Aaron Hillis

@aaronhillis

My life is a film festival. Cucalorus curator & board secretary. Indie film consultant (Acquisitions, Development, Festivals & Marketing). #playtimewithHillis #LGM

412 Siguiendo851 Seguidores1202 Publicaciones

Bluesky

¿Es tu perfil?Reclámalo y aaronhillis.dirty.social es tuyo.Reclamar perfil

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jul 13

Nor mine!

Angus Young from AC/DC, holding a guitar on stage and pointing

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jul 13

Look, it could've been worse

movie poster for ANGUS, THONGS AND PERFECT SNOGGING (2008)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jun 26

The Secret Screening (June 26) is live: A coyote in exile, an orphan’s family pilgrimage, and a sun-drenched pop album about anxiety. Plus, the case against chasing trends. Get in there! www.thesecretscreening.com

Pearl & The Oysters (a French-American duo, photographed in front of a table full of bananas), under an image of their new album "Monkey Mind"

"Get these picks every Friday." points to "www.thesecretscreening.com" over images from BOUCHRA and ROMERÍA.

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jun 24

Seriously, have you? www.thesecretscreening.com

Woody from TOY STORY 5 with a cartoon word bubble: "Have you subscribed to The Secret Screening yet?" with Emily Blunt (DISCLOSURE DAY), Chiwetel Ejiofor (BACKROOMS) and Millie Alcock (SUPERGIRL) looking on.

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jun 19

The Secret Screening (June 19) is live: A very serious cult comedy, a soulful family drama, and a witty rap mixtape. Plus, a short story about why you should always take the meeting. Read + subscribe! www.thesecretscreening.com

Album cover of "Whack's Museum" with a promotional photo of Tierra Whack.

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jun 15

THE LORDS OF SALEM poster (looks like the girl from the OP)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jun 5

Just launched: THE SECRET SCREENING (thesecretscreening.com) is my FREE weekly newsletter. Film & music recommendations, plus an industry tip or anecdote from nearly 25 years of professional cinephilia. Totally free, 2 minutes to read. Subscribe! Enjoy!

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· May 29

French prog rockers Magma -- who performed 15 concept albums in Kobaïan, an invented language for intergalactic refugees -- have withdrawn from performing at America 250. #sad

Christian Vander with his Magma bandmates, standing amongst several cymbals in 1976.

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Apr 21

Can’t be mad at that first line because at least my doomscrolling is curated. #mets

Screenshot of a news article:

1. Mets’ losing streak

The last time the Mets won a game, the Artemis II crew was still in space. New York has dropped 11 straight after a sweep against the Cubs over the weekend. The club is back home tonight to face the Twins for a three-game set. Nolan McLean will get the ball with a chance to stop the skid. The Mets’ return to New York means we’re officially on Juan Soto watch. Manager Carlos Mendoza said the star outfielder would come back from his calf injury during the homestand.

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Mar 26

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Mar 26

An underrated Miyazaki classic #LGM

MLB scoreboard of Pirates vs Mets that reads P: 0 NY: 0 or could be seen as “Ponyo” (LET’S GO METS!!!)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Mar 11

George A. Romero addressed this himself when I asked him (for IFC News, R.I.P.) about speedy zombies in regards to Zach Snyder’s DAWN OF THE DEAD remake:

George A. Romero replies: “Obviously, I was... disappointed? Not a strong enough word. I thought it was ridiculous! First off, there are two sides to this argument. I grew up on "The Mummy," man, the Christopher Lee "Mummy." I like the idea of this big, slow, lumbering dead thing. He's never going to catch you if you run, but you can drill him full of holes and he just keeps coming. There's just something inevitable about this monster, and I think that's scarier than things running at you. The other side of the argument is I just don't believe it. These things are dead, they're stiff! Like in the "Return of the Living Dead" movies, where they're digging their way out of graves. How does a weak zombie dig his way out of all that mahogany?”

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Feb 26

PIECES (1982) had two of the greatest horror taglines ever… on the same poster:

Original PIECES movie poster featuring two taglines: “YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO TEXAS FOR A CHAINSAW MASSACRE!” and “IT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU THINK IT IS!”

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Feb 18

R.I.P. to film/theater legend Tom Noonan! Interviewed him in 2009 for THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL; wish we had more time to talk Michael Mann, Jim Jarmusch, or his directorial debut WHAT HAPPENED WAS... (Memorably, he held back no disdain for Michael Cimino nearly killing him on the HEAVEN'S GATE set.)

An awkward 2009 selfie of me with Tom Noonan, a tall drink of water in a hat.

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jan 26

🐃

Movie poster: Zoey Deutch stars in BUFFALOED (2019)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jan 16

SICKO MODE #LastFourWatched

Letterboxd recent activity: RELENTLESS (1989), ESCAPE ROOM (2019, <3), ADULT SWIM'S "THE ELEPHANT" (2025), MANIAC COP 3: BADGE OF SILENCE (1992).

