Get ready for a wild mashup of Way of the Dragon and Kung Fu Manager. Writer-director Scott Hillman’s Blue Belt dives headfirst into farcical martial arts mayhem, following Rilley — an online coder and unlikely kung fu prodigy — who must defend their Italian uncle’s Los Angeles pizzeria from an eccentric French mob invasion. What follows is a deliriously odd blend of kung fu, comedy, and community pride that only a Hillman film could deliver.
Read MoreBad Timing (2022)
Gregory Hatanaka’s Bad Timing is a gritty, low-budget crime thriller that mixes tense, single-location drama with flashes of raw emotion and surprising pathos. At just over an hour, it moves quickly but leaves a distinct aftertaste, part hostage story, part confession booth. The film follows Sammy, a burned-out hitman who takes Marisa hostage after a job gone wrong.
Read MorePanic (2024)
Gregory Hatanaka’s Panic is a tense psychological thriller that explores the terrifying unraveling of trust, identity, and reality itself. Centered on the marriage of Scott and Laurie Panic, the story quickly escalates from domestic unease to a full-blown fight for survival when a sinister force begins to infect Laurie’s body and mind. As secrets emerge and loyalties are tested, the couple faces a high-stakes battle that is as emotional as it is suspenseful.
Read MoreAcrylic (2020)
Acrylic is a bold, colorful dive into the world of nail salons, style rivalries, and over-the-top glamour. Directed by and starring Nicole D’Angelo, the film promises fierce style battles, jaw-dropping nail art, and a showcase of confidence, sass, and charm. On paper, the premise—a competition between two salons vying for the top spot—offers rich potential for comedy and drama, and there are moments where the film flirts with that promise. D’Angelo leads with enthusiasm, and the cast brings a playful energy to the screen.
Read MoreAnother Way to Die (2023)
Gregory Hatanaka’s Another Way to Die is a neon-lit, high-octane indie action thriller that thrives on style and energy, even if its substance sometimes falters. Centered on a rogue CIA agent with a shadowed past, played by Louis DeStefano, the film follows his perilous mission to recover a mystical box—an object that attracts danger at every turn. In a futuristic city drenched in betrayal and bloodshed, DeStefano’s character is double-crossed, outnumbered, and hunted by secret forces, leaving him with no choice but to fight his way through the chaos.
Read MoreSoyboy (2025)
Adrian Hui’s Soyboy is a sharp, unsettling, and oddly tender short film that captures the alienation of a generation drowning in convenience. But what makes this surreal meditation on self-image and disconnection truly linger is the performance by Jack Johnstone as Killian, a performance that’s as raw as it is magnetic. Johnstone commands every frame. His Killian is a product of the algorithm: numb, curated, detached, yet there’s an aching vulnerability beneath his blank stare.
Read MoreThy Will Be Done (2025)
Independent films live or die on passion, and Thy Will Be Done wears that passion in every frame. Jazz Securo’s directorial debut is a brooding, atmospheric thriller that mixes faith, morality, and murder into a surprisingly cohesive and gripping story. What begins as a standard police procedural quickly evolves into something darker and more spiritual, a meditation on justice, guilt, and the fragility of belief.
Read MoreThe R.I.P. Man (2025)
“Shut your mouth and get ready to rest in pain.” That tagline sets the tone for The R.I.P. Man, a low-budget British slasher that punches well above its weight in both atmosphere and execution. Director Jamie Langlands and writer Rhys Thompson deliver a polished indie thriller that successfully introduces a memorable new genre villain, one that might just make you double-check that your doors are locked.
Read More