There are two types of good movies. There are the award-winning films that are quite good, but you don’t really want to watch them again. They may be too draining emotionally or too dense for repeat viewings. And then there are those amazing films that you can watch over and over and over again. The ones you never stop quoting and even muddle through commercials for every time they’re on cable. These infinitely rewatchable movies pop up in every genre and film type. They all have one thing in common: they’re awesome.
While there are always movies you will never get tired of, there aren’t very many that everyone won’t get tired of. So those ones deemed universally rewatchable are quite special. Some movies just downright refuse to get old and we’re better for them. Whether it’s jokes that stay just as fresh and funny as the first viewing or a plot that unravels itself with each watch, you can catch us watching these movies any time. Here are some of the most rewatchable films of all time!
19. The Notebook
Need a good cry? The Notebook. Need to feel like love isn’t dead? The Notebook. Need a Ryan Gosling fix? Oh, yeah, The Notebook. This movie is great for basically everything. An undying love story that both tugs at your heartstrings and makes you hopeful. There is no greater film to sob to with a tub of ice cream. Some love-story movies get real stale real fast, but this one never loses its magic. The passion between Gosling and Rachel McAdams deserves the real credit here because the realistic nature of their relationship is what has kept this movie a romantic mainstay.
18. Elf
Most Christmas movies are only great from December 1st to December 25th, maybe December 31st if you’re pushing it. But not Elf. This is the movie that keeps on giving long past the Holidays. Will Ferrell’s turn as Buddy the Elf is hilarious, tender, and lots of fun. Sure, the story is set at Christmas and stars an Elf but the message is universal: all anyone needs is a family, whether biological or the one you make for yourself. The jokes never get old and the magic of New York at Christmastime is something you just need in the middle of July sometimes!
17. Goodfellas
Mob movies saturate Hollywood, but when it comes to how rewatchable the movie is, Goodfellas takes the cake. The film, based on a true story, tells the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) as he grows from a teen infatuated with the criminal underworld to his rise and fall in the mob world. Much of what’s fascinating about the movie comes from the outstanding performances from Liotta, Joe Pesci, and Robert De Niro, who nail the wiseguy attitude. Anyone who says they don’t have an interest in the seedy dealings of the Mafia world is a liar and this film is a perfect inside look at what that life is really like.
16. The Avengers
Many of today’s biggest hits are superhero movies, and while they’re all great in their own way, the most rewatchable remains the OG superhero team-up film. The Avengers was the first time multiple superheroes were brought together on the big screen. The thrill of something still so new (before it became the norm) keeps the movie feeling fresh. The first time remains the best! There are the awkward introductions between heroes you never thought would interact. And then you have the ultimate snarky super-villain in Loki (Tom Hiddleston). What’s not to love? It’s the perfect blend of comedy, action, and a touch of drama. Which is why it remains one of the greatest superhero movies of all time.
15. The Devil Wears Prada
Somehow this story of a young woman working at a fashion magazine with a horrific editor actually made me want to work in fashion. That’s how great this movie is! Andy (Anne Hathaway) has landed a job as an assistant at a fashion magazine, seeing it as her chance to get her foot in the door in journalism. It’s more getting yelled at and fancy clothes than she expects, much to her chagrin and our enjoyment. Meryl Streep shines even more than usual as a Anna Wintour-esque fashion editor and all around boss of a woman. The inside look at the fashion industry, the glam makeovers, and the Emily Blunt quips make this one of the best fashion-centric movies of all time.
14. The Breakfast Club
Of all the classic ’80s brat pack films, this one is the most rewatchable. When five students from different cliques in a high school all have Saturday detention together, they learn more about the different people around them. It’s a redemptive story and one that makes you feel like maybe we’re not all so different after all. We all have a story to tell, no matter what it looks like from the outside. There are so many classic scenes that make this one a movie you’re going to want to watch a million times. Right down to the very last fist pump, you won’t forget a single bit of this movie.
13. Finding Nemo
Pixar is known for making animated classics, and Finding Nemo is one you can’t help but love long into adulthood. Who doesn’t still have “P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney” burned into their brains?! Marlin (Albert Brooks) is on the hunt for his lost son, Nemo (Alexander Gould), who has found himself in a fishbowl far, far from home. Along the way, Marlin meets Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a fish with a horrible short-term memory but a whole lot of loyalty in her little fins. The story of friendship, family, and adventure is one that never gets old. The jokes don’t stale as you get older, proving cartoons definitely aren’t just for kids!
12. Fight Club
Here is the national anthem for those discontent with their job and their place in life. The unnamed narrator (Edward Norton) of the movie is a stagnant insomniac, visiting support groups for cathartic release despite being an imposter among those there. His life is changed when he meets Tyler (Brad Pitt) who helps him engage in increasingly risky behavior, including a “fight club.” The twists and turns in the movie will keep you coming back for more as you try to look for signs of the big reveal from the earliest scene. It’s a captivating film that practically begs for repeat viewings so you can soak it all in!
11. Superbad
Y’all want to relive your high school glory days? Well, this is the movie to do it with. Three outsider BFFs are tasked with getting the booze for a raging party — the first they’re actually invited to. Their route getting there is full of crazy nonsense, from hanging out with cops to one of the most disgusting dances ever. It captures everything amazing about ridiculous high school nights where everything went wrong but in the end, it was all okay. Not to mention the movie has some of the most quotable lines ever. I am McLovin!
