In many ways, it’s hard to pinpoint what makes a movie so rewatchable. Half the movies on this list were surprise hits, or not at all, and only grew in reputation as the years went by. Other movies seem designed specifically for re-watch ability, yet for one reason or another, fail to capture the public’s imagination and fall into obscurity quickly after release. Some movies, however, we just love to watch over and over again.
Be it a sense of nostalgia or just expert filmmaking, the movies on this list often use classic storytelling with modern twists to keep bringing the audience back for more. Themes like the battle of good and evil, man vs. nature, and man vs. machine all seem to play a part in the criteria for a rewatchable movie. There is also an interesting feature of many of the entries on this list in that they came out between the years 1985 and 1994. Perhaps there was just something in the air or the water during that time that manifested movies that never get old.
Yet, the rewatchable aspects of movies can’t be ascribed so easily. Often, it seems a product of proper movie magic, where the right script falls into the right hands and the right cast sells their performances. Whatever the case may be, certain movies provide fully realized worlds with satisfying stakes that beg the audience to make return visits. In this article, we will explore 15 movies that we just love to watch over and over again.
To compile a list of the movies we love to watch over and over again, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of entertainment and cinema sources. Next, we selected films that seemed to reach the biggest audience while staying in the public consciousness for years after their release, often being consistently shown as reruns on television. After that, we confirmed aspects of the plot and critical reception to the films using sites like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. (For characters that make their films rewatchable, discover the most likable movie characters of all time.)
Jurassic Park (1993)
One of the movies we love to watch over and over is Jurassic Park. As top scientists in their respective fields, paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler and mathematician Ian Malcolm get a chance to experience a brand new theme park. It’s not like other theme parks, however, as it features real dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. While the park owner John Hammond claims to have the park under control, the scientist’s wonder turns to terror after some of the Dinosaurs break loose and wreak havoc on the park.
Jurassic Park is so rewatchable because it transports the viewers into the realms of fantasy while keeping the story firmly grounded in reality. The science that created the dinosaurs is believable, and the consequences of reanimating long-lost creatures are even more real. Though the film came out a decade or so ago, its special effects hold up surprisingly well. Add in Steven Spielberg’s instinct for blockbuster movies and you have the type of movie that you can watch over and over again and still find new things to cherish.
Groundhog Day (1993)
After a television weatherman travels to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to cover the annual Groundhog Day celebration, he finds himself in a strange situation. He finds himself in a time loop, in fact, where he lives the same day over and over again. While at first, he’s terrified, then later bored, he soon uses the endless day to his advantage, finding love in the process.
What makes Groundhog Day one of the movies we love to watch over and over again is its sandbox setup. The main character finds himself in true freedom without consequence, and this perfectly enraptures the viewer. It allows for an unbridled sense of fantasy without losing its moral scope, even if the main character gets up to some unseemly acts at times. Ultimately, it’s so rewatchable, not just because the viewer can relive it endlessly like the main character, but because it has a sweet core and a wickedly funny exterior.
Home Alone (1990)
Another one of the movies we love to watch over and over again is “Home Alone”. The film concerns Kevin McAllister, the youngest child in a large, boisterous family. Kevin accidentally gets left behind when his family rushes to catch a plane flight for their vacation. From there, Kevin gets to have his run of the house. Not much later, however, he must defend his household from burglars in a kaleidoscope of gags, ambushes, and pranks.
When “Home Alone” saw release in the fall of 1990, it became a box office sensation, earning over $475 million. For good reason too, as it captures the frightened freedom of a boy left to his own devices. Besides being a Christmas classic, however, what makes the movie so rewatchable is its shooting gallery of slapstick pranks, larger-than-life characters, and ultimately, a strong moral message to center the chaos.
The Princess Bride (1987)
Based on the novel by William Goldman, “The Princess Bride” tells the story of a rogue farmhand named Westley. Though Westley falls in love with Princess Buttercup, an evil noble named Prince Humperdinck kidnaps her and takes her to his castle. Desperate to save her, Westley enlists the help of a rag-tag group of adventures he meets on the road. In the process, they uncover magical secrets, face perilous foes, and ultimately find redemption.
What makes “The Princess Bride” one of the movies we love to watch over and over again is the organization of its fantasy. Undoubtedly a fairy tale, though with a modern sense of irony and humor, the film’s meta-narrative structure helps the viewer lose themself in the wonder. By setting up the story as a tale being read by a grandfather to his sick grandson, the viewer can connect with the kid and fall into the film’s other world with ease, and ultimately, find a great, witty story of triumph.
