#michael-johnston — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #michael-johnston, aggregated by home.social.
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Obsession: Dread Overload in Smash Hit Horror Thing 🙂
Obsession is the surprise smash hit of 2026, a small indie supernatural horror film by YouTuber Curry Barker that’s already raked in £500+ million worldwide.
A genuinely frightening and unnerving film, it follows the obsessive behaviour of one young man as he tries to make his love interest fall head over heels for him. Boy, does that go wrong…
The Toxic Masculinity of Obsession
Where Obsession excels is with its sense of dread, delivered largely by the phenomenal performance of newcomer Inde Navarrette.
Modern themes of masculinity in crisis, incels, and the dating crisis abound. The lead character is Bear (Michael Johnston, also very good here) who is awkward and shy. He’s in love with his colleague Nikki (Navarrette), but is too petrified to ask her out on a date. Instead, he visits an occult crystal store and buys a novelty toy called One Wish Willow.
His wish? To have Nikki love him more than anything else in the world.
Once he makes the wish Nikki starts behaving in a bizarre, some could say obsessive, manner towards Bear. They become a couple and it all seems to go well for a few days, until her behaviour becomes more and more unusual. As if it’s not Nikki at all and she’s possessed by something else entirely (referred to by fans of the film as Wish Nikki).
As the narrative develops, it’s as if she’s possessed by a demon (themes of The Exorcist are what struck us). Her behaviour becomes increasingly insane and unsettling.
From the “SSTAAYYYY!!!!” moment onward, the sense of dread in Obsession is almost overwhelming. It’s genuinely a very uncomfortable viewing experience, which is the whole point of horror (if you’d forgotten).
What we found terrifying is, essentially, it’s a heightened depiction of a domestic abuse situation. One entirely of the guy’s making, but as the narrative unfolds he’s so insecure and toxic in his masculinity he’s unwilling to leave Nikki or try to help her. This isn’t a “oh, she’s a crazy chick!” narrative, it’s Bear who’s done this and he is clearly the villain of Obsession. Things get remarkably bleak, although there are some occasional bits of dark humour.
But then you get things like the film’s most disturbing moment, when the real Nikki is briefly able to speak to Bear from her possessed state and it reveals the horror of what Bear is responsible for.
Inde Navarrette is incredible (echoes of Mia Goth in 2022’s Pearl aplenty). It’s a performance where it’s almost more frightening when she’s not onscreen, as you’re terrified of what she might be getting up to next.
Great film, then, and a huge hit with the younger generations.
Although we’ve seen some online reviewers saying it’s the “best film in many years”, but coming across as the types who only watch superhero films. So, yes, this will seem like a breath of fresh air if all you do is watch the most mainstream Hollywood releases.
Obsession isn’t quite as original as some film fans have made out. It’s more a merger of Big (1988), Pearl (2022), the goddamn terrifying Get Out (2017), and The Exorcist (1973) into one hellish time of it.
Plus, we felt the ending trailed off over the final 20 minutes, but there’s one incredible solid 60 minute central run of astonishing dread that carries the whole thing. We’re very impressed by it, just don’t watch the film shortly before going to bed (otherwise no sleep shall be had).
STTTAAYYYYY!!! And Read About the Production of Obsession
This is one of those great success stories we get in film from time to time. Jaws is a classic example, plus the Mad Max series, but here it is again! The budget for Obsession was $750,000 and yet it’s already made $512.6 million at the global box office (and it’s still in cinemas earning).
Curry Barker wrote and directed the film. He’s a YouTube creator who normally focusses on comedy sketches, but uploaded a horror short called The Chair in 2023. That opened some doors for him and the film was adapted into this full feature.
Barker wrote the script whilst working in a tea shop. He cited Ti West’s cult classic Pearl (2022) as a big influence and even made the cast and crew watch the film before production began.
Casting proved difficult until producer Christian Mercuri highly recommended Inde Navarrette, who’d gained experience in the 2020 film Wander Darkly and some other short films. She cited some scenes from Get Out as an influence.
On a limited budget, the cast and crew worked closely together to overcome difficulties. It’s a classic example of creative thinking helping to bolster the film’s full potential, the result being it makes many $200 million blockbusters look a bit stupid in comparison.
How many superhero films have we had over the last 16 years that have been bang average? Then Obsession, not even on a $1 million budget, floors then. It is a message to Hollywood in its mainstream guise… take more risks! Stuff like this happens.
Obsession was shot from late October 2024 and ran for 26 days.
