The Theta Girl

The Theta Girl was shot by a neophyte director with an amateur cast and a budget of $14,000. Normally, script aside, you'd expect this to translate to horrible audio and over-lit, harsh "soap opera" visuals with terrible shot composition.

This is absolutely not the case here. The Theta Girl ranges from gritty, dark streets to warm sunlit gardens, and the visuals never skip a beat. The overall visual motif is grindhouse and grainy - and it's achieved flawlessly. The shot composition is good, and the audio is frankly fantastic. Technically, this movie was a hell of an accomplishment regardless of budget - it feels more authentic than Tarantino's grindhouse, without feeling cheap. The soundtrack is also really excellent, and integrates well into the feel of the film as well as its story.

The story itself isn't perfect - in particular, some of the characters with the most screen time just aren't well developed - and the acting can be a little hit and miss. Both are far better than you'd expect from an indie shoestring horror flick though. The premise is genuinely interesting, and the cast clearly cares about what they're doing. Probably the biggest legitimate complaint would be the fight choreography, which is next to nonexistent - but the film is strong enough to stand without it.

If you get the chance, do yourself a favor and watch The Theta Girl. It's a wicked trip.