podozzypro

Dangerous Prey, directed by Terry Spears, is a thriller/drama that tackles some tough subjects - discrimination, racial tension and urban gentrification. I give kudos to the filmmakers for facing these issues head-on.

The lead, Kesha, gives a strong, honest performance - she carries the film. The antagonists, the two good-ol' boys, were over-the-top and too stereotypical. I would've like to see more subtly and depth to them. For a low budget indie, the quality was what you'd expect, maybe a bit lower, but for the most part the lead's performances overcome that.

The run-time was short, so I feel like the script could've been developed more. A few more re-writes would've given this story more focus with a greater impact for things the filmmakers were trying to communicate.

Broken City (2023), directed by Terry Spears, is a fairly engaging low budget crime thriller. The plot and its events are pretty unique. The camera work and styling of the film is raw, which I think works in its favor. However, with most low budget films it has its constraints and downfalls. For me, that was the acting, music, set design (or lack thereof), and at times the continuity. Those were the noticeable elements that took me out of the experience.

I really liked how unpredictable the story was though. If you are looking for something different; a unique indie crime thriller with grit, this may just be the one for you.

Natasha Hall is one of the most original films I've seen in years. Cat Black's performance, as Natasha Hall, is riveting. She's such a fun, quirky character that you can't help but root for her.

NH takes place in the 90's, which is entertaining on its own merit. The old tube TVs, dated cars and costuming is on point. The movie looks like it's shot on film, although I didn't fact check that. The cinematography is great in the sense that it fits the style and tone of the film perfectly.

For me, the story lagged a bit in the second act. For a period of time, I ceased to care what happened to Natasha, but then things picked up again. The foul language was excessive and quite frankly unnecessary. Having said that, the dialogue was well-written and engaging. If you like crime thrillers and are looking for something completely unique to watch, NH will not disappoint.