Once launched in mid-2026 in the US (August 2026 in the UK), critical acclaim and word of mouth led to audiences flocking to cinemas to see it. Now it’s the 10th highest grossing film of 2026! An incredible achievement. It’s already the fifth highest grossing horror film ever.
Why? Simply as it’s goddamn scary. Very good.
#Cinema #CurryBarker #Film #Horror #IndeNavarrette #Lifestyle #Love #MichaelJohnston #Movies #obsession #Scary #supernatural #toxicMasculinity -
Obsession (2026) Review
"Nice" Guys finish worst.
The meanest trick Obsession pulls is making us think, however briefly, that Bear might be the victim of a particularly nasty curse....
click link to read more https://thecraggus.com/2026/06/16/obsession-2026-review/
#andyrichter #coopertomlinson #currybarker #horror #indenavarrette #meganlawless #michaeljohnston
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Impresiona Obsession por lo antigua que es para ser tan nueva.
Se habla de frescura ante esta cinta de terror del antes que nada cortometrajista Curry Barker, y puede que en las formas del guion -que no en el lenguaje cinematográfico- haya algo de eso -su captura de la juventud: trabajo, incertidumbre, modo de interactuar-, pero por sobre todas las cosas no inventa, solo hace bien lo suyo, y es más que suficiente.
Para empezar, la chispa argumental ya está en la mitología. En muchas mitologías. A través de sus intrincadas leyendas, se nos viene advirtiendo casi desde el principio de los tiempos una máxima que nunca asimilaremos por nuestra condición humana, falible y finita: Cuidado con las plegarias atendidas.
Barker, con inteligencia, adapta tan local (excelsa gestión presupuestaria) como universalmente el aforismo. Y, retomo, lo hace con un eje que parece tomar ladrillos de Big (1988) y de Atracción Fatal (1987) así como argamasa del relato de la mano de mono.
Anhelos. Niños grandes. Amores enfermizos. Con eso, construye su perturbada aventura.
Los protas están desequilibrados. Bear es tan pusilánime que resulta mate por más escenas que tenga y más entrega que le ponga Johnston. Navarrette se da entera, en la sombra y en el foco. Es todos los personajes. Devora con una obsesión que la consume y nos llega a morder a quienes estamos fuera. Así lo hizo antaño esa extraordinaria Glenn Close.
La humanidad apenas ha cambiado desde que tenemos constancia, nos mueven instintos básicos, por citar a otra grande, sin embargo, con pericia se arma una figura con las mismas piezas del puzle que parece nueva, da igual que resuene a serie B (también lo hacía La sustancia).
Obsession no es rompedora. Solo actualiza bien la vaina, eso intentamos todo el tiempo. A veces sale.
https://www.filmaffinity.com/es/film852705.html
#popazo #cine #cinema #obsession #primevideo #currybarker #drama #movie #movies #film #filme #films #pelicula #indenavarrette #terror #horror #michaeljohnston #obsesion -
𝗢𝗯𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗷𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗺𝗺𝘆-𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺
De Amerikaanse acteur Michael Johnston, bekend van zijn rol in de film Obsession van Curry Barker, maakt mogelijk zijn opwachting in het aankomende vierde deel van de Mummy-filmreeks. Diverse media schrijven dat de acteur in gesprek is over een rol in de film met Brendan Fraser en Rachel...
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‘Obsession’s Michael Johnston In Early Talks To Join Next ‘Mummy’ Film From Universal Pictures
#Casting #News #MichaelJohnston #TheMummy #UniversalPictureshttps://deadline.com/2026/07/the-mummy-michael-johnston-in-talks-to-join-cast-1237005057/
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‘Obsession’ Star Michael Johnston in Talks to Join ‘The Mummy 4’ With Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz
#Variety #News #MichaelJohnston #TheMummy4https://variety.com/2026/film/news/mummy-4-michael-johnston-obsession-brendan-fraser-1236822219/
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‘Obsession’ Star Michael Johnston in Early Talks to Join ‘The Mummy’ Sequel
#MovieNews #Movies #MichaelJohnston -
‘Obsession’s Michael Johnston Wants To Play “Intentional, Meaningful Queer Role”: “Maybe I’ll Write It Myself”
#News #LGBTQ #LGBTQ #MichaelJohnston #Obsessionhttps://deadline.com/2026/07/obsession-michael-johnston-wants-play-meaningful-queer-role-1237002047/
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#Gravity #MichaelJohnston #Obsession
Hard to believe this sweet little gay boy is the same star of the new horror film "Obsession." Is he going to break a One Wish Willow? 😬🔥🎵🎶Michael Johnston - Gravity (Official Music Video)
Michael Johnston - Gravity (Official Music Video)Listen to the song now at:
https://youtu.be/-yAOB28qH9Q?is=N9hhijnwU6f44nOJ -
Just Watched: Obsession
Cast: Awesome (9/10)
Story: Great (8/10)
Design: Great (8/10)
Challenge: Great (8/10)
Entertainment: Perfect (10/10)
Total: Close to Awesome (8,6)Inde Navarrette showcases an impressive range in delivering a magnificent performance that once again illustrates what Jordan Peele means when he speaks of the comedic essence of horror. You just have to love the absurdity this movie dares to embrace.
