Beware the shadows. We are often told to avoid going into places that might get us into trouble, but we rarely listen. It is human nature, after all, to question and, in some cases, invite trouble out of pure curiosity. This is especially true when everyday activities become mundane. Any hint of danger becomes a quest to break the cycle. Night after Night answers the question: what did curiosity do to the cat… well, it came back alright, but as something else entirely different. It brings surrealism into the mix, along with a trippy score. This one will not be for everyone, but the ride it takes us on is a spiral where dreams meet nightmares.
Andy (Scott Poythress) is one of two guards at “the university”. His days are long and tedious, and he is going through the motions. His partner, Willis (Johnny Sibilly), however, becomes increasingly suspicious of the school’s founder, Janica Vox (Alexis Louder). Andy is dismissive of Willis, that is, until he disappears. Andy embarks on a personal mission to find out what happened to Willis. His quest brings him into the newly completed wing of the school. It is there he discovers a mysterious stranger who returns night after night in a newly formed body as if made from scratch!
This hidden location at the school becomes an obsession for Andy. Soon, he finds himself spiraling deeper into a mystery that seems to be less about hiding something and more about revealing something dark and sinister. Worse of all, Andy may already be a part of it!
Night after Night marks the second feature for director/writer Josh Lobo. Here, he brings his love of genre films to the table in a story that blends sci-fi mystery with a psychological thriller. The ambient sounds and location give the film a distinct look and pattern. It all plays with the audience’s perception and feelings rather than a straightforward logical bent. There’s a Lynchian vibe to the whole affair that manifests in quiet observation and dramatic pulses.
The film embraces a dreamlike atmosphere that evolves into a nightmarish descent into a place between limbo and hell. Call it the shadows, and there are many evolving here, and some with sharp edges that cut into the soul. There is an undercurrent of latent trauma and regret that surfaces early and then resurfaces midway through. Ultimately, it rears itself like an ugly sore, leaving a devastating, permanent scar. In addition to the thematic underpinnings, the cinematography by Bryce Holden is visually arresting. It is a clever combination of horror and beauty that frightens us as much as it draws us in to stare and admire.
None of the characters are morally defined, which allows interpretations to take shape in unique ways. Andy begins as a pedestrian observer, going through life in a cyclical pattern of the mundane and the safe. It is only once he ventures into the mysterious wing that it becomes apparent that perhaps there is more to him than meets the eye. He is a stand-in for the pangs of guilt and loneliness that plague pockets of society like an incurable virus.
Night after Night is shining not only a light but also boldly calling out these issues in a manner that is both constructive and serves as a cautionary tale. Now, some may find the presentation too surrealistic. There are moments when it is difficult to discern reality from fantasy. It is by design, for sure, though ultimately this is one that genre fans will undoubtedly devour, whereas casual viewers may find the trip a bit too unplanned.
In a year when a film like Backrooms is part of the horror movie conversation, films that tap into the unspoken anxieties and fears gripping society are noteworthy. Night after Night feels like a perfect companion piece to the Kane Parson’s film as both incorporate liminal spaces and both project horror and dread from those unique settings. There is a creepy factor in the location of a university. A place for knowledge and growth becomes a stand-in for malevolent forces and a quasi-factory, creating anything but free and autonomous thinkers.
Night after Night takes a much flashier approach, mixing tones and subgenres into a stew, if you will, that is alluring to all the senses.
Night After Night had its world premiere at the Chattanooga Film Festival on June 18, 2026. It will play at Fright Fest on August 28th and 30th.
In a year when a film like Backrooms is part of the horror movie conversation, films that tap into the unspoken anxieties and fears gripping society are noteworthy. Night after Night feels like a perfect companion piece to the Kane Parson's film as both incorporate liminal spaces and both project horror and dread from those unique settings. There is a creepy factor in the location of a university. A place for knowledge and growth becomes a stand-in for malevolent forces and a quasi-factory, creating anything but free and autonomous thinkers.
Writing & podcasting, for the love of movies.
His Letterboxd Favorites: The Dark Knight, Halloween, Jaws & Revenge of The Sith.
