It’s not until Obex nears its conclusion that the films theme, or really one of its thee, is expressly stated: “Someday we’ll all live in computers because life outside is too sad.” The 2025 DIY fantasy film from Albert Birney, which recently made its streaming premiere on Night Flight Plus, uses old school video game tropes and retro setting to tell a story that’s all-to-relevant to the contemporary film audience.
It’s 1987, cicadas are constantly buzzing and Conor lives a fairly isolated life in Baltimore with his dog, Sandy. He buys a new computer game, one where he can play as himself. Both the game and the movie take a surreal turn, though, when Sandy disappears and Conor embarks on a Legend of Zelda-style quest to retrieve his dog.
Virtually everything I’ve seen/read about Obex reference David Lynch, but, outside of a few moments with vague visual similarity, I’m not sold on that comparison. It’s closer to an adult Adventure Time, where game design is a framework for a quest and self-discovery. In Obex, we’re talking about “save the princess” games, with man’s best friend standing in for Zelda, Peach, etc. On the journey, Conor will learn more about himself.
What I love about Obex is that it doesn’t look like a video game. It’s filmed in black and white with plenty of real nature scenes filmed during the 2021 cicada event in Maryland. The special effects are kept to a bare minimum and the costumes have a first-time cosplay feel to them. All this blurs the line between the real world and the fantasy realm, which is very apt for 2026.
Obex is also not a particularly nostalgic movie, which I appreciate. It’s loaded with vintage tech and physical media, but that really just speaks to the year in which it’s set. Really, Obex taps into the loneliness that has probably always been a part of machine life, but is noticeably absent from movies like War Games and Electric Dreams.
Birney, best known the 2021 film Strawberry Mansion, and indie video game Tux and Fanny, is also a musician (he played in The Spinto Band in the early 2000s) and has directed videos for the likes of Future Islands and Dan Deacon. Fittingly, there’s also a cool music component to Obex. Josh Dibb, aka Deakin from Animal Collective, composed the film’s score, although some of Birney’s own music is included in Obex as well. There’s also a very cool, minimal karaoke cover of the Gary Numan song “Cars” in it.
Even though Obex is set in 1987 and is a movie about a computer game, I don’t think it’s really for the pop culture nerd crowd. It’s not a Stranger Things-style nostalgia trip or an action-packed adventure or a horror gore-fest. It’s slower-paced, more meditative and very thoughtful. I appreciate that. If you do too, then check it out.
Liz O. is an L.A.-based writer and DJ. Follow on Instagram or sign up for the weekly, Beatique newsletter for updates on new stories and gigs.
Listen to the Beatique Mix for June, 2026, featuring music from Yoko Ono, Scott Walker, Slayyyter, Purple Disco Machine , Madonna and more.
Keep Reading:
Replaced By Robots’ Retro-Futurist Theme For the End of the World
Director Christopher Bickel on Pater Noster and the Mission of Light