Review: Like.Share.Follow

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In recent years, horror and technology have converged. From found-footage films that use drones to entire plot lines needing the internet or Skype to function, these movies have a growing history in the genre. Building on this new world of digitalization and tying into last week's list of these movies is the newly released Like.Share.Follow.


Following a semi-famous teen Youtuber and his friends, Like.Share.Follow. is a winding exploration of obsessive celebrity culture and the length fans believe themselves to be a part of the lives of constantly status updating celebrities. Released alongside Totem by Cinemax, The movie takes a turn when a young woman decides to take her obsession to the next level and go from online-stalker to physical stalker, as she seeks out and becomes romantically attached to the Youtuber. The film stars Keiynan Lonsdale (Insurgent) as Garret, the Youtuber who is tricked into a relationship with his obsessive fan, Shell, played by Ema Horvath (Burning Kentucky).


Like many teen horror films, the quality of Like.Share.Follow. resides mostly in entertainment value, rather than actual scares. And unlike the aforementioned and previously reviewed Totem, Like.Share.Follow. is truly fun. Far more watchable thanks to Lonsdale who carries a large portion of the film on his charisma alone, Like.Share.Follow. isn't all that groundbreaking or original. But, it's definitely better than the comparative Totem and certainly way more enjoyable to watch. Horvath is also great in her role as the unhinged girl who simply cannot process that what she's doing is quite insane.


Like.Share.Follow. works best as an exploration of youth and digitalization. The very intimate nature of social media and the connection celebrities now must maintain with fans is on full display throughout the movie. Despite it's been there-done-that stalker premise, the heavy hand of modern life helps it stand out. This isn't just another recreation of The Roommate or Misery, it's its own thing altogether. It’s the type of movie that in a world of short attention spans is capable of holding audiences attentions with all its new gizmos and gadgets and atmosphere of “what-ifs.”


Like.Share.Follow. does the most with its stale narrative. With plenty of youth-driven plot devices and a great final punch, it's hard to deny the movie's personality. Turning out great performances by young stars and capturing the unhinged nature of stan culture, this movie is worth sitting through - even if you find that your phone is out the majority of the time. 6 out 10.

Best in Show: Digital Damnation (Pt. II of II)



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5. Bedeviled

Recency bias aside, Bedeviled does a fantastic job at capturing youth digital culture. The very basis of this film surrounds an app that seems like a must-have, but later turns into a must-be-stopped. With plenty of creepy scenes and a devilish voice crackling through mobile devices, Bedeviled is perfectly entertaining, even if a little silly. This film feels fresh thanks to its pairing of teenagers' attachment and need for their phone at all times and a demon that comes along with it.

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4. Kairo (Pulse)

Kairo, a Japanese horror film that finds a number of victims battling an internet ghost, is a well-regarded classic. It's a slow-burning, dual-storyline flick that was one of the first digital horror movies of its kind. With a fantastic soundtrack, dreadfully tense moments and effective acting all make for a film that Is really well put together, even if early-2000 visuals run rampant in Kairo, taking away some of its power. But, despite this hurdle, Kairo is still scary - scary enough to watch now, even If our computers are very different and the impact of some of the more special effects are antiquated.

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3. The Den 

In The Den a young researcher's social experiment goes horribly wrong when she witnesses a murder on an online video chat room. In doing so, she unbeknown to her becomes the killer's next target. Easily one of the scarier found-footage films to come out of the modern era, The Den is intensely grounded, ensuring a terrifying time for those who live alone. The Den use of idle time spent with digital strangers to instill fear and it’s very effective.

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2. Ringu/The Ring

The Ring was all the rage when it was released. One of those Asian-import remakes that managed to capture at least some of the original's fantastic horrors. Easily one of the most iconic horror films of all time with a ghoulish figure that has been recreated over and over, Ringu and The Ring are certainly classics. Each features the ghastly Samara who kills her victims seven days after they see a disturbing VHS tape. Later adapted for the more modern era, but better left in the day of VHS shelves, this franchise is deservedly a forefather of technological horror.

