Okay, so Ice Cream Man and Obsession are both hitting in 2026, and you're telling me they're not just two sides of the same absurd coin?

Alright, issame.com fam, let's talk about a couple of flicks that have been rattling around in my brain, because on paper, they feel like they could be siblings, but when you dig into the details, they're more like estranged cousins who just happen to share a really weird aunt. I'm talking about Eli Roth's Ice Cream Man, coming out in August 2026, and Curry Barker's Obsession, which drops a few months earlier in May of the same year.

When I first glanced at the profiles, my instant gut reaction was, "Oh, here we go, another double feature of indie horror that's gonna mess with my head." Issame's similarity index clocks them in at a respectable ~65%, which, honestly, feels about right. It's not a dead ringer, not a total clone, but it's enough to make you pause and say, "Hmm, what's going on here?" That 65% is enough to warrant a deep dive, to see if they're scratching the same itch, or if they're offering completely different flavors of cinematic dread. And trust me, after sitting with these two for a bit, I've got some thoughts on the distinct tastes they're serving up.

What Each Film Is Doing and Their Target Audience

Let's start with Ice Cream Man. The premise alone is pure Eli Roth: an idyllic summer town, an ice cream man, sweet delights, and then – boom – horrifying results. The tagline, "We all scream," is just chef's kiss for this kind of premise. We're talking Comedy, Horror, and Thriller all rolled into one. Keywords like "gore," "murder," "serial killer," "massacre," and "killer child" paint a very specific picture. And then there's "absurd" and "AI generated" – the latter of which just adds another layer of intrigue and, frankly, makes me wonder if this is Roth leaning into meta-commentary or just a production quirk. With Roth at the helm, you know it's not going to pull any punches. His films are often exercises in extreme situations and pushing boundaries, often with a darkly comedic edge.

I'd wager Ice Cream Man is chasing a very particular crowd: the dedicated Eli Roth disciples, fans of over-the-top practical effects (or maybe digitally enhanced ones, given the AI tag), gorehounds, and folks who appreciate horror with a side of genuinely shocking, often uncomfortable, humor. It feels like a midnight movie waiting to happen, something you'd watch with a group, yelling at the screen, probably with a few nervous laughs mixed in with gasps. The low rating (4.8/10) and limited votes (101) suggest it might be polarizing or aimed at a niche audience, which honestly, is right in Roth's wheelhouse. It's not trying to be a universally beloved horror flick; it's trying to be an Eli Roth film.

Now, Obsession feels like a different beast entirely, despite sharing the Horror and Thriller genres. Its tagline, "Be careful who you wish for…" is classic cautionary tale territory. The story revolves around a hopeless romantic who breaks a "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, only to find that some desires come at a dark, sinister price. Keywords here include "obsession," "supernatural," "possession," "wish," "unrequited love," "psychological horror," and "cursed object." Director Curry Barker isn't as much of a household name as Eli Roth, which often means a fresh perspective or a less genre-defined approach.

Obsession is aiming for a crowd that enjoys their horror more cerebral, more character-driven, and probably a touch more unsettling than outright gory. It's for viewers who like to feel the slow creep of dread, who appreciate psychological torment over jump scares, and who are intrigued by the moral and supernatural consequences of human desire. The higher rating (8.2/10) and significantly more votes (5836) suggest a broader appeal within the horror community, indicating it might deliver a more satisfyingly disturbing experience for a wider audience. It's less about external monsters and more about the monster within, or the ones we unwittingly invite in.

So, while both are certainly horror, they're definitely not chasing the exact same audience. Ice Cream Man is for the visceral, darkly comedic thrill-seeker, while Obsession is for the psychological dread connoisseur.

The Key Overlap: Absurdism and Consequences

That 65% similarity index isn't just because they both feature "Horror" and "Thriller" in their genre tags. While those are certainly foundational, the true overlap, the thing that connects these two films in a way that feels genuinely issame, is the keyword "absurd." Beyond that, it's also about a catalyst event leading to horrifying, often personal, consequences.

In Ice Cream Man, the absurdity is baked into the premise itself. An ice cream man, a symbol of childhood delight and summer joy, becomes an agent of terror. It's an inversion of the familiar, a subversion of innocence, which is inherently absurd. The idea of sweet treats leading to "horrifying results" and "massacre" is darkly comical and inherently over-the-top. Eli Roth thrives on this kind of grotesque humor and shocking juxtaposition. It's the kind of absurdity that makes you laugh nervously, even as you're grossed out. The "killer child" keyword further compounds this, taking something pure and twisting it into something monstrous.

For Obsession, the absurdity stems from the wish itself and its literal, yet twisted, fulfillment. A "One Wish Willow" sounds like something out of a fairy tale, but the moment our hopeless romantic breaks it to win a crush's heart, the film plunges into the absurd reality that wishes are dangerous. The horror comes from the unexpected, sinister interpretations of his desire. It's an absurdity rooted in the ironic, the tragic, and the terrifyingly literal. It’s the universe responding to a simple, human desire with a cosmic, disproportionate, and horrific price. The "self-harm" and "intense" keywords indicate the psychological absurdity of desiring something so much that its attainment becomes a form of torture.

Both films also explore the idea of a central action or desire leading to uncontrollable, horrifying consequences. In Ice Cream Man, it's the very presence and actions of the eponymous killer that unleash chaos. In Obsession, it's the protagonist's own wish that unravels his world. There’s a direct cause-and-effect that spirals into madness, showing how easily the ordinary can become terrifyingly extraordinary when touched by the strange. And let's not forget, they're both independent films, which often means more creative freedom to lean into these unique, even bizarre, concepts without the heavy hand of a major studio.

