The First Viewing or the Last?

[Cloudy]

What makes a film great? The first viewing or the last viewing? Because for me, the films that I love/connect with the most often have a very angry/frustrating/dozing/boring/anxious first viewing compared to the films that had a great first viewing but lack thereafter. Sometimes I get really excited when during a first screening of a film I start to feel these feelings, because I start anticipating the next one.
The ultimate treat is when a film grows within each viewing AND had a connecting first viewing as well.

Do you feel that it's a separate art in itself when a person makes films that grow through every consecutive viewing?

[Reel]

Nothing will ever compare to the first time I saw:

The Shining ( being the same age as Danny. Thinking Jack Torrance was my dad )

Magnolia ( The first movie that kept me up all night thinking about it )

Mulholland Dr. ( First movie that felt like a 'fuck you' from the director )

No Country For Old Men

Citizen Kane

Rashomon


but other movies have grown on me through the years, and although I didn't like them as much at first, I find deeper meaning embedded in them every time I watch.

There Will Be Blood

Jackie Brown

Taxi Driver

Memento

All Todd Solondz films


That doesn't answer your question, but there's my list.

[Cloudy]

That actually does answer my question. I was curious as to how people categorize their faves. I like your list of first time successes. For me Memento has gotten worse after the second viewing every time. I feel that way with most of Nolan's work. I enjoy the first viewing, the second viewing, and then it all goes to shit.

Pretty much all of Tarkovsky's work has had this effect on me. Have you had those films where you're pretty much just crawling on the floor to the finish line, just so that you can watch it again? There Will Be Blood definitely has gotten better through every screening. I think I'm on my 80th viewing or something. Took a break for 6 months because I needed some fresh eyes.

All of my favorite films have gotten better through every screening. They're the films that every time you watch them, it feels fresh, the film is alive and breathing...I wonder how The Master will be.