Obsession

Note: Curry Barker’s Obsession was screened as part of the 45th Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. Visit the festival’s site here. Focus Features will release the film on May 15, 2026. 

Obsession is a horror movie from Focus Features that, not unlike Michael Shanks’ debut with last year’s Together, explores its familiar premise with gnarly, gory scenes serving as punctuation. Its writing and execution recall several recent genre releases that thrive on effective marketing campaigns, which tend to be more compelling than the actual movie. Oftentimes, the filmmakers know precisely how to execute nightmarish moments, delighting in messed-up sequences that make the audience squirm in revulsion, while their characters remain lackluster in their one- or two-dimensionality. This is not to completely dismiss such films. They certainly have their moments and make for a fun trip to the theater. But the buzz around them often proves overblown next to the reality. Such is the case here. Obsession has one or two unforgettably shocking moments that will have horror fans talking. Memorable characters or resonant themes, though? They fade next to the movie’s gruesome displays.

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