High Strung AKA Free Dance

High Strung AKA Free Dance

Paladin

April 8, 2016

Drama, Romance?

DVD

C-

The acting is weak here, especially the female lead.  Michael Damian directed and co-wrote with Janeen Damian, who I assume is his wife.

High Risk

High Risk

Studio Unknown

May 1981

Crime Comedy
DVD
D+

Bumped up a notch for its very '70s cast and look (despite the early '80s release date).  Stewart Raffill wrote and directed.

High Life

High Life

A24

October 2, 2018

Sci-Fi

DVD
D-

Creepy.  Claire Denis directed and co-wrote, about a year after Un Beau Soleil Intérieur, which was almost as unpleasant.

High Crimes

High Crimes

20th Century Fox

April 5, 2002

Crime Drama

DVD
D

The husband of an unsympathetic lawyer is mysteriously arrested.  This is based on the Joseph Finder novel and directed by Carl Franklin, seven years after the far superior Devil in a Blue Dress.

The High Cost of Living

The High Cost of Living

Tribeca Film

15 September 2010

Drama

DVD
D

A man hits and runs, causing a pregnant woman to lose the baby.  Deborah Chow wrote and directed.

Hidden Figures

Hidden Figures

20th Century Fox

January 6, 2017

Historical Drama

DVD
B

Although I don't really care about the space program, this is a solid story of three heroic women's real lives, not just their genius and persistence, but their everyday moments with family and friends, especially each other.  Although it's not a comedy, or even a dramedy, I appreciate the moments of humor.  This is based on the book by Margot Lee Shetterly, and directed by Theodore Melfi, 

The Hidden

The Hidden

New Line Cinema

October 30, 1987

Crime Drama, Sci-Fi, Horror?

DVD
D

I don't know what this is, other than cliched.  Jack Sholder directed.

Hickok

Hickok

Cinedigm

July 7, 2017

Western

DVD
D+

A "modern" Western, directed by Timothy Woodward, Jr.

Hi, Mom!

Hi, Mom!

Sigma III Corp.

April 27, 1970

Comedy

DVD
C-

It's funny, I was sort of on the fence with this, not that much disturbed by the voyeurism, but when De Niro's character tried to seduce Salt's under false pretenses, that offended me, even though I never really liked Eunice Tate on Soap.  Brian De Palma directed and co-wrote.

He's Just Not That Into You

He's Just Not That Into You

Warner Bros.

February 6, 2009

Romcom, Drama

DVD
B-

A dozen years ago, in a time of flip-phones and MySpace, but still with some interesting insights (some derived from the self-help book by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo) about relationships.  Of course, this is a world where everyone, even Yoga instructors, can live like they're upper-middle-class while spending hardly any time thinking about their jobs compared to their love lives.  And the need for some of the characters to have happy endings means that the rules don't apply if someone is "the exception."  Still, worth revisiting.  Ken Kwapis directed.

The Hero and the Terror

The Hero and the Terror

Cannon Films

August 26, 1988

Action

DVD
D+

Norris is haunted by PSTD, I think.  Michael Blodgett helped adapt his own novel, and William Tannen directed.

The Hero

The Hero

The Orchard

June 9, 2017

Dramedy
DVD
C-

Even Sam Elliott's acting can't draw me into a story about a depressed has-been actor with cancer.  Brett Haley directed and co-wrote.

Hereditary

Hereditary

A24

June 8, 2018

Drama

DVD
D+

I know that this turns into a horror movie at some point, but at the quarter-hour mark it was just a kind of creepy family drama.  Ari Aster wrote and directed.

Hereafter

Hereafter

Warner Bros.

October 22, 2010

Drama

DVD
C-

This movie starts with a flood and then moves on to Damon as a psychic.  Eastwood directed.

Hercules Unchained AKA Ercole e la regina di Lidia

Hercules Unchained AKA Ercole e la regina di Lidia 

Lux Film

14 February 1959

Fantasy, Action, Historical Drama

DVD

C

This has moments that promise it'll become so bad it's good, including Hercules dealing with Oedipus's family drama, and I imagine the MST3K version is fun, but I gave up after half an hour.  This is based in part on plays by Sophocles and Aeschylus, and co-directed by Pietro Francisci and Mario Bava.

Hercules (1997)

Hercules (1997)

Disney

June 27, 1997

Children's, Fantasy, Comedy
DVD
C-

I would've given this a C+ or B- when I watched it a few years ago, but I just couldn't get into the first quarter hour this time, not laughing once or particularly drawn in by the music, humor, or animation style.  Ron Clements and John Musker co-directed, and co-wrote with a bunch of other people.

Herbie Goes Bananas

Herbie Goes Bananas

Buena Vista (Disney)

June 27, 1980

Children's, Action

DVD
D+

I saw this at the time and afterwards, but it's not too memorable.  I tuned out before the now late Cloris Leachman and others appeared.  Vincent McEveety directed.

Her Alibi

Her Alibi

Warner Bros.

February 3, 1989

Crime Comedy

DVD
D-

Unfunny, sexist, and tasteless comedy, directed by Bruce Beresford, who did Double Jeopardy a decade later.

Her

Her

Warner Bros.

January 10, 2014

Sci-Fi, Romance

DVD
C-

The world-building isn't bad, but this isn't a world, or a protagonist, I want to spend much time with.  Spike Jonze wrote and directed.

Henry Poole Is Here

Henry Poole Is Here

Overture Films

August 15, 2008

Dramedy
DVD
C-

A man buys a house and wants to be left alone, but isn't.  Mark Pellington directed nine years after Arlington Road.

