5 reasons you might like Obsession (2026)

I want to see the prequel to this film where whichever Richter quintuplet that manages the music shop snaps a One Wish Willow and asks for enough business to staff five employees at a time in a movie set in 2024.

Baron has been stuck in the friend zone for years and one night after he blows a chance to tell Nikki how he feels, he snaps a mysterious One Wish Willow and wishes for Nikki to love him more than anyone else in the world. He gets exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

I’m Jason Kleeberg, this is Force Five, and here are 5 reasons you might like Obsession, the new horror film from Curry Barker.

Reason number 5, if you like Monkey Paw movies - i.e. the Wishmaster series, The Brass Teapot, the Fairly Odd Parents episode where the kid wishes for he and Trixie to be the last two people on Earth…stories where a character wishes for something and the wish is granted but perhaps not in the way that they expect, you’re going to love Obsession. It instantly drops into the top 5 of that very niche, very rewarding subgenre for me because this movie goes insanely hard into the “what have I done” scenarios. Which leads me into:

Reason number 4, the reason this movie is so fun is because you start to believe literally anything can happen and even when something happens that you know is coming, what you see is far worse than what you imagined. Obsession doesn’t invent new tricks, instead it perfects old tricks that you’ve seen before in a way that feels fresh and, more importantly, terrifying. Several moments in this movie had me and others in the theater cackling with laughter because of how absurd and uncomfortable they were. See this with a packed house, you’re going to have a blast.

Reason number 3, the filmmaking on display by Curry Barker is phenomenal. He and his crew’s use of shadows in particular stood out - there are several scenes that are just dark enough to see a glimmer in Nikki’s eyes or a figure in a place they shouldn’t be. And the way Nikki walks at times is extremely unsettling. I can tell they reversed certain shots or cut frames from certain movements and it gave those moments a surreal, dreamlike feel that was extremely effective. Taylor Clemons was the cinematographer and he did an amazing job.

Reason number 2, no spoilers but there’s a death scene in this movie that is among the hardest, most insane kills I’ve seen this year in film. I knew something was coming, but I did not see that coming. And it’s not just how the person is killed, it’s how Barker, who also edited the film, lingers on the shot that really makes you squirm in your seat. The whole third act of this film is incredible and continuously ramps up but it really starts with that kill.

Reason number 1, and the reason you need to see this film is for the performance of Inde Navarette. No joke, this is a career defining performance that displays an incredible amount of range and is a part played with such skill that she can make you laugh because of the absurdity one minute, sad at the wish-imposed prison another, and the entire time you’ll be uncomfortable. Her expressions, body language and physicality are show stopping. I couldn’t help but think Possession had to have been an influence on her but I became an instant fan and I will be looking for everything she does going forward.

Obsession is the craziest film I’ve seen this year and I absolutely loved it. If any of the reasons I mentioned resonated with you, you should definitely catch it with a crowd. If you’ve seen Obsession, what did you think of it? Let me know in the comments or email me at forcefivepodcast@gmail.com.