Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

Solalinna is a revelation in the dual role of the sad-eyed Tinja and her monstrous doppelganger. Bergholm and writer Ilja Rautsi ensure that their young protagonist is relatably childlike. Review

That movie climaxes with an action set-piece, but the laughs continue right through the action and it never outstays its welcome. The same sadly can't be said for The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Review

If it never lives up to its premise, it does at least provide the occasional well-executed, economical set-piece, and its unconventional heroine offers something different. Review

If Choose or Die's plot is simply a line to hang its set-pieces on, at least those sequences are imaginative. Meakins cleverly manages to expand his film's world while working to a tight budget by having some sequences play out in the form of 8-bit video game imagery. Review

Along with a host of talking heads from the movie and music worlds of both Europe and the US, Tornatore adds some cinematic flourishes, skillfully editing footage of Morricone conducting an invisible orchestra in his apartment with clips of his many live performances in prestigious global venues. Review

Amleth's story may be a tale as old as time, but while the story beats are familiar, the level of filmmaking on display here is an all too rare treat. Review

As a depiction of one of the war's most intriguing operations, Madden's film lacks the oomph factor that a Christopher Nolan might have brought, but it succeeds as a story of a group of smart people getting together to outwit an imposing enemy, with a formidable cast bringing these unsung heroes to life, or indeed death. Review

Vanderbeque's performance is supernaturally good, a testament to Wandel's skill as a director. Review

Present in almost every frame of the movie, Vartolomei is tasked with carrying the film and delivers what should be a star-making turn in French cinema, if not beyond. Review

Arnold's direction and Russell Metty's cinematography add a touch of class usually absent from such fare, with the pair making great use of negative space to create suspense sequences as shadows creep up on unsuspecting victims. Review

Courtesy of Clifford Stine, a veteran of King Kong, it's the special effects that steal the show as clever use of the matte process brings the monoliths to life. Review

Waggner and cinematographer Elwood Bredell give us some nicely staged deep focus scenes that remind us this is a classier production than its poverty row rivals of the era. Chaney's glowing Ready Brek Man effect is cheap but effective. Review

I can't pretend its final act didn't leave me frustrated, but Ibarra sends us out with a closing shot that is a work of genius in microcosm, one which efficiently sums up the themes of the film we've just watched with a ridiculously clever piece of staging and an inspired needle drop. Review

While Moore's film suffers from stilted storytelling, it's saved by some thrilling performances. Review

As we've come to expect from recent Mexican cinema, Prayers for the Stolen is beautiful to gaze upon, with Huezo and cinematographer Dariela Ludlow creating dreamlike sequences that wouldn't be out of place in the work of their compatriot Carlos Reygadas. Review

Both the Venom movies felt like nobody bothered advancing beyond a first draft, and that's the same feeling we get here. Everything about Morbius is half-assed, from the thinly sketched characters to CG sequences that resemble Playstation 2 era cut-scenes. Review

I'm struggling to think of a horror comedy with such a whiplash-inducing pivot from one genre to the other. Horror fans will find much to enjoy in the film's atmospheric first half, and Robinson gives a convincing portrayal of a woman whose nerves have been frayed by unwanted attention. Review

A by-the-numbers haunted home thriller that descends into unintentional laughs in a climax dogged by cheap special effects. Review

With its tired critique of the insecurities of internet "celebs" and found footage aesthetic, Deadstream might have seemed innovative a decade ago, but in 2022 it's as stale as the various rotting corpses its leading man stumbles over. Review

Essentially what The Cow boils down to is an old-fashioned mad scientist b-movie that's been given a mumblecore makeover. But that structure does indeed keep us invested in an otherwise simplistic plot. Review

Ambulance is a mess. You can't hear half the dialogue. The tone flips from broad comedy to dark violence in the space of a single scene. Its action sequences pale in comparison to similar ones pulled off with aplomb by the likes of James Cameron and Michael Mann. And yet – and I can't believe I'm saying this about a Michael Bay movie – I was never bored. Review

Despite its filmmaker's cultural roots, Umma feels very much like an American take on Asian horror, and something has been lost in translation along the way. Review

West has created a nostalgic tribute to a classic era of screen sleaze. It's certainly a better Texas Chainsaw movie than any of the recent entries in that long-suffering franchise. Review

As is usually the case with such mainstream American comedies, some of the improv numbers are stretched thin and the supporting cast are at times a little too wacky in comparison with the film's leads. Brie, Plaza and Nivola are all on fine form... Review