Top 20 Movies That You Have to Watch Twice to Understand

A film set in Gotham City with no Batman? It seemed like an odd choice on paper, but Joaquin Phoenix and director Todd Phillips turned in a truly remarkable origin story for the Clown Prince of Crime. A unique vision of the character, “Joker” is a gritty and grounded story set in a world seemingly devoid of heroes - super or otherwise. For all its realism, however, it sure knows how to make you second-guess what’s happening on screen. Where does real life end and the delusions of Arthur Fleck begin? Watch as closely as you like, this film prefers to keep at least a few cards hidden up its sleeve. Regardless, it makes for a fascinating exploration of obsession, alienation and fantasy.

Directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer, this adaptation of David Mitchell’s novel is quite the mind-bender. “Cloud Atlas” tells six different intertwining tales across multiple eras, with the help of an ensemble cast led by Tom Hanks. It’s only during this sci-fi flick’s epilogue that it’s revealed that Tom Hanks’ sixth character Zachry Bailey has been telling the different stories to his grandchildren in the mysterious future. While this explains why each actor plays different characters in the film, the conclusion sheds new light on all you’ve just seen and makes you want to watch it all over again to make sure you catch everything.’

Wes Craven’s cult classic is not just another slasher flick. “Scream” centers around Neve Campbell’s character Sidney, who’s being pursued by the mysterious and elusive Ghostface serial killer. The movie deserves another go around just because of its climax, as knowing who the murderer is makes the original kills even better. The film is also an example of mid-‘90s meta humor, constantly making references to itself and its framework. Heck, you could make a drinking game out of it: one drink for every meta joke. Actually, don’t do that, you definitely won’t last until the end!

Everyone has a look-a-like somewhere in the world. In this film, Jake Gyllenhaal’s character Adam seeks his identical look-a-like after he spots him in a small role in a rented flick. Said doppelganger is named Anthony Claire and is also played by Gyllenhaal. The actor masterly portrays both men, jumping from different personalities with ease. By the end of it all, you realize that the film deserves a second viewing – but this time from the point of view of Anthony instead. Maybe then you’ll be able to comprehend what the hell is going on with all of the spiders.

Our next entry is as mysterious as they come. Initially, “The Others” SEEMS to be about Grace Stewart and her family being tormented by shady servants and supernatural occurrences. Cut to the twist, Nicole Kidman’s character and her family are actually the ones who are supernatural - i.e. dead. In fact, Kidman smothered her children and then committed suicide out of grief, and they’re now haunting the current occupants of the house. Only finding this out at the end means that watching the horror thriller a second time will completely change how you see “The Others.” Maybe you’re a ghost too… probably not though.

During most of your first viewing, “Shutter Island” seems like a typical detective story. The film’s original premise follows Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo as U.S. Marshals who investigate a disappearance at the mysterious Ashecliffe Hospital on Shutter Island. But it’s later revealed that DiCaprio’s character is actually the hospital’s 67th patient, Andrew Laeddis, and the events of the film are tests from the doctors to try and cure his insanity. This admission drastically changes how everything and everyone in the film is perceived and definitely warrants a second watch.

Evil doppelgangers, mysterious underground tunnels, Tim Heidecker in a half serious role - there’s a lot going on in this movie. Wait, TWO Tim Heideckers in the same movie? Now that’s enough to make your spin! In the follow-up to his critically-acclaimed horror debut, “Get Out,” filmmaker Jordan Peele ups both the weird factor and the thematic complexity. “Us” is many things: stylish, funny, and terrifying. But easy to understand is not on that list. Sure, the basic plot is simple enough - evil doppelgangers rise from their subterranean world to murder and take the place of their surface-dwelling counterparts. But what does it all mean? Who are these people and what’s up with those tunnels? Once you find out, it’s time for a rewatch!

This film will have you confused but also marveling at its brilliance. In this sci-fi flick from Terry Gilliam, Bruce Willis’ character James Cole has to travel back in time to prevent an apocalyptic viral terrorist attack. However, by the end of it, we learn that the future can’t be changed and Willis’ trip seems to have been futile. On the next viewing though, it’s a blast trying to remember who knows what information and what’s true or just a red herring. Just don’t get stuck in a time loop!

This sci-fi film is Christopher Nolan’s epic follow up to “Inception”. The film follows a group of astronauts, with the leads portrayed by Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, as they try to discover a new planet to colonize to save humanity. Why does this require a rewatch, you ask? Well, for one, it’s a much smoother viewing once you’ve got your head around the science, especially that whole time dilation thing. To make it scientifically plausible, Nolan worked alongside famed theoretical physicist Kip Thorne. Then there’s the tesseract and its architects in the finale … PLUS there’s the sheer beauty of the space adventure, which is just a pleasure to re-experience.

Thanks to Lewis Carroll and “Alice in Wonderland”, “down the rabbit hole” is a common way of saying that someone has crossed over into a surreal state or strange perspective. Well, we’d like to suggest “climbing jacob’s ladder” as a potential substitute. Because this movie is seriously messed up. Released in 1990 and starring Tim Robbins, “Jacob’s Ladder” is a psychological thriller/horror film that takes you to the very darkest corners of the human psyche. Our protagonist, Jacob, is a Vietnam vet who, upon finding himself back home in NYC, is plagued by increasingly strange, violent and grotesque hallucinations. Jacob’s mind is not to be trusted, but we’re almost exclusively tied to his perspective, making this one heck of a trip down the rabbit hole.

