Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

A War comes close at times, but we still await the great Afghanistan conflict movie. Perhaps we'll have to wait for an end to the war so filmmakers can assess it in hindsight, in which case it seems we'll be waiting quite a while. Review

Lucas's original films are still relevant because they were and are about something. Their themes are universal and timeless. Abrams' film is about nothing but Star Wars itself. Lucas's films told us everything about his philosophy of life. Abrams' film only tells us he's a geek. Review

Working with cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle - one of the first DoP's to adopt digital technology - Howard seems to be aping the style of Michael Mann, with lots of extreme close-ups and in your face action, but it's a poor imitation, more pathetic than kinetic. Review

For a while it appears as if Daddy's Home may have more to offer than you might imagine. Soon however it unspools in rote fashion like a well-promoted version of a straight to video comedy Chevy Chase might have headlined 20 years ago. Review

Room plays like a worthwhile character study from which all the most interesting moments - those occurring before and after its protagonists speak - have been edited out to accommodate an audience raised on talky TV dramas. Review

Without its two leads (and some great supporting performers, most notably Greta Lee, whose comic timing makes a lot of her gags funnier than they should be) Sisters would be an absolute dud. As it is, it's a misfire barely saved by the endearing company of two genuine stars. Review

Remember how back in the day, music videos would sometimes have movies built around them (Michael Jackson's Thriller the most famous of them all)? Well, By the Sea feels like someone had the same idea for a perfume commercial, but this fragrance stinks! Review

Krampus won't go on to be a seasonal classic, and it's undoubtedly a disappointment given its fascinating subject, but if you're after a light dose of Christmas carnage, you could find worse gifts under your tree. Review

A 1930s critic might call Sunset Song a handsomely mounted woman's picture, and it's certainly hard to find fault with the movie on a technical level. There's just not a whole to sink your teeth into here. In 1932 Gibbon's novel may have seemed fresh, but in 2015 Davies' film is all too lacking in originality and substance. Review

You know this story!" Those prophetic words open Victor Frankenstein, immediately alerting us to its lack of imagination. Save for a pointless origin story for Frankenstein's assistant, Igor (Radcliffe), Victor Frankenstein adds nothing to Mary Shelley's tale. Review

For a movie made by a 77 year old, 11 Minutes moves with an energy you might expect from some prodigious future auteur, and its Altman-on-uppers approach makes it one of the year's most fascinating watches. Review

Stories like this and Lincoln are an uncomfortable fit for Spielberg, a touchy-feely director making thinky-talky movies. That said, there's enough in Bridge of Spies to keep most viewers interested, but ultimately it's a waste of an entertainer. And in these troubled times, we could really use some of that old Spielberg magic. Review

The film spans roughly 20 years, but it seems the production and costume designers weren't privy to this fact, with characters sporting sideburns and mustaches in 1995, and displaying no signs of aging. So bored was I by Black Mass, I aged more over its two hours than its players did over its story's two decade timeline. Review

It's when the script injects a blunt plot contrivance that The Lesson veers from social realism to genre fare as Nade's predicament escalates rapidly but implausibly, and while the climax is said to be inspired by a real incident, it's simply too hard to swallow as presented here. Review

The meticulousness of his images leave you in no doubt that their director is in love with Carol and Therese, but you're ultimately left unconvinced of their feelings for each other. Review

If Noe could team himself with a writer to add some depth and nuance to his glorious visuals, we'd be talking about him in the same breath as Von Trier and Haneke, but the more he indulges himself, the more he becomes a caricature - the auteur as troll. Review

There are times in Steve Jobs when you stop to assess just what it is the characters are arguing about, and you realise there's not really much in the way of drama here, but Sorkin's words and the ensemble performance keep you so engrossed, it's difficult to quibble. Review

Cynicism runs through this production like a seaside town's name through a stick of rock. The filmmakers seem to have made their protagonists scouts purely for the sake of a catchy title. Review

Most great comedies contain a layer of melancholy, and without shoving it down our throats Tangerine never loses sight of the sad truth of its protagonists' dire situation. We grow so fond of Sin-Dee and Alexandra that by the end of the movie we have an almost paternal attachment to the pair, making a late incident of intolerance absolutely tear-jerking. Review

When the titular Nina isn't on screen, Ben and Chris Blaine's movie is a touching examination of grief and the healing process, with some great performances, particularly that of Hardingham, who plays the ungainly teen bit immaculately. Review

The horror anthology has given us some real gems - 1945's Dead of Night, the 1975 TV movie Trilogy of Terror, and a handful of productions from Amicus, whose name is now synonymous with the format - but most leave you unsatisfied, and Tales of Halloween is no exception. Review

Jeruzalem suffers from a lack of funds necessary to give this story the scale it deserves, and after a few fleetingly effective glances at the initial mayhem, the movie all too conveniently has its protagonists retreat to a darkened cave for the final act. Review

It's all too easy to groan at the idea of a remake, especially one that dares to take on material covered by an auteur like Bava, but this Rabid Dogs is a worthwhile reboot, one that establishes its director as a filmmaker we'll be keeping a close eye on. Review

The middle section, during which Bolger and Rush excel in their characters' psychological game of cat and mouse, elevates Emelie above Lifetime movie of the week territory, but it's ultimately a frustrating movie that could have greatly benefitted from another couple of passes at the script. Review