#Obsession #IndeNavarrette #MichaelJohnston #Film #Cinema #Review #Kritik
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‘Obsession’ Star Michael Johnston Signs With Gersh (Exclusive)
#MovieNews #Movies #MichaelJohnston #Obsession -
Obsession Interview: Jeff Barker On His Son's Viral Horror Hit
It's no secret that Curry Barker's Obsession is absolutely dominating the box office right now. The small indie horror film has already earned over $90 million on an extremely tiny budget of just $750K. These are the kind of numbers that you simply don't see indie horror films reach these days....
#CurryBarker #IndeNavarrette #interview #JeffBarker #MichaelJohnston #Obession
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Obsession Interview: Jeff Barker On His Son's Viral Horror Hit
It's no secret that Curry Barker's Obsession is absolutely dominating the box office right now. The small indie horror film has already earned over $90 million on an extremely tiny budget of just $750K. These are the kind of numbers that you simply don't see indie horror films reach these days....
#CurryBarker #IndeNavarrette #interview #JeffBarker #MichaelJohnston #Obession
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Obsession Interview: Jeff Barker On His Son's Viral Horror Hit
It's no secret that Curry Barker's Obsession is absolutely dominating the box office right now. The small indie horror film has already earned over $90 million on an extremely tiny budget of just $750K. These are the kind of numbers that you simply don't see indie horror films reach these days....
#CurryBarker #IndeNavarrette #interview #JeffBarker #MichaelJohnston #Obession
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Obsession, Nikki amava davvero Bear? Inde Navarrette chiarisce il dubbio più importante del film
https://web.brid.gy/r/https://www.galaxyaddicted.it/2026/05/obsession-nikki-bear-sentimenti/
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Film Review: OBSESSION (2025): A Bloody Movie Loaded with Gore That Serves as the Year's Most Frustrating Film Thus Far
#AndyRichter #AnthonyCasabianca #AnthonyPavone #ChloeBreen #CooperTomlinson #CurryBarker #DarinToonder #Focus #HaleyFitzgerald #IndeNavarrette #Justice #MalcolmKelner #MeganLawless #MichaelJohnston #MovieReview #Obse...
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Filmy i seriale:
»Obsesja«Gdybym mówił językami ludzi i aniołów, a miłości bym nie miał, stałbym się jak miedź brzęcząca albo cymbał brzmiący (1Kor, 13, 1-13). Ale nie zawsze miłość jest prawdziwa, a cena, jaką trzeba za nią zapłacić, bywa naprawdę wielka.
https://www.fahrenheit.net.pl/film/obsesja/
#Fahrenheit_zin #horror #Obsesja #Obsession #CurryBarker #ChristianMercuri #RomanViaris #TaylorClemons #JamesHarris #HaleyNicoleJohnson #RockBurwell #MichaelJohnston #IndeNavarrette #CooperTomlinson #MeganLawless #AndyRichter
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‘Obsession’ Review: Clever, Creepy Indie Horror Applies an Old-School Monkey’s Paw Device to Modern Relationships
#Variety #News #Reviews #CurryBarker #IndeNavarrette #MichaelJohnston #Obsessionhttps://variety.com/2026/film/news/obsession-review-1236747795/
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Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Sets Michael Johnston For 2026 Vanguard Award
#BelowTheLine #News #ArianaGrande #MakeUpArtistsHairStylistsGuild #MakeUpArtistsHairStylistsGuildAwards #MichaelJohnston #MUAHS #MUAHSAwards #Nickelodeon -
#Gravity #MichaelJohnston
Here's a cute little catchy gay love song from the Actor Michael Johnston from the series Teen Wolf and the film Slash. I don't think it made it into the Pride Playlists I've been posting. I think it's adorable. ❤️🎵🎶🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️Michael Johnston - Gravity (Official Music Video)
https://youtu.be/-yAOB28qH9Q?si=jxsd3iwtIYsM4_Nu