Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

For a long stretch Morgan plays out like a poor man's Ex Machina, until a final act that descends into a by the numbers slasher movie, topped off with a final twist so obvious you'll likely have figured it out from the trailer, and probably dismissed it as too blatant. Review

Equity is buoyed by the performances of its largely female ensemble cast, but the script doesn't do any of these women justice. None of the film's characters come across as actual humans - they're merely salt shakers pushed around a restaurant table by the hand of a writer pitching their plot. Review

Hansen-Love's film is a tribute to the silent sacrifices the women in our lives make, sacrifices which all too often remain unrewarded, if even acknowledged. And is there a better actress to represent the quiet strength of womanhood than Huppert? Review

Scotsman Mackenzie and his English cinematographer Giles Nuttgens fetishise the film's Texan setting in a way not seen since Wim Wenders' Paris, Texas. This is a stunning movie set in a beautiful, if broken and bent out of shape part of the world. Review

Like a poor man's The Great Gatsby, the trite moral of Café Society's story boils down to "money can't bring you happiness", something millionaire storytellers have been trying to convince their audiences of for decades. Review

The pencil case politics could be excused if the movie succeeded on its own terms, but it fails as a satire because it takes itself too seriously, and as an action movie it's a bore, suffering from director James DeMonaco's inability to construct an effective set-piece. Review

The 9th Life of Louis Drax is a baffling movie and a bonkers movie, but its great sin is that it's an exceptionally boring movie. Review

While native Czechs may be embarrassed by Murphy and Dornan's efforts, to my untrained ears they did an impressive job of blending in with the Czech supporting cast. Regardless, this is a movie I suspect Czechs will be proud of, a fitting tribute to a small band of their nation's finest. Review

King's novel may have seemed relevant in 2006, but in 2016 it's a dated and tired premise. It doesn't help that, when you get right down to it, this is just another zombie movie, one that adds nothing to an overcrowded genre. Review

Teller and Hill are playing thinly veiled Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci substitutes, albeit without the violent tendencies, but War Dogs isn't just a bloodless Goodfellas, it's also a soulless imitation. Review

Marty Langford's doc gathers most of The Fantastic Four's key players (including Roger Corman, holding his cards close to his chest throughout) in an attempt to get to the truth of why the movie was shelved. Review

Don't Breathe may lack the willingness to wade in murky moral waters that might elevate it to the level of grindhouse classics like Last House on the Left or The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but it's not far off. See it in your sleaziest local fleapit. Review

For those expecting and craving the director's trademark theatrics, Almodovar's latest may prove a test of patience, but fans of classic Hollywood 'women's films' will find substance in Julieta's serenity. Review

This is clearly the work of a director obsessed with cinema, yet it's so idiosyncratic it could equally be the product of someone who never set foot in a movie theatre. America may have just found its next great filmmaker. Review

Sure, it mines comedy from its scenario, but there's an anger running through Captain Fantastic as unbroken as the white lines of its New Mexico highways. Review

If Lights Out finds itself bogged down at times by an exposition heavy script, Sandberg's skills in the scares department help us overlook such matters, and with its antagonist's backstory now dispensed with, there's potential for this to develop into a franchise horror fans can enthusiastically embrace. Review

They say the best comedy comes from the underdog, and if The Office felt like the work of a struggling comic pouring his heart out, David Brent: Life on the Road suggests Gervais' fame has resulted in his losing touch with the common man. Review

In Her Own Words isn't going to surprise anyone with a prior knowledge of the Scandinavian star, proving if you wish to learn about a subject, approaching the source may not always be the best option. Bergman remains an enigma. Perhaps that's how it should be? Review

What Suicide Squad fails to understand about 'guys on a mission' movies is that's it's the guys that matter, not the mission. Review

Sweet Bean isn't quite up there with the best of recent Asian drama, but it's not far off, and like all good drama, it leaves us longing to spend more time in the company of its characters. It's a confection as sweet as its titular treat. Review

Nerve is an instantly forgettable experience, save for its stunning visuals. Where monochrome and Gershwin represented a romanticised view of New York 40 years ago, for Joost and Schulman it's pulsing neon and throbbing dance music. Review

Jason Bourne is a little dumber and a little sillier than its predecessors. It's also nowhere near as engaging, but there's enough to keep fans of the series amused, and it's easily the best major release Hollywood has offered us in this otherwise awful summer. Review

Valley of Love is very much a faith-based movie. Its Christ references are hammered home, but it's a film that doesn't require its audience to share its beliefs, nor does it seek to alienate non-believers or those of other faiths. American Christian cinema could learn a lot from it. Review

The Commune is a gripping piece of drama and social critique, boasting immaculate period detail that never proves distracting. Following The Hunt and his adaptation of Far from the Madding Crowd, Vinterberg finds himself enjoying the most confident phase of his career since those dogme days of the '90s. Review