4. It Follows

Last year I complained about how I thought The Babadook was an overrated film. It was good, but not great. It Follows is this year’s Babadook, but I feel the exact opposite about it. From, everything from the synth score to the cinematography of suburbia reminiscent of John Carpenter’s Halloween, I love it. Many people have complained that the film is not scary, but this seems to be mainly because there aren’t many jump scares in the film. It Follows is a movie that builds dread expertly and really sticks with you afterward. It’s not a jumpy film, but it is able to transfer the fear and paranoia of the cast (led by an appealing Maika Monroe) onto the viewer. Also clever is that the It Follows doesn’t seem to be set in a specific time period. Director David Robert Mitchell does a wonderful job keeping time period clues out of the frame, and just draws you into this bleak world he has created. While the supposed sequel Follow It isn’t completely necessary, I would welcome it with open arms if it’s even half as good as It Follows.