Content Warning: This article contains discussions/depictions of genocide and war.
Natalie Portman is starring again as Jane Foster in Thor: Love and Thunder which is now in theaters. Her acclaimed career as an actress led her to star in one of the most successful franchises of the MCU, but even though she is now playing the romantic interest of the god of thunder, nobody forgets her outstanding previous roles, especially her interpretation of Nina Sayers in Aronofsky's Black Swan.
Darren Aronofsky is famous for directing exceptional movies that are really difficult to watch. His remarkable and immersive cinematic storytelling of the darkest aspects of the human condition can become an intense emotional experience that viewers rather see once. Nevertheless, his films are not the only ones that are known to be extraordinary and at the same time, not rewatchable, and according to Reddit, these movies are also difficult to watch a second time.
We Need To Talk About Kevin
Redditor Rosehipblue mentioned the movie and admitted she found it "too depressing/disturbing to re-watch ever again" and other Redditors agreed. The film is absolutely outstanding in its intimate and effective approach to a tragic phenomenon that has shaken American society for more than two decades, and therefore, it can be too hard to watch for a second time.
School shootings have become a concern that has to be addressed urgently, and it's more important than ever to understand the factors that lead to such devastating events. We Need To Talk About Kevin achieves a profound and unique narrative that makes viewers ask all the right questions about the psychology behind a school shooter and his family.
Schindler's List
TheCarrier89 commented "I find a lot of movies about real-life tragedies not rewatchable. Movies like Schindler's List" which rang true to most. Many people go to the movie theaters to escape from reality, and when movies do the exact opposite, it can be preferable as a one-time experience.
Schindler's List is one of the best movies based on true stories and as such, it is heartwrenching and painful to watch. The film is so well written, produced, and directed that it is impossible for viewers to not feel absorbed by the most devastating aspects of the Holocaust. It may be too awful to bear twice, but its remarkable depiction of the horrors within Nazi concentration camps is necessary to not forget history.
Uncut Gems
Redditor joseph4th pointed out, "It was really well written and Adam was robbed by the Oscars, but it was also punishing in a way". Adam Sandler portrayed Howard Ratner so well that he was disturbingly despicable to most viewers that saw Uncut Gems.
It is surprising that someone who just acts in comedy movies and it's known for a very specific role depicted a villain so well, but sometimes, as the other titles mentioned proved, doing things too well can gain the respect of audiences, but fewer views.
Come And See
MonkeyJesusFresco mentioned the outstanding soviet film about the Nazi occupation of Belarus in 1941. The movie is not that known, however, it is one of the most extraordinary films ever made about World War II. Redditor Nexlon added, "There's nothing I've ever seen that comes so close to being as nakedly visceral and brutal as Come and See."
Every shot of the movie is as impressive as it is spine-chilling, and it is evident how every aspect of it was meticulously thought out to become a masterpiece. If anyone wants to see a great film about WWII with an anti-war focus, Come and See is a must, although the probability is that nobody will be eager to see it twice.
1917
Redditor MartynLann pointed out "1917 feels unrewatchable in the sense that if I do rewatch it I want it to be in a theater. It was so immersive and harrowing that I truly felt I had been thrown into the hell of war. I left the theater still trembling" and described how most viewers felt after watching the movie.
1917 is one of the best military movies according to IMDb and like every other memorable film about war, it can be difficult to watch. However, what's truly remarkable about 1917 is how it transcended cinema history with its custom-made cameras and systems, via (Indie Wire) that made the whole experience even more immersive in the movie theater, although consequently, the powerful film may feel different on a normal screen.
American History X
User fuzzyjesus spoke for many when he mentioned American History X and stated "amazing film that should be on must-watch lists for school children but so powerful that I’ll never watch them again". Sometimes, teaching children the dates of historic events and summarizing the most important aspects butcher the importance of story-telling, which is effective in creating empathy and making students realize how hatred and intolerance should not be perpetuated.
Therefore the incommensurable worth of films that exceptionally tackle the horrors of supremacism, such as the one mentioned by the Redditor. Even though it's too strong to see more than once, it has a profound effect that is necessary for future generations.
Gone Girl
AnnoyingFlightAt2AM shared "Gone Girl. But I think it's mostly because I already know all of the twists, so basically any great detective/thriller is not rewatchable for me". Sometimes movies have a script that caught everyone off guard with its surprising turn of events and that's what makes them exceptional the first time they are seen.
However, once the story is known it can feel dull to watch it for a second time, given that the whole intrigue was based on unraveling the truth. Gone Girl can be one of those cases for some, and even though it is one of Ben Affleck's best movies, it may not be worth watching it again for the people who know exactly what happens.
127 Hours
VictorBlimpmuscle summed up what most people felt after watching the film, "fantastic movie based on a true story and featuring a terrific performance by James Franco, but I never want to see the arm amputation scene ever again". The scene indeed was too horrifying to watch for most people.
The story of Aaron Ralston is shocking and even though his lust for life can be inspiring, it is still very gruesome to witness what he decided to do in order to survive after his arm got stuck between a boulder and a canyon's wall. The story is more extraordinary than the film, but it's always fascinating to get to know how far the desire for survival can do.
Requiem For A Dream
BrendanClittle stated "The obvious answer is Requiem for a Dream" and most Redditors agreed. A lot of people place the film among other movies that were secretly horror films given that its portrayal of drug abuse and its devastating consequences (through Aronofsky's distinctive cinematic language) is terrifying.
Many of its scenes have become iconic and are very important in the history of contemporary cinema, but nobody can deny that watching it can be nerve-wracking. Consequently, Requiem for a Dream is not a film to watch for laughs or for a light-hearted experience but quite the contrary, which makes it worthy of a single watch.
Joker
Ill_Dare_5309 shared "I was blown away by the acting and the movie itself. I remember months later, it came on HBO Max and I started to watch it and just couldn’t get back into it". Joker surpassed everyone's expectations with its devastating and accurate social criticism that became too real and therefore, hard to bear.
The movie pointed out very questionable traits of society, including its lack of mental health services, socioeconomic inequality, and how cold and uncaring individuals can become when submerged in a capitalist scheme of politics and media. The movie may have been about a fictional clown in a fictional city, but its plausibility and excellent cinematography made it a one-time thing for some.