SocraticCinema Special! (Obsession, 2025): Love, Desire, and Infatuation.
Details
We will be meeting at Southeast Regional in Room C.
Watching the movie is not required, but it is recommended. The themes and questions are made so that they can be contemplated without the context of the movie.
Obsession (2025)
When awkward, lovelorn music store employee Bear comes across a novelty item called the "One Wish Willow," he makes an impulsive, secret plea: for his longtime friend and crush, Nikki, to fall completely and unconditionally in love with him.
At first, the wish delivers what seems like a dream romance. But affection without consent quickly twists into an inescapable nightmare. As Nikki’s devotion escalates into terrifying, erratic obsession, Bear realizes that stripping away someone's agency comes with catastrophic consequences. Blending psychological dread with supernatural horror, Obsession serves as a dark parable exploring the boundaries of free will, the dangers of romantic projection, and the moral cost of getting exactly what you asked for.
Themes:
Love and Infatuation
Where is the line between love and infatuation?
Desire and Selfishness
Can the desire for another person ever be selfless, or is it always self-serving?
Desire Without Restraint
What is the morality of wishing that another person would love you, even if that wish doesn’t come true?
Perception and Reality
What is it about infatuation that distorts our reality?