We are halfway through 2026, and many of the biggest titles — including Christopher Nolan‘s most ambitious film yet, The Odyssey, and Dune: Part Three — are yet to arrive. However, that doesn’t mean we haven’t found the defining film of 2026 yet, with one release perfectly capturing the insatiable hunger from audiences for new stories, the current peak of a beloved theatrical genre, and the breakout moment for a sure-fire Hollywood superstar.

Of course, we’re talking about Focus Features’ Obsession, directed by YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Curry Barker, and starring the Oscars-bound Inde Navarrette. Not only has the film been heralded as one of the best of its kind this decade, but it has also broken numerous records in its unstoppable box office run, including becoming the highest-grossing movie with a sub-$1 million budget of all time. But all good things deserve a partner, and some of the very best films are enjoyed alongside a second feature. So, with that in mind, here are seven perfect double features to watch with Obsession.

1

‘Backrooms’ (2026)

Image via A24

There is literally no better double-feature option for Obsession than the other horror film that has gone viral at the very same time. Directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, who himself broke a record by becoming the youngest person ever to open at #1 at the North American box office, Backrooms follows the discovery of a labyrinthine other-world inside a furniture store, and the many evil secrets it hides.

Led by Renate Reinsve and Chiwetel Ejiofor, this creepy horror is based on a viral internet story, as the online world continues to seep into our theaters with wonderful success. Both a terrifically chilling example of jaw-dropping set design and a neat exploration of accountability and self-reflection, Backrooms is the perfect double feature option for Obsession, and not just because they are both in theaters at the same time.

2

‘It Follows’ (2014)

Image via RADiUS-TWC

Key to the success of Obsession is its detailed examination of the world’s current relationship with relationships, specifically how consent is understood. For another horror film that captures the sexual zeitgeist and battles with consent in its own intelligent way, look no further than David Robert Mitchell’s It Follows.

Boasting a central performance that cemented Maika Monroe as a modern-day scream queen, It Follows is, at its heart, a truly terrifying film, featuring one of the most frightening jump scares of the 21st century. But its less-than-subtle metaphor for sexually transmitted disease is what helped it stand out among the horror crowd in 2014, and it is superbly relevant 12 years later.

3

‘Companion’ (2025)

Image via Warner Bros. 

Relationships are the hot topic of horror films this decade, and that is indicative of a world currently fearing codependency and constantly exposed to terrifying examples of romance-gone-wrong. One of the gems of this niche sub-genre of horror arrived last year in the form of Drew Hancock‘s Companion, the tale of a sentient android (Sophie Thatcher) who becomes wrapped up in her owner’s (Jack Quaid) murderous plot to secure a fortune.

A domestic horror of the highest order, this clever, biting film boasts a pair of terrific lead performances and a twisting plot that isn’t satisfied with just dropping jaws. “It’s a genuinely funny comedy, a suspenseful thriller, and has some pretty gnarly gore scenes to boot,” wrote Emma Kiely in Collider’s review, with this just one of gushing critical responses to a true 2025 gem.

4

‘Possession’ (1981)

Image via Gaumont

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The spiritual predecessor to Obsession, Possession, the 1981 horror favorite by Andrzej Żuławski, explores the downfall of a marriage, as a woman spirals out of control following her husband’s request for divorce. However, when infidelity is uncovered, a hunt for the truth soon exposes something much more sinister, ripped straight from the most gruesome of sci-fi horror stories.

One of the most viscerally captivating horror experiences of all time, Possession might not have literally inspired Obsession, but its tone is felt throughout. Director Żuławski had been through a bitter, upsetting divorce of his own, and used the film as a cathartic expression of his pain, with the raw, unfiltered mind of the man exploding into horror gold.

5

‘Black Swan’ (2010)

Image via Fox Searchlight Pictures

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Who knew ballet could be so scary? Well, clearly, Darren Aronofsky did when he crafted one of the most intense movies of the century so far in Black Swan. Led by Natalie Portman, the film follows a ballerina’s pursuit of perfection in her craft, as her position as the prima ballerina in Swan Lake is threatened by the arrival ofa newcomer, Lily (Mila Kunis)​​​​​.

