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Horror movie directed by Oren Peli
< read all 12 reviewsParanormal Activity: the power of suggestion is strong (spoiler-free review)
-
Oct 12, 2009
- by dcgrrl
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
This would have been a lot scarier if the teenage girls sitting next to us weren't saying "Don't go in there, it's gonna get you!" throughout the film. Frankly, I'm glad they were there. Because I still got a bit freaked out by weird noises the night after I saw it.
+4
I think the reason this film has been acclaimed is because - like The Blair Witch Project, to which it has been compared - Paranormal Activity does not spend lots of time and money on big sets and machines to scare you. It is not an action thriller. It mostly uses the power of suggestion to scare you.
The big danger with the power of suggestion is that it follows you wherever you go. Your imagination is the only limit to how horrible that monster might be. So it's kinda a personal decision if this is scary or not. And it might not be truly scary until you try to go to bed after the movie is over.
My advice is, if you want to be scared, go in with as little information as possible, and a good friend to hang on to. Preferably, one you can take home with you. This is creepy, startling and it will get under your skin if you let it.
Parents: definitely do NOT let your kids see this unless you want them to sleep with you.
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kaylam
October 17, 2009
i would just like to say that that movie was the saddest excuse for a scary movie i have ever seen. i wanted to shove the camera up the guys ass, it was nothing less than terrible, i couldnt even watch the whole thing. if anything, i heard more laughter in the theater than anything terrifying. that was a waste of time, money, and gas and i wish i didnt waste an hour of my life on something so stupid, there was nothing scary about it. omg your door shut by itself & you heard a noise outside, holy shit call the cops! whoever made this movie should be hit in the head with a bat repeatedly. worst movie ive EVER seen.
dcgrrl
October 20, 2009
As I said, it uses the power of suggestion. It's a personal decision if it's scary or not. If your imagination isn't into it, you definitely won't be scared. There's no scary monsters or CGI effects. So, kaylam, fair enough. thanks for your comment.
devora
October 22, 2009
Kayla, you should rate this movie and turn your comment into a review! ;)
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jbeswick
October 12, 2009
Great review - I plan to get Halloween tix!
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devora
October 12, 2009
I haven't seen this yet, but plan on doing it soon. The last piece of advice is important! My 30-something year old friend who lives alone saw this over the weekend and now she refuses to be alone and is crashing on a friend's couch for the rest of the week. I'm already scared! Thanks for sharing :)
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More Paranormal Activity (2009 movi... reviews
*** out of **** "Paranormal Activity" is a rare case. It's the kind of horror movie in which those behind it would like nothing more to indulge and please devote fans of the horror genre; but nevertheless, the response from such a community is sharply divided. From personal experience; reactions seem to range from "loved it" to "hated it". This is unfortunate, because the movie tries hard and emerges rather successful; it would just appear that somewhat misleading marketing … more
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Compliments (12)
Constantine, Queen of the damned, Drag me to hell, Underworld, House on haunted hill, The Amityville horror, An American Haunting, The haunting in Connecticut, The ring, The grudge, The Omen, The Hills have eyes, 1408, Ghost Ship, Jeepers Creepers, Halloween, Darkness Falls, Silent hill, etc I could go on and on and on. None of the movies I’ve named or could name even come close to Paranormal Activity. If you’ve read my Drag me to hell review then you … more
Comments (2)
Compliments (12)
Remember a few years ago when “The Blair Witch Project” overcame genre expectations and became a blockbuster cult hit? That film had several other films that were inspired by its “Mockumentary” style gimmick; “Cloverfield”, “[REC]” and “Quarantine” to name a few. Well, writer/director Oren Peli’s “PARANORMAL ACTIVITY” is another film that follows in the footsteps of those films. It premiered in the 2007 Screamfest … more
Comments (33)
Compliments (132)
