Filmrecensies van Eric Hillis

Gavin understands the disturbing potential of emptiness, both as a compositional tool and as a metaphysical concept. Nothing scares us quite like our thoughts, and A Dark Song weaves its way into its viewers' minds, working its subtle black magic against us. Recensie

Tomboy could have been a comeback for Hill on the level of Paul Verhoeven's Elle, but it suffocates under the weight of its subject matter as its creator naively attempts to avoid controversy. Recensie

What makes Man Down just about worthwhile is LaBeouf's central performance, which really gives him a chance to flex his thespian muscles in a rare leading role. Recensie

As an FX reel, The Void should keep its creators in work for the foreseeable future, but as a horror movie it's all too lacking in the scares, suspense and thrills departments. Recensie

CHiPs is an insult to fans of the original show, but more so to anyone with an ounce of humanity. If there's any justice, Shepard will receive a parking ticket from the men and women of the California Highway Patrol. Recensie

Life is no sci-fi masterpiece, but it's classy and competent, and like those pillars of the genre, Alien and The Thing (and unlike Prometheus) it features intelligent protagonists who never behave like moronic teens in a slasher movie. Like its amorphous antagonist, it may not be quite what you're expecting, but it's worth discovering nonetheless. Recensie

At 140 minutes, The Lost City of Z justifies its running time. It's a banquet of a movie, a visual feast that also provides plenty of food for thought. If Gray's reach has exceeded his grasp here, it's a compliment to both his ambition and his talent. Recensie

There's nothing magical or romantic about this oppressive reboot. Whatever its motivation, it plays like little more than a lazy, uninspired cash-in on a recognisable property. In Hollywood, that's a tale as old as time. Recensie

The Secret Scripture plays a lot like some old Hollywood melodrama that might turn up on TV on a Sunday afternoon, but those movies were immaculately crafted with taut storytelling, something Sheridan's movie can't claim. Recensie

If the trappings of the western genre are enough to keep you happy, In a Valley of Violence does just enough to entertain. But displaying an understanding of the genre's tropes should be the starting point for a filmmaker, not the be all and end all, as is the case here. Recensie

Oh and Heche are two actresses we don't see enough of, and both are exceptional here, as is Silverstone, whose Lisa gives us an idea of how Clueless's Cher might have ended up had she continued on her narcissistic path. Recensie

Kong: Skull Island certainly has its moments, and if you see this on a big enough screen you'll get your share of spectacle, though seeing Kong in action on his home turf is nowhere near as visually interesting as witnessing him destroy New York. Ultimately, despite its scale, it's an often underwhelming and largely soulless experience, a movie so obsessed with delivering its giant special effect it neglects to add a human heart... Recensie

Marmoud does just enough behind the camera to suggest he's capable of giving us a compelling Chabrol-lite thriller, but more time spent mining the skills of his leading ladies and a narrower focus from the script may have gone a long way to making Moka a more involving drama than the lifeless thriller that ultimately made it to the screen. Recensie

Sometimes we build filmmakers up and create monsters, giving them free reign to indulge themselves in the worst possible way. Perhaps that's the case with Mungiu. Like no other movie of recent times, Graduation is clearly the work of a great talent, but one who's simply not making an effort this time. Recensie

Ultimately however there simply isn't enough new material here to make Hounds of Love a fully engaging experience, yet practically everyone involved, on both sides of the camera, is someone to watch out for in the future. Recensie

Taken at face value, Personal Shopper is frankly ridiculous, but Assayas commits to its nonsense in a manner that makes it impossible not to get on board. Recensie

Whether you empathise with the loneliness and vulnerability of Fuller, Albert or Jamie, or the guilt of Laura, Gina or Beth, you'll likely find something here that strikes a chord, if perhaps an unwanted or unacknowledged one. Recensie

Berlin Syndrome may boast a pair of top-notch performances from its leads, along with some polished cinematography, but otherwise it's the sort of mediocre thriller that clogs up the Netflix catalogue. Recensie

This rapid escalation is jarring, yet Blair seems more comfortable with the revenge thriller aspect of his film than the comedy, which is weakly written and staged. Recensie

Berg's never been better than he is here, constructing visceral set-pieces that immerse us in the tense drama. Recensie

If you've ever wondered what a deadpan Nordic version of Fawlty Towers might look like, look no further. Recensie

It's part horror movie, with a creepy discordant score accompanying many scenes, part high school comedy, part coming of age musical, with Holmer displaying a Minnelli-like understanding of how to shoot dance sequences that's far less showy but just as effective as La La Land. Recensie

Visually, Nails is a cut above most UK and Irish horror, with cinematographer James Mather making nice use of light and shadow, and director Bartok shows promise in the film's key moments, but this badly needed rescuing in the script department to sell its intriguing premise in convincing fashion. Recensie

It's a bloody film, but there's no blood without a heart, and Logan has one pumping beneath its tough exterior. It's a story of family, but it never feels trite and forced in its message; there simply isn't time for sentimentality in its lightning paced narrative. Recensie