The desperate hunt for perfection can quickly turn into an obsession, with Nina becoming detached from reality and engaging in self-abusive behavior as a result. This should sound like a familiar concept to Obsession fans, with Nikki and Nina oddly similar. Black Swan was nominated for an impressive five Academy Awards in early 2011, with Portman swanning away with the prize for Best Actress in one of the most well-earned wins of the decade.

6

‘Pearl’ (2022)

Image via A24

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Just the above image alone is reminiscent of Navarrette’s already iconic grin, pained by the reality that hides behind it. The smile is that of Pearl (Mia Goth), who beams from ear to ear as her husband returns home to a gory crime scene, much like Bear’s arrival from work to see that Nikki has quite literally waited in situ for him in Obsession.

The second installment in Ti West‘s X film series, Pearl is one of the shining lights of 2020s horror. Goth’s performance as the titular serial killer is perfectly unhinged, but, like Navarrette, she doesn’t simply rely on the chaos of her actions to be watchable. Instead, Goth imbues the character with deeply tragic emotion, with her and Navarratte delivering two of the defining female horror performances this decade so far.

7

‘Misery’ (1990)

Image via Columbia Pictures

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When it comes to the cinematic depiction of obsession, have any ever been better than Annie Wilkes in Misery, the adaptation of Stephen King‘s 1987 novel? Kathy Bates‘ performance is pitch-perfect, walking the tightrope between disturbing and darkly humorous. For her trouble, she became the first woman ever to win the Best Actress Oscar for a performance in a horror movie, something that Navarrette herself might just replicate next year.

Bates’ Annie is seemingly harmless and almost mouse-like when we first meet her. However, behind the quiet smile is the terrifying mind of an obsessed fan, who transforms from the rescuer of James Caan‘s Paul Sheldon into his, well, biggest fan. A masterful adaptation that has since defined the horror genre, Misery is a must-watch and a perfect double feature with Obsession.

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Release Date

November 30, 1990

Runtime

107 minutes

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Producers

Andrew Scheinman

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 13 seconds ago

The greatest strength of the 2004 Battlestar Galactica reboot is that it’s the opposite of Star Trek in tone, theme, and execution. This helped the show establish its own identity: not only was it drastically different than the original show from 1979, but it was the polar opposite of Star Trek, the most enduring sci-fi franchise in geek history. When this reboot came out, Trek was in the twilight years of its so-called Golden Age. Ironically enough, that Golden Age might never have happened without Ronald D. Moore, the BSG reboot showrunner who got his start writing for Star Trek: The Next Generation. 

Despite being the anti-Trek show, Moore had to borrow from his old franchise in one way: having a relatively small number of space fights. Those were very expensive to film, so Moore filled most scripts with Trek-adjacent elements like interstellar politics and moral dilemmas galore. Every now and then, though, this newer show had to give the fans what they want in the form of a ball-to-the-wall space battle. The first real example of this was the Season 1 episode “The Hand of God.” This story looks and feels nothing like Star Trek, which is only fitting; after all, its most climactic moment was based on Star Wars!

Stay On Target

The plot of “The Hand of God” is that the Battlestar Galactica crew discovers an asteroid filled with tylium, which helps them “jump” throughout space. But the asteroid is currently being mined by the Cylons, whom our heroes have always had trouble defeating. Deciding to risk it for the biscuit, Commander Adama orders a bold attack on the enemy. That attack is a success, primarily because of two Viper pilots: the injured Starbuck, who comes up with the plan of attack, and 2) Apollo, who succeeds in his bombing run by successfully maneuvering through Cylon mine shafts on the Asteroid. 

After “The Hand of God” premiered, Ronald D. Moore released commentary for this episode via podcast. The Battlestar Galactica showrunner confirmed that Apollo’s attack run on the asteroid was inspired by the Rebels’ Death Star attacks in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and Star Wars Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi. As heroes Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles did in those films. Apollo dodges anti-aircraft weaponry and maneuvers down a tight space before hitting a small target with his explosives. Arguably, this scene also critiques ROTJ by showing Apollo slowing, stopping, and using other tactics the Rebels just never thought of.  

