Movies I watched a very long time ago that I vaguely remember liking but want to watch again just to be sure

After rewatching: A very human film. Makes me feel all warm and reminds me of some personal dreams I have. I completely forgot Anna Farris was in it though lmao. 9/10. Took one star off only because the opening shot is Scarlett's butt, and I mean, okay, but why??? Hahaha wtf.

After rewatching: It's literally perfect. What the hell. 10/10 honestly. Screaming.

After rewatching: I literally didn't remember anything about Vol. 2, but it's pretty different than Vol. 1. There's less raw rage and vengeance, but more humanity and clarity. Everyone's motivations and background become clear. There's much less violence and more nuance, but the fight scene between Beatrix and Elle was really fun. There's also more emotions in this. Bill makes his first face appearance and he is perfectly cast. Still, I prefer Vol. 1. I guess I thought Budd's character should have been more interesting and more developed - especially because he's Bill's brother - I wasn't really satisfied with how he was portrayed. 8/10.

After rewatching: I loved it. My biggest problem was the boring storyline and the douchey villain. It's less the big picture and more the details that I loved. I loved the idea of exploding vampires and some of the fun gorey parts of the film. The stylish fight scenes combined with late 90s techno music was what really made the film for me. That and Blade himself. Hands down one of the coolest heroes and definitely the coolest vampire ever. The story was lame though and some of the actors were cringe, so it's a strong 7-almost-8 out of 10. I need the soundtrack.

After rewatching: I don't know what I was expecting, but I got more than that. A fun, cliche, charmingly naive, medieval heroe's tale and I was here for (almost) every second of it. I guess it's an 8/10 because I thought the villain (Ser Adel-something) could have been more interesting and I didn't feel like there was much chemistry between William/Heath and the main love interest - would have been cooler if there was a love triangle with the blacksmith or something. Loved the soundtrack and the sense of humor in the film. If this film was shot today, it would have sex, nudity and blood and guts. This was completely tame and a family could technically watch it, if you're okay with seeing a man's naked butt for two seconds one time. The whole thing is good-natured and has the same vibe as Game of Thrones if it was a PG-rated live-action spin-off about Rhaegar Targaryen's jousting tournaments (minus the humble beginnings part).

After rewatching: It's VERY long. I really hated Salieri, but I adored Mozart (and his wife). I didn't really understand some of the themes and concepts, and I'm not classically trained, so I zoned out and got bored or confused a couple of times. It was okay, if a little pretentious at times. Tom Hulce (who plays Mozart) was really the star here for me, ironically. Absolutely adored his performance. It was thanks to him that I gained a genuine interest in Mozart in the first place. 6/10 though. All scenes without Tom Hulce/Mozart are boring. Just my subjective & irrelevant opinion, obviously. This film has like 8 Oscars. Then again, it was the Director's Cut I saw, which apparently makes Salieri seem more of a jerk? I don't know.

After rewatching: Rating this movie was difficult, so is adequately justifying the rating. What I loved about the film was the stunning cast who were a joy to watch, apart from Heath Ledger's co-star, Sienna Miller, who has just about as much charisma and emotional range as the color she is named after. She has absolutely no stage presence and kind of sucks the energy out of an otherwise colorful film. The plot itself is quite shallow and uncomplicated. At times it's downright uninspiring, but the amazing performances of the actors (apart from Sienna) really rescue an otherwise silly historical chick flick. The Venetian scenery is perfectly shot, but the the story itself is simply too fantastical, especially towards the end. I also don't think it deserves an R rating, it's a little suggestive at times (like, two times), but otherwise it's completely tame. It's a complete coincidence that I happen to be watching this film on the 13th anniversary of Heath Ledger's death, so that's why I lean more towards a 6 than a 5 stars out of 10.

After rewatching: I liked some of the clever humor and I obviously loved Will Smith's performance. Other than that, I feel like I should have been drunk or high or sleep-deprived in order to really enjoy the movie. It felt rushed, and I don't know if it's just me, but the dialogue was often difficult to follow - there was a lot of information presented very quickly. It feels like it would work much better as a television series, and I feel like Jay and Kay didn't have a proper time to bond, or were already close partners as soon as they started working, which doesn't make sense. I didn't enjoy the movie as much as I expected, but I do want to check out the comic books it's apparently based on. Final rating is an uneasy 5. Could be a 4.

After rewatching: as a kid, I found this film really scary and confusing, but upon rewatching, I found it funny, unique, and possessing surprising depth & insight??? As expected of Tim Burton, the film itself has a beautiful & surreal design on every front. I think there's a hidden message or commentary here about society, but I can't articulate it right now because I'm sleep-deprived.