Henry Hill

Henry Hill

Studio Unknown

October 25, 1999

Dramedy

DVD
D-

An unappealing protagonist in an unappealing story, directed annoyingly by screenwriter David Kantar.

Hello, My Name Is Doris

Hello, My Name Is Doris

Roadside Attractions

April 1, 2016

Romcom
DVD
D+

Field stars as an elderly mouse lusting after a younger coworker.  The movie isn't as cute and funny as it thinks it is.  Michael Showalter directed and co-wrote.

Hellfighters

Hellfighters

Universal

November 27, 1968

Action
DVD
D+

Firefighting and womanizing, directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, 

Hellboy (2004)

Hellboy

Sony/Columbia

April 2, 2004

Action, Fantasy

DVD
C-

Not my thing, but admittedly stylishly directed by del Toro, who contributed to the adaptation from the comic books.

Hell or High Water

Hell or High Water

Lionsgate

August 26, 2016

Crime Drama

DVD
C

I came closer to liking this than I expected, helped by the very Texan quirkiness of the characters.  David Mackenzie directed.

Hell Is for Heroes

Hell  Is for Heroes

Paramount

June 26, 1962

War Drama

DVD
D+

Some humor lightens the first few minutes, although sadly I had to tune out before Bob Newhart's big-screen debut.  Don Siegel directed, in between the other two of his movies I've reviewed so far.

Hell in the Pacific

Hell  in the Pacific

Selmur Pictures

December 18, 1968

War Drama

DVD
D+

I didn't care about the story but the scenery is lovely of course.  John Boorman directed.

Heavens Above!

Heavens Above!

British Lion

23 May 1963

Comedy
DVD
C

I gave this twenty minutes, since I hoped for the fizzy satiric touch of the first few minutes, but that fizzled out.  John and Ray Boulting co-directed, and John co-wrote the script.

Heaven Is for Real

Heaven Is for Real

Sony

April 16, 2014

Drama

DVD
D

Yeah, I knew going into this it wouldn't be my sort of movie, but did we need the gratuitous sexism or the Narnia ripoff?  Director Randall Wallace directed and co-wrote the screenplay based on the book by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent.

Heathers

Heathers

New World Pictures

March 31, 1989

Crime Comedy, Romance

DVD
B-

An uneven but still entertaining high-school-murder comedy, from the pre-Columbine era.  Ryder gives a capable appearance as a gray-moraled character, while Slater somehow is charming teen rebel and pathetic psychopath in one Jack-Nicholsonian package.  Michael Lehmann directed.

Heartbreak Ridge

Heartbreak Ridge

Warner Bros.

December 5, 1986

Drama

DVD
F+

An impressive array of unpleasant characters reciting unpalatable dialogue.  Eastwood stars and directed.

Heartbeeps

Heartbeeps

Universal

December 18, 1981

Comedy, Sci-Fi, Romance

DVD
D+

Robots in love.  Allan Arkush directed.

Heart and Souls

Heart and Souls

Universal

August 13, 1993

Historical Drama

DVD
C

I didn't get past the 1959 setup and wasn't intrigued enough to see how the various threads connected, other than I guess a bus-car accident?  Ron Underwood directed.

Head in the Clouds

Head in the Clouds

Sony

12 September 2004

Historical Drama, Romance

DVD
D+

Implausible, from meet-cute to consummation, written and directed by John Duigan.

Head

Head

Columbia

November 20, 1968

Musical?, Comedy?

DVD
C-

I've tried to watch this a couple times over the years, but even if the aimlessness is the point, it's hard to find a place to plant yourself and watch it unfold, as I think you can with, for instance, Magical Mystery Tour, which has better music anyway.  I tuned out before the celeb cameos, as I usually do.  The Monkees co-wrote with Jack Nicholson and director Bob Rafelson.

He Walked by Night

He  Walked by Night

Eagle-Lion Films

November 24, 1948

Crime Drama

DVD
C

The best thing here is the narration, giving it sort of a non-campy Ed Wood feel.  Alfred L. Werker and Anthony Mann co-directed, the latter the year before Border Incident, which was also a C.

He Got Game

He Got Game

Buena Vista [Disney]

May 1, 1998

Sports Drama

DVD
D+

It's weird to see a Disney movie start in prison, even one written and directed by Spike Lee, although the music during the basketball scenes is very Disney.

The Haunting

The Haunting

MGM
22 August 1963

Horror

DVD
D+

I didn't care about the backstory or the modern set-up.  This is based on the Shirley Jackson novel The Haunting of Hill House, and directed by Robert Wise.

The Haunted Mansion

The Haunted Mansion

Disney

November 26, 2003

Children's, Comedy, Fantasy

DVD
C-

A workaholic father learns the importance of family, I assume, since I tuned out before they actually got into the mansion.  Rob Minkoff directed.

The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight

Weinstein Company

December 30, 2015

Western?

DVD
D

Another historical Tarantino flick.

The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give

20th Century Fox

October 19, 2018

Drama

DVD
C

I read the book by Angie Thomas and found it OK but over-rated.  While the movie had potential, I couldn't get past the unlistenable rap on the soundtrack or the protagonist's many unlikable friends.  George Tillman Jr. directed.

Harry Brown

Harry Brown

Lionsgate

11 November 2009

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

An old man (Caine) deals with death and violence.  Daniel Barber directed.

Harry and the Hendersons

Harry and the Hendersons

Universal

June 5, 1987

Comedy, Fantasy, Children's

DVD
D+

I heard of this movie at the time but had no interest in seeing it.  After a quarter hour, I still don't.  William Dear directed and co-wrote.