I wish this movie did something other than grate on my nerves.

I always avoid horror films that are being praised like this, Hereditary, Midsommer etc, this was pretty crappy. I guess the moral of the story is 'le friendzoned incel men are bad' and 'women are eternally oppressed and mindraped by society' or something? Gave up after an hour.

Obsession really surprised me. Despite its simple premise, the lack of any real monsters, and a petite young woman as the horror factor, this movie is actually fairly uncomfortable and atmospheric. A large part of that is due to the absolutely incredible acting of Inde Navarrette, and I cannot praise it enough. Her ability to flip expressions at the drop of a hat is really impressive, and the way she twitched her eye throughout was very talented. It's actually really impressive considering her limited roles in the past. The other aspect of this movie operating at a high level is the technical production. The way shadows frame Nikki's face in multiple scenes adds to the creepiness, and the movie does a really good job of framing where her out of focus character in the background of various shots heightens the tension. I also think the sound design is really strong. In a movie theater, the various jump scares worked largely due to the punctuating and grating sounds. This movie seems fairly straightforward and predictable, but yet it fully engaged me throughout. I think that the themes in the movie are actually fairly clever, showcasing how despite Nikki tormenting Bear, she is also very much a victim. That nuance, built upon the friend dynamics and larger messaging behind the movie, helps make it feel more than just a simple wish gone bad trope. Couple that with the other elements I mentioned, and I think this movie is actually a pretty good horror movie. I can see it not being a very pleasant watch for some people, and I think the reviews overstate its humor. I think it falls more in the unsettling side of horror than the fun entertaining side. Regardless, it is worth a watch if only to watch Inde Navarrette put on a stellar acting showcase.

As I initially left the theater after watching Obsession, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about it. But after a few hours to process everything, I’ve really started to warm up to it. It’s easily one of the most interesting original horror films of the last few years. There are so many layers to unpack, and I think it demands at least a second viewing to fully appreciate them all. In the moment, it can be difficult to comprehend everything that’s happening, and credit is due to Inde Navarrette for keeping the audience constantly on edge. Her character is required to convey a wide range of emotions and physical mannerisms at a rapid pace, and she completely commits to every aspect of the role. The movie simply wouldn’t work without her intensely uncomfortable, almost cringeworthy performance. Director Curry Barker proves himself to be an incredibly slick filmmaker, particularly in the way he uses sound to heighten tension. The well-timed synths steadily amplify the anxiety as the story unfolds. While I wouldn’t necessarily call the film terrifying, it left me feeling deeply tense and unsettled because of how the plot progresses. Blending elements of body horror and claustrophobia, Obsession explores the limits of autonomy and consent in ways that linger long after the credits roll. I do think Barker could have made these themes even more impactful and explicit by telling parts of the story from a different character’s perspective, which would have elevated the film even further. Even with those shortcomings, though, this is still one of the best films of the year so far, especially thanks to its mind-blowing ending.