Photograph per Lumiere Cinemas.
If you had one wish, what would it be, and what would it cost you?
Curry Barker looks to answer this in his new horror film, Obsession. A new and terrifying take on the statement, “Be careful what you wish for.” Barker previously worked on award-winning short film The Chair, which Tea Shop Productions noticed quickly. When asked to work on an adaptation of that for the feature-length format, he instead pitched Obsession. This film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival last September and has garnered critical praise — and deserves the hype. Right now, you can watch it in theaters nationwide.
The question I had asked earlier is not one that hasn’t been tackled before, dealing with the common trope of the “monkey’s paw.”
However, Barker takes this to another level with the “One Wish Willow” curse, which in its own way is a mock of collectible toy fads that we have seen throughout the 21st century. Bear (Michael Johnston) — the protagonist — finds himself in love with one of his best friends and coworkers, Nikki (Inde Navarrette).
A small sneak peek
The film opens with him planning out how he’d ask her on a date with his friend Ian (Cooper Tomlinson), and while nerve-wracking, it appears fairly straightforward for Bear. After a night of trivia, Nikki reveals to Bear that their other mutual, Sarah (Megan Lawless), has feelings for him. This moment seemingly being the perfect time for Bear to finally say something, he can’t bring himself to confess to Nikki. Bear finds himself opening up the One Wish Willow instead, snapping it in half, thinking nothing would happen.
But what happens next works a little too well.
This film is reinforced by great performances from the entire cast. While the story is fantastic and unique, it wouldn’t have been nearly as good without the help of Navarrette. Her performance as Nikki is genuinely terrifying. Rarely do I ever feel this uneasy while at the movie theater; there were countless times throughout where I wanted to crawl into my seat and look away from the movie.
There is no one else I could imagine who would have played Nikki half as well. She carries this movie on her back from start to finish, and should be considered for best actress nominations come award season. But, Johnston also does a phenomenal job as the lead, delivering a performance immersing viewers into the film that help place you in his character’s shoes. Many decisions he makes throughout the story make you hate him, and I believe Barker aimed to do that intentionally. When watching this movie, you’ll quickly realize there is no definitive hero and villain. The lack of communication among the friend group leads to their downfall and puts the lives of everyone at risk collectively.
To say Obsession is anything short of a masterpiece feels like an understatement. With a film I did not expect to enjoy this much, Barker may have just landed one of the best horror films of 2026, and one that will be hard to top. His new story will be talked about for a long time, and it really feels like a must-watch for any fan of horror and upcoming horror filmmakers.
In hindsight:
Leaving the theater, my friend and I looked at each other. We knew we had to rewatch this soon, and I am already planning to do so. I rate Obsession a 10/10.
