Why you must watch It Follows
It Follows directed by David Robert Mitchell just got released in the UAE and if it's playing in a cinema near you, please go watch it. I avoided reading about it or seeing any trailers. All I know is that I heard good things about it. Scary and good.
I won't include the trailer, as it gives too much away. But here's the film's synopsis.
For 19-year-old Jay (Monroe), the fall should be about school, boys and weekends at the lake. Yet, after a seemingly innocent sexual encounter she suddenly finds herself plagued by nightmarish visions; she can't shake the sensation that someone, or something, is following her.
As the threat closes in, Jay and her friends must somehow escape the horrors that are only a few steps behind.
With a riveting central performance from Monroe and a strikingly ominous electronic score by Disasterpeace, IT FOLLOWS took the 2014 Cannes Film Festival by storm and will be released by RADiUS in the Winter of 2015.
The ending of the film makes room for a sequel, but I hope there won't be any. It's a great film on its own without turning into a franchise.
It Follows is rated R and 140 minutes long. In the UAE cinemes, the scenes with sexual content are slightly edited and a couple of scenes that contain nudity appear "pixelated"), but none of this spoils the story line. Trust me.
Here are the three reasons why I loved the film. Whether you're in the UAE or elsewhere, if you get a chance, go to the cinema and watch It Follows.
The film's style and rhythm
There are lots of lingering shots in It Follows. The eeriest parts of the film were the over the shoulders camera angles and the panoramic shots. It got me sitting on the edge of my seat, it made me look all over the screen because I felt something was going to happen, that something or someone will jump out of the screen. This film needs to be seen on a big screen to appreciate Robert Mitchell's control over the viewers.
The film's setting
It Follows is set in Detroit, but isn't tied to a specific year/decade. There's no clear indication on when the story in is set. It could be in the present or in past, and I liked that about the film. Having said that, the home interiors did look retro. None of the characters were using mobile phones or any modern gadgets. Apart from Yara who was using this clamshell shaped e-reader (that I desperately want) in several scenes. I liked that the film isn't tied to a specific year/decade.
The music
Oh the music... If you love synth, then this haunting synth heavy film track by Disasterpeace is just for you. You can listen to all 18 tracks below and buy it from here. I was hooked as soon as I heard the title track on the big screen (no. 2 in the link below) and I knew it would be soundtrack I'd want to own. Although not one to alone late night.
<a href="http://music.disasterpeace.com/album/it-follows">It Follows by Disasterpeace</a>