The thing with blogging, especially film or book blogging, is that we’re always left to wonder if a reviewer ever changes their mind about something. It’s easy to have an opinion in the heat of the moment, but after the dust settles, then what?
We all know it’s especially easy to do this with theatrical releases, because whatever we feel is magnified by the screen, being surrounded by strangers, plus the fact that we’re not at home and have fewer distractions.
So I decided to go back through some of the movies I’ve reviewed recently and see how they play the second time. Most are theatrical, but we also have a couple So-Bad-It’s-Good picks and two from Poverty Row. Here we go (click the titles for the full reviews)…
OK, this might not be the best biopic ever made, but Kingsley Ben-Adir has a kindly face, I really like him as Bob Marley, and the music is great. I listened to Marley’s catalogue after seeing the movie, and Exodus in particular is fantastic, so it’s nice to go back to the movie on Prime now and then.
Did I like it the second time? Big ol’ YES.
I remember this movie being really entertaining in the theater, and it’s the only current movie I bought on physical media last year. Watching it again at home, though, was a different experience. Sammy falling into a pool full of dead bodies was a lot ickier for some reason, and there were tons more F-bombs, for another, or at least they stood out more. Still entertaining, but with reservations.
Did I like it the second time? Pretty much.
A town in Somewhere, USA is flooding, and one telephone operator remains to get messages to those inside and outside the town. Oh, and there’s a romance between she and the lineman. This movie is surprisingly enjoyable despite a minimal plot, fair acting, and a generic title.
Did I like it the second time? Eh. It’s fine. Poverty Row is still Poverty Row.
When a transplanted American family, Louise and Ben Dalton, along with their daughter, Agnes, meet an English family, Paddy and Ciara, while on vacation in Italy, they seem to hit it off. Then when they’re back home in London, the Daltons get a postcard from Paddy and Ciara inviting them to visit them in the country. It seems OK at first, but then things turn weird. Then dark. And darker. It gets pretty ugly and disturbing.
Did I like it the second time? Not really. The first time wasn’t bad, but the second time was annoying.
Socialite Joan runs away from her wedding, only to find herself embroiled in a ring of scammers who bring down airplanes with a special laser (It’s really a cabinet radio). This movie is pretty cute for a low-budget wonder, and among the highlights are a brief appearance by Hattie McDaniel, who plays a maid, and a song and dance by busy character acter Charles Williams, best remembered as Cousin Eustace in It’s A Wonderful Life. Also, as per usual in Poverty Row World, there’s a car chase scene that ends with the cars pulling sedately to the side of the road.
Did I like it the second time? Sure. I just wish it had a full score, but again, Poverty Row is Poverty Row.
The Waller family needs a new start after dad Ray’s baseball career gets derailed by MS, and when they find a house at a bargain, it’s almost too good to be true. It’s even got a pool in the backyard. Naturally, there’s more to the situation than meets the eye, and things get complicated. Night Swim wasn’t a bad way to begin 2024, but it wasn’t great, either. Still, it was way better than Miller’s Girl.
Did I like it the second time? Not really. Still meh.
This badly dubbed and badly acted Mexican film centers around that legendarily deadly and mysterious part of the ocean (although, by the way, there’s no actual evidence of the Bermuda Triangle’s nefariousness), and what happens when a little girl on a yacht cruise finds a doll floating in the water. Lesson one: If a supposedly inanimate object has a liking for raw meat, maybe it’s not so inanimate.
Did I like it the second time? I never really liked this movie, but comme-ci, comme-ça. RiffTrax helps, though.
Cancer patient Samira is in Manhattan to see a marionette show with her cat, Frodo, and people from her hospice when the aliens from the other two movies touch down. This movie keeps the viewer guessing, but it also lets us get to know the characters and thrill to the amazing adventures of Frodo the Wonder Cat, who always turns up just when he’s needed.
Did I like it the second time? Absolutely, This film wears really well, almost better than the other two in the series, and Frodo the Wonder Cat is still a cutie.
It’s Birdemic. The male lead walks around. He meets a pretty female. He does a lot of driving. There are a lot of supremely awkward date scenes and an even more awkward sorta-sex scene. The male lead is promised ten million dollars. There’s a lot of talk about global warming. Damian Carter sings to the would-be couple in an empty room. The birds attack after an inordinantly long time of nothing happening. The only differences between the third Birdemic and the first one is the third is set in Santa Clara and the flubs are on purpose so it’s not as funny.
Did I like it the second time? Heck, no. The first Birdemic is better, relatively speaking. Adding RiffTrax helps in this case, too.
What movie or movies have you changed your opinion of, if any? Comment below! Another post is coming out on Saturday. Thanks for reading, all, and I hope to see you then…
Bob Marley: One Love (DVD, Blu-ray and streaming), Abigail (DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming), Telephone Operator (DVD and streaming), Speak No Evil (DVD, Blu-ray and streaming), Sky Racket (DVD and streaming), Night Swim (DVD, Blu-ray and streaming), The Bermuda Triangle (DVD and streaming). A Quiet Place: Day One (DVD, Blu-ray and streaming), and Birdemic 3: Sea Eagle (DVD, Blu-ray, Prime, and Tubi) are available to own from Amazon.
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Terrific question! As a HUGE fan of “Raging Bull”, I own a special edition of the film and have watched it numerous times until…the last time I watched it, I HATED how vicious and mean the title character was. I know it’s a bio-pic, but his horrific treatment of his wife and brother turned me off finally and I will never watch it again. I will also say I watched the “Shining” sequel “Doctor Sleep” and thought it was fine not great. Then a special Director’s cut, 45 minutes longer, was shown on HBO and I LOVED it! So much more depth to the characters made it so much better and a few more scares too!
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Thank you, John! And yeah, some movies just don’t wear well. I still can’t bring myself to watch “Raging Bull” again. And wow, “The Shining” has a sequel? I’ll have to look for that.
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Look for it streaming – the directors cut – stars Ewan MacGregor…sadly overlooked when released but really terrific in the longer version.
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Ah, good to know. Thanks, John.
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Agree, I often look at certain posts and think another person wrote it… sometimes I feel there is something completely different I wish I’d said or explored in a post especially now with more insights into certain acting careers… and dont start me on those hotties who used to be compared to my nows…
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That is definitely true. When I saw “The Unholy Trinity” I couldn’t stop thinking about Remington Steele. 🙂
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It’s the same with blogathons… Definitely different choices for some if I did them now…
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It’s funny how tastes change, hey? Sometimes for the better, and sometimes not so much. I recently re-watched The Rocketeer for a second time and – although the costuming, props, and sets were phenominal – I was meh about it. I absolutely loved it the first time around, but was expecting way too much for Round 2. Ah well.
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Yeah, it’s funny how a movie can do that. It’s like a mirage, or something.
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Revisiting movies can be both good and bad, so I really like this idea of a post! Good to know which ones hold up.
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