Back to the Future (1985)
Marty McFly is a teenager in a small California town. As friends with a neighborhood eccentric and scientist, he’s witness to all of Doc Brown’s zany experiments. After Brown discovers a method of time travel, however, McFly accidentally transports back to the 1950s. There, he must keep a close eye on his young parents and make sure they meet properly and fall in love, otherwise, he will cease to exist.
What makes “Back to the Future” one of the movies we love to watch over and over again is its playfulness. Now a sci-fi classic, the film packs in the nostalgia while still poking fun at it through its time travel conceit. What’s more, the film has a zany energy much like its character Doc Brown. Like other films on this list, there is a certain something to this movie that made it a classic summer blockbuster and immensely rewatchable. It is funny yet sweet, wild yet restrained, and shows that the past may be closer than we think.
The Godfather (1972)
Based on the bestselling novel by Mario Puzo, “The Godfather” follows the Corleones, a powerful organized crime family. As the patriarch of the family Don Corleone ages, his son Michael reluctantly decides to join the family business. Soon, however, he’s thrown into a world of violence and betrayal. All the while, he feels his connection to both his wife and a normal life slipping away.
Whereas other films on this list are rewatchable because of their popcorn-style movie escapism, people return to “The Godfather” due to its sheer scope. Expertly composed and stuffed with details, the film’s truly epic sense of scale, family, and responsibility results in one of the most revered, most quotable, and most iconic films ever made. It’s rewatchable in less of a kick-back-and-relax way than it is in a study of the American dream and the violent, subversive ways it manifests.
Ghostbusters (1984)
After a group of scientists lose their cushy jobs at a New York university, they decide to set their sites on the more esoteric of the scientists and become ghosthunters. While some of the team hopes to make groundbreaking scientific discoveries, others are more in it for the money. Their goals fall by the wayside, however, after they accidentally uncover a portal to another dimension. When their discovery unleashes evil spirits across the city, they must save Manhattan from supernatural chaos.
On paper, “Ghostbusters” follows a relatively conventional plot and relies on humor to carry the audience through. In practice, however, the film is incredibly rewatchable due to its classic comedic cast, its at-the-time formidable special effects, and a dripping sense of irony that pervades even the most frightening moments. A classic 80s comedy, “Ghostbusters” takes a simple, predictable plot and transforms it into a popcorn blockbuster of the most deliciously chaotic proportions.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
The film opens with Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, a pair of hitmen that tend into deep, philosophical conversations. Interwoven with their story is that of their boss, Marsellus Wallace, his wife and actress Mia, and a boxer with a death wish named Butch Coolidge. As the film goes on and the characters find themselves in increasingly sticky situations, the seemingly disparate threads of each story connect in unexpected ways.
One of the best films of the 1990s, and arguably the best film ever made by Quentin Tarantino, “Pulp Fiction” has it all. It’s sexy, contemplative, explosive, absurd, and horrific. What makes the film so rewatchable, however, is it manages to take characters so unbelievable they seem straight out of a comic book and transform them into living, breathing people with real talents and equally real weaknesses. It’s violent, disturbing, hilarious, and pulls you back year by year for another watch.
Die Hard (1988)
It’s the holiday season, and grizzled policeman John McClane visits his estranged wife on Christmas Eve. There, he joins her for a holiday party in her office building. Soon, however, the party takes a backseat after a group of terrorists capture the building and hold all the partygoers hostage. McClane quickly realizes he’s the only person there qualified enough to save the day.
A classic action-caper blockbuster, and a deceptively good Christmas movie, “Die Hard” has all the explosive action and witty remarks needed to make it rewatchable. It has such good action and such a tight yet playful composition, it sets a gold standard for what an action film can be. Besides that, it’s so rewatchable because it hits all the right marks in terms of entertainment and excitement without forgoing snappy dialogue.
The Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)
Based on the classic fantasy novels by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy follows young hobbit Frodo Baggins. After his dying uncle Bilbo bequeaths him a ring, Frodo learns just how powerful his inheritance might be. Soon, however, Frodo is tasked with undertaking a perilous, exciting, and cinematic adventure to the banks of Mount Doom. There, he must destroy the ring before it falls into the wrong hands and turns his world asunder.
