Filmrecensies van Eric Hillis

The verisimilitude of this world is convincing enough as to be thoroughly immersive and engaging. The film and Labed's performance leave us wanting to follow Alice on further journeys. You could do worse than stowing away on the Fidelio for its 97 minute trip. Recensie

The question of whether or not this is a price worth paying to maintain the integrity of a sport is never addressed here, presumably because such a debate would add a layer of nuance that might detract from the sub-standard thriller Frears and Hodge have fashioned, one that ultimately fails because it can't decide who, between Armstrong and Walsh, is the film's hero. Recensie

There are few things more compelling than watching someone who is really good at their job, and seeing Watney apply scientific ingenuity to every problem posed by a planet whose dirt was never meant to be trod on by human feet is genuinely awe inspiring. Recensie

Anyone who has ever experienced the stress of maintaining a full-time job while dealing with personal issues will sympathise with the plight of Mia Madre's protagonist. As with life itself, Mia Madre doesn’t climax with a happy ending, but its final image is one of comfort. Recensie

Suffragette follows the template of the many quasi-feminist exploitation movies released by American International in the early '70s. Add a bluegrass score and Pam Grier, and this could have been directed by Jonathan Demme in 1971; and it's all the better for it. Recensie

Once you accept that Mississippi Grind doesn't have an original thought in its head, you can settle back and enjoy it as a somewhat superior buddy movie, albeit a highly derivative one. The opportunity to see Mendelsohn stretch himself, playing a character more pathetic than petrifying, justifies the admission price alone. Recensie

Horror is a genre David Gelb doesn't seem comfortable with, failing to generate any tension or suspense, while even the de rigueur Blumhouse jump scares fall flat due to poor editing. Recensie

In Kurzel's hands, Macbeth resembles a two hour promo for a rugby final, or a Guinness commercial directed by Zack Snyder; all sound and fury, signifying nothing. Recensie

As a story of a talented woman who comes to realise she's been given a job for reasons other than her professional skill, Sicario serves as an allegory Blunt, and so many, too many, female stars can sadly identify with. Recensie

With a use of shadow and chiaroscuro that invokes the atmospheric productions of Val Lewton, Kurosawa-esque diagonal lines of action, and a sense of depth to rival Kubrick, Horse Money is a masterclass in shot composition, the latest in a growing number of recent movies to revive the 4:3 Academy ratio. Sadly, that doesn't hide the fact that it's essentially a series of beautifully framed shots of its mumbling protagonist. Recensie

While it's a scenario we've seen countless times before, several factors make Tangerines taste as fresh as its titular fruit, and writer-director Zaza Urushadze proves that the world is a big enough place to provide enough variations on a theme for a long time to come. Recensie

James Dean's films haven't aged well, and Dean even comments here on how he feels East of Eden is too over the top. That's not a criticism you can level at Life, a movie so subtle many may find it alienating, but through DeHaan we get to see Dean as the melodramatic cinema of the '50s never allowed us to - an Ordinary Joe. Recensie

July Jung makes an impressive writing and directing debut, displaying maturity in her avoidance of any showy camerawork, allowing the faces of her characters to communicate story and mood. We eagerly await her next work. Recensie

If you plan to go see Everest, it may be best to leave at the point where its protagonists reach the summit of the titular mountain, as it's all downhill after that. It's a movie of two halves - one an involving and inspiring tale of human triumph, the other a dull, by the numbers disaster flick. Recensie

The movie manages to juggle several moods without ever feeling tonally confused. It's funny, it's scary, and in its exploration and exploitation of senility, it's at times deeply upsetting. Shyamalan reminds us he never lost confidence in his abilities, even if we did. Shame on us. Recensie

While his previous recent non-comedic dabblings, Matchpoint and Cassandra's Dream, have been misfires, Allen finally gets it right with Irrational Man, his darkest film to date. Recensie

The initially intriguing setup gives way to a crude 'bad behaviour' comedy, trading on the gimmick that we don't see women indulge in such filthy antics too often in American cinema. Greer will have to wait a little longer for that breakout role. Recensie

The sight of Tom Hardy attempting to out-act himself is just about enough to hold your attention for a good portion of the film, but after a while the lack of substance begins to weigh heavy and the strings become all too visible. East End? More like dead end! Recensie

Dope attempts to open a narrative on racial politics, but in unconvincing fashion, with Fumiyawa preaching tolerance while populating his story with the crudest of racial stereotypes. Recensie

If you thought his showy but soulless direction of last year's remake of The Town That Dreaded Sundown was irritating, then strap yourself in as Gomez-Rejon takes you for another ride on his ever wandering camera dolly. Just don't expect the ride to take you anywhere. Recensie

The movie's second half plays out in mundane fashion. It's far from entertaining, but it certainly hammers home the cultural castration imposed on the filmmaker by those who insist on living in the dark ages. Recensie

Abel Ferrara may not be the greatest Italian-American filmmaker, but he's arguably the most Italian-American filmmaker. His latest work, a tribute to Italy's most controversial filmmaker, is film as funeral mass. Recensie

Ken Kwapis's film is more of a casual stroll than an exhausting hike, and he struggles to visually convey the wonder of the geographical setting (the heavy use of green-screen backdrops doesn't help), but the real landscape of this film isn't that of the Appalachians; rather, it's the leathered faces of two screen greats. Recensie

Filmmakers and viewers may disagree on whether Ricki should be celebrated as a free spirit or frowned upon as a sociopath, but if one person fully understands the character, it's Streep, who turns Cody's rough toilet tissue script into graded parchment. Recensie