Great Shot, Kid! That Was One In A Million

Ronald D. Moore was the first to admit that the space battle in “The Hand of God” is a fairly blatant homage to Star Wars, but that’s okay. Creatively speaking, if you’re going to steal an idea, why not steal the very best? The two Death Star attacks remain among the coolest onscreen battles in the entire 20th-century, and Moore referencing them both helped put Battlestar Galactica on the map. Ironically enough, this episode premiered just a few months before George Lucas’ hated prequels came to an end. In a perfect world, the success of this episode’s space battle should have been a warning to Star Wars fans.

What’s that warning? Simple: when the Star Trek guy is doing Star Wars better than George freakin’ Lucas, you just know your franchise is washed!

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 2 seconds ago

If you’re a fan of HBO’s House of the Dragon, you sometimes have to defend yourself to your more skeptical friends. If yours are anything like mine, they’ll start asking you some hard questions, like, “After Game of Thrones got so bad, why the heck would you come back for another show?” I give them all kinds of answers, of course. Sometimes, I tell them that this show is like GoT before it fell off; other times, I tell them that I’m just invested in the mythology of Westeros. While these are both true to some extent, the main reason I watch is much simpler: hot ladies in fantasy clothing!

One great example of this is Olivia Cooke. In House of the Dragon, she plays an important character: Alicent Hightower, a queen whose crumbling relationship with Rhaenyra Targaryen leads to civil war. Cooke is absolutely mesmerizing in the role, imbuing charisma and pathos to a character who makes one bad decision after another. Beneath her character’s regal bearing, she wears the effervescent beauty of the girl next door. However, we came very close to never having Cooke appear in House of the Dragon at all. In a recent interview, she admitted how close she came to getting a very different role: Rey in The Force Awakens!

From Sci-Fi To Fantasy

Recently, Olivia Cooke offered an interview to Josh Horowitz on his Happy Sad Confused podcast. There, she spoke about a wide range of topics before her host brought up something very specific. Horowitz asked her if there was any truth to the rumor that she had auditioned for a role in The Last Jedi, the controversial Star Wars film. Cooke busted this “weird rumor” before dropping some truly shocking news. While she didn’t audition for TLJ, she did audition for The Force Awakens. And not just for any role: she auditioned for Rey, the main character of the entire Sequel trilogy!

The House of the Dragon star was very self-deprecating during the interview. She confirmed that “I did audition a few times for the other one, where Daisy Ridley got [it]” before downplaying the significance of her audition. “But you know, everyone and their dog auditioned for that,” she said. She then got very candid about how she did when auditioning for the most popular sci-fi franchise in the world. “I think I auditioned once in L.A., and then once with J.J. [Abrams]. And I was sh*t. I was really bad,” she said.

Everything’s Coming Up Olivia

Does Olivia Cooke have any sour grapes over not getting the highly coveted role? Not really. During the interview, she drove home both how bad her audition performance was and how good Ridley’s was. “You know when you go into an audition, and you’re just not bringing it, and you’ve let yourself down, you’ve let everyone down in the room?” she asked rhetorically. “Daisy did such an amazing job, I just wasn’t that kind of an actor at that time. It just wasn’t a fit.” Fortunately, things worked out: she landed parts in other high-profile films like Ready Player One, eventually getting the part of Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon.

In retrospect, things really worked out for this talented actor. As it is, she’s a major player in one of the biggest and most popular shows ever made. Had she won the part of Rey in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, her career might very well have suffered the same way that Daisy Ridley’s has: starring in one forgettable film after another, just waiting for Lucasfilm to give her a call back. But Olivia Cooke is absolutely thriving in a career-defining role that gives “fantasy girl” a new meaning. Will of the Force or will of the Seven? Either way, Cooke was clearly destined for greatness!

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 16 seconds ago

Don’t call it a comeback; they’ve been here for years! Marvel Studios is on the cusp of a kind of renaissance. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is currently on track to earn at least $1.5 billion at the box office, a number that could go even higher with positive word-of-mouth. Meanwhile, Avengers: Doomsday is releasing near the end of the year, and that movie will be bringing in cameo characters like the X-Men while reuniting the MCU’s biggest actors: Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. That’s a recipe for another monster hit that may cause fans to forget how ho-hum last year was.

What happened last year? Marvel released two blockbuster summer movies: The Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, each of which earned less than Superman (2025), the inaugural film of the DCU. That failure stung, and most fans assumed that we wouldn’t be getting more films in either of these Marvel franchises. However, it sounds like one of these films is going to get a sequel, and it’s not the one you suspect. According to industry scooper Alex Perez, Marvel Studios is currently working on a sequel to The Thunderbolts.