Not since films like “Spartacus” or “The Ten Commandments” have the senses of Hollywood might and magic been on full display like they are in The Lord of the Rings. Directed expertly by Peter Jackson, the trilogy is pure fantasy escapism. Yet, it doesn’t fall victim to self-indulgence. Instead, it unfurls a world unlike any you’ve ever seen, balancing the forces of good and evil on the shoulders of a diminutive figure with a heart of gold. No doubt, the rewatching of the Lord of the Rings trilogy is an investment, but one that never lets you down. It’s visionary, beautiful, exciting, and affirming throughout.
Fight Club (1999)
Jack is a depressed, insomniac car insurance claim adjustor filling the hole in his soul with endless iterations of Ikea furniture for his apartment. A chance meeting with a wild, sardonic soap salesman on an airplane, however, changes the course of his life. When his apartment mysteriously explodes, Jack moves in with Tyler. Together, they set about creating an underground fight club that transforms into a terrorist group hell-bent on poking fun at, if not destroying, the modern world and all its alienating trappings.
One of the early projects by director David Fincher and based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, “Fight Club” is a sensory-overloading, radically affirming tour de force. What makes it so rewatchable, however, is its ability to depict the modern masculine crisis in an entertaining, yet snarling way. Thanks to Fincher’s meticulous composition, as well as iconic performances from both Edward Norton and Brad Pitt, the film will get you pumped up before leaving you scratching your head. Ultimately, however, its grimy yet raw portrait of people who’ve eschewed modern strivings will keep bringing you back for more.
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
After Andy Dufresne is accused of killing his wife and her lover, the court sentences him to two consecutive life terms in prison for their murders. Though he’s safe in the knowledge that he didn’t commit those crimes, he must face one of the toughest prisons in the country. There, he learns the prison ropes, experiences wanton brutality, and strikes up a friendship with follower prisoner Red, who helps him cope with life behind bars.
“The Shawshank Redemption” is another one of the movies we love to watch over and over because it’s a feel-good movie that still challenges the viewer. Based on the short story by horror titan Stephen King, the film captures something about life behind bars. It’s simple in its portrayal of prison living yet emotionally complex in showing how the prisoners deal with the tedium and random moments of extreme violence. It’s also understated in its performances yet mighty and noble in its unfolding of the story. What makes it so rewatchable is how well the audience can connect with the characters, even if they live very different lives.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Marlin is a clownfish and over-protective parent to his son Nemo, who has one shortened fin. After Nemo goes against his father’s wishes, however, and swims too close to the surface he is captured by a diver. In response, the terrified Marlin undergoes an adventure to save his son. In the process, he enlists the help of an absent-minded blue reef fish named Dory, and the pair face all manner of ocean madness.
A classic since its release in the early aughts, “Finding Nemo” helped cement the already burgeoning reputation of Pixar Films for making heartwarming, intelligent, and awestruck children’s movies. Functioning like a few other movies on this list, “Finding Nemo” uses the conceit of adventure and life-saving to weave a satisfying and exuberant yarn about childhood, family, and freedom. It’s one of the movies we love to watch over and over because it features incredible, oceanic visuals, unbridled joy, and a sense of humor that fascinates children and adults alike.
Mean Girls (2004)
Teenager Cady Heron grew up in the African bush alongside her scientist parents. Later, however, her family picks up and moves to suburban Illinois. Unaccustomed to life in America, much less any developed society, Cady receives a crash course on the ins and outs of the deception, diplomacy, and glamour that comes with being one of the popular girls. In the process, she learns all the pratfalls of being one of the school’s “queen bees.”
What makes “Mean Girls” one of the movies we love to watch over and over is how accurately it captures the peaks and valleys of a teenager’s social life. With a colorful palette, a gaggle of cruel yet endearing humor, and a series of characters perfectly cast, the film gives a perfect look at high school life without relying on cliches or condescending meditations. What makes it so rewatchable, at least for an audience of a certain generation, is how casually it rings true to their adolescent experiences.
Forrest Gump (1994)
Though Forrest Gump is slow-witted, he’s never thought of himself that way, thanks to the protective parenting from his mother. Using his instinctual determination and boundless optimism, Gump finds himself in key moments in American history, whether it’s saving his fellow soldiers in the Vietnam War, excelling at college football, or creating a multi-million dollar shrimp fishing empire.
What makes “Forrest Gump” one of the movies we love to watch over and over is just how expertly yet casually it makes the impossible seem plausible. Though Forrest is born with many disadvantages, nothing stops him from embarking on an odyssey through American history and culture. The film is so rewatchable because it takes huge chances, never panders to the audiences, and ultimately opens the heart of even the most cynical moviegoer.
(For films that are so bad they end up entertaining, discover films so bad you have to see them.)