2) It Follows
US Distribution: Radius-TWC
Release Date: 2015 Q1
It Follows is the ULTIMATE stalker flick, yet its simplicity is what becomes writer/director David Robert Mitchell’s most endearing attribute. Not only does Mitchell redefine an entire subgenere of horror, but he does so through an intriguing metaphor for young love, sex, and the transmitted diseases that sometimes come along with those sinful actions.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s no religious preaching or anything, and everything is tied together by a monster who sends chills up your spine while never finding a faster pace than Jason with a broken leg. I’m telling you, It Follows is so remarkably simple, you’ll be kicking yourself for not imagining the concept yourself – but it’s better you didn’t, because Mitchell damn near perfected it.
Starring future scream queen Maika Monroe, we watch as her character receives an unwanted gift after having a little summer fun with her crush in the form of a lurking beast who never stops advancing. No matter where she goes or what she does, the “creature” is continually walking in her direction, disguised as anyone it likes, and it won’t stop until reaching its goal. What happens once the creature kills? It simply goes back to the previous victim it was just passed from. Never stopping. Ever.
Just thinking about a monster that never stops, can disguise itself however necessary, and breaks you down emotionally before physically turning you into a pretzel is horrifying enough. It Follows is relentless, brooding, absolutely f#cking brilliant, and is sure to impress those horror fans looking for a fresh way to get their chills.