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jan 2

No regrets, bless you @letterboxd.social.

Most Watched Actor: Adam Sandler, Most Watched Director: David Lynch

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jan 2

Unhinged to see your 2025 @letterboxd.social review in this format.

Letterboxd daily milestones for 2025… One of Them Days (50th), Baby Invasion (100th), Sacramento (150th), Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life (200th), Damien: Omen II (250th), Erupcja (300th), The Non-Actor (350th), Major League (400th), Blood Simple (450th)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Dec 31

The End Continues with "Prove My B-Sides Wrong" (125 more BEST OF 2025 bangers!) open.spotify.com/playlist/2go...

BEST OF 2025: "Prove My B-Sides Wrong" - (cover image is a green-tinted shot of students in a debate circle around a table with two chairs, one of which is being sat in by a crouching, pink-skinned demon holding his head in what may be agony.)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Dec 31

DISC 5: "EXSANGUINATED EARS" (this one's chaotic) open.spotify.com/playlist/6JI...

DISC 5: EXSANGUINATED EARS - (cover image is a close-up of an orange, decaying man with an odd, three-pronged earlobe and a puffy rectangular bandage covering what probably wasn't at all a real a$$a$$ination attempt.)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Dec 31

DISC 4: "yr'e instrumental" (this one's chill) open.spotify.com/playlist/2b5...

DISC 4: y're instrumental - (cover image is from the amazing motion picture SIRAT, featuring two characters dancing in the vast desert: in the foreground, a woman wrapped in a sun cover; in the background, a man with a prosthetic rod in place of one foot.)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Dec 31

DISC 3: "Shaggy Dogs Gather No Frowns" open.spotify.com/playlist/7o6...

DISC 3: Shaggy Dogs Gather No Frowns - (cover image is a good dog with her back to us, sitting on a mat inside a building, looking out a glass door where the outside world is bathed in unusually hypersaturated colors.)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Dec 31

DISC 2: "Wild at Heart/Weird on Top" open.spotify.com/playlist/14l...

DISC 2: Wild at Heart/Weird on Top - (cover image is a yellow-tinted, Liechtenstein-esque portrait of filmmaker David Lynch frowning with his eyes closed, nothing else visible against a black background.)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Dec 31

If you press play on my "BEST OF 2025" playlists now, you still won't be done by New Year's. 250 songs, no artist repeated. Post-punk, hip-hop, experimental pop, ambient jazz, unusual covers & more music to soundtrack you into 2026! DISC 1: "Year of the Bugbear" open.spotify.com/playlist/3IW...

DISC 1: Year of the Bugbear - (cover image is a close-up of Henry Fuseli's 1781 oil painting "The Nightmare" featuring a demonic incubus crouched on a sleeping woman's chest while a creepy horse looks on.)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Oct 27

Some MFers are always trying to ice skate uphill.* (* post their weekend @letterboxd.social recap just for the pop-art BLADE posters.)

My Letterboxd “Favorites” currently: DON’T LOOK NOW, DONT LOOK BACK, DON’T BOTHER TO KNOCK, DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING

My Letterboxd “Recent Activity” currently: A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (❤️), BLADE: TRINITY (♻️), BLADE II (❤️, ♻️), BLADE (❤️, ♻️)

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jul 13

200 screenings later... Anson Williams ("Potsie" himself!) joins us for tonight's FINAL #playtimewithHillis 📽: ALL-AMERICAN MURDER (1991): Williams directs this giallo-esque thriller, in which a college student is given 24 hours to find the blowtorch-wielding lunatic who killed his girlfriend. 🎓

Christopher Walken headlines the poster for ALL-AMERICAN MURDER (1991). Tagline: "He's about to enter a jungle of sex, sleaze and murder... he's going to college."

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jun 27

Co-sign, extended cut is a yearly Thanksgiving watch!

Aaron Hillis’ ballot for The NY Times “100 Best Movies of the 21st Century” Reader’s Choice includes THE NEW WORLD alongside O.J.: MADE IN AMERICA, UNDER THE SKIN, THE ACT OF KILLING, TROUBLE EVERY DAY, BAMBOOZLED, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, IDIOCRACY, HOLY MOTORS and DOGTOOTH.

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· Jun 10

getting this as a tramp stamp

"The 40 Best Genre Film Festivals on Earth 2025" Dread Central laurels graphic

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· May 27

Me, finally catching up with the mind-melting S2 finale of “The Rehearsal”

“THE REHEARSAL” creator/star Nathan Fielder, wearing a captain’s uniform in the cockpit of a 737, saying “Ready?” and an off-camera character named Aaron replying “Yeah, ready.”

Aaron Hillis@aaronhillis· May 24

Jafar Panahi’s excellent IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT was my 5th place wild-card Cannes pick… which actually won the Palme d’Or! (All the other four films were still prize winners.)