After rewatching: I can't remember any of it, but it's possible I saw the 1996 sequel instead of this one. Regardless, I liked it. The voice acting and music composition sometimes grated on my ears, but otherwise I loved the animation and the characters. It's not a Disney or Dreamworks animation, so its production is more mature, charming and genuine. It explores themes that are pretty much taboo in children's films nowadays because it deals with gambling, death, violence, betrayal and poverty. The film could easily work as live action if the dogs were humans, because the story is also heartwarming and sweet and could work really well for a historical drama (considering the girl kept her ability to understand animals). I really liked that, since I am against treating kids like they're stupid or fragile. Still, the movie is probably better suited for older kids above the age of 8 or so. It's about a bad dog with gambling problems and a very pure, very sweet orphan girl who becomes entangled in 1939 New Orleans mafia world made up of dogs. I liked it and was often very touched. 7/10 but I could easily see it being an 8/10 as well.

After rewatching: Something about this film is very forgettable. Maybe it's the scenery (gorgeous as it is), maybe it's the contrived story (which is supposed to be teaching the value of love?) or the soundtrack, which gives me chills when it sounds more "native" but doesn't stick when it's a generic music number. Maybe it's just hard to relate. While the film is visually stunning and reflects the best of the last of Disney's golden age, and the characters are fine, the story seems a little too contrived for a Disney film. The real reason the protagonist's brother died was because he was a careless dumbass, which he never acknowledged, and instead blamed the bear. That annoyed me so much and I didn't understand his motivations for staying as a bear in the end. He could have looked after Koda as a human too - it would have been more symbolic of man's friendship with nature, like sharing fish. 6/10.

After rewatching: I'm at a loss for words at the beauty and the heart of this film. While at times overly-dramatic in music numbers (I'm not a fan of musicals) and a little simplistic, it's nevertheless really heartwarming and the artwork is obviously breathtaking and merges beautifully with the soundtrack. I actually teared up a couple of times, and I loved Rasputin and his albino bat sidekick Bartok, who was only ever genuinely concerned about his master's well-being and stress management and essentially wasn't even evil. The whole idea of Rasputin basically being a zombie who would occasionally drop a limb or two (or all of them) was both grotesque and hilarious and definitely an original concept I haven't seen elsewhere. Finally, I feel like this could definitely be a perfect movie to watch during Christmas-time, it evokes a really nostalgic and authentic fairytale feeling. I would also recommend it to anyone who enjoys the steampunk aesthetic, because this film has a lot of that kind of vibe. I loved it. 8/10.

After rewatching: I don't even know what to say, I have no criticism. Pure. Heartfelt. Unique. Film characters who are like actual real-life people, instead of the usual Hollywood caricatures. An underrated film. Oddly relatable in these quarantine times as well (not the airport part, the part about being awkwardly stuck, alone and being forced to wait for something). I give this an 8/10 instead of 9 or 10, only because I give higher ratings to films that make me think, that highly resonate with me, or that otherwise make a big impact. It's still the definition of a perfect & highly recommended movie, but my personal rating is 8/10.

After rewatching: Everything is almost exactly as I remember it, and I've only seen it once before. It's only the end I was muddy on. It is definitely not the kind of movie that one just sits down to watch, and is probably best experienced alone. An immaculate film from start to finish. It's beyond arbitrary rating systems, also. The least I could give it is a 10.

After rewatching: Honestly, the most memorable thing about this film was the vibe - I remember the first time I saw it very well. Other than that it is so painfully generic. I was rooting for the Mummy the whole time and was so sad for him. His forbidden love, his horrible curse, and tragic end. I wanted a happy ending for the Mummy :( At times the film was just cruel. Beni was a cowardly character, but no way did he deserve to end up the way he did. All in all, the characters were stereotypical Hollywood cardboard cut-outs that may be fine for a casual flick, but to me just made the whole thing fake as hell, like it obviously followed an action-adventure movie formula written by people who never had any action or adventure in their lives. Or maybe it's down to editing. It could have worked better as a more horror-leaning film, a bit darker or more creepy. 4/10 for this one. It had some iconic scenes though.

After rewatching: The biggest problem I had was the actual plot and the way it was paced and edited, I found it hard to follow and at times it seemed pretentious. Other than that, I loved it. Amazing cast - incredibly talented, each one unique and very well-rounded with great on-screen presence, treating each other as if they had just stepped out of a TV show that's been on air for a couple of years. The cinematography was creative, and satisfied my craving for Attention To Detail. The design of the set, lighting, characters, costumes, special effects, soundtrack was fantastic. This is the kind of movie you wish there would be a sequel for, a prequel even. So stylish, in a brooding & ironic kind of way. My kind of movie. On its own I'd probably give this film a 7, but compared to the other movies I (re)watched this year, I think it deserves a 9/10 for me, personally. That being said, I really don't appreciate the film's idea that people who commit suicide go to Hell.

