Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

Any cynicism we might have had early on in this music melodrama has been entirely eroded by the time we leave the studio and bid farewell to its muso protagonists. Review

Italian Studies never quite coalesces into a satisfying narrative. If it initially teases a gender reversal of Lost in Translation with a teenage boy acting as a tour guide for an older visitor to an unfamiliar city, that plotline ultimately never quite materialises. Review

Perhaps what's most refreshing about See for Me is how it gives us a disabled protagonist and refuses to portray them in a patronisingly angelic light. From the off, Sophie is difficult to warm to, even if her attitude is perhaps understandable. Review

Aside from Ohm, who gives a performance worthy of a far better movie, everyone seems utterly disinterested here. Review

This is what makes Nobody so much fun, watching this average Joe transform into a ruthless killing machine. Review

Cuartas gets us into the conflicting psyches of Dwight and Jessie, but it's somewhat frustrating that the film treats Thomas in a similar fashion to his older siblings – he may be the centre of the story but he's largely sidelined. Review

It's a warts-and-all glimpse of a future we're all set to face, and that's if we're lucky enough to make it that far. But watching Hopkins face his own mortality through a role that must have given him pause for thought is enough to get you through the darkness, like a senile parent suddenly remembering a long forgotten childhood detail. Review

At a brisk 77 minutes, we're left wanting a little more, which is a compliment to Seligman's ability to create characters we warm to. But ultimately it's that very specific Jewish humour that makes Shiva Baby so much fun, that ability to find a silver lining, or sometimes a cloud, in every scenario. Review

If at times the dialogue is a little creaky, Strates' arresting performance goes a long way to giving it life. Like Jeremiasz, we're held in her thrall as we try to figure out just what role she really plays in his life. Review

The Amusement Park is as angry and upsetting as any of the American horror movies of the Vietnam/Watergate era. Review

With its knockout twist, Safe Inside probably sounded like a winner in a pitch meeting, but the resulting feature film fails to capitalise on its potential, and like its young protagonists, you'll probably want to leave its environs early. Review

Holler may not fully satisfy in terms of offering an original story but it offers a cast of characters with refreshingly calloused hands, led by a performance from Barden that suggests that much like the young lady she plays here, she has a bright future. Review

Crawford's performance keeps you glued as David wrestles his demons, an affable Jekyll trying to keep his Hyde under control. Review

I'm all for filmmakers using their work as a form of personal therapy, but it needs to connect with the audience in a way Flashback never quite manages. Review

A Quiet Place: Part II is the very definition of an unnecessary but obligatory sequel, and by the time we get to its climax it begins to feel like Krasinski has scraped every last bit of honey from this particular jar. But what thrills he does manage to mine from this premise justifies a second go around with the Abbotts. Review

If you're willing to have four hours of your life upended by the enigmatic Ukiyo, it's a largely satisfying examination of the necessary toll romance can take on our lives. Review

Devoid of jump scares, loud bangs or an overbearing score, this is horror at its most effective, scaled down, pared back and tight as a possessed toy bunny's snare drum. Review

The money is certainly on the screen, most of it likely spent on music rights and costume materials, but wouldn't it be nice if a Hollywood studio gave a filmmaker such resources to make their own movies instead of constantly trying to fit their artistic square pegs into capitalism's round holes? Review

Whishaw is almost unrecognisable in arguably a career best performance. With little in the way of dialogue, it's a physical part that's as much dance as acting... Review

On a purely visual level, Skull: The Mask has a pretty great villain. Sadly nothing much is done with this potential new horror icon. Review

Army of the Dead simply doesn't function as a horror movie, and as an action movie it lacks sufficient creativity and craziness. Review

Not the most visually oriented of directors, Ritt's film is overly reliant on dialogue to detail its twists and turns. Luckily for Ritt his Welsh leading man possesses one of the most iconic voices ever recorded. Review

Too much of Frankie consists of characters telling us their backstories, and every time someone new enters the screen they begin to tell the nearest character of their troubles. None of it feels remotely natural... Review

I suspect some viewers may miss the point here and find Dinner in America as abrasive as its male protagonist, but anyone willing to embrace its skanky charms is in for a treat. Review