Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

Waggner and cinematographer Elwood Bredell give us some nicely staged deep focus scenes that remind us this is a classier production than its poverty row rivals of the era. Chaney's glowing Ready Brek Man effect is cheap but effective. Review

I can't pretend its final act didn't leave me frustrated, but Ibarra sends us out with a closing shot that is a work of genius in microcosm, one which efficiently sums up the themes of the film we've just watched with a ridiculously clever piece of staging and an inspired needle drop. Review

While Moore's film suffers from stilted storytelling, it's saved by some thrilling performances. Review

As we've come to expect from recent Mexican cinema, Prayers for the Stolen is beautiful to gaze upon, with Huezo and cinematographer Dariela Ludlow creating dreamlike sequences that wouldn't be out of place in the work of their compatriot Carlos Reygadas. Review

Both the Venom movies felt like nobody bothered advancing beyond a first draft, and that's the same feeling we get here. Everything about Morbius is half-assed, from the thinly sketched characters to CG sequences that resemble Playstation 2 era cut-scenes. Review

I'm struggling to think of a horror comedy with such a whiplash-inducing pivot from one genre to the other. Horror fans will find much to enjoy in the film's atmospheric first half, and Robinson gives a convincing portrayal of a woman whose nerves have been frayed by unwanted attention. Review

A by-the-numbers haunted home thriller that descends into unintentional laughs in a climax dogged by cheap special effects. Review

With its tired critique of the insecurities of internet "celebs" and found footage aesthetic, Deadstream might have seemed innovative a decade ago, but in 2022 it's as stale as the various rotting corpses its leading man stumbles over. Review

Essentially what The Cow boils down to is an old-fashioned mad scientist b-movie that's been given a mumblecore makeover. But that structure does indeed keep us invested in an otherwise simplistic plot. Review

Ambulance is a mess. You can't hear half the dialogue. The tone flips from broad comedy to dark violence in the space of a single scene. Its action sequences pale in comparison to similar ones pulled off with aplomb by the likes of James Cameron and Michael Mann. And yet – and I can't believe I'm saying this about a Michael Bay movie – I was never bored. Review

Despite its filmmaker's cultural roots, Umma feels very much like an American take on Asian horror, and something has been lost in translation along the way. Review

West has created a nostalgic tribute to a classic era of screen sleaze. It's certainly a better Texas Chainsaw movie than any of the recent entries in that long-suffering franchise. Review

As is usually the case with such mainstream American comedies, some of the improv numbers are stretched thin and the supporting cast are at times a little too wacky in comparison with the film's leads. Brie, Plaza and Nivola are all on fine form... Review

And like the smartest filmmakers, he understands that creating great cinema can often be as simple as writing a couple of good parts and having two very charismatic people make googly eyes at one another on screen. Review

This is Last House on the Left and I Spit on Your Grave, but without the villains' comeuppance. It's a reminder that in real life victims don’t get to take revenge, only society can do that for them. Review

Reinsve is a winning presence, attractive enough to be a movie star but relatable enough to have realistic insecurities. Review

She flits from bubbly and enthused to scared and lonely to outright psychotic in convincing fashion. The movie doesn't condone the violent rampage she undertakes, but her victims are drawn so broadly as bitchy mean girls that it's impossible not to have fun seeing them dispatched in the sort of violent fashion we've come to expect from the no holds barred world of Ozploitation. Review

But rather than a horror movie that serves as an allegory, Raquel 1:1 plays like an allegory desperate to convince us it’s a horror movie. Review

At the point where Emergency realises it doesn't have the satirical chops to continue in a comic vein, it should have doubled down on the thriller stakes. Review

It's Jarvis's performance that truly keeps It Is In Us All afloat though. His physicality tells us a lot about his character's background without having to indulge in expository speeches. Review

This leads to a movie that lacks a satisfying narrative thrust. We're left to admire the scenery, the lush cinematography of Hélène Louvart and the quality of the performances, but there's just not enough to invest in here. Review

What's laudable about the film is how Ozon never asks us to take a side, and only those whose view on the matter is clouded by religious or philosophical beliefs will likely adopt one. Review

For a relatively low-budget Irish production it's surprisingly slick. Don’t be surprised if the likes of Blumhouse come calling for Muldowney. Review

Chitu is very good, but there's not a whole lot to her character. She's defined by those around her, with Grigore making it all too clear why she needs to leave, but that need to escape seems to be the only thing fuelling her character. Review