After rewatching: Bruh. This was fantastic. The pastel eeriness, the interesting cast choices, the plot-twists, comedic creepiness, the far-reaching social commentary, the clever symbolism, the remarkable psychological understanding of the subject matter. This film really tickled my inner liberal, and this is coming from someone who has been strongly skeptical since Obama. This spoke to me on a deeper level that goes back to childhood, honestly. Stepford Wives is a kind of nightmare that you can't look away from. It's the kind of concept that's fascinating in the way that serial killers are fascinating. My jaw dropped and I gasped a couple of times. They even had a gay man who was turned into a Stepford Husband. It's an actual horror film and I loved it. I don't understand people's low ratings for this one because it's a solid 10 from me!

After rewatching: I loved the aesthetic, the aunts, Nicole Kidman's whole style, and everyone had great hair (?? lol they did though idk what it is). The rest is kinda eh. I appreciated hearing Stevie Nicks, and also every shot of the moon and/or moonlight was very neat. The point was more about sisters, family and romance - the witchcraft was an added extra to make an otherwise typical chick flick more interesting, which I guess it succeeded, because I didn't hate it or roll my eyes at any point. I'll give this one a 6.

After rewatching: I saw this many, many years ago. I even remember when it was in the cinema, back in 2002, and I had the VHS. It's fascinating to see how much CGI has progressed since then. The characters are very memorable. Until the baby showed up, I wasn't really invested into it. But the film built up a genuine bond between all of the characters, and it really peaked after Manny saved Diego's life. I loved Diego the Sabertooth so much, such a complex yet relatable and sweet antihero who comes through by the end. The way he, even as a carnivore, felt like he belonged more with the sloth, the mammoth and the baby more than with his own pack is just so so special and something I relate to on a basic level. I loved the message of the story, how these outcasts formed their own little herd and helped some humans in the process, even though both the sabertooth and the mammoth had their issues with them. I basically love anything where humans and animals form a connection, real or fictional. I didn't expect to be so touched by this kid's movie as I ended up being by the end - I teared up. And there are some really clever one-liners in the film as well, so there were some laughs. Wonderful. 7/10.

After rewatching: There is no argument against the fact that Shrek is a classic. An international sensation. There is nothing bad I can say about it, no criticisms that I can give. 8/10. For very layered, onion-like reasons that won't fit in this tiny box. The gingerbread man is my favourite character. And I only just found out Shrek had won an Oscar AND BAFTA?? NEAT.

After rewatching: It's like a Titian or Caravaggio painting come to life in HD. The definition of cinematic drama, with the serious, heavy energy of a Christian Mass - but in Latin and Aramaic. Two hours of blood, sweat and tears. What impresses me is how subtle it is, in the way that it tries to balance historical accuracy with supernatural accounts, and it succeeds in a realistic way, with respect for the viewer's intelligence AND/OR faith. The film is a work of art in its own right, it's not preachy or fluffy or out-of-touch - nothing of the sort. Even if you're not Christian or don't know much about the faith, you can definitely appreciate this as a work of Christian art. However, the presence of the mysterious figure (possibly Satan himself) doesn't really add anything or do anything. I forgot he was even in the film before I watched it again. It feels harsh to give this movie a rating of 6/10, but I just didn't like it that much. I genuinely appreciate the dedication, but there's no point making a film about Jesus getting BRUTALLY tortured for 2 hours. It's not interesting or moving, it's just upsetting and monotonous. Watching "The Little Buddha" with Keanu Reeves made me feel much closer to Buddha, than did this bring me closer to Christ. Probably because this film is too mature and heavy for its own good. The last time I saw this much blood and cruelty in a film was watching "Earthlings", a documentary where innocent animals get skinned alive, kicked to death, hung upside down and slipping in pools of their own blood, while simultaneously being mocked by laughing men. That's what this reminds me of.

After rewatching: The first Princess Diaries is one of my favourite Disney movies of all-time, but the second one absolutely disappointed me. It re-used the old jokes and situations and wrote them into the new script. More than that, the characters weren't themselves. My biggest problem was the arranged marriage and the fact Mia falls for a hot playboy with an evil uncle. There was already a hot seductive guy with ulterior motives in the first one (Josh?), where Mia learned a harsh lesson not to fall for hot guys who only want her because she's a princess. This plotline MAY have worked if the man Mia was arranged to marry was ugly or mean or weird, but The Duke was perfectly nice and handsome, the kind of guy you could actually fall for in time, and she was resolved to marry him to secure her throne. Nicholas had no interesting qualities either, except that he was attractive and seductive. The Lily I know would have definitely stopped her from repeating the mistake, but she encouraged it. Doing this, the film encourages irresponsible behavior, which they cleverly weaseled out of with having Mia abolish the law just because she can, and The Duke was grateful for it? Yeah right. UGH the romantic plotline and the unoriginal re-used scenes made me cringe so bad I actually turned it off. This film is just milking off the success of the first one, and it REALLY shows, even behind the good-natured Julie Andrews-blessed princess stuff. Typical corporate Disney move. It just doesn't work. I had so many problems with this film. 3/10.

After rewatching: FISH ARE FRIENDS NOT FOOD (or even pets tbh). 10/10. BEST STORY EVER TOLD, DUDE.