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In all my years of watching films, I've realized that good movies hit us when we least expect it. Such is the case with Unbeatable Harold as well, which I got around to watching recently. I went in half expecting a feel good film but what I got was so much more. Directed by Ari Palitz, this is the story of an Elvis wannabe who is in love with a waitress but unfortunately for him, the waitress is in love with a washed up rocker from the 80s. Set in Reno, the film goes in some unexpected directions as the quirky comedy makes us fall in love with these characters.

Another great thing here is that the cast is jam packed with heavy hitters; Gordon Michaels, Nicole DeHuff, Henry Winkler, Gladys Knight and Dylan McDermott are all in top form here and the film benefits massively from what each is able to bring to the table. For an 80 minute film, it was surprisingly breezy and at no point does it stumble into boredom.

A light, feel good film that elevates into greatness by the very end, Unbeatable Harold is filmmaking at its finest. Be sure to give this one a watch when you feel down. 5 out of 5 stars from me.

Habib Shahzad's Jujji is a terrific crime thriller that finally brings Pakistani cinema to the global stage. In Jujji, an idealistic and a cynical officer are paired together to bring an elusive serial killer to justice but their path to salvation brings out terrible personal and professional demons from their depths.

Jujji hits all the right notes when it comes to such features. A compelling central story is elevated by great performances that take the story in unexpected directions. Habib Shahzad's direction is perfect as he balances the various characters with pitch perfect harmony. While the narrative heft and the script are great, the film looks even better from a visual perspective as well. The cinematography really captures the grit of Pakistan and each frame seems to be carefully curated to stand out. The editing is razor sharp as well, with not a single moment feeling out of place anywhere.

To summarize, Jujji is a splendid piece of cinema that deserves a chance. It has everything a competent crime drama should have and more. I loved the film and cannot recommend it enough. 5 out of 5 stars.

Nyctophobia, in scientific terms, is a crippling fear of the dark and what it might be hiding. People with this condition have extreme anxiety when they're in the dark or think about darkness. Such people also have difficulty getting sleep and thus, their lives are in a perpetual state of fear and unease.

Written and directed by Seayoon Jeong, Nyctophobia is a 2024 horror feature that stars Olivia Clari Nice, Sophia Biscotti and David Rannan Ellner. The film is a story of a young woman Liz who struggles with nyctophobia. Tired, anxious and unable to sleep, Liz will find her worst fears realized as her condition slowly takes a turn for the worse. She desperately tries to fall asleep by entering her inner world where she can access her happy childhood memories. However, she ultimately becomes trapped in her lucid dream world and encounters her worst nightmare.

I never expected Nyctophobia to be as hard hitting as it turned out to be. Anchored by fantastic makeup and creature design, the film is genuinely haunting. I can only imagine how people with such a disorder manage to get sleep but what Nyctophobia does is that it manages to apprise general audiences that such a condition indeed exists and it is nothing short of hell.

Olivia Clari Nice as Liz Whitman is a revelation. Not only does her measured performance anchor the film, Whitman's journey of survival finds us rooting for her wholeheartedly. On the other hand, there are equally great turns by the bad guys. From the clown cops to the eerie dancing ladies, all monsters are terrifying and disturbing.

The 90 minute feature whizzes by in a flash, courtesy of brisk editing that keeps us on our toes. Jeong knows how to craft a potent horror thriller as the pacing switches back and forth allowing the audience to have a false sense of comfort before plunging them into chaos once again. Technically, the film manages to knock it out of the park. The black and white cinematography works well to illustrate the visual aspect of the fear. However, what works best is how color frequently manages to break through this monotonous palette. Each such instance signifies something important and this is one of the few visual tools that Jeong employs to make her story that much more engaging.

Thus, Seayoon Jeong's Nyctophobia is a potent film, one that successfully immortalizes a particular fear that is all too real. With haunting visuals and great performances, this one is a winner. Five out of five stars from me.