"Curry Barker's "Obsession" is consistently f-ed up, and I mean that as a compliment. I see so many horror movies that threaten to get weird and gnarly, only to pull their punches right when shit gets real. Barker pulls nothing, getting darker, creepier, and bloodier with each passing scene in this study of extreme dependence. Some of the performances are a bit clunky, but that almost makes it more charming,"
"Bear (Michael Johnston) suffers from the former as he has been terminally friend-zoned by the beautiful Nikki (Inde Navarrette). The film opens with him practicing with his friends about how to tell her how he feels. Then he goes home to find his cat has died. In this emotional spiral, he stumbles into a curio shop and finds an old toy called a One Wish Willow. Make a wish, snap the toy, and see what happens. No refunds."
Several films at TIFF evoke a Fantastic Fest North vibe, with multiple entries suited to horror-centric programming and filmmakers engaging with uncertain times. Curry Barker's Obsession escalates relentlessly, becoming darker, creepier, and bloodier in a study of extreme dependence; uneven performances add a rough charm while the film's uncompromising brutality could propel Barker to wider recognition. Another film, Together, employs a supernatural premise to probe relationship issues such as unrequited love and overcommitment. The plot follows Bear, who is friend-zoned, discovers his dead cat, and acquires a One Wish Willow that grants wishes when snapped—without refunds.
Read at Roger Ebert
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]