Echoes: Zombies Are Just the Beginning: Why Great Writing Is Pakistan's Next Big Challenge
The recent release of the first-ever Pakistani zombie horror movie, Zombeid (2026), marks a big win for the Pakistani film industry. However, the film has been criticized at length for its shallow story writing and thin, rather basic plot. (Read...
Echoes: KPOP DEMON HUNTERS One Year Later, Rediscovering Its Shamanic Inspirations
It's been just over one year since one of Netflix's crowning masterpieces came out on June 20, 2025. I'm talking about KPop Demon Hunters, whose head-banging songs and powerful storyline gripped audiences of all ages and all regions of the...
Echoes: 12 Wide Releases That Could Define the Second Half of 2026
Six months down, six to go! The first half of 2026 was full of boundary-pushing blockbusters that changed the way Hollywood filmmakers think of modern audiences. But the year's biggest cinematic swings are still to come as Hollywood gears up...
Echoes: With BACKROOMS and OBSESSION, The Internet Is Literally Bleeding into Real Life
The way Hollywood is taking shape these days is getting pretty trippy. Only two highlighted trends are in view at the moment: the interminably divisive debate over AI and the two buzziest internet-borne movies taking over modern audiences. Hollywood is...
Echoes: 2026 Might Be the Biggest Movie Year in a Decade. Or a Nasty Face-Plant.
For the first time in years, 2026 could prove to be electrifying. The three major franchise empires are at war as they are trying to redefine themselves, especially with new DC Studios co-heads, Peter Safran and James Gunn. It's getting...
Echoes: How Laika Studios Beat Hollywood Giants
Allow me to take you into a bewitching world of animation styled by Laika. Laika is known for visually satisfying aesthetics with soft and comforting hues that haven't been witnessed in any other animated films produced by several other studios....
Echoes: Ari Aster's Movies Aren't Horror Anymore -- They're Something Stranger
Hereditary (2018) came as a shockingly pleasant surprise when it first hit the big screen. Ari Aster was up to something that no one could have imagined before. Audiences weren't aware that monsters could be much more than Freddy Krueger...
Echoes: Empty Malls, Endless Hallways -- The New Face of Horror for Gen Z
Though we are well beyond the recent pandemic, Gen Z still feels the suffocation of those lockdown days, which makes it understandable why they remain fascinated by liminal spaces. Empty or transitional halls, abandoned malls, and lone-standing parking garages all...
Echoes: Claymation vs CGI: The Battle Between Handmade Charm and Digital Perfection
In the world of AI today, there is no doubt that claymation is considered an awe-inspiring niche of animation, even if not a mass market, unlike mainstream cartoons. It is surely time-consuming and expensive to produce, as every second of...
Echoes: As Global Studios Continue to Dominate at CinemaCon 2026, Where Do Mid-Budget Films Fit?
It is a paradox in itself: on one hand, we have seen the biggest titles fall under Warner Bros.' distribution wing at CinemaCon 2026, and on the other hand, we have seen several smaller players step into the spotlight. At...
Echoes: Selling a Movie That Doesn't Exist Yet
After writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran were appointed as the new co-heads of DC Studios in November 2022, plans for the studio's rebooted slate began to take shape, with details about upcoming projects gradually emerging. In 2023, it...
Echoes: Why Are AI-Driven Films Being Proposed as Any Kind of Solution in Pakistan?
Facing a lack of funding and infrastructure, why has the Pakistani entertainment industry turned to AI?
Echoes: Why Found-Footage Horror Is Making a Comeback. Could PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 8 Lead It Further?
As the Paranormal Activity series prepares to return with a new installment next year, and the remake of the 1978 "Mondo" faux-documentary Faces of Death is set to drop in April, the found-footage genre seems to be having its moment...
Echoes: Why THE GLASSWORKER, Pakistan's Official Academy Award 2025 Submission, Matters
How the animated film continues to ripple and has pushed investors, studios, and young artists to seriously consider animation's future in the region.
Echoes: Are the Oscars Changing Faster Than Hollywood?
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has historically faced intense criticisms regarding a lack of diversity, declining viewership, elitist voting habits, and chaotic campaign tactics. To combat these issues, the Academy implemented several significant changes for the...
Echoes: Wanting Escape, Demanding Art: A Paradox in Pakistani Film Culture
In 2025, Mahira Khan had two film releases. Love Guru, in which she starred opposite Humayun Saeed, emerged as one of the highest-grossing Pakistani films, earning approximately PKR 80.1 crore worldwide (approximately $2.88 million, USD). On the other hand, Neelofar,...
Echoes: The Reason Behind Pakistan's Absence from the Oscars Race
It is heartbreaking to know that Pakistan's officially selected Oscar submission, Hun Dan - An Echo of a Dirge, failed to reach the Academy Awards due to administrative hurdles and documentation issues. It was Pakistan's first Burushaski language film, directed...
Echoes: Sarmad Sultan Khoosat's LALI, Eccentric Auteur Blooms in Berlin
The 2026 Berlin Film Festival has concluded, and the winners have been announced, notably Yellow Letters. Despite not being able to win any prize at the 76th Berlinale, an all-Pakistani production definitely made waves at its premiere. Packed with the...
Echoes: How WICK IS PAIN Redefines the Cost of Creation
Wick Is Pain is a 2025 documentary that chronicles the making of all four John Wick films. The journey from an independent film to a billion-dollar franchise is directed by Jeffrey Doe. It details the struggles the independent production endured,...
Echoes: Temet Nosce in THE MATRIX, Why Self-Knowledge Is the Real Red Pill
Nearly three decades after its release, The Matrix remains as relevant as ever, and likely always will be. It's one of my all-time favorite action films. When I first watched it, though, I was captivated less by its philosophy and...
