derekmiddleton Reviews

The Little Stranger (2018)

Total waste of talent bar one

[1/10 · 18 January 2019]

One day soon, casting directors are going to collectively wake up and smell the coffee with regard to Domhnall Gleeson. He was great in Ex Machina but, since then, has been utterly useless in everything else.

His cardboard performance plus the total lack of pace and tension ruin this film.

It goes on for ever then mercifully finishes.

Ruth Wilson and the great Charlotte Rampling cannot save this utter dud.

If they ever make a sequel, you need look no further amongst utterly talentless leading men making a fortune than Martin Freeman, surely?

The Thin Red Line (1998)

All time great film

[10/10 · 2 January 2019]

If you've never seen this make sure you do at least once.

Terence Mallick's comeback after 20 years. Battle scenes are incredible.

Among all the stars who did and didn't make it to the final cut (including Billy Bob Thorntun's never shown 3 hour voice over) Elias Koteus and Nick Nolte give career performances.

Poor old Adrian Brody thought he was the star until he turned up at the premier and found all but two of his lines were left on the cutting room floor.

The music and cinematography are extraordinary.

One of the most poetic and heart wrenching war films ever.

A classic.

Zulu (1964)

Quite simply the greatest film of all time

[10/10 · 2 January 2019]

OK. So I am biased because my dad was there when they had a bloke from the University of Cape Town teaching the Zulu extras authentic tribal dances.

They also had to show them Cowboys v Indians movies so that they knew how to get killed an masse by the thin red line.

All time great film. When I saw it at the cinema some people turned up in period uniform!

We now know it's factually incorrect by a wide margin but who cares.

Stanley Baker at his best. Michael Cane's career saved. Unforgettable lines aplenty. Plus Britain's greatest screen actor, Jack Hawkins.

I've seen it 50 times.

Unimpeachable.

The Levelling (2016)

The worst film ever

[1/10 · 2 January 2019]

If ever you needed proof that film critics are totally out of touch with reality, please watch this film and despair.

The British critics thought this was good. They also thought the unutterably appalling Field in England was good.

Any given episode of Trumpton was better acted.

Laughably inept film making.

The Favourite (2018)

Film of the Year

[10/10 · 2 January 2019]

I have just returned from watching this at the cinema and read the bad reviews o this site with a mixture of anger and incredulity. All three female leads deserve Oscars and Nicholas Hoult has surely never been better. Brilliant, funny and poignant. Just want to see it again. Immediately.