The 25 Most Rewatched Movies of All Time, According to Twitter/X Users
The intro for a new movie on X, the site formerly/always known as Twitter, is usually a delightful break from the fascist rants and “nudes shi nb io” porn bots that usually dominate my feed. Earlier this week, the question of the day was about naming the 10 movies you’ve seen the most in your life.
This is the kind of tip that requires absolute honesty. When I’m asked about the best films in a certain category, my inner critic immediately blows its whistle, and films that I might actually prefer to see are pushed aside in favor of films that meet some vague intellectual artistic criteria. However, when people ask me what movies I watch all the time , I am being asked to provide a glimpse into my movie-watching soul. Citizen Kane may actually be one of my favorite movies, and I’ve seen it many times… but I watch The Muppet Movie and Charlie’s Angels much more often.
While acknowledging that the following is a completely unscientific look at the actual viewing habits of only a small portion of social media users, I think there is something to be learned from summarizing the movies listed by X users in response to this query. It’s also worth considering whether the films themselves were popular from the start, or whether it took you a while to attract your hardcore fans. In other words, were they plants or souls – a phrase that has no other meaning or context that I know of.
Star Wars (1977)
One of the most frequently cited films is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the original Star Wars , released in 1977. While some users referenced the series as a whole or selected a later installment in the franchise (such as The Empire Strikes Back ), New Movie Hope was a better choice. Considering we’re still living in the blockbuster era that spawned George Lucas’ masterpiece, not to mention the longevity of the franchise, it would be strange if people didn’t re-watch the original film from time to time. For audiences of a certain age, this is a film they watch almost their entire lives.
Shower or gardener? Star Wars , of course, was a success from the very beginning. Theatergoers lined the block, and the film was nominated for an impressive 13 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Home video, television and streaming (not included in box office receipts), and ( sometimes controversial ) theatrical re-releases have kept the flame alive for nearly half a century.
Where to watch again: Disney+
Back to the Future (1985)
Another strong contender was the original Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd as a time-traveling teenager and his charming scientist friend. The film initially struggled to sell as studios found it either too boring to compete with the raunchy teen comedies popular in the early ’80s (think Porky’s ) or too mature for audiences who might be confused by the mom trying to make the movie . with son. With a little help from Steven Spielberg, it was made and ended up being just right for 1985. the first VHS release added a “To Be Continued…” at the ending, creating a sequel that also made it onto several user lists (sadly, with no love for the equally enjoyable Part 3 ).
Shower or gardener? The film was an immediate success, topping the box office in 1985. When it was released on VHS almost a year later, it broke sales records (even at $79.99) and became the most rented tape of the year. Even though the final film in the trilogy was released in 1990, it continues to exist in various releases, merchandise, and even a new Broadway musical.
Where to watch again: Digital rental
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Children today will never know the joys and pains of life in an era when It’s a Wonderful Life was inevitable annual viewing and almost impossible to escape during the holiday season. As a film, it’s actually quite wonderful and surprisingly dark for the kind of thing parents used to plop in front of their kids as seasonal entertainment, but few films can withstand that level of cultural saturation while maintaining their coolness. Anyone who grew up in the pre-streaming era has probably seen it any number of times, whether they wanted to or not, in color or not .
Shower or gardener? Perhaps surprisingly, given its pedigree, this strain was a very accomplished producer. Despite featuring big names (director Frank Capra, star James Stewart), it received good but less than universally rave reviews and lost money at the box office. It received several Oscar nominations, but only won one in the technical category for its snow effects. It hasn’t exactly been forgotten, but a copyright dispute brought it into the public domain (it’s complicated) in the 1970s, making it a cheap holiday show for TV networks. From such legal woes comes a holiday classic.
Where to watch again: Prime Video, Roku channel.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Really, who hasn’t seen The Wizard of Oz at least two or three times?
Shower or gardener? A little bit of both. In a legendarily strong year for American films, it finished fifth at the box office. Not a bad showing, but the film was so expensive to produce that it didn’t turn a profit until its re-release ten years later. A dozen more theatrical releases since then have helped, but the film truly became a staple in 1956 when the television rights were sold to CBS. The first airing received huge ratings, and the subsequent one, which took place a couple of years later, was even better. It soon became (at least) an annual tradition.
