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Paranormal Activity

Paranormal_Activity_poster.jpg

Popular by word of the mouth and considerable, a good movie.

Some may say that this film frightened them, to me, this film didn't scare me at all. This film is generally like Blair Witch Project in a way of directing and plot. Paranormal Activity is about a couple that is being haunted by the paranormal/supernatural. All the footage in the movie is captured by a camera (or "shaky camera" directing style) something that adds to the feel. Being that, the film is pretty straight forward.

I found this film to be good in a sense that it was made too look realistic as possible. Everything from the acting (although the character Micah bugged me a little), to the environment, but what else would you expect from a "mockumentary". The special effects of the film were not over the top and had a right mixture to seem believable (except for the ending, but I'm not going to spoil that).

For my honest opinion on it, it was okay at the very best. I didn't really find the film to be that scary, but it does have those moments that kind of catch you off guard.

Now that this film is under wide release, there is a reason to watch the movie due to it being that way by popular demand. Worth checking this film out as it is a pretty good more for maybe some scare.

Final Verdict: 7.5/10
 
See, I didn't find the film scary because I am religious...demons are present in the Bible (as are demonic possessions) but it states if you believe in the Lord than you cannot be physically harmed by the forces of Satan. Because of this the only reason I found the film hard to watch was.because the plot was basically this: non-religious couple doing everything you're NOT supposed to do when confronted by a demonic presence...such as calling psychics, using ouija boards, etc, all teses things that are against the Lord's word. If they had been religious, they would have known the only thing that could help them is the Big Man upstairs...but, ugh, I'm know I'm going on a rant and I'm not trying to force religion or anything like that it's just...to me I thought this is the most overhyped film I've seen in quite sometime. I mean, atleast The Exorcist was actually a good movie (one of my favorites) because God triumphed over evil in the end, the family found faith, actually had deeper meaning. Paranormal (aside from the effects and how it was filmed...which was brilliant by the way) just wasn't that great of a movie.


uh ok that was probably the worst review of a movie i have ever read

anyway i was impressed with this movie. ending was absolutely terrible though , what the fuck was spielberg thinking? the alternate endings are significantly better.

movie was great for not resorting to shock horror, which is a rarity. it was perfect at making you uncomfortable and giving you this deep, ambient fear and letting your imagination run wild. definitely a good watch.
 
I really want to go see this movie, hopefully I can convince my friends to go this weekend. It reminds me of this one copypasta... Forgot what it was called, about the woman who films herself at night and sees this creature watching her (The story started with logs of the creature haunting other people).
 
I think I saw a commercial for this, it looks fantasic. I wanna go see this with a couple of my friends on Halloween night. :3
What's it rated, PG-13 or R? I hate the fact that I can't get in to an R movie without my parents acually buying a ticket as well. I mean come on, they're right there approving it. >_>
 
movie was great for not resorting to shock horror, which is a rarity. it was perfect at making you uncomfortable and giving you this deep, ambient fear and letting your imagination run wild. definitely a good watch.

I agree with this part a lot as throughout the whole movie especially at night scenes I was really nervous that they'd do something dumb and just have one of those jumper scares, and was really thankful that there weren't really any. The creepiness was all in the set up watching a presence over the couple as they are unaware.

I read up on the alternate endings, and eh I don't know I was just fine with the regular ending, it wasn't great but I don't have any complaints with it as it served its purpose for the theater I guess.

EDIT pretty sure it's R sorry man
 
anyway i was impressed with this movie. ending was absolutely terrible though , what the fuck was spielberg thinking? the alternate endings are significantly better.

Speilberg's ending seemed REALLY fake and a bit too Hollywood especially since it doesn't go with the mood. I am waiting for the dvd for the third ending.
 
The most overrated movie I've ever seen. I went with my dad who does not genuinely get scared by movies often but convinced him to go with the disclaimer that this movie would scare him, and afterward he chastised me for wasting his time and I don't blame him. Was it a decent move? Yes, definitely. Was it worth $11.75? Probably not. Was it better than The Blair Witch Project/Quarantine/Cloverfield? Not even close.
 
