With the release of Obsession to critical and commercial success, director Curry Barker has quickly become a figure of interest in the horror community. The 26 year-old filmmaker has already been given the reins to reboot The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, and when it comes to original horror projects, it doesn’t look like Barker will be stopping anytime soon.

Before Barker hit the big screen, he got his start on YouTube, working alongside friend and fellow filmmaker Cooper Tomlinson for the sketch comedy channel “that’s a bad idea.” Barker would veer from comedy into horror, posting a series of short horror films to the channel which brought more eyes on the director. In many ways, Barker’s short films showcase the same dark surrealism he would bring with Obsession, and are worth a watch to see the beginnings of one of the biggest names in 2020s horror.

But first, let’s rank all five — worst to best.

#5. “Warnings” (2023)

We begin at the bottom with “Warnings”, released in October of 2023. “Warnings” focuses on a young man named Sean (played by Barker). Following a near-death encounter, Sean begins receiving mysterious notes on — and even inside — his car. The more notes Sean receives, the more his paranoia grows, leading to his reality crumbling around him. As he tries to figure out who’s leaving the notes, Barker leaves the audience questioning just who Sean really is — and if he’s even truly alive.

If there’s one place “Warnings” shines, it’s the film’s surreal dream sequences. Barker keeps the camera tight and restricted, bathing every scene in cool tones and shadows. The result is a limbo-like experience for the viewer, and a frightening interpretation of a soul unable to move on.

“Warnings” is placed at the bottom of this ranking only for the fact that its more confusing aspects muddies its overall story. The film strongly hints it’s Sean himself writing the notes, or at the very least, a fractured part of his identity. This divide between “Sean” and his other half, “Kyle” is a compelling one, but likely to leave most first-time viewers scratching their heads. In all, “Warnings” is by no means bad, it’s just a little unclear, making it feel weaker in comparison to Barker’s other shorts.

#4. “Heavy Eyes” (2022)

At only five minutes and 31 seconds, “Heavy Eyes” is the shortest film on this list, and yet it’s a perfect example of making the most with the time you have. Here, Barker once again plays the focal character, Seth, who finds himself home alone while his mother is away in the hospital… or is she?  Seth isn’t so sure as he’s faced with something that looks just like his mother.

Fans of Obsession will take note of the way Barker obscures the ‘mother’ character in darkness. She’s practically a silhouette compared to Seth, who himself is barely illuminated by the house’s dim lighting. As a result, we really only hear the mother, both her ‘shadow’ version and the ‘real’ mom, whom Seth talks with over the phone. It’s a choice which makes Seth feel even more isolated from the outside world.

Like “Warnings,” “Heavy Eyes” uses the idea of someone split into two different selves — another idea put to use in Obsession — but it’s almost more frightening here, playing on the real-world Capgras delusion, a disorder which leads to the belief a loved one has been replaced by an impostor. By the end of the film, Barker has stripped away reality to reveal another vision of purgatory, and it’s one in which everyone is replaced. The though isn’t just scary, it strikes at a deeply personal fear for many, making “Heavy Eyes” a truly unsettling (and even somber) watch. It is only its length which holds it back from feeling like a more complete picture.

#3. “Enigma” (2023)

“Enigma” labels itself a ‘Psychological Thriller short film’ but make no mistake, there’s horror to be found here. The film stars Cooper Tomlinson as Adam, a depressed young man in the midst of what seem to be the final days of Earth. As he mindlessly scrolls social media,  his feed is flooded with people casually talking about committing suicide. It’s quietly disturbing, but the ways in which these people are morbidly celebrating their final days creates a clear contrast to Adam, who spends most of the short isolated in his home.

Adam only interacts with a few people in the short, but they all offer differing perspectives to life. Adam’s mother, for instance, feels he should be out celebrating too, while a vagrant Adam encounters states the end of the world isn’t an excuse to give up. And then there’s the pizza man (played by Barker), who continues to work regardless of the apocalypse. All the while, a countdown lingers prominently in the background of several shots, the camera zoomed out to capture Adam in his isolation.

Compared to Barker’s other shorts, the ending of “Enigma” leans more positive. Adam finds the courage to call Evelyn, a former love, and while we don’t see their reunion, the playing of Beach House’s bittersweet “Space Song” into “last day on earth” by Tai Verdes provides some solace that things might work out for Adam. The horror, then, of “Enigma” comes with your struggles being unheard or ignored entirely, such as when Adam’s mother is dismissive of his feelings, wanting to hear only ‘positive’ things.

While it is indeed different in tone compared to his other films, “Enigma” still gives Barker a chance to explore his interest in what it means to live. Other viewers, however, might crave something darker from the director.

#2. “The Chair” (2023)

“The Chair” is about, well, a chair. More specifically, it centers on Reese (Anthony Pavone), who finds a mysterious chair at the side of the road. He brings it home as a gift to his girlfriend, Julie (Haley Schwartz), who takes an immediate disliking to it. What happens next is a mind-bender that has to be seen to be understood. Reese finds himself missing large gaps in his memory, and strange occurrences begin happening around the house, such as Julie acting irrationally, and the appearance of an entity called ‘Dead Man Franklin’ — and it all seems connected to the chair.

As a movie, “The Chair” invites interpretation. One can view the chair as an actual supernatural object, or (as is strongly suggested) a way to portray the effects of Alzheimer’s. Either way, Barker creates a surreal nightmare for Reese, aided by both the uncanny performances of the cast and the cinematography done by Justin Phillip, who frames the environment around Reese as blurry and darkly lit.

As of writing this, “The Chair” has received over 10 million views, and was nominated for Best Film at Los Angeles Short Film Fest in 2023. It’s for good reason, too, remaining one of Barker’s strangest and strongest films. For some, it could very well top of their ranking, but there’s one film which manages to beat it.

#1. “Milk & Serial” (2024)

Shot over the course of four months and with an $800 budget, “Milk & Serial” takes a veer from the surrealist into something more tangible: the serial killer. The film focuses on friends Milk (Barker) and Seven (Cooper Tomlinson), who run a popular prank channel on YouTube. After Seven pranks Milk with a fake gun on his birthday, Milk gets him back, hiring actor Greg (Jonnathon Cripple) to break into their home. But this is only the start of Milk’s plan. Milk, who is in fact a deranged killer, stages a new ‘prank’ which leads to Seven accidentally killing Greg, and Milk pulls his friend down a path of depravity — reality breaking for both of them.

Presented in a found footage style, the camera work of “Milk & Serial” mirrors that of an amateur YouTube video. This, combined with the fact Barker and Tomlinson have history on the platform, adds authenticity to the film, as though Barker and Tomlinson are all too aware of the kinds of personalities social media can attract.

As a result, “Milk & Serial” presents a psychopath for the influencer age, and the film’s moments of comedy only enhance its more disturbing elements, answering the question of what happens when a YouTube video turns into a snuff film. It stands as Curry Barker’s strongest short film, showcasing his talent both behind and in front of the camera, earning the director the attention needed to create Obsession — and hopefully many more films to come.