Where else to watch: Max
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
I suspect that all of Hayao Miyazaki’s films are watched frequently, so why does Howl’s Moving Castle appear more often than others? The anti-war fable about a young milliner who is transformed into an old woman by a witch after meeting a wizard named Howl isn’t the most whimsical of his films, but it offers perhaps some of Studio Ghibli’s deepest thematic musings. and thus invites additional viewings to understand it all. Plus there’s a cute little fire demon. It is also the director’s favorite film , or at least it was in 2013, until the 2023 release of The Boy and the Heron .
Shower or gardener? In the United States , The Howling is only the fifth highest-grossing Ghibli film at the box office, but worldwide it is one of the most successful Japanese films of all time.
Where else to watch: Max
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Several Nightmare entries came up in the discussion, with the first one receiving the lion’s share of mentions. Wes Craven’s horror classic stars Heather Langenkanp and Robert Englund as Nancy Thomson and Freddy Krueger, a pizza-faced, knife-gloved serial killer who returns from the grave to exact revenge on the children of those who killed him. In my dreams, of course. It’s much more visually ambitious than most other slasher films of the era, has some great ideas along with the bloodshed, and makes its protagonist a truly cool protagonist rather than just a final girl.
Shower or gardener? Nightmare received good reviews (especially for a teen slasher film) and was a big box office success (nearly $60 million worldwide on a budget of just over $1 million), but the proof is in the franchise: six sequels (some of which quite well) , reboot, series and crossover “Friday the 13th “. Things are quiet on Elm Street right now, but it would be a real shock if we never saw Freddy again.
Where to watch again: Digital rental
Titanic (1997)
Just like James Cameron’s Avatar , everyone likes to act like they’re too cool for Titanic … and then watch it 50 times anyway. During production, the film was expected to be a disaster: the $200 million budget (real money in 1997) made it seem like it had no chance of success. Critics were eager to use every bad “sinking ship” metaphor possible, but then the film came out and grossed over a billion dollars worldwide.
Shower or gardener? Titanic is the fourth or fifth highest grossing film of all time , depending on whether we look at original or adjusted grosses… so despite this, the film did well on release. In fact, it held the number one spot in North America for 15 consecutive weeks, a record that has yet to be broken, and won 11 Oscars.
Where to watch again: Paramount+
The Princess Bride (1987)
Romantic without being sappy, and filled with some of the most quotable dialogue in film history, The Princess Bride is an easy, comfortable watch that rewards multiple viewings, even if you have it all memorized. If you’ve ever shouted “Unfathomable!” at someone at the wrong time, that’s why this movie.
Shower or gardener? It wasn’t a disaster, but the film made about $30 million on a $16 million budget, so it wasn’t a huge success either. A VHS release some six months later, as well as frequent cable airings, gave the film a second life, its quotability and overall charm eventually earning it enduring status as a classic.
Where to watch again: Disney+
Alien (1979)
Users are referencing both Alien and Aliens , with no love for the underrated Alien 3 . However, Ridley Scott’s original seemed to fare a little better in the Olympic reruns, likely due to the larger role played by Jonesy, the ship’s cat who becomes a special friend to Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley (just me?). The first film was a stylish and scary haunted house movie in space, and James Cameron’s sequel is pure adrenaline – an action blockbuster that isn’t made anymore. They’re both tight enough to withstand multiple viewings, and the style and production quality elevate the material beyond mere spectacle.
Shower or gardener? Although the film was released without much fanfare, rumors made it a fairly solid success, although distributor 20th Century Fox was quick to deny this fact: in an apparent effort to avoid paying production company Brandywine, Fox claimed that the film lost money. The move was hailed as a good example of creative accounting practices in Hollywood, and the influential lawsuit demanded a review that made clear why the film’s success justified a sequel.
Where to watch again: Hulu
Halloween (1978)
What could have been a stopgap for director John Carpenter and producer/co-writer Debra Hill instead became the zenith of the slasher genre and a pretty great film in any category.
Shower or gardener? With a budget of approximately $300,000, the film became the most successful independent film of all time during its initial theatrical release . Twelve sequels and hundreds of imitators later, it became clear that it had spawned a monster that has been with us ever since.
Where to watch again: Shudder, Crackle, AMC+
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Set in the world of high fashion, this dark comedy pits Anne Hathaway’s fresh young assistant against Meryl Streep’s iconic Miranda Priestly. Streep’s performance makes the insanely bitchy, almost monstrous Priestley something of an anti-hero; she is one of the greatest villains of American cinema. This is a triumph.
