Obsession

My View: Obsession  (2025)   R  In Obsession, Bear (Michael Johnston), a record store employee, has a longtime crush on his childhood friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette), who has no interest in Bear as anything more than a friend. Bear impulsively buys a supernatural toy, and on it, wishes for Nikki to fall in love with him. Sometimes wishes come true, and we are sorry that they do. Obsession is the best horror film we have seen this year, with an incredible storyline and a groundbreaking performance by Inde Navarrette that has to be seen to be believed. Based on the old phrase “You get what you wish for”, Obsession tells the story of a man who is in love with a fellow worker, but she sees him only as a good friend, the kind that you call to complain about your life or a bad boyfriend. Bear is given a chance to tell Nikki how he feels, but he blows it, saying nothing. Instead, he takes an item he bought at a crystal store, a strange stick called One Wish Willow, that promises that it will make your wish come true. So Bear makes a wish, and at the start, it's everything he ever wanted, until it isn’t. This is an incredibly wild, scary, and violent film that, as soon as the wish is granted, becomes increasingly creepy, then goes beyond creepy to horrific, as Bear’s life becomes a curse he can’t get rid of. Inde Navarrette is jaw-droppingly great as Nikki, the young woman who, through a wish, becomes totally devoted to Bear. Unfortunately, things go bad almost from the start, and I don’t want to ruin this film, but let’s just say things go from lovey-dovey to crazy in the matter of just a few hours. What is interesting in this film is that the hero of the story isn’t Bear. In fact, the longer the story goes, the more you come to hate him and feel for Nikki. Obsession is full of surprises that are both funny and shocking. This is one of those films that, when something happens, you go, “What did I just see?” Obsession is a hard-hitting horror film, full of incredibly scary situations that carry a ton of complex feelings, making you talk about this film for a long time. Remember, many a tale has been told about asking for a wish that has consequences. So maybe don’t throw that coin in the fountain or make a wish on a wishbone. We see in this film how that can turn out, and it’s not good.  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again  Obsession Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  In the Grey  (2026) R In the Grey is about a covert team of elite operatives who live in the shadows. This team, led by Sophia (Eiza González), is called in when mistakes are made and you need insurance. A ruthless despot has stolen a billion dollars, and the team is sent in to do the impossible: recover the money. This is a film that wants to be cool like Ocean’s Eleven, but takes too long for the action to happen to keep you interested. It’s a lot of setup for the last third that delivers a few thrills but no surprises. Jake Gyllenhaal and Henry Cavill have some cool little exchanges, but Gonzalez is left to do the heavy lifting of the plot, and it just gets a little too complicated to keep up with. Carlos Bardem doesn’t do a lot as the bad guy, but chews a lot of scenery, and Fisher Stevens plays his lawyer, whom I kept waiting to die; he was so inept. I thought there would be more to the plot, but it’s here: the villain, we trick him into revealing everything, and we get out of dodge. There’s a bit more to the plot than that, but the other problem is that the film goes into so much detail on all the escape routes that we know what is going to happen, even when the bad guys throw a few wrenches into the chase. Given the cast, I expected more and got a film that could have easily been called In The Jet Black instead.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  In the Grey Website   Now playing in theaters 

My View:  Marty, Life is Short  (2026)  Marty, Life is Sort is a documentary about legendary funnyman Martin Short, who has blazed a hilarious path across television, film, and theater. If you are a fan of Martin Short, you will love this film that gives us an inside look at the hilarious man who has had a lengthy career without ever really being a star. If you aren’t a fan, you will be by the end because not only is Marty a very funny, quick-witted man, but he is a wonderful person, a loving husband who had a perfect marriage and a family that adores him. We get to know Marty, from his childhood to his early performing days to his films (some of which weren’t hits), to his stage work and his work on TV. The film is filled with home movies, some of which contain some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, because everyone wants to be around Marty. As his great friend Steve Martin says, “You're going to host a dinner party, and you invite Marty. And then it turns out Marty can’t come. You cancel the party.” Well, you don’t have to cancel the party with this film because Marty is in it, an energizer bunny that doesn’t stop making us laugh.  My Rating: Full Price  Marty Life is Short Website  Now playing on the Netflix platform