**Cracking knuckles** The scariest, most terrifying experience you could possibly have in the theaters?? Hmm, I digress. I seem to remember writing a review for Cloverfield back in 2008. Oh wait, I also wrote a column for that Blair Witch Project travesty also in 1999. Needless to say this handheld camera film gimmick doesn't seem to be getting any better nor do I appreciate them anymore after 10 & a half years. I am steering clear from anymore of these … more
Comments (26)
Compliments (75)
Paranormal Activity is the $15,000 dollar fright fest that turned into a multi million dollar smash thanks to marketing and word of mouth. The plot is simple enough to follow. Katie and her boyfriend Micah are troubled by odd noises in their San Diego home. To find out what it is that's going bump in the night, Micah sets up a video camera while they slumber. What we watch on screen, is the footage that was found afterwards. Fans and critics … more
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Compliments (41)
The sheer fact that this film was produced for around 10,000 USD is something to be praised. Although the actors' skills weren't top notch, there was definitely a notable "horror film" feeling broadcast to moviegoers through watching Paranormal Activity. While watching the movie, all of the points that make a good horror film are present – you know, the “what the hell are you doing, no! Call the demonologist!” and “ are you crazy?!! get out … more
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Compliments (23)
Banking on the added "realism" of using a home video camera, "Paranormal Activity" plays out on the screen in a fashion very similar to films such as "The Blair Witch Project" and "Cloverfield." Much like these two films, the success of this movie relies heavily on the execution of this gimmicky style of filming. The film opens with Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat) fairly settled into their new home. Micah has purchased a camera in order to capture "paranormal" … more
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review by dtruong.
October 21, 2009
Before I start the review, I'd just like to mention that I'm an avid horror movie fan. In the ocean of horrible horror movies, it's a challenge to find those few hidden treasures laying under the sand. This movie fares pretty well, but it's not because it is "really scary". Personally, I didn't think this movie was all that scary. But gauging the crazy reactions from others in the movie theater... some people were really genuinely scared out of their minds. … more
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Compliments (35)
Extremely overrated. Not scary. A waste of time. Dumb dumb
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Quick Tip by ajoxley.
July 22, 2010
Crazy... This movie really got me... I love scary movies but this is over the edge...
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About the reviewer
Heather (dcgrrl)
Ranked #81
Ranked #81
I'm a Washington, DC native and I really hope I help you discover something that makes your life easier or more fun.
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About this movie
Paranormal Activity is a 2009 mockumentary horror film written and directed by Oren Peli. The movie premiered at the Screamfest Film Festival in US on October 14, 2007, and at the Slamdance Film Festival on January 18, 2008. The movie is currently in limited release in several cities in the United States as of October of 2009.[2] The movie centers on a young couple, Katie and Micah, who are haunted by a supernatural presence in their home. The movie is presented through the camera set up by the couple to capture the paranormal activity.
Like The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity is an impressive and harrowing indie chiller that derives much of its terror--and there is quite a bit of that in its brief running time--by playing on the most basic of human fears: that which cannot be seen. Though one might assume that the point-of-view aesthetic had been worn out thanks toCloverfieldandQuarantine(and, lest one forgets,Blair Witch),Paranormalmakes excellent use of the single-camera technique, which helps to not only preserve the film's central conceit--a new-minted couple records the increasingly threatening supernatural phenomena that have invaded their home on a camcorder--but underscore the realism needed to drive home the low-fi (if completely persuasive) special effects. The approach is also crucial to the film's suspense, which unfolds in long, largely broken takes to nerve-rattling effect. Not every horror fan--or moviegoer--will fall for the ...
Cast:
Katie Featherston,
Micah Sloat
Director:
Oren Peli
Genre:
Horror
Release Date:
16 October 2009 (USA)
MPAA Rating:
R
Screen Writer:
Oren Peli
DVD Release Date:
December 29, 2009
Runtime:
86 minutes
Studio:
Paramount,
Blumhouse Productions
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