Shower or gardener? While the idea that a mid-budget comedy could become a blockbuster is completely foreign to today’s streaming landscape, The Devil Wears Prada was an immediate success at the box office, earning $326 million on a $35 million budget. Reviews from critics were also solid, with the exception of Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who was clearly the inspiration for Streep’s character; she allegedly claimed that the film would be released straight to DVD . Instead, it was nominated for Oscars for Streep’s performance and costume design.
Where else to watch: Max
Mary Poppins (1964)
A Disney childhood favorite for at least several generations, Mary Poppins stars Julie Andrews as the magical, delightful and slightly scary nanny from the series of novels by P.L. Travers. Songs such as “A Spoonful of Sugar”, “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” and “Super-cali-fragil-istic-expi-ali-docious” remain standards, although they have never been performed better than by Andrews and Dick Van . Dyke.
Shower or gardener? Not only did “Mary” top the box office in 1964, its profits were such that Walt Disney used the money to purchase land in Florida that later became Walt Disney World.
Where to watch again: Disney+
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
It’s amazing, time flies, and Rocky Horror has been walking around the squares for almost 50 years. The musical by Richard O’Brien and Jim Sharman tells the story of newlyweds (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) who show up at the castle of a charming transvestite (Tim Curry), where strange events occur.
Shower or gardener? We discussed the profits the films made from their initial releases; This is where things get complicated by the strange fact that Rocky Horror was technically never pulled from theaters. Thus, this film is considered to be the longest running film in the world. Perhaps this will help explain why it is revised so often. It was never intended to be a blockbuster, instead gaining a reputation as an offbeat midnight film for brave souls. Decades later, it still feels that way, even though large audiences show up in costume to sing along and throw trash at the screen.
Where to watch again: Digital rental
Transformers: The Movie (1986)
Taking the narrative of the 1980s Transformers animated series into the near future, the film’s goal was essentially to clear the decks of old Transformers to make room for new toy lines. Killing a whole bunch of my favorite robots. From this deeply cynical motif emerged something that seemed particularly dark to children of the era, as well as strangely emotional. If you think it’s strange that a Hasbro product has become a cult classic, consider the very strange cast that includes Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Stack, Scatman Crothers and Orson Welles in his final film role. The fun, versatile soundtrack also includes Weird Al’s “Dare to Be Stupid.”
Shower or gardener? Transformers had a busy summer release that included Ferris Bueller’s Day Off , Labyrinth , Big Trouble in Little China , The Karate Kid: Part II , Aliens , Stand By Me and The Fly , among others, and he never got the chance. .especially since the Transformers TV show was free to watch at home. Home video gave it momentum and eventually led it to cult status, an eventual remastering and even a theatrical re-release or two.
Where to watch again: Digital rental
Lord of the Rings (2001–2003)
Indie director Peter Jackson was a surprising choice to helm a mega-blockbuster fantasy franchise, but the results speak for themselves. Epic films with heart and soul, as well as a refreshing willingness to be a little silly, these films have become standard viewing for Tolkien nerds and regular folk alike, with audiences often opting for extended versions that stretch the saga to over 11 hours.
Souls or producers? The films grossed approximately $3 billion at the box office, and each film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. The Return of the King was nominated for 11 Oscars and won.
Where to watch again: Max, Prime Video
Scream (1996)
Another case where the first film may have replaced an entire series, but the first Scream remains the best in a rather shockingly consistent horror franchise. The return of Wes Craven brought Agatha Christie-style mystery to the slasher subgenre and had fun turning horror stereotypes on their heads.
Shower or gardener? The first Scream looked like a flop at first… but only for the weekend. Although the film did not do well when it opened, word spread quickly and it eventually made a handsome profit thanks to its impressive performance, which kept it in the top ten for nine weeks. Until the 2018 Halloween remake, it was the highest-grossing slasher film of all time. Like the original 1978 Halloween , Scream spawned a wave of imitators, influencing the genre for both better and worse.
Where to watch again: Paramount+
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Michael Gondry and Charlie Kaufman’s existential sci-fi romance is sometimes sweet, often harrowing, and ultimately rewards repeat viewings. In the film, a couple (played by Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey) separately undergo a process of erasing each other’s memories, with surreal results. The performances are uniformly brilliant and the film takes a dark path towards something resembling light.
Shower or gardener? Kate Winslet’s fourth Oscar nomination resulted in a fourth defeat, but the film did well at the box office… for an “indie” release, anyway. Too idiosyncratic to ever become a blockbuster like Jim Carrey’s broad comedies, it nevertheless performed impressively—staying in theaters for 19 weeks—and made a tidy profit.
