty simple: whenever you remember something you want to forget, think of something else instead. My go-to memory is "O Cara Mia" as performed by Rockleetist. I sing the song when I perform my technique, but I don't think that's actually necessary for everyone. Eventually, I start singing the song when I feel like I might remember some nebulous thing that feels like I might not want to, because the neural pathways of the memory and performing the song get interlinked. (probably, I'm 100% conjecturing the neurology of it) Eventually, the neural pathways that led to the memory instead lead to the song, and unless you get a strong reminder, you're unlikely to conjure the memory unbidden.
how do you know it works?
I have been reminded of events that I intentionally blocked out, and the resurfacing memories typically come with memories of me intentionally going through the process to forget them. Also, I've had fewer intrusive thoughts of momentary shame from long-distant social faux-pas, which is what I think I usually use it for. I don't think I've ever suppressed the memory of a substantially lengthy piece of media though; I don't think the technique is that effective over reasonable time scales.
For me, it’s to wither watch the movie traaaashed, or rolling.
Probably the ring +/- the adjacent films. Absolutely fucked me up for most of my childhood where I had issues falling asleep, looking under covers, etc. Not as bad now but certain things will trigger me still and it takes a few days to get back to normal.
The closet scene at the start fucked me up pretty good.
The ring is probably my all time favourite movie just because it fucked me up so much. Love it when a movie makes me question if there really are monsters lurking in the darkness.
Interstellar - Movie and Music
That’s my all time favorite.
So tough. Three choices:
Enter the Void
Not4Sale - TV Sheriff and the Trailbuddies
Freddie Got Fingered
All three are the most incredible masterpieces I’ve watched for the first time while on LSD.
I think I’d go with Enter the Void.
The Irishman. The fact that I lost 3 hours to that pointless slog is so painful I'd rather just forget all about it. I'll never get those 3 hours back, but at least the regret will be gone.
This movie was so bad and the worst thing about it was how everyone was praising it. Are they all just pretending to like it cuz it’s Scorsese?? It was such a piece of shit movie!
The Truman Show fucked me up bad as a kid
The Book of Eli.
THAT THRILL throughout the whole movie, you feel that there's something odd, but you can't quite put your finger on it, and towards the end you know that something big needs to happen, or else...
And then it happens, but isn't it too late...?
And when you finally know what it is, then it is priceless, you feel like you should have seen it all the time, but you just couldn't.
And then you want to see the whole movie once again, immediately, in order to collect all the little hints and see them right... the whole plot gets a new meaning after you know.
But if I could forget it, and start newly without knowing, that would be soo nice.
Ah please no. SPOILER ALERT
The entire premise that they want "the book" to control people but in the right hands it will save humanity! It's the fucking bible. Really now?
Weak spoiler anyway :-) because this is of little relevance to the things I have told.
Star Wars Christmas Special
Wait, that means I could remove my wedding film and forget everything about my ex?
At best you'd forget the good times but still remember the bad times. Unless you recorded the divorce too?
I have watched Star Trek: Insurrection three times.
I know this only because three separate friend groups have all confirmed that I watched the movie with them.
I have no recollection of the film whatsoever.
So apparently, that one.
Apparently you already did remove that one.
Insurrection is the worst star trek movie ever, or it used to be until these dumb nu trek "pew pew pew look at the pretty ugly CGI" movies were made. I was impressed they managed to make movies even worse than insurrection
I mean, I've seen ST-V: We Let Shatner Direct This One. ...And I think any movie that forced a 51 year old Nichelle Nichols to perform a fan dance to distract a couple of guards... is gonna be tough to beat for "worst star trek ever"
But that's just like, my opinion, man.
Aside from "beardless Riker" I cannot think of a truly unique or memorable moment from that movie that really stands out from the rest of TNG.
Hell even beardless Riker in a way just harkens back to Season 1.
"Whats Eating Gilbert Grape" only reminds me of my ex, so that one
Did your ex eat cake with their hands?
The X-Files: I Want to Believe
I fucking hated this film. The Mulder and Scully parts didn't feel like "oh, they finally got together". They felt like slash fanfic. "we had a kid off screen and it died, feel sad for us. Oh, also, we finally fucked." Stupid, stupid.
