Convulsion is an audacious dive into existential sci-fi that, despite its low-budget streaming origins, manages to grip with both intensity and style. Gregory Hatanaka, working from Jamie Grefe’s script, crafts a narrative that is as enigmatic as it is unsettling, blending the mundane with the metaphysical. At its core, the film follows Ethan, a man whose life is upended by uncontrollable seizures stemming from a mysterious extraterrestrial encounter.
Read MoreLove Crime (2022)
Love Crime is an indie true crime drama that delves into obsession, jealousy, and the tragic consequences of a destructive relationship. Directed by Nicole D’Angelo, who also stars as Jodi, the film loosely chronicles the infamous case of Jodi Arias and her murder of Travis Alexander, though it chooses a highly subjective lens: we see events largely through Jodi’s memories and perceptions rather than as a straightforward retelling. This approach gives the film a reflective, almost meditative quality, even if it sacrifices some factual clarity.
Read MoreLove Never Leaves (2025)
Love Never Leaves is a hypnotically unsettling foray into minimalist horror, showcasing Jamie Grefe’s continued talent for transforming the tiniest of settings into a world brimming with dread. Set almost entirely in a single luxury AirBnB, the film follows an aspiring actress, played with doe-eyed intensity by Mariana Carvajal, as she encounters the house’s eccentric and unnervingly theatrical owner, “Ronald,” brought vividly to life by Chris Spinelli. The dynamic between these two is both tense and darkly humorous, creating a claustrophobic cat-and-mouse game that lingers long after the credits roll.
Read MoreSouls of the Damned (2024)
Souls of the Damned, written and directed by Frank Palangi—who also appears in the movie—offers a dive into dark, supernatural themes, but delivers a mixed experience. The premise is intriguing: a group of witches harness the suffering of one man through horrific nightmares. There’s clear ambition in Palangi’s vision, with the story flirting with elements of time loops, witchcraft-induced hallucinations, and surreal horror sequences.
Read MoreSleaze Please: The World of Bill Margold (2024)
Sleaze Please: The World of Bill Margold is a surprisingly engaging and intimate look into the life and legacy of one of adult film’s most complex figures. Clocking in at a brisk 54 minutes, Gregory Hatanaka manages to deliver a compact yet surprisingly thorough documentary that explores not only the career of Bill Margold but also the broader 1970s and ’80s porn industry, with all its glitz, grime, and human drama. The documentary’s real strength lies in Margold himself.
Read MoreChoke (2020)
Choke, directed and written by Gregory Hatanaka, is a puzzling experiment in indie filmmaking that struggles to find its footing. The film attempts to blur the lines between reality and fantasy, following a nihilistic detective and a serial killer whose lives intersect through a mysterious young woman. At just 73 minutes, it’s brief, yet crams in an overwhelming number of montages, monologues, and seemingly symbolic scenes—many of which fail to resonate or clarify the story.
Read MoreYakuza Girl (2024)
Yakuza Girl, directed, written, and starring Louis DeStefano, attempts to merge crime thriller elements with ninja action, but ultimately collapses under its own ambitions. The premise—detectives investigating bizarre murders connected to the Yakuza and a covert ninja assassin—could have offered tension and excitement, yet the execution is painfully lacking. The acting is uniformly stiff, with performances so wooden that even the simplest dialogue feels awkward.
Read MoreParanormal Body Stream (2025)
Jamie Grefe’s Paranormal Body Stream is a tense and thought-provoking sci-fi horror thriller that plunges viewers into the claustrophobic corridors of a top-secret space vessel. From the outset, the film establishes an unsettling atmosphere as the crew begins to suspect they are not alone—and that their identities may be manipulated as part of a terrifying alien experiment. The movie thrives on its atmosphere.
Read More