Where to watch again: Criterion Channel
West Side Story (1961)
Directors Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins created a film that certainly broke the rules of screen musicals for its time, treading into territory that was somewhat richer than, say, The Music Man , which came out just a year later. While some pretty terrible fake accents from the white actors (sorry, Natalie Wood) playing Puerto Rican characters were a hindrance then and now, the film is still a huge hit.
Shower or gardener? It was the highest-grossing film of 1961 and won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year. Rita Moreno also won the award, becoming the first Latina to win an Oscar—and the only one in decades.
Where to watch again: Tubi, The Roku Channel, Hoopla.
The Sound of Music (1965)
The second appearance on the list is Julie Andrews, as well as another appearance by director Robert Wise and another oft-repeated musical. Apart from the catchy songs, the main characters of this song also outsmarted the Nazis and thus earned a few extra points.
Shower or gardener? Based on adjusted box office receipts , The Sound of Music became the third most successful film of all time , winning the Oscar for Best Picture as well as the Robert Wise Director’s Award. The fact is that from the first day things went well.
Where to watch again: Disney+, Hulu
Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, this bittersweet and humane prison drama was largely ignored upon its release. It took a while for the world to fall in love with this Stephen King adaptation, but it has now become a fan favorite and is recognized as a top-tier prison film.
Shower or gardener? Shawshank was a major disappointment during its initial run, earning about $16 million on a $25 million budget (it didn’t help that it was playing against Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump ). After the film was nominated for an Oscar, the studio re-released it and made enough money to make it profitable. However, it was on home video that the film really took off: in 1995 it was one of the most popular films of the year, and in 1997 its cable releases grossed record numbers. For a long time, users considered it the top movie in the Internet Movie Database.
Where to watch again: AMC+
Jaws (1975)
Star Wars perfected the summer blockbuster formula, but Steven Spielberg reinvented it in this shark attack thriller that has stood the test of time.
Shower or gardener? Jaws was a huge and unexpected success upon its initial release, breaking box office records even in its first week. Even a few subpar sequels didn’t dampen the enthusiasm for the film that made Spielberg a household name.
Where to watch again: Digital rental
Ghostbusters (1984)
This is exactly the kind of mid-budget comedy that doesn’t get made anymore, or at least doesn’t become a blockbuster when it does. Bill Murray, Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts and Rick Moranis star in the film about a group of eccentric parapsychologists who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. Really, who are you going to call? The fandom is still raging, with people going crazy for anything Ghostbusters-related that isn’t girls-related .
Shower or gardener? “Ghostbusters” became the best film of 1984 , beating out “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” , “Gremlins” , “The Karate Kid ” and “Beverly Hills Cop “.
Where to watch again: Digital rental
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988)
Busty horror host Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) inherits a house in a town full of prudes and ends up teaching middle America a lesson she’ll never forget. Particularly for queer audiences, this film is easily rewatchable: Elvira, as goofy as she is sex-positive, defies the squared circle to be herself, and it’s brilliant.
Shower or gardener? Oh, the manufacturer, of course. The film lost money upon release and helped bankrupt the studio. Peterson herself was nominated for Worst Actress Razzie, which clearly shows how stupid the Razzies are.
Where can I watch it again? Prime Video, Roku Channel
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
This era of Disney animation has received quite a few references, including The Lion King and The Little Mermaid . However, the story that received the most mentions was about the romance between a bookish peasant woman and her bear captor. Hairy guys, amirite? Come for the incredibly complex love story, stay for Angela Lansbury as an anthropomorphic teapot.
Shower or gardener? After opening in third place over the weekend, Beauty and the Beast became Disney’s highest-grossing animated film to date. It later became the first animated film to be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, which it lost to The Silence of the Lambs . (Kidnappings was a big box office hit that year.)
Where can I watch it again? Disney+
Blade Runner (1982)
Another strong achievement from director Ridley Scott, his stylish and influential sci-fi adaptation has gone from flop to cult classic to bona fide classic over the years. I suspect almost any Harrison Ford movie that doesn’t involve Henry gets that kind of love (where are my Runaways characters?), but Blade Runner’s many mysteries and ambiguities (is he or isn’t he? ) add a little interest. additional possibility of re-viewing.
Shower or gardener? The film was a mediocre success and received mixed reviews, which seemingly set it on the path to oblivion. Instead, we got a mega-budget sequel some 35 years later .
Where can I watch it again? Digital rental