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Obsession is one of the year’s biggest hits. Written and directed by Curry Barker, of YouTube fame, the film is the kind of runaway horror hit that’s poised to shake up the industry, with studios taking note to replicate its success in future projects. With a budget of roughly $750,000 and a global box office gross of more than $294 million, the film is likely to launch many careers and remain in discussion in the years to come. Barker has numerous films in development, including an eight-figure deal for an unnamed project, and a new take on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Despite its wild success, Obsession isn’t breaking any new ground in terms of story. While it packs a good amount of gore and a welcome, disquieting approach to lighting and blocking, it’s ultimately a love story gone wrong. Inde Navarrette’s performance is one of the elements that has been universally praised, establishing her as an exciting acting prospect and an actress to keep on your radar.
Whether you’re into off-kilter love stories, scary possessions, thoughtful questions about bodily agency, or great female performances, here are 11 films to watch if you love Obsession.
11
Misery
Misery is the ultimate stalker horror story. Based on the Stephen King novel, the film follows a famous author (James Caan), who, after experiencing a car crash, is rescued by a former nurse (Kathy Bates). She claims to be his biggest fan and takes him to a secluded cabin to nurse him back to health. Soon, things take a turn for the worse, with her methods growing violent and tortuous in hopes of reshaping his story and the fate of her favorite character. It’s an emblematic role for Bates, resulting in her first Academy Award nomination and only win.
10
Talk To Me
YouTubers are having a big horror moment. One of the first were the Philippou brothers, whose film Talk To Me shares a lot of the DNA with Obsession. The story follows a group of teens who discover an embalmed hand that grants them the power to momentarily commune with the dead. By holding on to it, the teens allow a spirit to possess them briefly, with the thrilling experience quickly transforming into a drinking game. Mia (Sophie Wilde), the story’s protagonist, takes things too far when she allows her best friend’s younger brother to remain possessed for too long, opening a doorway to a malevolent force that persecutes her for the rest of the film.
9
Companion
One of the sharpest elements of Obsession is how resonant its commentary on modern dating feels, and how infatuation can trigger our worst impulses. It also has plenty to say when it comes to agency. Companion explores similar themes with a futuristic twist, following a couple on a romantic getaway where their happy dynamic hides a more sinister truth.
8
Smile
Written and directed by Parker Finn, Smile is another runaway horror hit that inspired a franchise of its own. While Smile 2 might be the superior film in terms of performance and how inventive it gets with its scares, the original has the most in common with Obsession, zeroing in on how terrifying simple things like a frozen facial expression or bizarre behavior can be. It’s also a film where a larger-than-life force renders its protagonists helpless.
7
Audition
Directed by Japanese legend Takashi Miike, Audition follows a widower (Ryo Ishibashi), who, years after his wife’s death, decides he wants to find love again. He enlists the help of his friend, a film producer (Jun Kunimura), to stage auditions for a fake movie in the hope of finding a girlfriend. The convoluted process proves successful, with him finding the perfect candidate, a beautiful and submissive girl (Eihi Shiina) who hides a terrifying past.
6
Pearl
The X trilogy of movies was one of the most fun horror entries in recent years, with Ti West and Mia Goth developing a partnership that rapidly became one of the highlights of both of their careers. Pearl is the most acclaimed of the three films, serving as a showcase for Goth’s work and commitment to her character, and a clear reference for Inde Navarrette’s performance in Obsession. The film follows Pearl, a woman trapped in a 1918 rural farm who dreams of becoming a star.
5
Weapons
While they’re not one-to-one comparisons, Weapons, directed by Zach Cregger, has a similar tone to Obsession. Cregger, like Barker, has a background in comedy. It’s an instinct you can spot in both films, with the directors pivoting between laughs and scares. They both find humor and horror in absurd moments. Weapons is set in the aftermath of a tragic event in a small town where an entire class of children run away from their homes for an unexplained reason. The film is filled with innovative elements, including the deconstruction of the kids’ disappearance, its large ensemble cast, and the way in which Cregger chooses to uncover the mystery at its core.
4
Hellraiser
Obsession is based on the Monkey’s Paw trope, where a character gets whatever they wanted at an ironic or too high cost. Hellraiser explores a similar theme, with the film’s protagonist finding a puzzle box that, once solved, is supposed to serve as a doorway to a realm of otherworldly pleasure. In reality, the puzzle box is a gateway for a race of sadomasochistic creatures known as the Cenobites, who wreak havoc on the human world, leading to many gory set pieces. There are 11 Hellraiser movies, with the most recent one serving as a soft reboot and easy entry point for people who’ve never seen these films.
3
It Follows
Released in 2015, It Follows served as an important moment for horror, pivoting away from jumpscares and leaning into generating an escalating feeling of dread that many films have adopted since. The story follows a group of teens hounded by a sexually transmitted curse that persecutes them until their death or until they pass it along to someone else. The curse manifests in death taking over the body of strangers and people they know, slowly chasing them until it reaches its goal. A sequel, titled They Follow, is currently in development and is expected at some point in 2027.
2
Perfect Blue
Directed by Satoshi Kon, Perfect Blue is one of his best anime films, exploring fame and a fractured reality through its main character. The story follows Mima, a member of a pop star band who makes the decision to retire from music to pursue acting. As she begins working on a new project, an obsessive fan begins to stalk her, with the people helping her transition into her new career beginning to die, rupturing her perception of reality.