October Horror Challenge - Obsession (2026)

   

Synopsis

Bear, a hopeless romantic (emphasis on hopeless), uses a "One Wish Willow" to get his crush to fall for him. As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for...

Review

Many folks have said this is the best horror movie of the year, which is a lot of hype to live up to. I won't say that, because the year hasn't ended, but this it is a phenomenal horror film. I'm a huge fan of Curry Barker's comedic shorts and I wondered if he could make the leap to horror. The film's score is phenomenal and at times, haunting. 

The movie brought back a lot of old feelings for me. Bear, played by Michael Johnston, is the quintessential "nice guy" who really isn't. While in the beginning  he doesn't seem all bad, his true colors and lack of actual character eventually come out. I definitely went through a "nice guy" phase myself. I'm not saying this to say that I relate to Bear. He's definitely the villain of the story. I'm just glad that I was able to grow as a person. I feel like that's a random odd confession, but seemed relevant.

Bear isn't the only villain of the story though. While some might say it's Nikki, I would argue that Ian is the secondary villain. I don't want to spoil anything, but Bear's best friend is manipulative. Side note, the actor, Cooper Tomlinson, is also in a lot of Barker's comedic shorts.

Inde Navarrette was amazing as Nikki. Her performance is manic, vulnerable, and frightening. She's truly unnerving and terrifying at times. She's also absolutely sympathetic. I can't praise her performance highly enough. I'm excited to see her portrayal of Rogue.

I didn't expect Conan's sidekick, Andy Richter, to appear in the film, but that was cool. Barker, himself, also has a role in the film as the One Wish Willow call representative. 

Overall, I have to say this one does live up to the hype. The direction and atmosphere is tense and the performances are fantastic. I hope Barker continues to make his comedy shorts, but I also want him to make more horror flicks. He seems like an artist that sticks to his vision. I saw an interview where he stated the studio offered him a ridiculous amount of money to make Bear the hero of the story and he turned it down because it didn't fit his vision. We need more directors like that.

Your Game

You can easily do a Monkey Paw style adventure in your game. However, according to the director the One Wish Willow doesn't maliciously grant wishes. 

October Horror Movie Challenge 2026

Viewed: 1
First Time Views: 0