Edit - kid was given up for adoption, not died.
Probably something like An American Tail so I could enjoy it for the first time again after randomly stumbling upon it on my external hard drive.
The English Patient. And I want my 14 hours back. (i know it wasn't 14 hours but it felt that way)
Earthlings. I won't link to it here. I got through 15 minutes of it before I had to stop.
I'd go with Back To The Future. Cozy and fun.
Total Recall because why not.
Back on Earth you'll be lobotomized!
A Serbian Film
The trouble with removing a crap film is that you might accidentally watch it again, so I’ll have to go for empire strikes back coz the vader twist for the first time would be crazy
Oh shit, good call. I was thinking the Johnny Depp Sweeney Todd because that movie was so bad I'm still mad that I wasted time on it, but I generally love Tim Burton, so I'd probably just end up seeing it again.
mother!
That movie fucked me up. I've seen some shit on the Internet and thought I was pretty calloused to graphic, depraved brutality. The ending of that movie is something I'll never forget.
I was warned that the end was intense and read the synopsis because I was curious. Even with the spoilers I wasn't ready for it.
I'd like to forget it, but not beyond "this was an extremely well made and moving movie. Never watch it."
Mother! has been on my watch list for years and this comment might be what pushes me to watch it tonight. Without giving any spoilers, does it have any scenes if sexual violence or rape?
The Gift, starring Jason Bateman.
The movie itself is fairly well made, albeit low budget af because it's a Netflix movie. The problem is the plot. ::: spoiler spoiler A kid that Jason Bateman's character used to bully in high school grows up and becomes a terrifying stalker out to get revenge. Jason Bateman's wife at first is terrified, but then leaves him after it's revealed he used to be a bully. Because THAT'S what you should focus on right? You should definitely be concerned with the type of person "someone who wants to kill you" says your husband used to be 30 years ago. Not the "someone who wants to kill you" person. Nope. They're alright. :::
Gasper Noe's IRREVERSIBLE. It's brilliant and amazing and so very traumatic. But in more ways than I expected.
Star wars sequels
Knives Out. I love watching every little detail of that movie, now I could do it all over again for the first time and find the same details again with additional rewatches.
I watched it and remember nothing about it because my partner and I had like eight beers and a million shots.
I should watch that again!
Fight Club. Really good, but just hasn't ever had the same impact on repeat watches.
With a lot of other "plot twist" movies, you can at least enjoy repeat viewings because you see and enjoy all the signs, and maybe even pick up new ones. But Fight Club, despite being excellent, doesn't really execute the repeat view appeal very well at all imo.
I think a good plot twist movie is worth watching twice, once to experince it blind and another to see the change in motivation for characters knowing the plot twist
Usually yeah, at least twice, but with Fight Club you can't even get that since the two central characters were so... divided.
At best you get to re-contextualize the reactions of the characters around them, but that alone was never enough for me, so that's why this is my pick.
I would also pick fight club, even though I completely 100% disagree with your argument.
I had so much fun watching this film multiple times and seeing new stuff.
Granted Fight Club is not a movie that I watched analyizingly in my armchair but rather a movie that I watched beerdrinkingly with my buddies.
But I think that is a better way to watch it anyway.
For good: 2001: A Space Odyssey. So I could be wowed again by it.
For bad: Dude, Where's My Car
I found 2001 to be confusing af.
And I like that.
and then?
Worst I've seen and needed to stop watching: ALL ABOUT STEVE
I like that movie. It kind of snuck up on me.
I'm glad someone liked it
Johnny Got His Gun (1971).
I could not finish this disturbing movie, and I would be happy to forget it.
I remember watching it with my brother few years ago. Man, what a sad movie and even more sad ending.
Everything is illuminated. I'd love to watch it again.
Battle Royale 2 or Waiting 2.
Both of them were sequels to movies I loved that nearly ruined the first one retroactively. Usually I just chock it up to bad movie, but those two were beyond painful to watch.
Battlefield Earth.