Look Who’s Back

Every month, insider Alex Perez catches fans up on the latest Marvel scoops via a Q&A session on The Cosmic Circus. One fan asked if there was any news about Doctor Strange 3, and the scooper claimed that Marvel had that film on the creative backburner. According to Perez, the studio is currently prioritizing the following projects instead: “Black Panther 3, Shang-Chi 2, Spider-Man 5, The X-Men, Thunderbolts* sequel, Blade, Midnight Sons, and the next Avengers title.” Some of these are no-brainers (like Shang-Chi 2, Spider-Man 5, and the X-Men), but others are surprising. In particular, fans were shocked to discover that a Thunderbolts sequel was in development.

Why is it so shocking that Marvel is reportedly working on a Thunderbolts sequel? It all comes down to money, of course. The first film earned $382.4 million against a budget of $180 million. That looks profitable on paper, but Variety previously reported that the movie would need to earn at least $425 million just to break even. The fact that it fell so far short of that goal means that Marvel might have actually lost over $43 million on this movie. Why, then, would the studio work on another film that is likely to lose money? 

The Gang’s All Here (For Now)

This could, effectively, be an investment in Disney+. While the first Thunderbolts was a dud at the box office, it became a massive streaming hit. In its first five days on Disney+, it got a whopping 702 million minutes viewed, making it the number one hit in 40 countries. If plenty of new fans checked out the first movie once it hit streaming, Disney may be gambling that a theatrical sequel will make more money. Alternatively, they might use the Thunderbolts sequel the way that Prime Video is reportedly using Masters of the Universe: as a way to recruit new streaming subscribers and retain old ones.

Alternatively, Marvel could (like the kids say) do it for the lore. The Thunderbolts sets up many of the big plot developments that will be unpacked by Avengers: Doomsday. One year after that film premieres, the MCU will get a reset via Avengers: Secret Wars. It’s possible that the Thunderbolts sequel will be used to set up other major events or to simply help audiences explore this brave new world. Finally, if Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier really wants to do the sequel, Marvel may just do him a favor; after all, they already have plenty of confidence in the man, having hired him to direct the MCU’s first X-Men movie. 

So far, we don’t know who will direct or even who will star in the Thunderbolts sequel, which is significant because some characters are likely to die in Doomsday and/or Secret Wars. However, it’s definitely good news that this beloved movie (it has an 88 percent critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 93 percent audience rating) is getting a follow-up film. One of the most common complaints about superhero movies is that they typically follow a cookie-cutter formula. Love it or hate it, The Thunderbolts was fiercely original, and the studio could clearly use more of that pioneering spirit as they do the unthinkable and finally reboot the MCU.

Roomies, Sexyy Red is giving fans a glimpse into a deeply personal moment, and her latest social media post has many sending love her way. While she’s known for keeping the energy high online, this time the rapper shared a more emotional side as she honored Tay Keith.

RELATED: Police Reportedly Release 911 Audio Of Tay Keith’s Girlfriend Requesting Wellness Check On Producer

Sexyy Red Shares Emotional Funeral Moments

On social media, Sexyy Red paid tribute to producer Tay Keith by sharing a heartfelt photo dump from the funeral. Alongside the post, she wrote, “I love you Tay I will never ever forget about u ever 😢 #MyBruddersKeeper.” The carousel featured a series of photos and videos showing Sexyy Red dressed in an all-black outfit, complete with a black dress, a flowered hat with a netted veil, black sunglasses, and minimal jewelry as she appeared visibly emotional throughout the service. She also included a photo of the casket and the funeral program, giving followers a look at the solemn occasion while standing in support of Tay Keith and his family during their time of grief.

