Blast from the past, going old school, call it what you will but I'm going to do a post representing the original purpose of this blog: a movie review! Of course, in the spirit of the upcoming holiday the end of this month, I have to go with something scary and frightening. So let's go with one of the newer breed films that has a soon-to-be released sequel:
Paranormal Activity
A nice young couple has begun experiencing some "strange" things happening in their home. The boyfriend Micah decides to videotape everything to try and capture what is causing all the disturbances. But as time goes by, him and his girlfriend Katie find that it's more than just a mere ghost terrorizing them, and is actually something more sinister.
Those who've seen "The Blair Witch Project" will recognize the hands-free, documentary style format used here to great affect. As simple as the setup is, it's actually very appropriate. It forces you to watch every single thing on the screen, keeping you guessing as to what you will see.
The acting is good as well, despite the cast of a whooping 4 people. Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat hold their own, and are capable of working with pure emotion rather than using an actual script.
I guess the important questions is: is the movie scary? For me personally, the answer is no. There may be a reason for this though. Having already had an idea as to what the movie was about, I could already see what was going to happen. For me also was that the more interesting responses from the ghost didn't occur until towards the end of the movie, and although it ended on a strong and disturbing note, I don't feel the rest of the movie built up to it properly (note: I felt that a combination of the real ending and the alternate ending would've been the most effective).
Just something I would like to point out. In my opinion, I feel the movie is over-hyped. What made the movie well-received when it first came out was that no one really knew what to expect, what it was about, and it came out at the height of the popularity from shows like "Ghost Hunters." If the movie had been released this year, I don't think it would've done as well.
What else can I say? The movie was better than "Blair Witch Project", and would be enjoyable to anyone who is a real fan of the paranormal. But I can't say this movie is for everyone looking for a good scare. Maybe "Paranormal Activity 2" will take it to the next level. If you believe in it too, pull out an old Ouija board and see if you can channel your own spirits. Don't invite Katie though:
I don't give a f*** what that thing says on the Ouija board!