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1. Sinister

While Ringu and The Ring are often considered the best of the best when it comes to horrific technology, it's hard to argue the deeply disturbing effectiveness of Bagul moving through pictures and video tapes. Sure, Ringu is a classic, but it continues to age and in a world where VHS isn't even accessible to most, it feels dated. Even with the follow up Rings, the magic seems almost lifted from these terrifying horror films. But, what has yet to be effected by time is the continually scary Sinister. More transcendent of time than The Ring franchise, the evil demon at the center of Sinister needs only images of himself to move among worlds - something that works especially well in homes filled with screens. From laptop images to pictographs to moving videos, Bagul can visibly stand the test of time and could continue to do so in theaters, even if its lackluster sequel underwhelmed.

Best in Show: Digital Damnation (Pt. I of II)

As new technologies come forward, older generations seem more and more troubled by these progressive inventions. From fears of robot domination to unnerving sources of knowledge in phones, the real life horror of some advances is mostly overreaction. But, in the horror industry, the digital era comes with a bed full of terrifying possibilities to strike fear in viewers. From VHS tapes to Skype, filmmakers have plenty of options to terrify audiences of every age. Unfortunately, some of these films just can't capture terror. But, while movies like The Circle failed to make an impact, others like those on this week's list can stun and scare. These movies use current, real-life technology to make audiences afraid of their computers, media players and phones. They're not quite as futuristic as say, I, Robot, but that's what makes them even more haunting - they could (probably not, though) happen.

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10. Friend Request

The constantly to-be-released Friend Request isn't the scariest film, but it does a lot for the digital era of horror. Featuring some predictable, but good scares on Facebook and a curse caused by a mysterious and troubled Facebook friend and classmate, Friend Request makes the most of its mostly unfortunate lines of dialogue and subpar plot. One jump scare in particular is especially fantastic - so fantastic in fact, that it could elevate the film to slightly above average, rather than mediocrely watchable.

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9. Like.Share.Follow

Part teen drama, part horror film, this new horror film doesn't break any ground, but it does a lot to pass the time. Exploring obsessive internet stardom and the way in which young people become obsessed with internet-famous stars, Like.Share.Follow. follows a stalker who becomes far too attached to a charming Youtuber. As the film progresses, nothing quite unpredictable happens, but for those searching for a more relevant and grounded film, this one's it. It's a dark and scary spiral to mediocre insanity - but it’s worth every second thanks to Keiynan Lonsdale (Dance Academy: The Movie) who's charisma all but carries the film on his back.

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8. Ratter

Could strangers - and the government - be watching us through our laptop webcams? The jury is still out on that one, but in Ratter it takes this idea as fact and runs far with it. Make no mistake, this film, which follows a young woman who moved to New York City for school and later encounters a stalker, is a dreadfully slow burn. With nearly all the movie playing out with increasingly suspicious moments, the terrifying encounter with the stalker is dark and disturbing. Ratter is a home invasion flick where the invader is almost entirely on the outside of the home.

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7. Stay Alive

Horror video games have their own special place in genre fans' hearts. For years, their existence has pushed boundaries, terrified players and made the horror experience more immersive and interactive. But, what happens when a horror game transcends into real life? That's the premise of 2006's Stay Alive. While somewhat dated, this entertaining and intriguing horror film found a group of friends attempting to outlast their characters in a video game with real world consequences. The premise of dying in a game and in turn, actually dying isn't necessarily the most groundbreaking, but it is creative. Like Jumanji for teens, Stay Alive is crazed and unrealistic, but deeply terrifying.

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6. Unfriended

The surprise hit that is Unfriended was pretty revolutionary given that it takes place entirely on computer screens. The fact that it pushed the genre in a new, exciting direction and was able to create real scares and enough steam to impress audiences is shocking, but not undeserved. While it's hard to believe audiences paid to go to a theater to look at a computer screen, it’s not so hard to see why this movie was successful. In the digital era it represented so much of youth culture and the virality of online content. It showed consequences, that, while outlandish, were terrifying and carried quite the anti-bullying message.

Best in Show: Clingy Foes (Pt. II of II)



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4. Obsessed Beyoncé in a horror movie? Yes. Before the bat-swinging vengeful Beyoncé of Lemonade, she was playing the equally vengeful mother and wife of a man who attacks the unwanted attention of stalker Lisa, played by the especially starling Ali Larter. This movie is entertaining purely based on the insanity of Lisa and the eventual melodramatic confrontation between Beyoncé's Sharon and her. This movie isn't scary, but it is fun. Idris Elba's Derek is perfect in his role as the trapped victim of Lisa's games. Whether at work or on a trip, he can't escape her.