The Roomies Showed Our Girl Some Love

One Instagram user @authorlisaaustin said, “Thank you sooo much for coming. My brother LOVED YOU! My family and I appreciate you! We Locked in forever! 🔐 And y’all still Shaq and Kobe!!! 💛💜”

This Instagram user @officialkenadi wrote, “Awwwww❤️❤️😢 my condolence’s“

And, Instagram user @alanzobonds1 added, “u so cuteee when u in distress baee !!!!! 🙈”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @tiq_____ commented, “Just make him proud baby. Keep it going ❤️❤️”

While Instagram user @alydagoddess shared, “dat last picture did sum to my soul cause she always happy & giggly man🥺🥺🥺 , we love you sexyy🥺❤️‍🔥”

Finally, Instagram user @mama_ramera claimed, “🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾Yall got them hits forever, faces up. LLTay 🤍🕊️”

Y’all! Nazanin Mandi is giving fans a glimpse into a new chapter of her love life, and the energy in her latest update has the internet talking. While she kept things intentionally private, the actress, model, and life coach made it clear she’s stepping into a space of joy and peace. And you already know, fans want to know with who!

RELATED: Miguel’s Birthday Shoutout To Son’s Mother Margaret Zhang Sparks Mentions Of Ex-Wife Nazanin Mandi (PHOTOS)

Nazanin Mandi Seemingly Soft Launches New Boo

Taking to Instagram, Nazanin Mandi shared a soft photo dump that quickly caught attention, captioning the post, “life update: when you know, you know.” In the series of photos and videos, Nazanin is seen getting affectionate with a mystery man, though she chooses not to reveal his identity. The carousel also includes sweet moments like a bouquet of roses and cozy clips of the pair enjoying each other’s company, showing her fully in her “soft life” era. While she’s keeping her partner out of the public eye for now, the vibe of the post makes it clear Nazanin is embracing happiness and moving confidently in her new romantic chapter.

Roomies Lit Up The Comments

One Instagram user @cynsantana said, “So happy for you! You’re an angel. You deserve the purest love ❤️”

This Instagram user @charleyberry commented, “And he’s taller than you!!! Hell yeah!!! 😂”

And, Instagram user @nadiamohamofficial claimed, “It’s on the gram it’s on the grammm 📢🚨🚨🚨🚨”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @mirthamichelle wrote, “Omggggggggggggggggg I’m gonna be a bridesmaid 😍😍😍😍😍”

While Instagram user @zen_re added, “The right one will make that glow radiate even brighter, yaaaaassss✨”

Finally, Instagram user @shayla.jpegw said, “Yeah she need a big dawg 😍😍”

Miguel Addresses Past Relationship Timeline With Nazanin Mandi

Miguel was previously brought back into conversation about his past relationship with Nazanin Mandi after revisiting the timeline of his personal life in a past interview, where he set the record straight on lingering rumors surrounding his divorce and new family. Speaking on ‘The Breakfast Club’ in 2025, the R&B singer clarified that he did not begin his relationship with filmmaker Margaret Zhang or welcome his son, Angelito, until after his divorce from Nazanin Mandi was finalized, emphasizing that the two met later at an unexpected event. Miguel also pushed back on public speculation, saying people often “do the wrong math” when trying to piece together his story, marking one of the few times he directly addressed Nazanin following their 2022 split after nearly two decades together.

When Taylor Parker was convicted of capital murder in October 2022 for killing her pregnant friend Reagan Simmons-Hancock and cutting the unborn baby from her body, one family member stood at the center of the case: her mother, Shona Prior.

Prior became one of the most consequential figures during Parker’s trial and the years that followed. She took custody of Parker’s daughter, testified in court, took jail calls from her daughter and offered blunt assessments of the crimes that landed Parker on Texas death row. Her role has come back into the spotlight after Netflix released the documentary Maternal Instinct in June 2026, chronicling Parker’s 10-month web of lies and the disturbing case that followed.

Here’s everything to know about Prior, below.

Shona Prior Took Custody of Taylor Parker’s Daughter

Parker welcomed daughter Emersyn at age 17 with then-boyfriend Donald Whiteside. Little has been publicly shared about Whiteside’s role in Emersyn’s life since he and Parker split.

Related: Where Is Maternal Instinct’s Taylor Parker Now? Inside Her Life Today

Taylor Parker committed an unimaginable crime when she killed her pregnant friend Reagan Simmons-Hancock, cut the unborn baby from her womb and attempted to pass off the child as her own. Prior to the killing, Parker had lied and told her loved ones that she was pregnant with her own child. She was ultimately caught […]

At the time of Parker’s October 2020 arrest, Emersyn had been temporarily staying with Parker’s first ex-husband, Tommy Wacasey. That arrangement had been put in place earlier that year — around the same time Parker first claimed to be pregnant with boyfriend Wade Griffin’s child, according to reporting from KTAL.

