I just saw Thumbsucker, a nice quiet coming-of-age movie. This is not earth-shattering cinema, but it is well crafted, well written, and well acted. Lou Pucci, who plays the title character is terrific--he knows how to act goofy and strange as an adolescent without looking like a stereotype. The camerawork was subtle, with slow horizontal pans throughout the film. I also liked the weird music used--a children's choir? It was bordering on cheesy and fit the mood perfectly. Worth seeing.

Bigger, bolder, and better than Thumbsucker is Wong Kar Wai's latest: 2046. This is a sequel of sorts to 2001's In the Mood for Love (which in my view ranks up there with David Lean's Brief Encounter in the Heartbreaking Love Affair category). Prepare yourself for a slow, long film of lush images, fluid movement back and forth along a lengthy timeline, full-volume music, minimal dialogue, gorgeous women, confusing plot lines, and pitch-perfect performance by the wonderful Tony Leung. Be warned, what I say is true: it's very long and it can be confusing (I plan to see it again myself). But I never mind seeing films that demand my full attention, patience, and mental participation, especially when the aesthetic payoff is so high. I left the theater feeling euphoric and madly in love with Leung. It's poetry, not fiction, and that's just how I like my films. By the way, if you haven't seen Wong Kar Wai's films, you should--they are a real treat. I suggest starting with In the Mood for Love, then Happy Together, then Chungking Express...then go from there. Rent them here.