Obsession (2026) is written & directed by Curry Barker. It stars Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter, Haley Fitzgerald, Darin Toonder, Anthony Pavone, Justice, Anthony Casabianca, and Chloe Breen. The film follows Bear (Johnston), an average 20-something who struggles to catch the attention of his co-worker crush, Nikki (Navarrette). As a gift, Bear buys Nikki a novelty gift called The One-Wish Willow, which supposedly grants its user a single wish. When his plan to ask Nikki out falls flat, Bear decides to use the Willow for himself, unaware that it actually works. Bear wishes for Nikki to love him more than anyone in the world, which she immediately does to a concerning extent. As Nikki’s clingy new behavior begins to concern their friend group, Bear tries everything he can to justify it. As her behavior becomes even more demented, Bear realizes that he may have made an awful mistake.

        As Bear, Michael Johnston delivers a performance that authentically embodies the shy, nice-guy stereotype, yet the script allows him to explore the darker, more toxic side of that archetype. Despite Bear being a frustratingly passive, selfish character, Johnston keeps him likable enough so that he is not completely tedious to follow. This is impressive considering how consistently slimy Bear is, but like the character, we often fall for the spell of his picture-perfect relationship, forgetting that its inevitable demise is all his fault. 

The real star of the film, however, is by far Inde Navarrette as the supernaturally possessed girlfriend from hell. It’s a uniquely well-rounded performance that blends sympathy, weird humor, and traumatizing hot-girl behavior into one of the most memorable horror performances of the decade. At any given moment, you struggle to predict whether she’ll charm you, make you laugh, or empty your bowls due to pure terror. She does this without even killing anyone for most of the film, which is unusual for any horror villain. If the rest of the experience wasn’t so high quality, I’d say she carries the film.

Although I don’t think the story itself is as original as something like last year’s Weapons (2025), Obsession features some of the most unique scares in recent memory. This is due to Curry Barker’s sharp blend of humor and horror. Nikki’s increasingly desperate attempts to please Bear range from goofy to disturbing, but often fall somewhere smack dab in the middle. Scenes that had me paralyzed in fear would make another particularly vocal viewer laugh out loud, while other scenes would see us switch roles. The experience toes such a thin tonal line that results in a uniquely subjective experience. The beauty is that no matter which of these experiences you have with a particular scene, it’s still outrageously entertaining.

My only small issue with the film is that, although it ends on an undeniable high note, it frustratingly teases the viewer with some of its most compelling ideas. Just as I feel it begins to go into a truly surprising direction, the credits roll. Again, a person could easily see this as a positive, but it personally made me feel as if there was some untapped potential. Either way, it’s an extremely strong ending. 

Overall, Obsession is sure to be considered one of the best horror movies of the decade, and in my opinion, it’s the most promising directorial debut in recent memory. Except for maybe the Philippou brothers, Curry Barker has positioned himself as the pinnacle of YouTubers-turned-directors. His groundbreaking blend of humor and horror on display makes it entirely clear why he’s been hired to direct the next revival of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. On top of this, the film also features a generational horror performance from Inde Navarrette, whose character is essentially the definitive ‘girlfiend from hell’ archetype. After 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and Hokum, I didn’t think the first half of 2026 could get much better for horror cinema. Obsession proved me dead wrong. Whether you enjoy it or not, it’s an undeniable must-see for fans of the genre. A-