Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

Everyone involved is far too good for this material and it's arguably a career low for the entire cast, none of whom appear remotely comfortable here, as if they've been reluctantly enlisted for a Comic Relief skit. As Barney Thomson would say himself, it's "shite!"... Review

The fact that all the characters share the same names as the actors playing them tells you a lot about the lack of creativity at play here. Once again, horror - that most cinematic of genres - has been reduced to a series of blurry night vision shots of feet. Review

Why you should be asked to wear 3D glasses for a movie that consists overwhelmingly of close-ups of talking heads is beyond me. Ant-Man isn't Marvel's worst movie (it'll take some doing to beat Thor: The Dark World in that regard), but it's certainly its least cinematic. Review

Much of what we get here was covered in far more insightful style in the original Planet of the Apes series, and when a horde of angry citizens are baying for blood in the film's all too late climax you'll be forgiven for imagining hearing a chant of "Ape shall never kill ape! Review

The Wonders coasts on a breezy charm to a point. There are worse ways to spend a couple of hours than in the Italian sun. and if you've ever had a curiosity about beekeeping, you'll learn a lot about the honey trade here... Review

All too often, biopics of troubled artists focus more on the troubles than the art, but Love & Mercy strikes a fine balance, and both elements dovetail effectively. Cusack's performance is one of the great acting comebacks of recent decades. Review

We're left wondering if Dumont's intent is for us to laugh at or with his characters, but it all plays out like a Punch & Judy show hijacked by the sort of kid who gets pleasure pulling the wings off flies. Dumont is like the cat who insists on leaving dead rats on your doorstep; it's likely a gesture of affection, but it's no fun disposing of the carcass. Review

Still the Water? More like Stop the Projector. This self-indulgent twaddle, with its cod philosophy and catfish mysticism, made for two of the most mind and butt numbing hours I've spent in a screening room in quite some time. Review

At this point Cameron's original movies seem like self-fulfilling prophecies. The machines may not have taken over yet, but on the evidence of Terminator Genisys they've sure got a foothold in Hollywood. Review

Pilfering footage from previous studies of Welles, the movie serves as a sort of Greatest Hits package of Welles documentaries, but like every Greatest Hits compilation, it overlooks some interesting album tracks. Review

Just which audience The Overnight is aiming for - the low brow comedy crowd or the indie dramedy hipsters - is unclear, but the confusion in tone is likely to turn off both. Review

It sadly won't stick around for long, so forget those so called 'big' summer movies - this deep fried Scottish spaghetti western is one to see on the largest screen possible. Saddle up for the summer's best adventure, and bring coffee and beans. Review

You can count the number of worthwhile post-1940s screwball comedies on the fingers of one hand, and still have a digit left over to flip this one the bird. Review

Fendrik does a pretty good Sergio Leone imitation, but he walks a tightrope between homage and parody, particularly in a final shootout that, while expertly staged, drowns its spaghetti in a little too much sauce. Review

Jake Johnson, clad in an original Jurassic Park t-shirt, riffs about how he preferred the old version of the park. It's as though the movie knows it's a pale shadow of the original, and it's correct in believing so. Review

Azais and Haenal make for a great straight man / wacky girl combo, winning us over instantly as they share their awkward adventure. The ambiguous ending sets their characters off on an uncertain path of discovery, and it's impossible not to wish them well. Review

Too many subplots are interwoven for us to fully invest in any of them. In constructing their drama, the Schwochows have thrown a lot of balls in the air. I'm still waiting for one of them to land. Review

As a director, Yinan is certainly one to watch, but if he's to deliver a fully satisfying narrative he needs to find a screenplay collaborator. Review

The darkness of the movie's climactic scenes makes it considerably difficult to check your watch, which is just downright inconsiderate on the filmmakers' part. Review

On the few occasions when Listen Up Philip falls silent, it's quietly sublime, but for a movie about writers, its words, of which there are many, fail to ring true. Review

With Jovovich fleeing from Brosnan's silver haired terminator there's no reason Survivor couldn't be a perfectly enjoyable chase thriller, but every aspect of the film suggests nobody involved cares about constructing a worthwhile movie. Review

"Let Us Prey tries hard to shock us without ever engaging our senses, but once we realise how little it has to offer, boredom quickly sets in. Let us prey we don't get a sequel. Review

Unlike the 'grey pound' movies, which usually take a very patronising view of old people, Mr Holmes isn't afraid to present a realistic look at the aging process, and the result is the best portrait of an OAP since The Straight Story. Review

Pearce and Smulders aren't a natural fit for this material and there's a lack of heat in their scenes together that makes you wonder if there's an unseen plate glass window separating them. It's difficult to care about their relationship. Review