The Key Difference: External Terror vs. Internal Descent

Despite their shared absurd streak and thematic threads of consequences, the one thing that truly makes Ice Cream Man and Obsession not interchangeable is their fundamental approach to horror: one is an external, community-wide reign of terror, while the other is an internal, psychological descent into madness.

Ice Cream Man is very much about an external threat. The Ice Cream Man is a defined antagonist, a serial killer bringing "gore" and "massacre" to a "town." It's a slasher movie, possibly with comedic elements, focused on the havoc wreaked upon a community by a monstrous figure. The horror is about survival, about confronting a clear, albeit absurd, villain. Eli Roth's involvement almost guarantees a focus on visceral scares, body horror, and the spectacle of violence. It's a monster-of-the-week scenario, albeit a really messed-up monster. The 86-minute runtime also suggests a fast-paced, punchy delivery of these external terrors.

Obsession, on the other hand, is distinctly internal. While there's likely a supernatural element (possession, cursed object), the core of the horror seems to stem from the protagonist's own wish and its psychological toll. The "dark, sinister price" isn't just an external killer, but a deeply personal, psychological unraveling. Keywords like "psychological horror," "self-harm," and "intense" point to a narrative where the protagonist's mind, and perhaps his very soul, is the battlefield. The horror is less about running from a physical threat and more about grappling with what you've unleashed within yourself or your immediate environment. The 109-minute runtime allows for a more gradual, insidious build-up of this internal dread and character-driven suffering. The monster, in this case, might not even be seen, but rather felt through the ever-tightening grip of an unholy desire.

So, while both tap into the bizarre, Ice Cream Man offers the horrifying fun of a grotesque carnival ride, whereas Obsession promises a chilling, introspective journey into the dark corners of the human heart and the consequences of its desperate desires.

Practical Recommendation

Alright, let's break down who should watch what, and when.

If you're in the mood for an over-the-top, bloody, darkly comedic romp that doesn't take itself too seriously (or takes itself very seriously in its absurdity), then Ice Cream Man is your jam. This is the movie you put on with friends, maybe after a few beers, when you want to laugh, gasp, and maybe squirm a little. It's for the Eli Roth fans, the slasher enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates a horror film that knows how to lean into its own ridiculousness for maximum shock value. It's a wild ride, a visceral experience that's probably going to leave you talking about the craziest moments. Watch this when you want a quick, brutal, and possibly hilarious hit of horror.

However, if you're craving something more insidious, more thought-provoking, and deeply unsettling on a psychological level, Obsession is the clear choice. This is a film for a quieter evening, perhaps with a partner or alone, when you want to truly sink into a story that will mess with your head. It's for fans of supernatural horror, psychological thrillers, and character studies where desire twists into something truly monstrous. If you like films that make you question human nature and the dark corners of longing, Obsession is going to be a much more satisfying watch. It's likely to linger with you long after the credits roll, making you ponder its themes.

But when should you watch both? If you're a true connoisseur of independent horror and appreciate different interpretations of "absurdism" within the genre, then watching both back-to-back could be a fascinating double feature. Start with Ice Cream Man for the external chaos and a good dose of adrenaline and dark laughs, then transition to Obsession to delve into the more internal, slow-burn terror of consequences and corrupted desires. It's a great way to see how two films, with a decent similarity index, can take shared genre elements and keywords and deliver wildly different, yet equally compelling, cinematic experiences. You'll definitely come away with a deeper appreciation for the versatility of modern horror.

FAQ

Are both films genuinely "scary" in the traditional sense?

Not necessarily in the same way. Ice Cream Man, given Eli Roth's style and the gore keywords, is likely to deliver jump scares, shocking imagery, and visceral disgust that might make you scream or flinch. It's more about externalized frights. Obsession, on the other hand, leans into psychological horror and supernatural dread, which can be deeply unsettling and leave a lasting sense of unease. Its scares are more internal and atmospheric.

Is the "absurd" keyword utilized similarly in both movies?

While both feature absurdity, they use it differently. In Ice Cream Man, the absurdity comes from the grotesque premise itself – the inversion of a childhood symbol into a mass murderer, often for darkly comedic effect. For Obsession, the absurdity stems from the ironic, literal, and horrifying fulfillment of a simple human wish, leading to psychological torment rather than overt comedic elements.

How do their independent film statuses influence their unique identities?

Being independent films likely grants both directors more creative freedom to explore their niche visions without the pressures of mainstream studio demands. This means Ice Cream Man can fully embrace its extreme, genre-bending horror-comedy without compromise, while Obsession can delve deep into its psychological and supernatural themes, focusing on character and atmosphere without needing to adhere to broader commercial templates. It allows them to be distinct, unique voices within the horror landscape.

TL;DR

• **Issame Score (~65%): ** A fair rating reflecting shared genres (Horror, Thriller) and a key thematic overlap in "absurdism," but distinct approaches.
• **Ice Cream Man: ** Eli Roth's signature blend of horror, comedy, and gore, featuring an absurd killer. It's an external, visceral, darkly humorous massacre for fans of extreme, shocking cinema.
• **Obsession: ** A psychological and supernatural thriller about a wish gone wrong, exploring internal dread and the terrifying consequences of desire. It's a more cerebral, unsettling, and character-driven horror experience.
• **Key Overlap: ** Both delve into the "absurd," exploring how unexpected, often terrifying, consequences spiral from a central event or desire, all within an independent film framework.
• **Key Difference: ** Ice Cream Man is about an external, community-wide reign of terror, while Obsession is a personal, psychological descent into madness. Choose based on your mood for a wild ride or a deep dive.

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