Indiefest:  Is God Is  (2026)  R  Is God Is follows twin sisters Racine (Kara Young) and Ana (Mallori Johnson), who were badly disfigured by burn scars when they were children. When they learn their long-lost mother is alive but bedridden, they visit her. On her deathbed, she gives them a final, urgent task: avenge her by killing their abusive father, the man responsible for burning them all. When I first watched this film, I had a hard time with the tonal shift it makes about halfway through, from comedy to revenge film. It’s an abrupt change that hits you over the head with violence, very different from the first half of the film, which is filled with absurdist comedy. However, thinking more about this film, I realize that is the point. We take two characters, who have had a rough life but are full of life, and then are given a quest that they feel they are chosen and maybe even destined to complete, and they won’t let anyone or anything get in their way to complete the job that they were entrusted to do. Kara Young and Mallori Johnson are brilliant as the twin sisters who can communicate without speaking aloud. What makes this film work is that the two characters are vastly different in their approach to life and to the job they have been given, but both are driven to keep going, even when things get rough. These are passionate characters who feel everything that they experience and are willing to be fiery, menacing, and do the dirty work. It’s a film that will make you laugh, maybe shed a tear or two, and shock you with certain events you will not see coming. The sisters will mesmerize you and will root for them to win in the end.  My Rating: Full Price  Is God Is Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Steal This Story, Please!  (2025)  Steal This Story, Please! is a documentary on the life and career of investigative journalist/activist Amy Goodman, whose award-winning work continues on the news program Democracy Now!. This film is a joy to watch because Amy is such a dynamic personality who believes in democracy and in the press's ability to show us what works and what doesn’t. Amy has been doing this for a long time, and we get to see her in the early years and then, up close and in detail, the work she does for Democracy Now! There is an amazing and funny section where, at a conference, she doggedly follows a Trump administration official for over 3 minutes as he tries to dodge her and her questions, until he finally finds a place to hide behind a locked door. The film shows us how hard Amy has worked to get the story and how many times she has faced danger without backing down. Amy never loses sight of the fact that the most important part of democracy is the people it helps and protects, all the while she tirelessly fights the good fight to show just how easy it is to let it slip through our fingers. Amy is someone to celebrate and support as she fights for everyone. My Rating: Full Price  Steal This Story, Please! Website  Now playing in select theaters

Indiefest:  The Wizard of the Kremlin  (2025)  R  In The Wizard of the Kremlin, a young Russian TV producer, Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano), becomes an unlikely advisor to the new President, Vladimir Putin (Jude Law). Between the two of them, they will create a persona that has ambitions beyond anyone’s dreams. A film that drags every time Jude Law isn’t on the screen, this is an overly long film that follows the ascension of Vadim Baranov, from college student to TV producer to the man who guided Putin to the presidency and took Russia from a democracy to a country run by one man with a plan to make Russia great again. The film is dull and lifeless, with a sleepwalking performance by Paul Dano. The film is somewhat saved by Jude Law as Putin, who perfectly depicts a man whose lust for power and information merge to control a nation. Law creates tension on the screen, seemingly just by breathing, as Putin is a cobra always ready to strike his enemies or anyone who doesn’t believe in his values. The Wizard of the Kremlin is a film that just keeps going, making it feel as if it is much longer than its 2-hour and 15-minute runtime. The problem is Dano, who is on-screen the whole time and seems to be slowly reading his dialogue while about to fall asleep. We don’t care about Baranov from the start and only care about what Putin is going to do next. Too bad, the film is about the wrong man.   My Rating: Cable   The Wizard of the Kremlin Website Now playing in theaters

Forgotten Film:  The Accountant (2001)  An amazing bit of filmmaking, worthy of its Short Narrative Academy Award in 2002. Star/writer/director Ray McKinnon is brilliant as an accountant who is brought in to save a family ranch. The PBR-drinking man isn’t afraid to guide the farmer into setting his farm on fire, killing his livestock, and even more. And this accountant is on a mission to save one farm at a time from the government and corporations. This film is funny from start to finish with incredible performances by McKinnon, Walter Goggins and Eddie King. I wish all short films were this creative and funny.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again   The Accountant Info  The film is available for rent on Amazon Prime and Tubi.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Wizard of the Kremlin:  Company Sparks

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You:  Supergirl (2026)  PG-13 Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) aka Supergirl, is a jaded young woman whose only friend is Krypton, known as Superdog. She was sent to Earth by her parents to be raised by her cousin Kal-El, known as Superman. Supergirl is about to go on an adventure that will test everything she believes in and she is out for vengeance when her loved ones are threatened. James Gunn, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of DC Studios, has decided that Supergirl will be grittier than Superman.  Supergirl Website In theaters on Friday, June 26, 2026

Until Next Time!