But there's another reason: I saw an excellent film on Sunday. Not just excellent, but a remarkably haunting and entertaining blockbuster. Starring Tom Cruise of all people. He usually (not always) annoys me with his vain posturing, but this time he gives himself over to the story, and the adept skills of Steven Spielberg. And the tale is terrifically gripping and textured. It's been so long since I saw a satisfying and big movie (again, it was probably in December with The Lord of the Rings) that I can hardly contain myself.

Then lightning struck twice. I saw a second satisfying blockbuster on Monday. Two good films in two days is almost more than a film critic can bear. It violates the natural law that only one in 10 movies is actually worth watching. To see two excellent movies in a week is startling. And it's almost paralysing when they're both massive Hollywood mega-productions. Monday's was Ben Affleck's first outing as Tom Clancy hero Jack Ryan, rewritten to make him younger after Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford's movie versions--kind of a sequel and a prequel at the same time. And brilliantly made. And Affleck can carry a big movie after all. My mind boggles.

Not quite as much anticipation for this week's other two screenings, nor the DVDs I had to watch for a magazine article. Well, one film was yet another mildly entertaining Mexican-flavoured L.A. family thing, and the other was an above-average German drama set in Italy, written by a Pole and starring an Aussie and a Yank. The DVDs should remain anonymous.

Then the weather immediately started cooling off. Tuesday was sunny but not nearly as scorching as Monday. Wednesday was cooler still. And so on. England was knocked out of the World Cup by Brazil, and now our sole comfort can come from the antics in the Big Brother house. Only now we don't even have Spencer to moan about.

This week's screenings...

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