Billed as a sequel to Wong Kar-Wai's earlier film, In The Mood For Love, 2046 can be viewed on its own, although is likely to flow more easily if you've seen the first, since the story continues with Tony Leung's fiction writer, having finished his relationship with a married woman (Maggie Cheung) and is now being enticed by an exotic young call-girl (hot acting talent Zhang Ziyi), who lives across the way in a seedy Hong Kong hotel.

2046 is like Closer, in that both deal with the nature of attraction, but 2046 is more mysterious and less transparent. It's like a puzzle, or a story that isn't going to put its cards on the table that quickly, and it's lovely for that. You're easily swept along by Kar-Wai's snatches of engagement. Ziyi and Leung make such a beautiful couple. You long for them to be together and feel sad when it looks like it won't happen.

What makes 2046 a seminal work is the way that it's put together - this is a magical, yet isolated world that reminds you that love and loneliness are often bedfellows. It's a melancholic film, but because it has been filmed so well is strangely uplifting. Also, it contains a wonderful final reel when, in futuristic scenes taken from the writer's book, pieces fall into place and as a viewer you find yourself reflecting on romance, meaningful moments and the transient nature of life.

The writer creates a world where people go to forget memories, which naturally can lead you into thinking of your own. It's worth staying through the excellent final credit sequence, too, since it has a magic all of its own.

2046 will appeal to those that like a film to make them work hard and is a must-see for Wong Kar-Wai fans.