Movies. The city might change, but the filmic fixation endures.

Seen: The Quiet American. A very impressive piece of cinema. Tight narrative, elegant story-telling, excellent characters given life by brilliant performances by all principals. Michael Caine was heart-breakingly human, Brendan Fraser always believable, and the female actress turned what could have been a cardboard role into something full of quiet character and mystery. An ending built up to with such undeniable impetus and style that it was just perfect.

I really quite liked it. It wasn't anything blow-away spectacular. There was just nothing wrong with it. And I don't know of many movies that can say that.

Desperately want to see: Chicago. Holy Hell! How damn cool does this movie look! I mean, sure, I have a 1920s fetish at the best of times, and seeing previews for this in front of Quiet American and Two Towers has fanned the flame into a raging conflagration. But yeow! Catherine Zeta Jones! Even Renee Zellweger. I am so looking forward to this. It promises to blow me away. (In contrast to the above; I also expect lots of things to be wrong with it. There are many levels upon which to appreciate movies.)