Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

Byers is a bright spark, managing to add some humanity to a character that likely read as one-dimensional on the page. Review

Barbarian similarly does its most memorable work in its first half, but even if you struggle to follow it into the grindhouse territory it navigates in its back half, you have to admit you're watching the work of a potentially very special filmmaker. Review

Running at a brisk 63 minutes, today's filmmakers could learn a lot from this movie's pacing. There's not an ounce of fat on this script and it still holds up as the definitive version of this oft-told and copied tale. Review

The first two chapters of Ostlund's film are peppered with hilarious vignettes, but things do grind to something of a halt in the final sequence. Ostlund never quite mines this scenario for the sort of insight it might provide. Review

Do Not Disturb is dogged by its inability to figure out whether it's a satirical comedy or something more…well, disturbing. Review

Played with relish by Thorp, Signe is a fascinating protagonist, a millennial Larry David on speed. Review

It works best when mining a particularly dark strand of humour, not so much when it resorts to Troma-esque silliness in its final act. But there's enough here to suggest that with a slightly more consistent vision, the directing and writing duo of August and Kiesche have enough distinctive talent to eke out a place in the crowded field of indie horror. Review

Kudos to Greene and screenwriter Jonathan Buchanan for trying something different in terms of storytelling structure, but you may be left wondering if 8 Found Dead might have been more successful working within the traditional parameters of its stagey setup. Review

What's so canny about Follow Her is how it introduces us to Jess through the lens of her dedicated followers and her own twisted idea of what it means to be a strong, independent woman, only to later force us to question why we're rooting for this pretty awful person. It's a daring move, but a refreshing one amid a rash of movies that patronisingly paint women as strong and independent or as victims. Review

In an era where the workplace romance has become a taboo tantamount to harassment, Chan-Wook taps into the illicit thrill of his film's central courtship with his customary style. It's a forbidden romance, but one even the most uptight of viewers will struggle not to endorse. Review

Inland is something of an enigma. I'm not quite sure I took everything in on this watch, and I suspect it may reveal an extra layer or two with further viewings. Review

While the first two instalments of this trilogy were filled with little details that annoyed fans of the series, this has a premise that's so off the wall it's difficult to even think of it as a Halloween movie, and as a result it doesn't rankle so much. Review

The two timelines collide in a climax that's a little too far-fetched, but one which certainly underlines the film's message of the manipulation of young men by their power-hungry elders. Review

This is a road trip where nobody takes the time to look out the window and appreciate the world they're passing by. As it chugs to its final destination, you may find yourself asking "Are we there yet?"... Review

What's most surprising about Dark Glasses is that the most successful aspect of the film is its central character dynamic, which despite some dodgy acting by Pastorelli and Zhang, is quite engaging if hard to swallow. Review

In her feature debut, McInerny is quite the find, thoroughly convincing as a naïve 17-year-old despite being 22 at the time of filming. Review

There's nothing romantic about McDonagh's film, but unlike those of his brother, it's never cruel or cynical, simply an honest, observant take on how messed up we all are, whether Irish or not. Review

Like The Untamed, Piaffe is a celebration of sexual pleasure, regardless of what form it may take, but where Amat Escalante's idea was wrapped in a compelling narrative, Oren's film lapses into something closer to pornography in a final act that may test the patience of some viewers. Review

At times Novak's lack of directorial experience is telling, with some bits of info communicated in a sloppy manner and editing that suggests a lack of foresight, though as the film was shot under COVID conditions this may be unfair to Novak. Review

It all comes off as a cringey piece of Hollywood sermonising, but it ironically comes in a movie that constantly uses a character's disability as a punchline, and one which doesn't have the balls to embrace the inter-racial relationship at its centre. Review

It's a shame that The Lost King is dogged by so many issues, as its early scenes hint at the potential for what could have been a highly engaging detective story. Review

Gina Prince-Bythewood does a far better job with The Woman King's action scenes than those in her previous effort, The Old Guard, constructing them in a manner that leaves us in no doubt that these women could take down much bigger men with their physical prowess. Review

Jaded horror fans who have seen it all will likely be left dissatisfied by My Best Friend's Exorcism, but it may prove a successful sleepover watch for younger teenage girls discovering the delights of the genre. Review

By portraying Monroe solely as a victim, the film removes her agency. The actress is always held up as a counterpoint to the dumb blonde stereotype, given how well read and seemingly intelligent she was, but the movie never conveys this side of the star. Review