Some movies are fantastic and can be seen again and again. I think I've watched Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan about 100 times, or The Goonies twice that when I was a kid. (Everyone out there that just said, "Man, what a geek," shut the hell up.) There are some movies out there that no matter how much you loved them, you simply cannot watch again.
When I watch a movie or read a book, I do not try to figure out the ending. I let the media take me where it will. I don't want to solve the crime or mystery ahead of time. I want to experience that final revelation when the writer or director wants you to. And usually it ends up being the perfect moment where you get chills or that lightbulb comes on in your head, that feeling that you can't get at any other time.
The following is a list of movies that I love but will probably never watch again. I know what happens now and that simply ruins the magic of watching the movie for me. Yes, I go back and see how it was all set up to make that great revelation, but that would ruin that "first-viewing" in my head. There's still a feeling inside that I don't want to erase.
The Sixth Sense
A Beautiful Mind
Memento
The Butterfly Effect
Primal Fear
Fight Club
There might be a couple more. The fact is that I know what happens. I did not see the ending coming to Fight Club when I finally saw it last year. Somehow I got around any conversation on it. But it was fricking incredible. The revelation in The Sixth Sense makes you do the Keanu "Whoa!"
This does not diminish the impact of these great movies. In fact, this may make them even better. They are movies that I don't want to watch again so as not to mess up that perfect cinematic experience in my mind. That may make them even more perfect.
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