STACK #263 September 2026

MOVIE FEATURE

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Inset: Director Curry Barker Inde Navarrette and Michael Johnston

GENRE: Horror RUN TIME: 1h 49m

Fun fact: Much of Obsession takes place in a music store – the very same store featured in Wayne’s World , where Wayne is famously told, ”No Stairway” ... ”Denied!” CURRY BARKER: HORROR’S NEW OBSESSION If ever there was a movie title that captured the mood of its audience, it’s Obsession .

T he record-breaking indie horror sensation has become one of the year’s most talked about films, taking more than $403 million worldwide from a budget of just $750,000. Alongside Backrooms , Obsession has helped usher in a new era for independent horror, proving that original ideas can compete with Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. ”It’s been overwhelming if I let it be overwhelming,” says writer-director Curry Barker of his rapid rise. ”I’m kind of a hermit by nature. I stay home a lot. I don’t really go to parties. I just stay in my little hole. It really helps that I always have the next thing to work on.” The film follows Bear, a hopeless romantic whose wish for his longtime crush Nikki to fall in love with him spirals into a terrifying nightmare when a mystical novelty item grants his desire. Barker took inspiration from The Simpsons ’ famous Monkey’s Paw segment but transformed the familiar cautionary tale into something uniquely unsettling.

explains. ”You’re setting up a scare the same way you’d set up a punchline, something deceptive or unpredictable.” With Obsession now available on physical media, Barker is already deep into his next feature, and while he won’t reveal too much, he confirms fans may spot some familiar faces from the same universe. ”If Marvel can have Tobey

Inde Navarrette

”People tell me it’s relatable, but they also say it makes them feel this strange, uncomfortable emotion they can’t really explain,” he says. ”I just wanted to make something honest.” Before filmmaking, Barker honed his craft through stand-up comedy and YouTube sketches, an experience he believes naturally complements horror. ”The psychology of horror is actually very similar to the psychology of telling a joke,” he

Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland, then we can get away with two different versions of Cooper,” he laughs. ”It’s horror, but it’s a lot funnier than Obsession . It naturally lends itself to comedy because it’s about two con artist

ghost hunters. There are still some very dark moments, though.” Glenn Cochrane

• Obsession is out Sep 23

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE:

Hereditary, Talk to Me, Together, Presence, It Follows

GENRE: War RUN TIME: 1hr 51m

LaMONICA GARRETT MAN OF WAR LaMonica Garrett steps into the spotlight with Man of War , a brutal combat thriller set against the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Fun fact: LaMonica Garrett’s next film is Blood on the Promontory , a western co-starring Jai Courtney, Sam Worthington, and Jack Quaid.

H is face will be familiar to many, with roles in series such as 1983 , Lioness , and DC’s Arrowverse , as well as films including Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Osiris . In Man of War , he plays Connor, an ex-Special Forces operative who ventures into the warzone of Kyiv to rescue his kidnapped niece from Russian forces. While tackling contemporary themes, the film harks back to the action movies of the ’80s and ’90s, when heroes were defined by clear-cut morals and there was little room for grey areas. Connor is relentlessly focused on his objective, often making decisions that come at the expense of those around him. “He’s a reluctant hero,” Garrett says.

“He doesn't want to be there and he doesn't want to help. He's just forced into whatever situation he's in.” That moral conflict is central to the character, particularly when Connor encounters Andrew Howard’s Ukrainian soldier, Danny. “He’s not trying to be heroic, but he ends up doing heroic things, begrudgingly, because of Andrew’s character.” The film’s combat sequences also benefit from genuine military insight. Garrett grew up in a military family, with his father serving in the Vietnam War and his brother in the Gulf War, while director William Kaufman is also a military veteran. “He spends time and dedication on authenticity and making sure the different

sounds of weapons are accurate and not just ‘Pew pew pew’,” Garrett says of Kaufman. “With William, you can tell the types of weapons... because he's been there and he's done it.” Garrett also underwent additional weapons training for the film, including learning to handle an AK-47. “I do weapons training every year with Lioness . So, I know the weapons, but you’ve got to refresh yourself. And when Man of War came around, I had some more training.” With its hard-edged action, uncompromising protagonist, and authentic approach to combat, Man of War puts Garrett firmly in the spotlight. Glenn Cochrane

LaMonica Garrett

• Man of War is out Sep 9

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE:

Winter Battleground, Exit Protocol, Trouble Man, Stand Your Ground, Prisoner of War

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30 SEPTEMBER 2026