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In the Mood for Love has no voiceovers, no high-speed montages, and no pop songs from the seventies, but it's still 100 percent Wong Kar-Wai. We saw an advance screening, and here's the scoop. Basically, Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung's characters are brought together (sort of) when they move in to adjacent apartments and then find out they have more in common than the hallway--like their spouses are cheating with each other! The film proceeds to study the two characters being lonely together. Is that love? I don't know, but it sure looks great with Christopher Doyle's trademark cool lighting and (steadier than usual) handheld shots angled through wrought iron bed frame, reflected in mirrors, and seen through pouring rain. The pace and tone are slower and more deliberate than most of Wong's recent work, but the overall mood is beautiful and surprisingly funny which is, perhaps, the whole point. Like Tony and Maggie's characters, you won't find kicks and you won't get titillation in this movie, but you will find peculiar situations, amazing imagery, and food for thought that lasts well after the credits roll.

Hi movie fans. I just saw Girlfight, and I've read nothing about it. So if you're already a big fan, click out and click off. People seem to be curious about this film because, 1) boxing, 2) a girl boxing, 3) indie flick, and 4) directed by a half Japanese American Brooklynite, Karen Kusama. It's a good film with a simple script. The lead, Michelle Rodriguez does an Ice Cube like job throwing punches in bunches, looking tough with her stare down, and living the crazy life. She can kick ass over anyone in Brawlin' Broads, easy. If you're into girl power, then this is your movie. She's an amateur actor who's now a pro, and giving people standing eights. Look for her in more to come. The plot is something like Hollywood boxing movies or the Karate Kid, minus the cheese. It's also well crafted with good shots, realistic boxing scenes, and real looking people. I could go on, but I won't. Just know it's worth seeing, even though again, it's simple. Almost worth a $9 ticket. 1 *2