Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

Tim Burton poured his heart and soul into his 20th century work. In the 21st century he's morphed into one of the most soulless filmmakers working in mainstream cinema, and each successive movie adds fuel to the notion that his early successes thrived in spite of Burton's involvement, not because of it. Review

Far from ruining your Dad's childhood, this Magnificent Seven is a respectful tribute to the western genre, shot on an old fashioned outdoor set constructed by carpenters rather than computers. Review

Were it not for Sennia Nanua's precocious talents, The Girl with All the Gifts would be simply another shambling corpse in the crowded herd of the zombie genre. Review

A cheap, yet all too common storytelling trope is to equate affluence with villainy, and it's one Sachs and co-writer Mauricio Zacharias commendably bin here. There are no villains in this story; both parties are simply trying to do right by their families. Review

Remember that scene near the end of David Fincher's Zodiac where Jake Gyllenhaal finds himself in what may be the basement of the killer he's been hunting? Creepy is like that scene extended for 90 minutes. Unfortunately the movie's running time is 130 minutes. Review

A little more time examining the bread and butter world of white supremacists would have been appreciated - how does an undercover agent do his grocery shopping when he's sporting a shaved head and a swastika tattoo? - but as a thriller, Imperium is a largely engrossing watch. Review

There's an interesting dynamic between the well acted central trio, one which may have prospered in a more traditional form of storytelling, but writer-director Martin Radich's decision to deliver an obtuse drama ultimately extinguishes any spark of interest you might find in this odd little film. Review

The film's one standout moment features a melancholy magician (David Hoyle) who weaves a touching monologue around a card trick. It's a moment of warmth in an otherwise cold film. Review

The Clan is a superficial telling of what should be an interesting tale, more interested in aping Goodfellas, as so many mediocre true crime dramas are wont to do, than getting under the grubby fingernails of its subjects. Review

The big question is how does the chariot race compare to that of the '59 movie? Well it can't compare in terms of spectacle or filmmaking skill, but it is well put together nonetheless, falling somewhere between the pod race of Star Wars; The Phantom Menace and the vehicular mayhem of '70s exploitation classic Death Race 2000. Review

For a long stretch Morgan plays out like a poor man's Ex Machina, until a final act that descends into a by the numbers slasher movie, topped off with a final twist so obvious you'll likely have figured it out from the trailer, and probably dismissed it as too blatant. Review

Equity is buoyed by the performances of its largely female ensemble cast, but the script doesn't do any of these women justice. None of the film's characters come across as actual humans - they're merely salt shakers pushed around a restaurant table by the hand of a writer pitching their plot. Review

Hansen-Love's film is a tribute to the silent sacrifices the women in our lives make, sacrifices which all too often remain unrewarded, if even acknowledged. And is there a better actress to represent the quiet strength of womanhood than Huppert? Review

Scotsman Mackenzie and his English cinematographer Giles Nuttgens fetishise the film's Texan setting in a way not seen since Wim Wenders' Paris, Texas. This is a stunning movie set in a beautiful, if broken and bent out of shape part of the world. Review

Like a poor man's The Great Gatsby, the trite moral of Café Society's story boils down to "money can't bring you happiness", something millionaire storytellers have been trying to convince their audiences of for decades. Review

The pencil case politics could be excused if the movie succeeded on its own terms, but it fails as a satire because it takes itself too seriously, and as an action movie it's a bore, suffering from director James DeMonaco's inability to construct an effective set-piece. Review

The 9th Life of Louis Drax is a baffling movie and a bonkers movie, but its great sin is that it's an exceptionally boring movie. Review

While native Czechs may be embarrassed by Murphy and Dornan's efforts, to my untrained ears they did an impressive job of blending in with the Czech supporting cast. Regardless, this is a movie I suspect Czechs will be proud of, a fitting tribute to a small band of their nation's finest. Review

King's novel may have seemed relevant in 2006, but in 2016 it's a dated and tired premise. It doesn't help that, when you get right down to it, this is just another zombie movie, one that adds nothing to an overcrowded genre. Review

Teller and Hill are playing thinly veiled Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci substitutes, albeit without the violent tendencies, but War Dogs isn't just a bloodless Goodfellas, it's also a soulless imitation. Review

Marty Langford's doc gathers most of The Fantastic Four's key players (including Roger Corman, holding his cards close to his chest throughout) in an attempt to get to the truth of why the movie was shelved. Review

Don't Breathe may lack the willingness to wade in murky moral waters that might elevate it to the level of grindhouse classics like Last House on the Left or The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but it's not far off. See it in your sleaziest local fleapit. Review

For those expecting and craving the director's trademark theatrics, Almodovar's latest may prove a test of patience, but fans of classic Hollywood 'women's films' will find substance in Julieta's serenity. Review

This is clearly the work of a director obsessed with cinema, yet it's so idiosyncratic it could equally be the product of someone who never set foot in a movie theatre. America may have just found its next great filmmaker. Review