The reason I keep returning to this film

I watched this film when I was 15, and a while later realised my mother had the book standing on the shelf at home. I read it and got hooked on the books.

While I like the book much better than the film, I have seen the film a lot of times. And I still think I like the film.

In retrospect I probably liked the film mostly for the original idea of the monster in the museum, and where it comes from, plus anything with effects, scifi, action and fantasy elements was my thing. Now it is different. I do quite like John Debney's music which is very atmospheric and beautifully haunting.
But I also think the film is a great example of how what is really a mediocre film from the 90s still has character and atmosphere, and it has a hook, something that makes you want to see it again if it is on tv.

Even many of today's blockbuster's don't have that. They don't even come close in many instances, they are too shallow, too unoriginal and too made-up with beautiful or shiny CGI. They are like much of today's music... forgettable and saturating

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.