Conor Marsh lives a secluded life with his dog, Sandy, until one day he begins playing OBEX, a new, state-of-the-art computer game. When Sandy disappears, the line between reality and gaming blurs, and Conor must enter the world of OBEX to save her.
Albert Birney, who wrote and directed Strawberry Mansion (2021), is the creative force behind OBEX. It is a fantasy-adventure film starring Birney himself, Callie Hernandez (Jethica), and Frank Mosley (Rent Free) and was co-written by Pete Ohs (Erupcja).
But OBEX is more than just a film; it is a grand adventure through a sci-fi wonderland of fantasy and retro technology. It’s an homage to the pioneers of pre-internet PC culture, but also a warning to those who spend their entire lives behind a screen. It is breathtakingly refreshing, unique, and an absolute work of art.
The film uses a bold, black-and-white style, which was on its way out in the early 80s as modern colour televisions became more affordable. The choice seems, instead, more suited to fit the game’s retro 8-bit style, especially the special effects and graphics. This is especially evident when the game, Obex, begins to bleed through into Connor’s (Birney) reality.
OBEX is a film of two very different halves. A good chunk is just our introduction to Conor as a reclusive computer geek selling ASCII portraits and living a simple but happy life with Sandy. The second is a Lynchian rabbit hole that forces Conor to reflect on his life, death, the choices he has made, and to (quite literally) defeat his inner demons. Birney leans heavily into symbolism and metaphor, with armies of cicadas, Conor’s only real friend being a screen, and a plethora of easter eggs for those of us old enough to remember the simpler times of Hero’s Quest and floppy disks.
The score was recorded by Josh Dibb, a founding member of the experimental rock band Animal Collective. You can get a taste of the psychedelic experience by following that link to their website. The score is a whimsical, technical dance of retro notes and synths, which playfully add to the film’s capricious nature. The music adds a lot of life to the world of OBEX, almost colouring in the black and white tones with a balance that falls between 80s video game and experimental horror film.
In a world that is growing ever more reliant on screens, devices, AI, and a permanently online brain, OBEX rewinds to a time when being addicted to screens was seen as an actual problem. While Conor may be likeable—and while we may identify a little too much with his need to be apart from the world—the film’s ultimate message is that we do need to turn off, disconnect, reset, and go outside. There is a bigger world beyond that which is forced onto the little screen in your hand or the giant one in your living room. Perhaps interact with it a little more.
Thanks for reading, and as always, stay sordid. OBEX will be released in the UK & Ireland from the 9th of March. The film will have its UK premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival on March 2nd. The trailer and poster are below for your convenience. This is definitely worth pencilling in to your calendars. Believe the hype.
