Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

At times we find ourselves wondering if elements of earlier drafts made their way clumsily into this finished version. Review

Too many scenes play like individual skits with their own punchlines rather than pieces that slot together to form a satisfying narrative whole. Some of the individual skits are mildly amusing but many are simply a distraction from the main plot. Review

If Harvest were half as detailed as Quill's map of its setting, we might not end up getting lost in its antagonising ambiguity. Review

Abraham's Boys is predictable and a little repetitive in its attempt to stretch a short story to feature length, but there's a classy sophistication to its intimate storytelling that makes for a welcome change from the usual histrionics of modern screen horror. Review

If No Sleep Till fails to engage as an ensemble character drama, it serves some limited function as an ambient mood piece. Review

I'm not suggesting that you need to have grown up in a certain era if you wish to pay homage to its films, but while Wolfhard and Bryk are probably fans of '80s slashers, their lack of filmmaking experience is all too apparent here. Review

While it can't be faulted as a technical exercise, Push lacks a beating heart. Its heroine and villain are as generic a pair of foes as you'll find in genre cinema. Review

We're left to wonder how more satisfying An Ordinary Case might have been in the hands of a more accomplished writer/director, but the case itself is curious enough to keep us invested and the final encounter between Monier and his client makes for a chilling denouement. Review

It's easily the best of the Jurassic World phase of this fossilising franchise, and the most well-crafted entry in the series as whole since The Lost World. Review

With its cheerful characters and pretty escapism, Corina is a pleasant enough watch. Maybe one for a rainy Sunday afternoon streaming, but perhaps not worth leaving the house for. Review

That a movie as good as Apocalypse Now came out of the experience we see in Eleanor's footage is a miracle. Unlike his country's military, Francis returned from the jungle victorious. Review

From this unique idea, Cronenberg weaves an increasingly complex conspiracy thriller. Review

To be fair to AI, it probably could have written a better script than the one that made it to the screen here. Review

It's a eulogy for a moment in pop culture that took its last breath just over a decade ago, but which really died much earlier when cinephilia and choice gave way to soullessness and commercialism. Review

F1 may not take pole position in the canon of racing movies, but it's probably worthy of a spot on the podium. Review

Hot Milk is the more engaging of the two, thanks largely to an attention-grabbing performance from Fiona Shaw. Review

The first half succeeds as a low budget horror comedy, thanks to Robb's comic performance, which recalls early Ricky Gervais. But it's in the film's second half that things get more interesting, albeit also more challenging for the viewer. Review

It's ultimately held together by two actresses delivering synced-up performances that carry both the film's horror and humour while ensuring its core message is delivered in a very relatable manner. Review

Tonally, Dirty Boy is as schizophrenic as its young protagonist. it deals with some very dark material yet often resorts to broad comedy. Review

As a survival thriller that puts as much emphasis on its thriller elements as its survivalist narrative, Row is a gripping and gruelling experience, one kept on course by its promising first time director. Review

Saturnalia is a far too sober affair, a failed attempt to capture a specific type of lightning in a bottle. Review

As an action-horror hybrid, this third entry fails to replicate the better moments of its predecessors, neither of which were all that great to begin with. Review

The Invisible Half has all the thrills we expect of J-Horror, but there's also a deep sadness running through its centre. Review

It's a shame that Our Happy Place's languid pacing makes it such a challenge, as there is some impressive low budget filmmaking on display. Review