FRIGHTFEST - so yesterday I was in Leicester Square for Frightfest, specifically for the world premiere of The Human Centipede (First Sequence), the new horror from Tom Six about a mad German surgeon who grafts three human beings together, mouth to anus, to create a human centipede.

Now, anyone who knows me will know that I fucking LOVE sick, depraved, demented and gory films. This one is a brilliant example. What I liked about The Human Centipede was the self-awareness, and the mixture of genre conventions. Obviously the director knew what he was doing when he got the idea for it, there's a kind of nervous humour about the film, there's laughter from the audience because we kind of know what's going to happen, we just want to SEE it happen! Okay, so the acting from the members of the centipede leaves much to be desired, but the casting of the mad German doctor is utter genius.

Two American tourists are driving to a party along a dark road in Germany, and their car subsequently breaks down. Who can guess what happens next? They get out and walk, in the rain, to the nearest house, which just so happens to be the house of a surgeon specialising in Siamese twin separation who's become obsessed with the idea of creating instead of separating and wants to sew some humans together, arse to mouth, so that their digestive system becomes one.

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this film, it had threads of slasher movie conventions, and a general great understanding of the horror genre.

Afterwards, the director said that this film is 'sesame street compared to the sequel'. Yes, I cannot wait til next year at Frightfest!

TOKYO SONATA - I had been waiting to see this film for all of 2009 so far, and I finally got it and finally watched it and finally loved it.

Japanese cinema has always fascinated me, whether it's (Akira) Kurosawa or Miike or the way in which they hold no punches. Only the Japanese know how to beat the hell out of taboo until it becomes the bizarre norm.

Tokyo Sonata is a slow film. It's slow, but the way it unfolds is nothing short of beautiful. There is a tension underneath everything, a rippling effect of suppressed emotion. This is deep social commentary, at its best.

I don't know about other people, but I always throw myself completely into films that deal with everyday life and everyday problems in other cultures different from mine. Tokyo Sonata is a film full of depth and a kind of unbridled sadness that comes from how these people can't seem to relate their problems to one another.

The story concerns a businessman, who unexpectedly loses his job and is unable to tell his wife, so he pretends to go to work every day, instead spending his time with a former classmate, also unemployed. His home life begins to change as his eldest son disobeys him and enlists in the army and his younger son spends his lunch money on piano lessons behind his father's back.

What makes this film so special is the compassion with which it's told, and the atmospheric quality, allowing the film to build in a slow but steady direction toward the pivotal point, which might have been lost in sentimentality if this had been a hollywood production, but the director deftly avoids that, creating a vivid and moving portrait of contemporary life in Japan.

MOON - another film I have been waiting impatiently for. Saw this yesterday and I'm still pondering the story.

When I am excited about seeing a film, I create images and scenes in my mind of what I imagine it'll be like. This wasn't what I expected, and I'm still in the process of thinking about it. I want to see it again, as soon as possible.

What I will say is the Sam Rockwell is a brilliant, understated actor. The soundtrack is immensely enthralling, as Clint Mansell always manages to capture the essence of the film with his score. The film's direction is elegant and full of beauty.

I have always been fascinated with space, and I suppose I wanted more, I wanted it to be longer, with longer takes and more mental breakdown. But I don't think that necessarily would make a better film. I think of it more as a compliment to the film, that I wanted more.

The anticipation of seeing it again is enough for me.

AFTERSCHOOL - I saw this one on a whim. I watched the trailer, attached to Moon, and it looked really interesting. So after seeing Moon, I went straight into another screen to watch Afterschool.

This film is about an American prep school and a kid who likes watching video clips on the internet, porn, violence, stuff like that. The school is littered with drugs, and the posh teachers seem to overlook it. One day, when this boy is filming a corridor for his afterschool video class, two girls come running into the corridor, bleeding everywhere and screaming. The boy walks over to them and watches them die.

