Great Films Are Meant to be Seen Again (and Again)
Movies change when we do.
Earlier this week, I rewatched Phantom Thread at Metrograph. It was as if I was watching it for the first time.
The first time I watched Phantom Thread, though, was in 2018 on an airplane screen. The wired earphones from Delta kept falling out of my ears, the audio was awful, and there were no closed captions. I liked the movie, but the airplane watch didn't do it justice. Environment really is everything. I knew I’d need to rewatch it one day properly, but I didn’t know it would happen seven years later.
In case you haven’t seen Phantom Thread, it’s a romantic period drama set in London in the 1950s. It centers around Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis), a dressmaker who makes clothing for London’s elite. He’s obsessive, controlling, intense, and completely wrapped up in his work. He then meets a woman who becomes his muse and lover. The rest of the movie explores their relationship. If you haven’t seen it, please go watch it. I won’t give any spoilers here.
This rewatch, in particular, felt significant. It was even more beautiful than I remembered. I fell absolutely in love with the movie, the soundtrack, the set design, and the costume design, more than the first time I saw it. It was funny too—something I didn’t think the first time I watched it. People in the audience laughed at Woodcock’s witty remarks, and I laughed with them.
The beauty of a rewatch is noticing things on a more microscopic level. What they’re saying, what they’re wearing, what music is playing, what colors keep coming back, what books are on the shelves in the background—everything. There are certain things you will miss on the first watch. You have to keep coming back to these movies, especially the ones with more elaborate themes. Chances are, you’ll love them even more the second, third, ninth, and twelfth time around. The only movie I’ve rewatched countless times is Rataoutille, and although it’s a work of art, there are other masterpieces I hope to revisit one day.
I think that after watching an incredible movie, you’ll feel a visceral pull to experience it again. You may not know when you’re going to rewatch it, but when you do, you’ll be seeing it in a new way.
It also feels as if movies get even better with time—the good ones, at least. When we’re in another phase of our lives, we perceive and relate to them differently, maybe even more strongly than during the first watch. My life has completely changed since 2018, so certain topics in Phantom Thread stood out to me more this time around. The beauty of the rewatch!
Here are some other films I saw recently for the first time that I enjoyed:
Charade, 1963
Fun fact: Audrey Hepburn is my birthday twin. I can’t believe it took me so long to see this. It was perfect: funny, beautiful, and with incredible styling. Every single look inspired me.
No Direction Home, 2005
This Bob Dylan documentary is a must. I watched it after seeing A Complete Unknown, and it gave me so much more context on Bob Dylan. I highly recommend it to learn more about him and his work.
It’s a Wonderful Life, 1946
I finally got around to watching this one after hearing about it for years. It is a true holiday classic. I didn’t know what to expect, but it was an incredible watch.
If you’re curious, I wrote this piece a couple of months ago about going to the movies more regularly and how it’s brought so much more joy into my life.
For Your Leisure
If you're new here—hi! For Your Leisure is where I recommend things I’m currently loving.
I love my Paper Republic notebook, and this year, I’m also trying out their planner. I’ve spent the last few days setting it up.
I got these ballet flats the other month from Anthropologie, and I’ve been wearing them nonstop. They look so cute with any sock color, any outfit, any time of day. Sometimes, I wear them when I walk my dog in the morning with fun socks and sweatpants. They’re unbelievably comfy, too. (And they’ve been majorly on sale for the last month or so! I think the sale finally ends tonight.)
I’m going to bring up the CYKLAR body lotion again. I have such dry skin, and I have tried every body lotion, but for some reason, I never formed the habit of applying lotion every day—until this one. I don’t know what it is. The smell? The packaging? The fact that I’ve been a Claudia Sulewski since I was in high school? I don’t know, but this lotion is it.
I did it. I finally have a jewelry box. After reading multiple articles and Reddit threads, I settled on the Stackers Jewelry Box. I’m honestly upset at myself for not doing this sooner. I have been suffering for years with jewelry spread out all over my apartment and now it’s all in one place. It brings me immense joy.
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Great literature (movies or books) is about profound truths of the human experience. If you can return to something years later and find new resonance with it, that’s how you know it’s really excellent.
There is a reason they are considered great!! 😁 great reminder!