1. It Follows
David Robert Mitchell's complete mastery of the 360 degree shot is just one of the reasons why It Follows so successfully builds up layer upon layer of tension - as a visual stylist his drifting camera and striking framing builds upon the great horror movies of the 1970s which the movie pays homage to. After sleeping with someone on a date, Jay (Maika Monroe) discovers that she's being followed by an otherworldly entity capable of taking on the form of anyone it chooses. Only sleeping with someone else will pass the curse on, and as the entity draws ever closer and her escapes become narrower it becomes a race against time to lift the curse. A metaphor for youthful sexuality with some truly chilling set pieces, It Follows continues on from last year's The Babadook as another great example of how independent cinema can produce far more effective horror than the studio system - watch the recent remake of Poltergeist and It Follows' layered subtexts, mature handling of character and masterful mood becomes even more apparent. What other great independent movies have you seen this year? Why not tell us about them in the comments?