We're going to talk about Kevin.

So had a really nice night out on Saturday with Connor, starting off with some good pasta at the best italian in Belfast (where I decided I want an authentic pizza oven in my future house). Then went on to the Queen's Film Theatre which is like a cinema created from a converted terrace house. It shows slightly alternative, off-the-wall films. It was all dressed up hallowe'eny, which was all well and good until the film was about to start and the smoke alarms went off because of all the dry ice. So we stood outside for a while. Then finally actually got to see the film.

Been looking forward to seeing the film for ages - it was 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'. I read the (inevitably better than film) book a couple of years ago, and although the storyline is pretty sinister (written from the perspective of a mother of a high-school massacre murderer) it was really really good. The film was along the same line - not exactly cheerful by any means, but made you think. Explored some ideas like the nature/nurture debate (i.e. can you be born bad?). It was shown at the Cannes Festival and has had loads of good reviews. Stars Tilda Swinton, John C.Reilly (weird to see him acting serious and not shouting 'boats n hoes' or similar) and some really good child actors (I always worry they'll get mentally scarred playing such screwed up kids though).

There's a couple more films I'm really looking forward to coming out. One is 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'. I read the book of this about a year ago, and it's one that leaves you with a lot of questions, so I googled to see what people were saying about it and found out it's being made into a film starring Emma Watson (out in 2012). It's about this loveable naive boy called Charlie who's at that romantised stage of the "brink of adulthood" i.e. really awkward puberty stage. Reading it, I was pretty convinced he was autistic although this is never confirmed. An alternative explanation is given at the end regarding his different approach to life in an interesting twist. There's no official trailer out yet but read the book while there's still time!!

Finally also looking forward to Warhorse, out this Christmas and directed by Steven Spielberg. It's about World War One from a horse's perspective - but not in a childish way, it's really good. It was originally a book, then turned into a theatre production. I haven't read the book but I've seen the show, and even as a slight skeptic I thought it was so good - it's hard to describe but they use unbelievably lifelike horses made from wooden structures. The film looks set to be a winner too. Yay horseys!