Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

In the movement to have more female viewpoints represented in film, the well intentioned but misguided idea that artists should stick to portrayals of their own genders has been proposed from some quarters. Princess Cyd exposes such an idea as nonsense, boasting two of the most tangibly real women seen in recent cinema. Review

Ingrid Goes West makes the sort of point that may have worked better in a sci-fi setting. Indeed we've seen this very subject addressed in a couple of Black Mirror episodes. Tackling its question - if everyone online is so happy, what's wrong with me? - in recognisably current surrounds makes it difficult to view as entertainment, and the result is akin to standing by while forced to watch a troubled young woman drown. Review

Almereyda's film is the very definition of a filmed play, with the conversational structure broken only by end of act montages of Malickian shots of nature accompanied by a melancholy Mica Levi score. Thankfully he's cast his talking heads well, plucking the veteran Smith from the off-Broadway production of the original play. Review

Sweet Virginia is one of the most engrossing thrillers of recent years, but had it taken more time to explore the emotional turmoil and existential terror experienced by Lila, it really could have been a modern classic. Review

It would be unfair however to lay the blame for Felicite's faults at the feet of its non-professional cast, as the very experienced Gomis fails to make this derivative but potentially insightful drama as engaging as it really needs to be. Review

Ultimately, it's another biopic that plays like a trailer for a visit to wikipedia. Review

Viewers weaned on the FX heavy, cattle-prod bluntness of The Conjuring and its ilk may find Still/Born too quaint and dated to have an effect, but for those of us who appreciate a more nuanced approach to screen scare-mongering, Christensen has subtly fashioned a successful new entry in the growing post-natal panic genre. Review

King Cohen is an in-depth and loving tribute to a true legend of low budget cinema. It's also one of the most entertaining filmmaking documentaries you'll ever see. Review

For a 90 minute documentary examining a 45 second sequence, 78/52 doesn't provide nearly as much insight as you might like, but if you're a fan of Hitch, there's enough to make it an entertaining if not educational experience. Review

Murder on the Orient Express is an absolute mess, but a mess can still be entertaining. Branagh's film however is simply a bore. Review

While ultimately Thelma doesn't quite succeed as a slice of allegorical sci-fi in the manner intended, Trier's thoughtful approach, the stunning visuals that adorn the narrative, and an endearing central performance by Harboe, who does great work in communicating the confusion and frustration of her character, make it the most rewarding film of its type since Carrie. Review

Better Watch Out might be the blackest Xmas horror to date, and it's a more than welcome addition to a growing sub-genre. Review

Haaga's film is a misanthropic look at the American underclass; one whose ultimate message amounts to the sort of advice a drunken frat-boy might give to a love-lorn dorm-mate - Man up bro! A nuanced look at the battle of the sexes this ain't. Review

The Endless is that rare sequel that doesn't just best its predecessor, but adds more layers to it. If this does grow into an ongoing series, I'm fully onboard. Review

Stuertz seems so smugly obsessed with shocking his audience that he completely forgets the premise he set up, and no explanation is ever given for the supernatural events we witness throughout the tiresome narrative... Review

Tragedy Girls has enough material in its premise for two or three horror-comedies, as though MacIntyre is seizing a chance he may not be granted in the future. Review

If you're still on board with the Saw saga at this late stage then you'll no doubt find this one a mildly satisfying watch (though your bloodlust will go largely unsated) and leave the cinema whistling Charlie Clouser's iconic theme tune. If, like me, you bailed out after the second installment, Jigsaw certainly isn't going to tempt you back into the fold. Review

The Florida Project's controversial coda has divided critics, but by that point I had grown so frustrated with the direction Baker's film had taken that it failed to provoke any kind of reaction from me. Review

Perhaps the main problem with Suburbicon as a thriller is its lack of perspective. It can't seem to decide who its protagonist is, at times asking the audience to identify with the hapless Gardner, who is too despicable and frankly uninteresting for us to care about, while at other times it places Nicky front and centre, like an Invaders from Mars remake with the sci-fi element removed. Both characters are too thinly-sketched fo... Review

More so than a traditional disaster epic, Geostorm is really a half-baked political thriller, with most of the drama involving Sturgess and Cornish dashing around the corridors of power like a second-rate Mulder and Scully. Review

Happy Death Day is an example of old fashioned, airtight American storytelling at its best, and it's no surprise to find it was penned by a single writer. Review

As has become customary, Thor: Ragnarok is another overlong blockbuster that makes us wait until its climax for an action set-piece, and it's another bloated mess of CG. Review

Its effects are practical, its pacing is leisurely, and its politics are questionable. What's unquestionable is that it's an instant exploitation classic, and further evidence that Zahler might be the most important figure in American genre cinema since John Carpenter. Review

The resolution that ultimately follows however is unconventionally honest in its bleak implications, a reminder that while Super Dark Times is an old-fashioned piece of American screen storytelling, it's far from a generic piece of Hollywood product. Review