Sorry for replying here since the original thread is closed. I hadn’t seen that movie or read the book, but the concept reminds me of Greg Bear’s 1981 novella fix-up The Strength of Stones. The concept and the description of the roaming cities was fascinating to my teenage self, but I recall the plot being flimsy and the characters very poorly developed, so I can’t in good conscious recommend it.
Maybe I’ll check out Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines. Is it any good?
ETA: Looks like it was critically panned and that 8 minute scene was a slog, so I think I’ll at least pass on the movie. But in looking it up Reeve apparently had the idea for the story in the late 80’s, which leaves me wondering if he read Bear’s book.
