Tag: Nate Hurtsellers

ROUNDING (2022)

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Directed By: Alex Thompson 

Written By: Alex Thompson and Christopher Thompson

Cinematography: Nate Hurtsellers 

Editor: Michael S. Smith 

Cast: Namir Smallwood, Sidney Flanigan, Michael Potts, Rebecca Spence, Charin Alvarez, Nedirah Best, Cheryl Lynn Bruce, David Cromer 

A driven young medical resident transfers to a rural hospital for a fresh start. There, the demons of his past start to catch up to him when he becomes consumed by the case of a young asthma patient.

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This is what I’m thankful for the SHUDDER channel. As even though it’s more devoted to all kinds of horror films, maybe a little sci-fi they are also a channel that seems to welcome foreign films and many different genre of movie that might have a supernatural or horror element to them which ends up with the channel housing a lot of Indie films that might not have necessarily gotten released on other streaming channels. It might leave some of the channels fans who want strictly hard a bit disappointed, but it might also open them up to different films, they never would’ve given a chance to. Like this one

This is a film that again is better off unless you know about it as it’s stronger the more of a mystery it is. 

As it is more of a psychological thriller or psychological drama. About a medical student who after an accident has a breakdown and decides to try to get back on his feet by transferring to a more remote program. Where stress rears its ugly head, especially when it comes to a young woman’s case.

That he decides to investigate and the deeper he seems to get the more disturbed his behavior becomes the more resistance. He comes against where it does become a situation. Where is he the only one seeing this or is it all in his head or is he just getting two clips as the film goes along? We see him slowly unravel where even we aren’t sure if he is a reliable protagonist.

This is a film that has twist and turns, but is not entirely reliant on them to tell the story they just naturally come about and only add to the cold clinical exterior of the film. They eventually becomes devastating.

Namir smallwood really holds his own and truly dazzles as the lead in this film. He give the film gravity and fen be scary when he needs to be.

This is one of those films that is more lower budget and seems like a small story but ends up having a massive impact on the viewer. It does have its fair sheriff scares, but more than anything. It’s uncomfortable and unsettling more than anything else. So special mention must be made of what it manages to achieve with seemingly so little. It truly stays captivating and even a bit gross 

Grade: B-

DOWN LOW (2023)

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Directed By: Rightor Doyle

Written By: Phoebe Fisher and Lukas Gage

Cinematography: Nate Hurtsellers

Editor: David Moritz and Mike S. Smith 

Cast: Zachary Quinto, Lukas Gage, Simon Rex Judith Light, Audra McDonald, Sebastian Arroyo, Christopher Reed Brown, Dominique Lawson, Joseph Bessette 

A deeply repressed man, the uninhibited young man that gives him a happy ending, and all the lives they ruin along the way.

This is a single-location comedy feature around a premise that is a few scenes in a movie like Goodfellas with having to get rid of a body.

Only here more LGBTQ plus things less gangster world related.  As they both involved getting rid of a dead body, someone might or might not be the reason for this unfortunate accident.

Luckily, for the audience, this film ends up being a witty, screwball comedy, essentially about acceptance and being comfortable in your own skin.

It’s nice to see Zachary Quinto cut loose throughout his career, especially in the beginning, he always played a villain in the show, heroes, and other rules he has always looked or acted so deadly, serious, dramatic, and imposing. That here it’s nice to see him play in a comedy. He still repressed, but allows himself to let loose in character and is clearly having fun. Pardon the pun of the street man throughout this film who is gay.

The film does stereotypes, or at least cliché, likely terminally ill gay man, but it takes a sharp and offers a more than one-dimensional portrait. I’m not only that character of other characters that afford more than just the main characters in its own way. It feels universal no one is left as a caricature and still manages to surprise. 

The film is refreshing as it manages to be emotional, but still allows for it to be dark.

Co-written and co-starring  Lukas Gage, in the more flamboyant, outrageous, and physical comedic masseuse. 

As Lukas Gage definitely has drawn, not only a showpiece for himself, but one that allows everyone else to have their moments as what could’ve easily become a farce gets into some real emotional territory.

Simon Rex makes a smash as he plays a nightmare version of what you can find on the dark web, but still manages to be funny, and  Judith Light comes in as a character who could’ve been purely used for comedic relief but gives the film a poignant moment and character.

It’s not vivid, nor is it really that big or too visual but it’s fun. Want to stick around and be with these characters and route for them throughout 

Grade: B