Films that most require multiple viewings?

[Ray Jackson]

Pauline Kael, arguably the most renowned American film critic, once said that she refused to watch a movie more than once....to do so would diminish the visceral impact of the film.

While I have my doubts as to whether that statement is genuine, I do think the philosophy has some merit in certain cases.

That being said, it seems patently absurd to think that you can fully appreciate certain films without watching them multiple times. Some films require four or five viewings before you even begin to understand the deeper layers of the story. Some films are so packed with symbolism, subtext and abstract imagery that they reward the viewer with a richer cinematic experience upon each subsequent viewing.

Best examples I can think of:

-Mulholland Drive
-Persona
-Last Year at Marienbad
-2001: A Space Odyssey
-Tree of Life
-Memento
-Eraserhead
-almost any Fellini or Godard film from the 60s

I could probably watch Last Year At Marienbad a hundred times and still not have a clue what it's really about. Perhaps that makes it one of those films that's not meant to be understood and loses it's emotional impact with multiple viewings?

...what do you think?