What's happened
At the Toronto festival last autumn, Curry Barker’s Obsession launched a chilling found-footage horror about unrequited love that turns dangerous. Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers and Ben Wheatley’s Normal offer sharp looks at art, fraud and small-town power. Collectively, the films mark a moment for new voices in horror and thriller cinema, with standout performances from Inde Navarrette, Michaela Coel and Bob Odenkirk.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- Obsession demonstrates Barker’s mastery of tone, balancing a relatable relationship arc with escalating dread. Navarrette’s Nikki becomes a haunting mirror of Bear’s flaws, creating moral weight as consequences unfold.
- The Christophers presents an incisive look at artistic legacy and value, powered by McKellen and Coel in a restrained, witty confrontation that keeps art-world fraud front and center.
- Normal functions as a compact, high-energy thriller that channels Assault on Precinct 13 through Wheatley’s direction and Kolstad’s brisk storytelling, anchored by Odenkirk’s offbeat sheriff.
- Together, the films indicate a growing appetite for cinema that fuses intimate character studies with genre-focused suspense, signaling strong debuts and credible turns for their creators.
How we got here
The Scotsman and The Guardian review three fresh features that premiered at TIFF: Obsession, The Christophers and Normal. Barker’s debut blends romantic anxiety with horror; Soderbergh’s The Christophers probes the art world through a tense two-hander; Wheatley teams with co-writer Derek Kolstad on a lean Minnesota-set action-thriller.
Our analysis
The Scotsman (Alistair Harkness) and The Guardian (Rich Pelley) 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.
Go deeper
- What makes Barker’s horror debut stand out among contemporary indie horrors?
- How do McKellen and Coel navigate the art-world thriller in The Christophers?
- What keeps Normal lean and fast-paced without losing character depth?
More on these topics
-
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
-
Ben Wheatley - English filmmaker
Benjamin Wheatley is an English filmmaker and screenwriter. Beginning his career in advertising, Wheatley first gained recognition and acclaim for his commercials and short films, before transitioning into feature films and television programmes.