Movie reviews of Eric Hillis

Gold doesn't boast an over-the-top performance like that of War Dogs' Jonah Hill, but it sure could use one. Anything to bring life to this dramatically inert piece of McConsense would be more than welcome. Review

Much of Lion plays out in silence as Davis relies on subtle camerawork, effective staging and the power of an actor's eyes over dialogue. Luke Davies' script commendably shuns any Oscar reel speeches, which makes the few times its characters sit down and communicate their feelings verbally all the more cathartic and moving. Review

XXX 3 refuses to take itself seriously. It seems to aim for the tone of Roger Moore era Bond, but its leading man is devoid of Moore's sleazy charm, and suffers from a lack of chemistry with his more charismatic co-stars. Review

While it opens in inspired fashion with some wicked dark humour, Prevenge progressively becomes a standard indie slasher, the sort of movie that are a dime a dozen at horror festivals, relying on the hook of a novel antagonist and a retro synth score to appease hungry genre fans. Lowe proves herself a comic talent here, but a gift for horror seems more elusive. Review

Gibson's film may not be explicitly anti-war - not anti-this-war anyway - but it sure doesn't make it seem like much fun. War is hell, Gibson suggests, but occasionally an angel like Doss emerges from its fog. Review

A career best Bening is the heart of the movie, portrayed as an angelic figure, but one with very grounded, human concerns. Review

In the current climate, filmmakers will no doubt wish to explore uncomfortable issues of race, sex and identity, and we'll likely see more filmmakers like Title use the horror genre to sneak in their agenda. I'll take that over cattle-prod jump scares any day. Review

Everyone deserves to tell their story. Holmes was exceptionally lucky to be offered a chance to tell hers, and we're equally gifted by the opportunity to watch it play out with such unflinching authenticity. Review

But let's face it, the people behind this franchise have about as much interest in the series' plot as its fans do. This is a saga that exists to sate the desire of a certain audience to watch vampires battle werewolves while British brunettes choke baddies between their leather clad thighs. Review

While a 10 part series might allow for an expansion of its many narratives, two hours is more than enough time to deliver a lead character that resembles a human with a beating heart, rather than the waistcoat wearing tailor's dummy at the centre of Affleck's adaptation. Review

So how bad is Monster Trucks? It's no masterpiece, but it's certainly not deserving of such harsh treatment by its own studio, or the general snark that greeted the arrival of its trailer. Let's face it, this is no dumber a concept than those powering juggernaut franchises like Transformers and Fast and Furious. Review

Despite working with a budget rumoured to total close to $200 million, Kurzel has delivered a video game adaptation sorely lacking in scope, an overly verbose movie that's heavy on keyboard and light on joypad. Review

The premise of Passengers is akin to Sleeping Beauty being woken by a kiss from Maleficent - oh wait, we already got that movie - or Dawn of the Dead, if the male protagonists had faked the zombie apocalypse in order to get laid. Review

Save for the odd minor dramatic cliché, Denial is a restrained piece of storytelling, free of showy monologues and raised voices. It offers some very talented actors the chance to turn in subtle but effective performances. Review

It's a testament to Will Smith's charisma that he manages to come out of this fiasco with an ounce of dignity intact, but he commits to his performance when all around him are clearly cashing cheques. Review

There's a lot more visual storytelling on display here than you might expect from a narrative of this nature, and Lonergan's leading man is required to deliver a largely silent performance. It's not Affleck's dialogue we ultimately remember so much as his moments of silence. Review

Remove the Star Wars trappings and Rogue One resembles an exceptionally well made version of the sort of movies that attempted to cash in on George Lucas's blockbuster in the early '80s - Krull, Battle Beyond the Stars, Spacehunter - but without their rickety charm. Review

As I watched Japanese Christians subjected to torture after torture, I found myself asking what they were getting from Christianity that Buddhism failed to offer, but the film never contemplates this question, unfairly pitting Christianity at its best against Buddhism at its worst. Review

A South American with leftist leanings, Pablo Larrain was never likely to deliver a love letter to an American First Lady, but nor is Jackie a hatchet job, falling somewhere between the sycophancy of Steven Spielberg's Lincoln and the mockery of Oliver Stone's W. Review

Loving's premise may read like a cynical bid for Oscar glory, but minutes into the film it becomes apparent that this is simply a story Nichols believes is worth telling. He commendably avoids the sort of dramatic clichés we expect from tales of injustice. Review

Shyamalan deals with subjects he shouldn't touch with a barge pole here, exploiting the most sensitive subject imaginable, and in the poorest taste. It's a topic that once introduced, means the film can no longer be viewed as a piece of entertainment, and has no right being broached in what is otherwise a popcorn thriller. Review

In most director's hands, Krisha would likely resemble a talky filmed play, but Shults's film is a cinematic spectacle. His characters are constantly talking, but his story unravels in visual terms; what's said in this troubled home is never as important as how it's heard. Review

This is Teller and Eckhart's film, and the bromance that develops between the pair is endearing and touching, but never sentimental. Two men broken in very different ways, Pazienza and Rooney bring out the best in each other. Review

At best, The Unknown Girl plays like a mediocre pilot for the sort of crime dramas currently beloved of Northern Europe's TV networks. It's a frustratingly lifeless drama, a miscast misfire from filmmakers who really are better than this. Review