Ty Watches "Obsession"

My wife and I sat down last weekend and finally saw "Obsession". I figured it was time when RD told me how much he liked the movie. I'm going to do a review today, but it will be as spoiler free as possible. Please read ahead if you're thinking about seeing this movie because nothing will be exposed today.

I first heard about the movie right after I saw "Backrooms". I saw some posters for it at the theater I went to, but I never gave it much thought. It wasn't until I was looking for other movies to watch similar to "Backrooms" did "Obsession" really pop on my radar. I do think that the only true comparison for both of these movies is, they're in the horror genre, and both are directed by young kids who got their start on YouTube. Other than that, these are two different, and very good movies. That’s the first thing I want to say about "Obsession", this is a very scary and very well made movie. I do think it is scarier than "Backrooms". Where "Backrooms" is more creepy, "Obsession" is way more gory and has many more jump scares, which I have found that I have begun to like in certain horror movies. But you can tell with both movies that these young kids have a deft hand and should be making movies for a very long time. They have both proved that they belong and they will be around for as long as they want to make movies. The follow ups will tell a lot, but they have come out of the gate swinging.

What I liked about "Obsession" so much was how quickly they get into it. There's a little backstory just so we know the characters and why they are on the paths they're on. But when the male lead makes the wish, about 15-20 minutes into the movie, we are off and running. That was another thing I found I really enjoyed about this movie, the casting. I hadn't heard of anyone who was in the movie, except for Andy Richter, and he has a very minor part. The four main leads are young, working actors, but I wouldn't have been able to pick them out of a lineup before seeing this movie. Megan Lawless plays Sarah, and Cooper Tomlinson plays Ian. They're friends with our two main characters, Bear, played by Michael Johnston, and Nikki, played by Inde Navarrette. Sarah and Ian are co stars, but they do a ton with the time they have on screen. Ian is the life of the party and just wants to have a good time. He never takes anything too seriously, but when he does it may be a little too late. Sarah wants to be an artist and she has a crush on the male lead, which feels like it is not reciprocated. She has a wonderful scene with Nikki at a party that is at times funny and terrifying. Bear is a total pushover. He is meek and cowardly and stays that way pretty much throughout the movie. I grew to despise his actions, which I believe is the point, as the movie went on. And Nikki, she is thrust into a world that she wants nothing to do with, but it is out of her control. Navarrette gives a star turning performance. She should be considered for every award. The stuff she is able to do with facial expressions alone is haunting and so well done. She absolutely owned this movie and I'm certain she is going to get so much more work from this. The way she slips back and forth between two characters is mesmerizing. She has all the talent in the world and  she showed that in this performance. It is one for the ages. I was blown away by her work.

And the story, oh man does it get pretty crazy. The way the movie escalates all the way to the conclusion was a sight to behold. The movie heightens at a fast pace, but it is still able to tell the story that it wants to. I couldn't believe the stuff I was watching and I was on the edge of my couch for the entirety of the movie. I also appreciated that they put jokes in there from time to time just to cut the tension and ease up just a hair before scaring the hell out of me in the very next scene. The scene between Bear and Nikki at the nice restaurant is a masterful play of just how creepy vibes can get when something feels off.

"Obsession" is totally worth the hype. There's so much more I want to say, but I also want people to see it for themselves and draw their own conclusions. I want to hear what others think about the movie, and mainly, about the final scene and the stuff going on over the end credits. I highly recommend watching this movie. It is a good, scary and quality time wherever you may watch it. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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