Hmm. This movie is really tempting me to camcording myself at night.

Below contains spoiler.
As for the ending, I'm still curious as to how the husband got killed. Perhaps it was a knife, a broken neck from falling, choking, or a hit from a heavy object, or, entirely out of every reality, it could have been the spirit force. Ohhh. The way the wife sniffs on the dead body of her husband really adds the good chilling too.

For me Paranormal Activity was a kind of refreshing, yet claustrophobic, but suspenseful horror film. It makes for a great date movie if you haven't taken your boyfriend/girlfriend to watch it with you.
 
Was it worth $11.75? Probably not. Was it better than The Blair Witch Project/Quarantine/Cloverfield? Not even close.

Odd, I got into the movie for $10.00. I do agree that it cannot be better than The Blair Witch Project (which I saw recent) or Cloverfield. I personally did not like Quarantine.
 
Movie ticket prices are different everywhere. I live in New York City where they are probably the highest in the country lol

edit: and Ronin I think you might want to put a spoiler warning in your post cause you kind of describe the whole ending scene
 
The connection you made to the Blair Witch Project really made me wanna see this movie.
That movie was really good, I'll probably see this in the next week

Ill report back here
 
I will certainly make sure to avoid seeing this after reading this thread.

Not entirely on-topic, but I am curious as to why people like The Blair Witch Project. I found it one of the most boring, uninspired films I have ever seen. Watching people walk through a forest and scream ad lib obscenities at each other for an hour is not my idea of entertainment. I don't recall ever once being remotely scared, even though most reviewers and film critics seem to agree that it was one of the scariest films ever. I had to force myself to continue watching, in the expectation that surely something interesting must eventually happen for it to have received this level of hype. But no: there was no suspense, no action, no character or plot development, no identification, no anything but the inevitable, tedious, motion-sick fulfillment of the conclusion already revealed in the opening moments of the film. Do I just not "get" it, or something?
 
This was an eerie movie, I found myself very on edge every night sequence, psyching myself out that there would be a jumper or something along those lines. I was pleased that there wasn't, but even now I have an uncomfortable feeling, like I'll look over my shoulder while typing this. my question really is about the monster like

obviously it possessed her at the end, but there was also blood stains on her stomach, was it her own blood or was it like the monster entering her or exiting. I also didn't understand it's problem with Micah, why did it have such hatred towards him?

but yes, a pretty good movie all in all
 
^^ It kind of hated him because he was antagonizing it and trying to communicate.

Anyways, I thought the movie was good. Not very scary at all, but pretty suspenseful at times. Still, I thought it was really entertaining towards the end.
 
I thought the movie was pretty good but didn't think it was that scary at all. I felt that the movie was more like an episode of A Haunting or Ghosthunters rather than a typical horror movie.
 
I will certainly make sure to avoid seeing this after reading this thread.

Not entirely on-topic, but I am curious as to why people like The Blair Witch Project. I found it one of the most boring, uninspired films I have ever seen. Watching people walk through a forest and scream ad lib obscenities at each other for an hour is not my idea of entertainment. I don't recall ever once being remotely scared, even though most reviewers and film critics seem to agree that it was one of the scariest films ever. I had to force myself to continue watching, in the expectation that surely something interesting must eventually happen for it to have received this level of hype. But no: there was no suspense, no action, no character or plot development, no identification, no anything but the inevitable, tedious, motion-sick fulfillment of the conclusion already revealed in the opening moments of the film. Do I just not "get" it, or something?

Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity are really similar so you might not want to see it if you didn't like Blair Witch Project.

Blair Witch was innovative for it's time because not many films have adopted the shaky camera. It wasn't that scary actually, I think it is something psychological like you fear the unknown when you are lost or something similar to that (the ending made it seem that way).
 