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3. Misery

In perhaps one of the most iconic obsession films, the Stephen King original finds Kathy Bates in one of her biggest roles. As an obsessed reader and self-proclaimed "number one fan" of fictional author Paul Sheldon, Bates' Annie is a terrifying control freak and stalker. So obsessed with the writer that she attempts to keep him for herself, Annie forged the way for future characters like hers. From spoofs to music videos, Misery left a lasting mark on pop culture. Misery is a dreary film that finds chaos in fandoms. It’s the type of film that is especially poignant in today's celebrity-obsessed culture where fans, "stans" and trolls engross themselves and harass famous people as if they're their best friends or their worst enemy. In fact, Misery now, feels ahead of its time.



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2. The Gift

Entering this film with little outside knowledge of it is the best way to become fully enveloped in the twisting plot of The Gift. Deeply unsettling and grossly underrated, The Gift follows the arrival of a mysterious man from a husband's past as he interjects himself in the couple's lives. All isn't as it seems though, and by the movie's climax, this obsession story featuring gifts left on doorsteps becomes an engulfing experience that'll leave you stunned. Without saying more, as not to give away all this film holds, The Gift is a troubling must-see.

 

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1. Orphan

In terms of commitment, nothing will ever reach the levels of insanity that is Esther from Orphan. By far one of the most legendary movies to come out of modern horror, the film's infamous twist paired with compelling performances by horror maven Vera Farmiga and up-and-comer Isabelle Fuhrman made audiences shriek. Orphan is one of those movies that "goes there;" completely unafraid of what its reception would be. Esther's obsession with the father, and well, her past fathers, is next level. The film's finale reveal brings on major creep vibes and whether you think you're a clingy person or not, chances are you'll realize you're not that level of obsessed. While movies like it have come before and will surely follow, Orphan deserves this spot of infamy.

Best in Show: Clingy Foes (Pt. I of II)

While often trashy, horror movies featuring an obsessive stalker can often be the most fun to watch. Plenty of cheesy, over-the-top and gratuitous films have been met by panning critics and fans that, while acknowledging the films' flaws, ate these movies and their trashy ridiculousness up. Movies about obsession are never the scariest, but they definitely are worth-watching and trashing surrounded by friends. This week's list observes the best horror movies to watch when you're feeling a little obsessive. If you resonate with any of these characters, chances are you've gone too far.




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8. The Roommate 

Perhaps one of the trashiest films to come out of the mid-2000s/early 2010s, The Roommate is every students worst nightmare. Making last week's list of best college horror films, The Roommate stars Leighton Meester as college freshman with sinister intentions. After moving into her room and meeting roommate Sara, Meester's Rebecca becomes very committed to their friendship. Beginning with the tiniest levels of copycatting and moving up the scale rather quickly, Rebecca covers a lot of ground; getting tattoos, killing small animals and eventually, going after people. The Roommate is the type of movie every college freshman should watch, if not to learn lessons, then simply to scare them.

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7. No Good Deed

Equal parts home invasion as it is obsession thriller, No Good Deed treads water a little more than it should, but at its core is a story that'll scare. Featuring a woman home alone with her two children and a stranger who comes knocking at her door, this movie is havoc and dark. While flawed in many ways, the on-screen command of stars Taraji P. Henson and Idris Elba are enough to make the movie feel worth it. Not only does it make the intentions of strangers more suspect, this movie will leave you checking your locks.



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6. Prom Night (2008) Loosely remade from the 1980 original, Prom Night follows Donna, a high school senior who witnessed her entire family murdered by an obsessed teacher as she prepares for prom. Like any great slasher, Prom Night features plenty of blood, lust and unsettling atmosphere.  Prom Night is best reserved for slumber parties and group get-togethers as you and your friends discuss the creepiest of teachers at your school or from your childhood because, let’s face it, every school has one. Even though this movie is extremely conventional, Prom Night is the perfect, trashy romp of a stalker film.
 

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5. P2

Nothing says Christmas spirit like getting locked in a parking garage by a security guard hell-bent on making you his lover. P2 is the often overlooked obsessive stalker flick that fans of the subgenre need to see. Easily one of the most unsettling stalker films around, this movie features a main villain so impossibly blinded by his obsession that it’s terrifying. Wes Bentley is incredible. His ability to make the character a horrifying stalker without being comical is fresh and incredible. He is a true scene stealer that viewers will love to hate.