"Welcome back to the fight."

"This time, I know our side will win."

Seriously, is there any movie better than Casablanca? Ever?

The headlines have me running screaming to my DVD collection, and what can I say - I wanted a movie where America was an escape from war and oppression, and where people could call America the land of the free without irony.

Whether it's Paul Henreid striking up the Marseillaise, Bogart spending most of the movie being childish and surly, Claude Rains' honest graft, or Peter Lorre's brief sleaze, I love this movie. Of course, watching it, Vicki and I are trying to figure out who would best play the various roles. So far, we've got Steve Buscemi as Signor Ugarte, and possible George Clooney as Rick. But I'm not so sure about that one.

And in any case, remaking Casablanca would be a crime.