Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

We're left to wonder how more satisfying An Ordinary Case might have been in the hands of a more accomplished writer/director, but the case itself is curious enough to keep us invested and the final encounter between Monier and his client makes for a chilling denouement. Review

It's easily the best of the Jurassic World phase of this fossilising franchise, and the most well-crafted entry in the series as whole since The Lost World. Review

With its cheerful characters and pretty escapism, Corina is a pleasant enough watch. Maybe one for a rainy Sunday afternoon streaming, but perhaps not worth leaving the house for. Review

That a movie as good as Apocalypse Now came out of the experience we see in Eleanor's footage is a miracle. Unlike his country's military, Francis returned from the jungle victorious. Review

From this unique idea, Cronenberg weaves an increasingly complex conspiracy thriller. Review

To be fair to AI, it probably could have written a better script than the one that made it to the screen here. Review

It's a eulogy for a moment in pop culture that took its last breath just over a decade ago, but which really died much earlier when cinephilia and choice gave way to soullessness and commercialism. Review

F1 may not take pole position in the canon of racing movies, but it's probably worthy of a spot on the podium. Review

Hot Milk is the more engaging of the two, thanks largely to an attention-grabbing performance from Fiona Shaw. Review

The first half succeeds as a low budget horror comedy, thanks to Robb's comic performance, which recalls early Ricky Gervais. But it's in the film's second half that things get more interesting, albeit also more challenging for the viewer. Review

It's ultimately held together by two actresses delivering synced-up performances that carry both the film's horror and humour while ensuring its core message is delivered in a very relatable manner. Review

Tonally, Dirty Boy is as schizophrenic as its young protagonist. it deals with some very dark material yet often resorts to broad comedy. Review

As a survival thriller that puts as much emphasis on its thriller elements as its survivalist narrative, Row is a gripping and gruelling experience, one kept on course by its promising first time director. Review

Saturnalia is a far too sober affair, a failed attempt to capture a specific type of lightning in a bottle. Review

As an action-horror hybrid, this third entry fails to replicate the better moments of its predecessors, neither of which were all that great to begin with. Review

The Invisible Half has all the thrills we expect of J-Horror, but there's also a deep sadness running through its centre. Review

It's a shame that Our Happy Place's languid pacing makes it such a challenge, as there is some impressive low budget filmmaking on display. Review

Jung's debut doesn't pull up any trees in terms of originality. We've seen this sort of narrative several times before, but her film is beautifully observed and boasts two outstanding central performances. Review

Shaman raises interesting ideas about religion and colonialism, but it's all ultimately rendered as window dressing for a horror movie that skirts around its more complex ideas and finally settles for schlock and jump scares. Review

Spending 90 minutes in the close company of a boxer as he awaits the moment that could define his life proves an intensely stressful experience. Review

That Train has chosen a bicycle as his film's macguffin is a nod to the enduring influence of Vittorio de Sica's Italian neo-realist classic Bicycle Thieves, but despite James' monochrome cinematography it veers closer to absurdism than realism. Review

Embry and Li's impressive work can't save this shaggy dog story. Review

Like any anthology, Pet Peeves is a mixed bag in terms of quality. If the first and last segments don't quite work, they sandwich a pair of enjoyably absurd tales anchored by the engaging performances of Sanz and Belenguer. Review

We come away from What Marielle Knows feeling that the movie has only scratched the surface of the cringe comedy it might have mined from this unique scenario. Review