Episode 120 - Obsession
About this episode
The episode discusses the horror film 'Obsession' and its themes of consent and agency.
Mindframes Show Notes Obsession (2026) Directed by: Curry Barker Written by: Curry Barker Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37287335/ Episode Summary In this episode of Mindframes , Michael and Dave dig into Obsession (2026), Curry Barker's micro-budget feature debut that turned into one of the biggest horror phenomenons in years — a $750K film bought for $15 million out of TIFF that went on to gross well over $148 million worldwide, growing at the box office in consecutive weekends rather than declining. The discussion explores the film's monkey's-paw premise, its working-class Gen Z setting, the moral architecture of Bear's wish, and the central question of whether Bear is the film's actual villain — while comparing the film to Weapons , Pearl , Get Out , The Witch , and Isaac Asimov's Foundation and Empire . Thematic Discussion Obsession explores consent and agency — what happens when desire is granted without consent. The film suggests that Bear doesn't earn or deserve Nikki's love; he eliminates her will and replaces it with his own. As Curry Barker has put it, "love is earned, not…
People in this episode
Hosts: Dave Canfield, Michael Cockerill
Topics covered
- horror film analysis
- consent and agency
- moral implications of desire
- character analysis
- box office success
- Gen Z themes
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Obsession, Weapons, Pearl, Get Out, The Witch, Foundation and Empire
More episodes of Mindframe(s)
- Episode 121 : Disclosure Day
- Episode 119 - Backrooms
- Episode 118: I Love Boosters
- Episode 117 - Hokum
- Episode 116: Normal
- Episode 115 - The Drama
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Mindframe(s) podcast page.