There are few filmmakers who like to make you think quite as much as Christopher Nolan does. This isn’t his first entry on our list and (spoiler)… it won’t be the last! When “Inception” was released in 2010, cinemagoers could not get enough of it. Sure, the cast is incredible and the action is rock solid, but what really kept people coming back for more was the concept that Nolan put forth. We follow our protagonist, Dom Cobb, and his associates into a shared dreaming space. And as the action plays out on multiple levels of the subconscious, it’s easy to get a little mixed up. Following its release, “Inception” spawned countless charts and infographics to help people understand the film’s complex structure.

Because of its emo/goth aesthetic and teen drama, “Donnie Darko” hasn’t always gotten the credit it deserves. Although niche, it’s a tightly-crafted and thoroughly fascinating film. A sci-fi psychological thriller, the movie follows the titular teen as he attempts to understand some foreboding premonitions. Thanks to an excellent performance by a young Jake Gyllenhal, it makes for an engaging viewing experience even if you don’t fully grasp the plot the first time around. Unafraid of getting into the nitty gritty of time travel theory, “Donnie Darko” is the sort of film that reveals something new upon every repeat viewing.

Movies come and go. Even those that do well at the box office often fail to leave an enduring mark on pop culture. But if you say the name “Keyser Söze”, many people know exactly what you’re talking about - some of them without ever having seen the film. The epic twist at the end of “The Usual Suspects” has been referenced in everything from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to “Derry Girls”. But in addition to being an iconic moment in movie history, the big reveal at the end of this film also puts everything that you’ve just watched in a whole new perspective. It’s the sort of movie that doesn’t just benefit from a repeat viewing - it all but forces you to do so.

In the first entry of the “Saw” franchise, audiences watched in fear as characters Adam Stanheight and Dr. Lawrence Gordon struggled to survive the first “Jigsaw Killer” game. If you’ve already watched it once, you know that Jigsaw is actually very much present the whole time - just not in a way anyone could have predicted. This makes the film more enjoyable to watch a second time around, as does knowing Dr. Gordon’s real fate thanks to “Saw 3D”. Not to mention, you’ll also realize that the bathroom reappears in later films in the franchise.

Whether he’s serving as director, screenwriter or both, Charlie Kaufman’s films never fail to confuse and befuddle. His 2020 adaptation of “I’m Thinking of Ending Things” took an already perplexing novel and somehow managed to make it even more opaque. Kaufman has perhaps never been more Kaufmanesque, however, than with “Synecdoche, New York”. It was the filmmaker’s directorial debut and he held nothing back. The film follows a theater director, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose obsession with realism pushes his production to evolve into a world of its own. The film places a lot of faith in the audience to keep up with its motifs and metaphysical inquiries. Watching it twice is really the only way.

M. Night Shyamalan’s brilliant psychological horror introduced audiences to a boy who can see dead people, and the dedicated child psychologist trying to help him. If you’ve been hiding under a rock for 15 years and you don’t know the twist, we won’t ruin it here. But suffice to say, there are countless hints throughout, and it takes multiple viewings to notice them. Either way, after watching the end, you won’t be able to watch it the same way again. It becomes a different movie, one much spookier, but also more poignant.

Another director who seems to deal exclusively in head scratchers, David Lynch likes to leave plenty of room for interpretation. Many a viewer had to rush to Google for answers after watching “Eraserhead” for the first time. If there’s one Lynch film that benefits most from a second viewing, however, it’s “Mulholland Drive”. The film boasts a star-making performance from Naomi Watts, who plays a young actress hoping to make it big in Los Angeles. After she befriends a woman with amnesia, however, this seemingly grounded tale takes increasingly erratic and disorienting turns. Lynch has famously refused to explain the film’s true meaning, but repeat viewings will help you decide which of the popular interpretations makes the most sense to you.

Christopher Nolan more than earns his place on the podium. Pretty much every movie in the director’s filmography is an exercise in experimental narrative structure. In “The Prestige”, the entire film is one big magic trick. “Dunkirk” takes an a-chronological approach that prioritizes character perspective over linear storytelling. “Memento”, however, the director’s second feature (and first to earn him significant attention), remains his greatest feat in terms of narrative structure. The story centers on a man named Leonard who’s incapable of forming new memories. Despite his affliction, however, our protagonist remains committed to solving the murder of his wife. Nolan has the action play out across two timelines that are best understood with the help of a chart.

Nowadays, when you watch a film that leaves you puzzled, the internet is there to help. But can you imagine watching “2001: A Space Odyssey” back in 1968? Talk about a moviegoing experience that will keep your brain occupied for weeks! The thing is, even today, decades later and with countless think pieces and essays written about it, this hugely influential Stanley Kubrick film continues to generate debate and discussion. There’s actually a Wikipedia page separate from the film entitled “Interpretations of 2001: A Space Odyssey”. With its beautiful but befuddling final scene and ambiguous imagery throughout, it’s inspired many theories, but no definitive answers. But hey, that’s Kubrick for ya. After all, this is the same director who gave us “The Shining”.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Predestination” (2014)
A Fast-Paced Time-Travel Head Scratcher to Rival the Best of Them.

“Mr. Nobody” (2009)
Jared Leto Plays a Man Who Lives Out Multiple Lives Simultaneously

“Videodrome” (1983)
A Film That Might Make You Reconsider What You Watch on TV

“Holy Motors” (2012)
Watch It Again, You’ll Still Be Confused by This Unnerving Fantasy Drama

Taking our top spot is every college film major’s favorite black comedy. Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece follows a monumental cast featuring the likes of John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, and Bruce Willis, in a variety of intertwining stories. If the witty dialogue isn’t enough to warrant another viewing, then just attempt to figure out the correct timeline of the film. If that still isn’t enough, try to catch all of the pop culture references and bits of trivia sprinkled in. Did you know the Jules Winnfield Bible verse is a misquote? You do now.