What's happened
The Guardian and The Scotsman review Obsession, The Christophers and Normal, highlighting Curry Barker’s horror debut and Steven Soderbergh’s art-world thriller, with Bob Odenkirk elevating the small-town sheriff turn in Normal.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- Barker’s Obsession blends a rom-com setup with a claustrophobic horror atmosphere, using a forbidden wish to explore yearning and culpability. The film’s tension rests on the gulf between Bear’s self-image and Nikki’s rising, unsettling devotion.
- Navarette’s performance anchors the film, turning fear into sympathy as the character’s transformation exposes the consequences of unchecked desire.
- The Christophers positions Soderbergh as a filmmaker unafraid to stage verbal duels about art and fraud, foregrounding the moral dimensions of legacy and value in the art market.
- Normal shifts around a town’s power dynamics, with Odenkirk’s sheriff navigating a web of crime and wealth, balancing dark humor with kinetic action while keeping the runtime tight.
- Together, the slate signals a year where horror, meta-art drama and stylized thrillers are being reassessed as mainstream contenders rather than niche genres.
How we got here
Curry Barker’s Obsession has generated early buzz after TIFF, while The Christophers and Normal showcase Soderbergh’s and Wheatley’s collaborations; Odenkirk has transitioned from Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul to lead roles in modern thrillers.
Our analysis
The Scotsman review by Alistair Harkness has described Obsession as a debut that marks a real-deal horror auteur. The Guardian profile by Rich Pelley traces Bob Odenkirk’s transition through Better Call Saul to Normal and the broader arc of his career. Both outlets push Barker and Soderbergh’s projects as standout entries in contemporary genre cinema.
Go deeper
- Will Barker’s film redefine horror with its relationship-driven horror beats?
- How does Odenkirk’s sheriff in Normal shape audience expectations for Wheatley’s vision?
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Bob Odenkirk - American actor
Robert John Odenkirk is an American actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer. He is best known for his role as lawyer Saul Goodman on the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul, for which he received four nominations