Following Parker’s arrest, Prior filed for custody of Emersyn, and the request was granted. Prior currently has custody of Emersyn, while Wacasey has custody of Parker’s son, Trey, whom Parker welcomed at 21 during her marriage to Wacasey.

During the trial, Prior testified that Emersyn continued to see Wacasey and his family on a regular basis. She also told the court she had connected her granddaughter with a counselor to help her process what her mother had done.

Shona Prior Testified During Taylor Parker’s Capital Murder Trial

Prior took the stand during Parker’s trial and offered candid answers about how her granddaughter was coping — and how much she understood about her mother’s crimes.

“You explained to me that you didn’t think (Taylor’s daughter) knew about the crime,” First Assistant District Attorney Kelley Crisp asked during the trial.

Prior responded, “She does not know the horrific details. She knows that two people have died at the hands of her mother.”

Jail phone calls played during the trial revealed that Parker told Emersyn not to talk to people about why she was in jail. Prior also testified that she was not in a custody dispute with Wacasey over Trey, telling jurors the boy remained in his father’s full-time care.

Prior told the court that both of Parker’s children “love her,” and several family photos were entered into evidence alongside the jail calls between Parker and her kids.

Shona Prior Confronted Taylor Parker in Prison Phone Calls

In a jail call recording obtained by The Sun, Parker complained to Prior about life behind bars — criticizing her jail cell, saying she couldn’t wear makeup during court proceedings and crying about not being able to speak to her two children.

“Mom, they would charge me with s***ting on a fly right now if they could, literally, that’s what it comes down to,” Parker said during the call, which took place sometime between 2021 and 2022. “I mean, there’s another girl that’s here, and they literally just threw some bogus bulls*** on her just because they could, just because it makes them look better.”

Prior said she understood, but she didn’t let her daughter off the hook.

Related: Taylor Parker Tries to Convince Officers She Gave Birth in Bodycam Footage

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Shortly after Taylor Parker killed her pregnant friend Reagan Simmons-Hancock and performed a C-section to steal her unborn child, she tried to convince law enforcement that she had given birth to the baby girl in newly released bodycam footage. In the footage obtained by TMZ on Tuesday, June 30, officers told Parker, 33, that they […]

“I don’t think you’re thinking about that like you should be thinking about that,” Prior said. “I mean, it’s not just you do one horrible thing and they try to throw the book at you.”

When Parker apologized through tears, Prior made clear she wasn’t convinced her daughter was truly sorry.

“I know you did not think about the consequences of your actions. I know that,” Prior said.

After Parker cried about not being able to see her son, Prior offered another sharp response: “I’m sure it does, but you know what? I hate to say this, but if you’d have been thinking about the children that you had on earth, you might not be in the situation you’re in.”

She added, “But, I mean, that’s what’s done is done. And you have to go forward and deal with the consequences as best you can. You’re not the only one dealing with them. We’re all dealing with them.”

Prior was more sympathetic when the conversation turned to Parker’s concerns about her appearance in court.

“So the thing about it is if they try to discriminate [against] you as a person, that will work in your favor in the long run because they’re not giving you a fair chance,” Prior said. “You know, they’re wanting you to look like a homeless criminal.”

She continued, “They’re not wanting you to look like a human because that would be beneficial to you and detrimental to them.”

Shona Prior Was on a Prison Phone Call With Taylor Parker’s Daughter

In a separate call released by TMZ in June 2026, Parker spoke to Emersyn and Prior as if life were normal — despite being accused of a horrific fetal abduction crime.

Emersyn told Parker she was standing near a campfire, and the group discussed a storm that had rolled through the night before. Emersyn shared that she had received sapphire and diamond jewelry as an early Christmas gift and that her younger brother, Trey, got a cross chain.

“Oh, that’s nice,” Parker said.

