On paper, Curry Baker’s Obsession sounds like the same old crap that you’re used to seeing from Blumhouse. Another toothless, simplistic horror centered around an object that’s gonna do the bare minimum and still somehow make 3 billion dollars. But there’s one element to this that made this thing stand out from the get go. Curry Barker; a director with a clear vision if his 2024 horror film Milk & Serial is anything to go by. Barker joins the now growing lineage of YouTubers graduating to full on filmmakers, joining the likes of the Philippou Brothers, Chris Stuckman and even Markiplier. But not everyone is cut out for the transition, and when I saw the plot synopsis and Blumhouse’s involvement, I was, admittedly, a bit skeptical. But Obsession is an example of a belief I’ve always held; a film doesn’t have to necessarily re-invent the wheel, it just needs to show a new way the wheel can be used. And Obsession is a speeding, ricocheting wheel straight to the head.

This is the feel-bad movie of the year, and the film is all the more better for it. Obsession takes a pretty familiar monkey’s paw concept and really goes for it, seeing just how dark and messed up it can get without necessarily feeling like torture porn. There’s actually a bit of poignancy to the film; maybe not enough to generate a ton of thinkpieces about it, but enough to come across as honest and grounded while still going absolutely batshit. A lot of this comes through in the lead performances of Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette, who pull no punches in creating characters that are supremely grounded but also outlandishly psychotic. Plus the atmosphere, blocking and overall structuring of the film breathes actual life into a story you may have seen a hundred times, making it feel fresh with its own voice. This is a gut punch that also has a lot of dark humor to it, with a constant cloud of dread hovered over the entire thing. This is easily one of the best horror outings to come from 2026, if it’s making me say positives about a Blumhouse movie, then you know it has to be doing something right.

A lot of people have rightfully praised Inde Navarrette’s star-making performance as Nikki in this, as they should, but I also want to throw some flowers to Michael Johnston’s Bear as well. Not just because his name makes up two-thirds of my name, but because he does an absolutely tremendous job at capturing a character that easily could have been made out to be a flat, obvious stereotype. Bear isn’t the typical, woman-hating, woe-is-me incel this film could have made him. He has unrequited feelings for a childhood friend that he just can’t work up the courage to vocalize, and it’s that hesitance that drives him to using a One Wish Willow to grant him Nikki’s affection. He’s certainly relatable and a bit sympathetic, but all of that gets thrown out the window when he decides to ignore very obvious signs and takes the easy way out. He is 100% in the wrong and all of his suffering is a direct result of going along with this plan of removing Nikki’s agency, but the film actually refrains from being outright cartoonish with this setup. But Johnston does a terrific job at selling the agony of the situation, being just relatable enough to make us uncomfortable, which really challenges the viewer on how sympathetic you can be.

But let’s talk about Inde Navarrette’s Nikki, the dream girl who is quickly turned into a nightmare through another man’s weakness. A really important part of this film is making sure you know that Nikki is the victim here, despite the fact she’s the one scaring the crap out of everyone and committing heinous acts. She’ll terrify you and keep you on edge the entire film, maybe she’ll even make you laugh. But there’s still a deep sadness to her situation that keeps her from totally being seen as a monster. Navarette is displaying a physicality here that is impressively warped, almost dipping into uncanny valley territory. The way she manipulates her face and plays with the octaves of her voice is super impressive, knowing just the tone to strike for each individual scene. Additionally, the way she’s presented in many scenes where her face is obscured or she’s lit so darkly that you can barely see the glimmers of her eyes is not only haunting, but also fully drives home the idea of the erasure of her identity, being turned into a plaything for someone who’s going to get what’s coming to them.

I wouldn’t go so far as to call this a horror comedy, but I often found this to be just as funny as it was depressing. I think it’s a testament to Barker’s online routes; it’s very clear that, like the Phillipous, he’s tapped into the humor of the modern age and the younger generations that were molded by it. It helps to give this thing more of an identity, more of a voice, but it’s still content with making your skin crawl. I do think the film occasionally gets saddled with some stupidly loud jump scares from time to time, but they’re a bit more forgiving because the tension is laid thick early on and never really relents. Shadows, erratic motions and things just out of view do most of the heavy lifting, with a big emphasis on drawing your eyes to backgrounds or empty spaces to keep you on your toes. It’s this great mix of horror and humor that kept this thing engaging throughout, never really pumping the breaks or showing even a glimmer of possible happiness. 

This is one of those films that puts a pit in your stomach; the kind that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and yet, you can’t help but savor what you just had. Which is impressive considering this kind of setup isn’t wholly original. The progression of the narrative is pretty cut and dry, but the film still finds ways to surprise you and reel you in. Obsession is elevating the idea, and not in some kind of pseudo-intellectual, snobby way. It’s injecting an actual voice, a personality into it, which is kind of what Blumhouse should have been doing all along. There are ideas and concepts that can be done on a budget, but a real, genuine talent will take them to new heights, shocking people and genuinely giving them a reason to be scared. That’s what I believe Curry Barker has done here, and I hope it leads to a shift in the status quo for not just this studio, but every studio.

Needless to say, I thought Obsession was a blast that also super bummed me out. It generates real feelings, whether it be humor, fear or empathy because it does such a great job at building off authentic interactions and mindsets. At the same time, it revels in its goofiness, but not enough to the point where the impact of each depressing beat after another feels dull or limp. It’s certainly scary, strange and not afraid to challenge you with uncomfortable imagery and ideas. Let this be a reminder that the worst thing she can do is say no, and the sooner you realize that, the sooner you can avoid her doing something much, much worse.

RATING

ONE WISH WILLOW

The One Wish Willow is the latest horror movie MacGuffin to ruin someone’s life, but in this case, this one stands to actually improve yours. This is a bittersweet cherry cocktail that’s loaded with botanical notes and the slight tartness that comes from black cherry and lemon juice. I can’t promise you this drink will make your dreams come true, but a little alcohol never hurts the believing process.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5oz sloe gin
• 3/4oz amaro
• 3/4oz lemon juice
• 1/2oz dark cherry syrup
• GARNISH: Lemon peel heart (refer to video for visual example)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add ingredients to a shaker and shake with ice.
2. Strain into coup glass.
3. For the heart, remove the flesh from a lemon wheel and cut the peel to make it a long, linear piece.
4. Cut a slit down the middle of the peel.
5. Trim off the edges of one of the ends to make the pointed part of the heart.
6. Twist the peel to make a heart shape and garnish the cocktail with it.