Obsession

2026 Ranked Watched in the TCL Chinese Theater, L.A Ever since I first saw the trailer, I knew that this was going to be big. And with all the incredibly positive reviews, my expectations got even higher and higher. And that often can be a problem when the film doesn't hold up to them, but this time it even exceeded my expectations. This is a masterpiece, as it made me feel things I've never felt that strongly in a horror film before. My experience with Obsession was filled with anxiety, stress, and goosebumps, and I am not sure when I got genuinely scared and this uncomfortable at a horror flick before. Curry Barker is a man of atmosphere, one of the absolutely most important aspects of a horror film. I've only seen his short The Chair besides this, but it's the same there. The atmosphere and build up of tension are just perfect in every way, and it shows what wonders a film can do when it's executed the right way. The narrative is very catchy and captivated me right from the start. The characters are very well written and relatable and the chemistry, especially between Nikki and Bear felt very authentic and real, at least for the beginning. The performances are insane, and Inde Navarette deserves some kind of award for her astonishing work here. The cinematography is beautiful and is a big part of why the atmosphere works so well. The soundtrack is amazing, with some very cool songs used. Then there is the sound design, which is honestly one of the best I've ever heard. The jumpscares literally always worked on me, as the whole film plays with the unexpected the entire time. Nikki is the most unhinged character I have ever seen, making me genuinely terrified of her. There is also some very brutal and gory stuff happening here that I didn't expect, but I loved it, considering how smoothly those scenes were executed. Overall, I just have to give Obsession the full score, as I feel like watching this in the cinema was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I'll never forget. This is exactly how a horror film should be done, and I'll fully trust Curry Barker with whatever he's doing next. 9.5/10