Related: Taylor Parker Claims Reagan Simmons-Hancock Told Her to ‘Take’ Her Baby

Just days after Taylor Parker killed her pregnant friend Reagan Simmons-Hancock, she claimed to investigators that the victim told her to perform a C-section and save her baby. In a new interrogation video shared by TMZ on Wednesday, July 1, Parker, 33, spoke to detectives about her version of events that took place during the […]

As the call continued, Parker asked what Emersyn was up to that day, and Emersyn described her bedroom at Prior’s home. The call was ultimately cut short by the jail’s automated system. Mother and daughter concluded by telling each other they loved one another.

The exact date of the call has not been made public, though TMZ reported it took place after Parker’s arrest and before her conviction.

Shona Prior’s Relationship With Taylor Parker’s Father

Prior shares Parker with ex-husband Mark Morton, whom she divorced in 2005.

Parker and her brother, Zachary Morton, witnessed their parents fight often during their childhoods. After the divorce, Prior and Morton initially shared custody, but Prior testified that Morton’s anger about the split made the arrangement difficult.

The children were given the option to live with Mark, and Parker primarily lived with her father and his mother, while Zachary stayed with Prior.

During the trial, Zachary suggested his father’s lifestyle may have influenced his sister’s personality.

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“When dad was chasing other women or drugs, we were put on the back burner,” Zachary testified. “It seemed like when Taylor was chasing another man, instead of the focus being on her children, it was on herself. It was all about her at one specific time.”

Parker was found guilty of capital murder and kidnapping in October 2022 and sentenced to death. She is currently the youngest woman on death row in the state of Texas.

This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.

By TeeJay Small
| Published 23 seconds ago

Over the last several years, I’ve recommended a myriad of twisted horror films on this site. I’ve encouraged those who are not faint of heart and weak of stomach to watch films like Bone Tomahawk and Brawl In Cell Block 99. I want to be an authority on film and television that you can trust, without worrying that I’m corralling you toward some kind of cinematic psychological breakdown. Having said that, you’ve got to check out The Sadness, even if it leaves you unable to sleep for days on end.

Since you probably missed it, The Sadness is a 2021 Taiwanese production (bust out the subtitles, dear reader), written and directed by Canadian filmmaker Rob Jabbaz in his feature film debut. The movie is pretty on the nose in regard to its inspiration, as it centers on a global pandemic that shakes up life on Earth almost immediately.

Unlike the real pandemic, which was still very active when this movie was released, The Sadness gives us a deadlier, gorier infection known as the Alvin virus. This virus causes infected individuals to tap in to their most violent, animalistic desires, causing them to lose all control and turn into violent beasts at a moment’s notice.

A Swift And Violent Outbreak

As the narrative kicks off, we’re introduced to Jim (Berant Zhu) and Kat (Regina Lei), two normal residents of Taipei who are preparing for their workday. While the couple get dressed and sip their morning coffee, we see that state media is downplaying the severity of the burgeoning virus, and shifting the news narrative to an upcoming election instead. After dropping Kat off at the train station, Jim quickly comes to realize that the virus is much more serious than he’d been lead to believe, when an elderly woman begins assaulting patrons at a local coffee shop.

As soon as he steps outside of the shop, Jim sees that numerous civilians have been infected, causing car wrecks, gang assaults, and stabbings all over town. He hops on his moped and races across the city, hoping he can reconnect with his girlfriend and get to safety before it’s too late. Meanwhile, Kat is trapped in a subway car with a growing population of homicidal maniacs, including one perverted businessman portrayed by the incomparable Tzu-Chiang Wang.

Please Sir, I Want Some Gore

The rest of the film is essentially a series of loosely connected attempts by Jim and Kat to reconnect, as they become surrounded by gore, gross-out gags, and straight up body horror torture. I estimate that no less than 60 percent of the budget behind The Sadness was spent on fake blood and realistic looking body parts. The film is just about the closest thing you could get to actual war crime footage without crossing the line, and it’ll surely make your stomach turn with each passing scene.

I caught The Sadness when it premiered back in 2021, and I was staggered by how prescient it felt. Today, several years removed from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s only lost a fraction of its relevance. Though this is a movie that’s impossible to watch with most of your friends, I’d say hardcore horror buffs should go ahead and give this one a spin. Just be prepared to have nightmares for a while afterwards, even if you grew up on a steady diet of LiveLeak and The Walking Dead. For better or worse, The Sadness is currently streaming on Shudder.