A Christmas Love, directed by Gregory Hatanaka, is a heartfelt indie holiday drama that blends romance, family dynamics, and a touch of magical realism to tell a story about redemption, hope, and the enduring power of love. At just over an hour, it manages to explore complex emotional themes while still maintaining the cozy warmth often associated with Christmas films. The story centers on Jeff, a man whose life seems to be unraveling. Having just lost a promotion he had long anticipated, Jeff is unexpectedly fired by the man who replaced him.
Read MoreAmerican Mobster: Retribution (2021)
American Mobster: Retribution, directed by Gregory Hatanaka, is a low-budget indie crime thriller that manages to be both captivating and so-bad-it’s-impossible-to-look-away entertaining. Picking up ten years after the first film, it follows Nick Romano as he fights to maintain his place at the top of Miami’s criminal underworld. Murder, betrayal, and violence abound, and the film leans into every exaggerated gangster stereotype imaginable—sometimes awkwardly, sometimes hilariously.
Read MoreAmerican Mobster: Miami Shakedown (2010)
American Mobster: Miami Shakedown is a gritty, low-budget crime drama that plunges viewers into the underbelly of Miami’s small-time mob scene. Directed by Marcus Dreeke and written by Nino Cimino, the film follows Nick Romano, a young Italian-American caught between loyalty, love, and survival. With his partner Carlo, Nick navigates hustling, street-level crime, and a tense relationship with his girlfriend Vanessa, all while trying to stay in the good graces of a powerful local crime boss.
Read MoreAmerican Nudist (2011)
American Nudist is one of those films that leaves you questioning not just the narrative, but why it exists at all. Directed by Gregory Hatanaka and officially by Clinton H. Wallace, this 67-minute drama follows a photographer, Taylor Kong, as he enters an exclusive nudist community in search of a muse for his long-awaited dream project. The premise hints at an introspective exploration of nudism and artistic inspiration, but what unfolds is a baffling, almost unwatchable mess.
Read MoreAmerican Western (2022)
American Western, directed by Gregory Hatanaka, is a lean, 66-minute romp through the Old West that is equal parts earnest attempt at classic Western storytelling and unintentionally hilarious spectacle. At its core, it’s a tale as old as time: a bandit betrayed by his friend is thrown into prison, only to escape five years later and return seeking revenge. But the charm here lies not in originality—it’s in the sheer audacity of its execution.
Read MoreSamurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance (2015)
Samurai Cop 2: Deadly Vengeance, directed by Gregory Hatanaka, attempts to recapture the unintentional charm of its cult predecessor. While it brings back familiar faces like Mathew Karedas as Joe Marshall and Mark Frazer as Frank Washington, the film struggles to match the original's unique appeal. The plot centers on Joe Marshall, now in self-imposed exile, who is drawn back into action when his former partner Frank Washington seeks his help to dismantle a powerful criminal syndicate.
Read MoreUntil The Night (2004)
Gregory Hatanaka’s Until the Night is a messy, raw, and strangely compelling dive into human desire, boredom, and emotional self-destruction. At its core, the film follows Robert, a writer who hasn’t written much lately but is fully invested in a toxic mix of drinking, smoking, and a reckless affair with Elizabeth, a married woman whose own life feels equally hollow. Their rekindled connection is passionate yet destructive, like two storms colliding with nowhere to go.
Read MoreHot Wax Zombies on Wheels (1999) #RetroReview
Hot Wax Zombies on Wheels is one of those films that exists purely to confound, amuse, and occasionally disgust in equal measure—and it succeeds spectacularly at all three. Directed by Michael Roush, this low-budget horror-comedy delivers a plot so bizarre that it almost feels like the filmmakers dared each other to see just how many insane ideas they could cram into 83 minutes. At its core, the movie follows a small fishing village thrown into chaos when two eccentric beauty salon operators roll into town, offering hot wax hair removal that has a truly unexpected side effect: anyone waxed becomes a hairless, horny zombie obsessed with spreading the curse of bare skin.
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