When I saw this movie I didn't think it was that scary at all. I only went to go see it because a lot of the people in my school said it was the scariest movie they had ever seen. So I went and I was disappointing it wasn't that scary. I think that this movie is scary for people that actualy think this stuff exists or maybe imagine themselves in a similar situation. Overall I think the only reason this movie was successful was because of good marketing. I'd give the movie a six out of ten. I'm also not a fan of the shaky camera.
 
I loved this movie, I went with a couple friends and my sisters, and we were completely terrified by it. Granted, it could have been some of the theater experience (ie, everyone screaming/yelling, people jumping, etc)... but somehow I doubt it. I was trying to crawl under my sister, while snuggling into my hoodie, my sister and I were holding hands, she was shaking; and my friend sitting next to me kept hitting me saying "oh my god, Anita, oh my god" on all the intense parts.

Then we had to walk in a dark parking lot... and drive home next to a ditch, haha. Our imaginations were going crazy, it just magnified the experience. Yes, we let ourselves get caught up in the storyline, but what is the point of going to watch a "horror" flick if you don't intend to be terrified? Granted, this is the first one that has managed to get me, unless you count the movies from when I was under 13. It was great! Of course, afterwards, we had to celebrate and I managed managed to get the drunkest I've been in ages (which is good because had I not passed out, I would have probably had nightmares...).

It was totally worth the experience, in my opinion.

...That little smile in her eyes, towards the end of the movie STILL gives me goose bumps when I think about it... *shudders*

Anyways, I plan on re-watching it to see how the "out of the theater" experience goes.
 
I agree with AJers' post completely. I saw it in theatres too and had a similar experience. Loved this movie and I'm definetly going to buy and watch it again. The suspense and everything they applied slowly through the movie worked fanatastically!

The end may have been a bit dramatic and not as well thought-out as the rest of the movie, but if they didn't have any kind of jumpout ending after that buildup I would be confused.

and my favourite night scenes would have to be the first time the sheets role (the same night the door slams), the one where she gets dragged out, and of course the last!

It was super realistic (not sure if it was all/some improv like Blair Witch...) and the reappearing "camera filming them sleeping" scenes were so eerie and suspenseful!

anyway, loved this movie and to think it was filmed for only 15 000 dollars...inspiring
 
This was an eerie movie, I found myself very on edge every night sequence, psyching myself out that there would be a jumper or something along those lines. I was pleased that there wasn't, but even now I have an uncomfortable feeling, like I'll look over my shoulder while typing this. my question really is about the monster like

obviously it possessed her at the end, but there was also blood stains on her stomach, was it her own blood or was it like the monster entering her or exiting. I also didn't understand it's problem with Micah, why did it have such hatred towards him?

but yes, a pretty good movie all in all

I'm going to hide my post just cause I'm gonna talk bout spoilers:
It was Micah's blood from what I understand. When he went down to help her she killed him (and then scared the crap out of me by lobbing his dead body at the camera :|). The demon was pissed off at him because Micah did everything the psychic told him not to do - communicate and taunt the demon. He on many occasions taunted it and the ouji board obviously. Instead of just being passive he tried 'fighting' the demon. (I think the tipping point was burning the picture he found in the attic).

I have to say it was one hellof a freaky movie. If it was just the night scenes it wouldn't be as scary, it was just the whole set-up of the movie and overall that terror and disturbed feeling that it gave you. Coupled by the progressively worse night scenes, it was pretty scary. It didn't rely on shock horror, it was this psychology mindfuck horror broke you down overtime and left you feeling just... disturbed (that's how I felt). My favorite night scenes would be:

  • When they powder the floor, and Micah says 'footsteps coming in but none going out'.
  • Katie getting out of bed to watch Micah
  • When they investigate the attic and find the picture from Katie's first house - WHAT THE FUCK, MAN
  • (Obviously) The final night
  • The 2nd last night where Katie is dragged out of bed.
Overall it was great and scary!
 
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