The rest of the film is about kids dealing with the aftermath of something as shocking as two girls dying from taking a lethal drug concoction. The rest of the film runs flat and there is no catharsis, there's no revelation or exploration of the angst this kid supposedly harbours.

I got the feeling the director was a Gus Van Sant wannabe, and this was supposed to be his Elephant.

I wasn't much impressed, and I wish now that I'd gone to watch Antichrist again, instead of this.

So I watched Bruno while I was at work, twice. And I'm sort of ashamed to say it but I love it. Considering a reality tv satire isn't really my kind of cinema, (I prefer to think of it as documentary, it makes me feel better) it was pretty funny and often hilarious. I love offensive humour and I love Sacha Baron Cohen. It's nothing more than funny, so there's not much else to say about it.

I saw Rachel Getting Married at the cinema on a friend's recommendation and because I liked the idea of the storyline. A recovering drug addict and alcoholic played by Anne Hathaway leaves rehab to attend her sister's wedding. I really really like this film. Part of the reason is because it's a portrait of a dysfunctional family and I think most of us can say we relate to that in some way. Also because it's about sisters relating to each other, unconditional love despite our actions, etc. And it's moving, and the music is beautiful and the acting is often brilliant. It's unique and I recommend it.

Now I get to Antichrist. Oh, Antichrist, I went all the way to London to see it. To sit in a small auditorium in Covent Garden and watch this beautiful thing unfold in front of me, it was fascinating and amazing, and incredible. I can't even describe how happy I was after watching it. It's like my faith in cinema has been validated.

I know this film got many contemptuous and angry reviews from people who were shocked by the content, but I found it quite breathtaking. The violence is not gratuitous. In fact it almost reminded me of a disturbing short film called Cutting Moments, where a couple work out their emotional and communicational difficulties through pain. Bizarre but disconcerting to watch, because you know that emotional pain manifests itself in different ways inside all of us.
The fact that Lars Von Trier made Antichrist without thinking about an audience, it was a kind of catharthis for himself, and also another of his films that demonstrates his desire to break down the boundaries of cinema, gives me faith in the power of film to deliver that which is both expressive and purposeful. I can't praise this film enough.

Films I'm looking forward to!

The Time Traveler's Wife - yes, I know what it looks like...a chick flick. But if you've read the book, then you'll understand.

Where the Wild Things Are - it was one of my favourite books when I was a kid.

Up - new Pixar film looks amazing.

The Road - it's an incredible book, I'm not sure the film will live up to it though.

Sunshine Cleaning - Watch the trailer, it looks really good.

Shutter Island - Martin Scorsese's new film. Looks interesting. Excellent trailer!

Precious - about an overweight girl in New York. Looks really good.

There are some more, but I'm going to bed now. Night.

Best films of 2009...so far.

The Wrestler - I love this film to death. Mickey Rourke was robbed of the oscar. It destroys me every time I watch it. Aronofsky is my favourite contemporary film-maker, he's a genius.

Watchmen - is great. It's stylised, glossy, and yet it's all so damn watchable. There's no doubt it's flawed, but it's impressively made, the soundtrack is great and it's entertaining on all levels.

Star Trek - Surprise of the year for me. What a brilliant film! Genuinely exciting and emotionally engaging too. I actually almost fell in love with Spock. It's that good.

Drag Me to Hell - Trashy, visceral, hilarious and gory. It feels like a classic, deliciously enjoyable.

Coraline - Ah, everything I love about childhood stories and fairytales is in this film. The visuals are stunning and beautiful - I've always loved stop-motion anyway, and the story is lovely, subtle, scary in places and full of heart. I love how, for once, there's a female protagonist who isn't a princess, who can make decisions on her own.

Moon, Antichrist, Two Lovers

Anticipating Up, Avatar, Where the Wild Things Are, Away We Go, Sin Nombre, Thirst, The White Ribbon, Alice in Wonderland, A Christmas Carol, Nine, The Lovely Bones, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Inglourious Basterds, The Time Traveller's Wife, The Road, Shutter Island...

I will add to this.