The Huckleberries Vol. 19 - Obsession & In the Grey

     Obviously we want to have an area for reviewing new films here at The Film Encomium, but we want to send a message with our methodology. That message is a simple one: Don’t forget about the fun. 

Yes, film can be transformative, prophetic, and groundbreaking. It can also be none of those things and still be a damn good time, and we want to validate both of those experiences. If you want to witness the underlying horror of the comedic mind, we recommend the work of Zach Cregger; but if you want to become well-rounded, you shouldn’t skip the pioneering work in action filmmaking contributed by Martin Campbell. 

It is from the balance of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn that we draw inspiration for the title of this section. Tom is clever; Tom is great. If there were one of those boys we were going to try to get into Harvard, it would be young Mr. Sawyer…but he will always need his Huckleberry. 

We all need our Huckleberries. Art needs its Huckleberries. Sometimes beauty is in the little things and reasoned reflection. Other times beauty is loud, bright, and bold. In the interest of providing our readers with a comprehensive experience, we are not willing to skip The Huckleberries. 

So, with that in mind, here are two exceptional flicks that dropped in theaters recently. The first will remind you to be careful what you wish for. The second will remind you to be careful what you actively sign up for. Enjoy!

Obsession -

An instant classic in the Monkey’s Paw subgenre of horror films, Obsession hits like a train crash in slow motion. Beautifully shot, masterfully written, and featuring performances at the absolute peak of the acting craft. It is bold and jarring, the sort of experience that sticks with you indefinitely. 

The film is going to draw a lot of comparisons to 2025’s Weapons, and although the two productions are different in far more ways than they are similar, the correlation is not unfair. For one, the absolute “what the fuck did I just watch” feeling that will hover around you during your ride home is very similar. Perhaps more importantly, Curry Barker joins Zach Cregger in successfully making the leap from sketch comedy troupe to blossoming master of terror. 

One of the talents most prodigiously shown by Barker and cinematographer Taylor Clemons is the immaculate use of lighting. Combined with an intimate knowledge of how to utilize empty space on a screen, the ability to have characters and surroundings hover just on the edge of darkness is a dominating strength of the work as a whole. Frozen as moments in your memory, this small attention to detail transforms into nightmare fuel.

Barker manages to walk a tightrope here with his writing. The content itself is wild and over-the-top, and it only works because the audience can see the characters’ mistakes so clearly. It’s difficult to maintain those qualities whilst also including grounded and realistic dialogue as the story navigates the everyday situations that arise. The aptitude to facilitate organic dynamics within an outlandish landscape is an uncommon talent, and we all very much look forward to seeing what this rising young director can do with such a skill. 

Of course, the script itself is nothing without actors to bring it to life, and what an undeniable achievement by this ensemble. Michael Johnston should be lauded in his own right for the performance he put forth here, as should the members of the supporting cast. However, it is Inde Navarrette’s portrayal of Nikki that shines through as the absolute showstopper. We loved Jessie Buckley’s turn as The Bride, and it felt like a safe bet that no one was going to do a better job this year at embodying a possessed split-personality lunatic trapped not only within their own mind and body but also within someone else’s story…yet here we are. 

Go see Obsession once, and then go see it again. Tell your friends about it. Tell your friends you love it. Tell your friends you can’t stop thinking about it. Tell them you love it more than any movie in the fucking world.

In the Grey -

It seems as if someone must have gone up to Guy Ritchie and said “You couldn’t just make a James Bond film and replace James Bond with The Ambiguously Gay Duo” and he took that as a personal challenge. Truly, we have no guesses as to whether the two male leads in this film are actually supposed to be a couple or just two fratty dudes in a bromance that leans heavily on sarcastic homoerotica, and it doesn’t really matter in the end. A major hesitation that critics have always had over Ritchie’s content is his tendency to favor style over substance; fashion over function. Yet, he seems to keep churning out cult classics, and at least one or two classics that don’t require the “cult” moniker.

It is quite possible that many of those regular detractors will come out of the woodwork saying this version of his vision is once again sexy but directionless, but they are missing the whole point: It is VERRRRRRRRYYYYYY sexy. Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal bring the most star power to the party, but it is Eiza González who is the life of it. She carries herself in a way that allows the entire supporting cast to throw themselves into her orbit. Besides Gyllenhaal and Cavill, Rosamund Pike, Kristofer Hivju, Carlos Bardem, and Fisher Stevens all inhabit charismatic and memorable characters who help to share the burden. 

There is always going to be a place on the silver screen for the combination of combat and handsomeness. In a world that is bogged down with excessive Fast and the Furious variations, it is beyond refreshing when this sort of creation is put in the hands of a competent filmmaker like Guy Ritchie. The end result here is sleek if not always sophisticated. If you’re looking for a thrill ride made with technical prowess that is meant to be seen on the biggest screen possible, this is a grand excuse for you to get out and go to the theater. 

~The Film Encomium~