10. The Shawshank Redemption
You wouldn’t think a prison epic would be as rewatchable as it is, but here we are. Andy (Tim Robbins) is serving a life sentence for a murder he insists he didn’t commit. The film follows his years in prison, making friends and enemies, and finally finding some comfort in prison life. Until he escapes! It’s a magnificent twist that makes repeat viewings even better. Every interaction he has and every little thing he does informs what happens in the final act of the film. The performances are flawless and engaging, and by the end, you’ll actually feel like these are people you’ve known for decades.
9. Titanic
As amazing as The Notebook is, there is no greater movie love story than that of Jack and Rose’s. The two star-crossed lovers meet and fall for each other on the doomed Titanic ship. There’s a reason this is one of the most legendary movies of all time, it’s got everything! Romance, action, great music, and an emotional ending. The real historical event of the Titanic sinking is kind of an afterthought here as you find yourself entranced by Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose’s (Kate Winslet) budding romance amongst class differences and meddling factions. It never gets old, and we’ll never stop wishing Rose would have just shared some of that door with Jack!
8. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
John Hughes sure knew how to make memorable movie! His ’80s films were some of the most defining movies of the era, and the coming-of-age flick Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of his best. The film follows Ferris (Matthew Broderick) as he skips school and spends the entire time trying not to get caught by his Principal, who’s determined to catch him lying about being sick. With the help of his girl and his best friend, he evades detection and has one of the wildest skip days of all time. This is the ultimate fantasy film for anyone who’s wanted to ditch school — or work! The jokes, the tension, and the fourth-wall breaks will keep you coming back for more.
7. Grease
Most musicals are hit or miss, but Grease completely nailed the genre. With some of the catchiest songs ever on-screen, it’s one of those movies you’ll be singing along with the entire time. While we usually pine for the craziness of the ’60s or the groovy ’70s, this movie has us wishing we were ’50s kids. The love story between Danny (John Travolta) and Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) is as wholesome and adorable as it gets, despite his bad-boy demeanor and her naivety. But it’s truly the music that keeps us coming back for more, bopping along with the catchy tunes all throughout the film.
6. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
This is the best rom-com of all time. Don’t even try to deny it. Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey have undeniable romantic comedy chemistry and it creates movie magic. The two engage in the relationship for warring reasons — her to write an article about a man falling for and dumping her in 10 days, and him to land an ad campaign for diamonds. Crazy rom-com jobs! The two manage to make a hokey premise seem genuine and it’s their relationship throughout the film that’ll bring you back time and time again. These two are a rom-com dream couple and we need them in more movies stat.
5. Back to the Future
This movie is highly rewatchable for one big reason: there is literally nothing like it. A teen goes back in time thanks to a mad scientist. This sounds insane. And it is, in the best way! The silly time-travel caper is full of unpredictable plot points and unbelievable little moments. Marty (Michael J. Fox) becomes his own mother’s love interest when he tries to get her to fall for his dad in the past! What movie does that?! But it works, and it’s one of the many things that makes this movie unique and hilarious all the way through. It’s also the movie that left a generation wanting Deloreans and if that’s not a cultural impact then I don’t know what is!
4. Mean Girls
Fact: this is one of the most quotable movies ever made. Cady (Lindsay Lohan, when her career was still going strong) starts at a high school after being homeschooled her entire life. She steps into the world of cliques and popularity competitions, finding herself sucked into “girl world.” While the high school is structured in stereotypes and generalized groups, it feels true-to-life. We’ve all been outsiders, desperately trying to cling to our status. It’s basically what high school is. The relatability is one of the greatest gifts of the movie. Along with a script by Tina Fey that’s bitingly funny, ambitious, and, obviously, infinitely quotable.
3. Toy Story
There is no animated movie that can make us laugh, cry, and squeal with joy like this one. Toy Story was the first Pixar feature film and it proves that the first is often the best. The story of toys who come to life when kids aren’t around is endlessly joyful. When Woody (Tom Hanks) finds competition in his owner’s new doll Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), he works to stake his claim in his kid’s life. The two, along with many other toys, get separated from their home during a move and have to find their way back together. It’s unexpectedly thrilling as these sentient toys do anything and everything to get home. This one will tug at your heartstrings and make you yearn for the days of playing with toys from dawn till dusk. Childhood goes by way too soon, but the movies you loved stay amazing forever.
2. The Princess Bride
This film deconstructed the classic fairytale tropes and put them back together in a perfect little package of hilarity, thrills, and true love. There are princes, princesses, pirates, and thieves. Everything you need for a great fairytale. Wesley (Cary Elwes) traverses land and sea to save his love from marrying an evil prince. But this is no ordinary love story. Sure, everyone gets their happy ending but the route there is anything but predictable. The movie satirizes fairytale romances without ever feeling like it’s making fun of them. It’s a silly ode to some of the most classic stories of all time. A fairytale for adults, if you will. You probably won’t even mind all the kissing!
1. Forrest Gump
With every viewing of this movie, you’ll find something new, we promise. The film spans decades of Forrest’s (Tom Hanks) life, from childhood to his turbulent adult years. Forrest has a physical disability and below-average IQ, but he’s well-meaning and stumbles through incredible events in every stage of his life. You’ll want to watch again and again as you pick out the real historical events Forrest somehow gets involved in, from Watergate to the Vietnam War! It’s truly one of the most touching films of all time, while still managing to keep you laughing throughout. It’s a movie that you’ll watch on the last day of school when your teachers don’t want to teach. Or when you’re bored on a Saturday and it’s playing on TBS for the millionth time. There’s literally never a bad time to watch Forrest Gump!