Paranormal Activity

[janradder]

There's a scene in the movie Exorcist III where a nurse on night duty routinely walks over to a room to check on it. As she goes inside, the security guard just outside in the hallway leaves, comes back, and then leaves again. When he does, the nurse steps back out of the room, locks the door, then turns and walks away. And that's the door opens behind her and a man carrying a large pair of shears quickly hurries behind her. Then the movie cuts away from the scene. It's a shocking moment in the film, partly because the buildup was so slow that the fright is unexpected. The rest of Exorcist III is rather dull, but this scene always stood out to me. Paranormal Activity is an entire movie's worth of those moments.

It's about a young couple, Katie and Micah. Ever since Katie was eight, something has been visiting her room at night. To find out what it is, Micah -- who is doubtful that it's anything more than kids peeping in their windows -- buys a video camera to document the nocturnal events. Suffice to say, it's not kids. Like The Blair Witch Project and Cloverfield, the movie is made up entirely of the footage they shot, and that adds to the creepiness because it helps make everything seem a bit more realistic (it's being compared to Blair Witch because of this, but believe me -- it's a hell of a lot better).

Here's a trailer (film quality of the actual movie is much better):

The movie is extremely low budget (shot for $15,000 in 2006) but the filmmakers do well with the little resources they have. I have to say, it scared the crap out of me when I got home to our dark house (and most of the people leaving the theater left with a bit of a dazed/freaked look on their faces) Right now, it's playing at midnight showings this weekend only in just a few select cities. If you like horror movies and have a chance to see it, it's worth the money (and the sleep deprivation).

Comments

[lemon-as-always.livejournal.com]

I really REALLY want to see this film, but right now the only theater in town isn't showing it. Also, just to piss me off further, the pone number listed for the place is an automate show-times and ticket price line with no option to talk to an actual person that might know if they are planning on showing it.

Gah!!!

[janradder.livejournal.com]

If you go to the website (paranormalmovie.com) there's some place where you can "demand" the movie be shown in your area. Good luck in seeing it. I'm sure at some point it will be put into general release, though I may be wrong.

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

omg, that movie would scare the shit out of me

[janradder.livejournal.com]

It scared the shit out of me, and I don't get easily scared by movies anymore.

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

Hey, why are you on the computer? Your kids should be asleep by now. Aren't you supposed to be making out with your wife?

[janradder.livejournal.com]

She was out on the town.

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

is that a euphamism?

[janradder.livejournal.com]

No, she left me alone at home to go hang out with a friend because she's evil like that.

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

I heard you were suffering from some sort of cold. faker.

[janradder.livejournal.com]

If only that were true (faking the cold/flu part).

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

Me, too, which is why I didn't go to see it.

Then Jan came home and described the entire plot from start to finish.

Because he hates me and doesn't want me to be happy.

[geniusofevil.livejournal.com]

I was one of those people who saw Blair Witch and was terrified when I left the theater. I went for a hike a few days later and got so scared I had to come home.