Alex B Cann Film Column - 28/05/26

One Wish Willow and Scary Spirits

To escape the Bank Holiday Monday heatwave, I treated myself to a horror double bill, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

Obsession is one of my favourite films I've seen this year. After breaking a One Wish Willow and wishing that his crush Nikki will love him more than anything in the world, Bear's wish immediately comes true. The old adage about being careful what you wish for definitely springs to mind, as events take a number of crazy turns.

One scene in particular in a car will live long in the memory, as will the packed lunch that Nikki sends Bear to work with. The cinema was filled with nervous laughter, as the film boasts a great combination of shivers down the spine, dark humour, and well-developed characters. Too often, horrors boast characters you don't care about, but that wasn't the case here.

Curry Barker has come up with something hilarious and grotesque in equal measure, and is definitely one to watch. It's original, it doesn't overly rely on jump scares to deliver its thrills, and Inde Navarrette is just superb in her role as Nikki. It raises interesting questions about consent, and is set to make far, far more at the box office than its lean million-dollar budget. One to watch on the big screen if you can!

The Passenger also delivered some decent scares, but a fair few of them were well signposted. One made me shout out loud towards the end, mind. As is often the case, the bad spirit was far more sinister when hidden in the shadows and the rustling of branches deep in the woods. The demonic stalker, once it latches onto you, is impossible to outrun. The trouble is, he reminded me a little bit of Bill Nighy when he turns into a zombie in Shaun of the Dead, crossed with Ozzy Osbourne in his latter years.

A couple's trip in their newly converted camper van ends up becoming a fight for survival after they stop to help a man who's been involved in a car crash. The main characters are, it has to be said, quite annoying at times. The story is wafer-thin, but there's enough to keep our interest. It may take more than a clutch of St Christopher medals to keep this trip safe. Will they outrun the scary spirit, who even finds them in the car park of a 24-hour gym? Will they ever manage to T-Cut the marks out of their van?

Guest reviewer Kirsty in the Kitchen saw The Mandalorian and Grogu and says it was "absolutely brilliant". Her review will appear in full in next week's column, alongside my take on Finding Emily, a new romantic comedy that I'm informed is quite decent, even though it has a plot you could write on a Post-it note, to quote a friend's verdict. I'll also be watching Backrooms, another new horror. It's interesting to note that Michael still seems an unstoppable box-office juggernaut. Happy film watching!