H. (2014) Reviews

• An oddly interesting film

  deacon_blues-32016-11-08

  H. is filled with symbolism and contrasting juxtapositioning of material. The film seems to take its title from the main protagonists, two women named Helen who both live in Troy, New York. One is late middle-aged and a member of "Newborn Angels," a group of childless women who dote upon ultra-lifelike infant dolls as if they were live infants, including setting alarms for 3:00 AM feedings and, yes; even breastfeeding them (or at least pretending to). Helen's husband, Roy, seems devoted to Helen at most times, but there is also an undercurrent of dissatisfaction and boredom in his attitude, especially toward Henry, Helen's reborn infant doll. The second Helen is younger, perhaps in her early 30s, and is part of a performance art team along with her husband. The focus of their chosen art genre seems to be death, violence, and blood. They have been known to have knock-down, drag-out arguments with each other, including hitting, punching, and bruising one another at times. They include this as part of their art. Helen is expecting a child. Her husband, Alex, is a known philanderer, but he also seems to genuinely love and treasure Helen. These two women are followed as contrasting parallel stories surrounding a suspected meteor explosion that causes many people in troy to start behaving strangely around the time of the meteor event. Some are convulsed by an ear-splitting whine that precedes the meteor. Others wander away from home and family without knowing where they are going. The older Helen's husband has a fishing buddy named Harold. Roy and Harold decide to go fishing at nearby Lake George, which also turns out later to be the destination of all the missing people who wander off from their homes. Helen does not hear from Roy for a couple of days after the meteor explosion, and suspects that he must be one of the people who wandered into the field near lake George where all the other missing people have congregated, lying down in the snow in semi-fetal positions. Many of the missing people are found to have no memory of who they are or how they got to Lake George. When Helen calls the hotline for the families of the missing people, she is told that Roy is not among those found lying in the field near Lake George. She is very upset, and asks if there are any men who have forgotten who they are and have no ID. She is told that they have one such "John Doe" who has not been claimed by anyone yet. She goes to the hospital and finds that the John Doe is not Roy, but is close to the same age. She pretends that he is her Roy and claims him anyway, not revealing the truth to the officials at the hospital. The younger Helen feels that there something wrong with her unborn child and has a sonogram performed during which the doctors find that there is no fetus present in her womb. They conclude that Helen has suffered a false pregnancy, but Helen will not believe it, insisting that she feels the baby moving and kicking inside her. Around the time of the meteor event, Helen drives to Lake George and winds up lying among the other missing people there. But for unknown reasons she becomes the only fatality among them. Alex is heartbroken over his wife's death. Here the film mysteriously ends. Two of the major symbols that recur in the course of the film are the stray black horse, which appears in three separate scenes: first blocking the road in front of Roy and Harold's car. Next running through the streets of Troy amidst the confusion of the meteor event. And finally in the woods near Lake George with the younger Helen. Here the black horse appears in two forms: as a normal horse and as a man-horse creature that confronts Helen just before she gets to the field where she lays down and dies. The other symbol is the giant head of a statue, presumably of Helen of Troy, which is found inexplicably floating in Lake George. It is either the remains of the meteor itself or it was blown off an existing statue somewhere. We are never told where the head or the horse came from during the film or given any specific information about their significance. This film may bore many people, but I found it really enthralling, especially the reborn doll scenes. I had never heard of such a thing before I saw this film. The dolls captured my interest initially (they really creeped me out personally!) and the other story elements carried me along.

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• Intricate and eerie; I loved it!

  danaewillis-068942017-05-08

  I thought this movie was extremely well done and thoroughly creepy. A few things of note: several of the tropes in this film were actually based on real events that happened in New York State (the giant floating head in the river, the horse on the loose in city streets, etc). A black horse also symbolizes death in various mythos, which makes sense that the horse would appear to young Helen shortly before her death. Something else that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere is the possibility that Roy and Harold are lovers and took this strange happening as their chance to run off together. My evidences for the aforementioned are as follows: 1) just before the meteor explodes, we see Roy and Harold in the cabin sitting on a couch. Harold is snuggled up to Roy and asleep on his shoulder. 2) Older Helen goes searching for Roy at Harold's apartment and Harold's neighbor confirms that she knows who Roy is, but hasn't seen either man since before the event. Adding, confusedly, that she didn't even know Roy was married. 3.) Helen sees Roy and Harold entering a store and calls out to them without response. 4.) Roy expresses to Harold how he wishes to be rid of Helen. And 5) Helen knows Roy isn't returning so she claims the John Doe. Though it is also possible that Roy and Harold were killed when the meteor exploded as the black horse appeared to them on their way to the cabin. All in all, this was a great puzzler movie that leaves you thinking and questioning long after the credits roll.

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• Interesting, but inconclusive

  unkinected2017-05-03

  I'm not sure what to make of this movie. The atmosphere is great, haunting and cerebral. The acting is well done. The cinematography is gorgeous. But the story goes no where. Don't get me wrong, it definitely sets up an interesting world. I was genuinely curious what was going to happen and cared about the characters. But then the movie ended. There was no conclusion to any of the story lines, and nothing to even lead the viewer to draw his or her own conclusions about the strange things that took place. This really was only 3/4 of a movie - I'm not sure the writer/director even knew what they were trying to get across, other than, "let's show some mysterious stuff on a screen." So I wanted to like this movie, but ultimately it was unsatisfying. Watch it for the mood and the ride, but don't expect a revelation of any sort.

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• A Bit Too Self-Indulgent

  samkan2017-01-09

  I agree with the three (to date) other COMMENTERs that "H." was intriguing and suspenseful. Indeed, the foreboding score, pacing, direction and script captivate. Further the acting was top notch, particularly Robin Bartlett. But .......... The Greek mythology references sink in in timely fashion; i.e., "Helen(s)" of Troy, a horse, an intrusion, a bust/statue, etc. But though liberal arts degreed with knowledge of Western Civilization I'm unable to make a connection of classical Helen or the Trojan Horse with the people or events in this film. There's also the "baby" parallel of "H."'s two Helens, though again I'm clueless how such may be related. Also, how am I to interpret the several descriptions of how the comet event and hysteria manifests itself; e.g., wall-staring, black-outs, uniform fetal and cloud patterns? Still, "H." is quirky and creepy enough to surpass the usual fodder passing for sci-fi and fantasy today. My disappointments may be hypocritical as I've championed the use of vagueness and ambiguity in science fiction and the supernatural. Indeed there is wisdom in avoiding the clumsy, heavy- handed task of trying to explain, convince, etc., a viewer of what is otherwise inexplainable, nonsensical, etc. . Watch; e.g., UNDER THE SKIN, THE WAIT, I AM THE PRETTY THING THAT LIVES IN THE HOUSE, good films that apply sid wisdom. But "H." ranks just below these examples as it makers just take the viewer way out on a limb and leaves he/she at the tip looking out. In the end, however, I'd watch something else by Rania Attieh, if only for her sheer chutzpah.

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• Eerie, really well done.

  rebelryans2016-11-05

  There is nothing better than when a movie frightens you, or disturbs you without having to throw special effects at you from around a dark corner. I almost didn't watch this. I am glad I did. This is not a horror film. But it has that perfect blend of an off putting mood, and an unsettling atmosphere. If you like scary movies because of the vibe of the movie and not the special effects, this is a diamond in the ruff. These kind of movies are so rare, unfortunately. It is an apocalyptic movie, without the actual apocalypse. At times you feel like there are religious under tones. They leave a lot of the elements of the what feels to be inevitable unfolding of the end of world to your imagination, but give you enough to know that something unearthly is happening.

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