Paranormal Activity

Gamblour. · October 10, 2009, 11:28:36 PM

Ummmmmmmmm ok, so NO ONE has seen this yet? Holy fucking shit.

This movie is, without a doubt, the scariest movie I've ever seen. I just finished watching it an hour ago and it's still got me really freaked out. Every light is on in our house right now, and I'm probably going to sleep like shit tonight. There's nothing we can do but watch The Office to try and forget about it.

The film is basically The Blair Witch Project done correctly. The two main actors are really good, in that natural, "I'm a real person" kind of way. Which is why the film works when it's fucking scary. The special effects are very straight forward, but very clever. I'm not sure how they achieved some of them.

God damn. I really want to talk about this. I knew the story behind the film beforehand, but now having seen it, I'm even more amazed it took so long for it to get a wide release.

picolas · October 11, 2009, 02:31:18 AM

now i really want to see it.

Gold Trumpet · October 11, 2009, 02:44:35 AM

Thank you for the review, Gamblour. I only see one new horror film a year and I'm glad Paranormal Activity can be it for this year.

picolas · October 11, 2009, 03:48:57 AM

so you'll never see antichrist until 2010? why would you make such a rule?

Gamblour. · October 11, 2009, 12:35:36 PM

Quote from: Gold Trumpet on October 11, 2009, 02:44:35 AM
Thank you for the review, Gamblour. I only see one new horror film a year and I'm glad Paranormal Activity can be it for this year.

See it on a Friday with the most crowded theater you can find. It's funny how a crowd can make you laugh more, but they can also make you way more fucking frightened. The theater would be completely hushed, except for quiet, quickened breathing, just waiting for something to happen. And when it did, when the air gets sucked out of the room...it's a theater-going experience I won't forget. Quite wonderful and fucking freaky.

I was screaming A LOT. I mean, by the end, I felt truly horrified, like I had just been in a car wreck or something. This tiny, powerful film packs a big punch. My wife almost wouldn't talk to me for an hour after we saw it (she was probably screaming the loudest in the theater).

modage · October 11, 2009, 12:41:12 PM

Okay, I'm going.

Gold Trumpet · October 11, 2009, 03:07:52 PM

Quote from: picolas on October 11, 2009, 03:48:57 AM
so you'll never see antichrist until 2010? why would you make such a rule?

I have no chance to see Antichrist until video, but I make such rules because I actually dislike horror a lot. But I also don't consider Antichrist to be just a horror film for me because I would see it for the Von Trier factor. I'm just talking about the general horror film.

©brad · October 11, 2009, 11:58:44 PM

Quote from: modage on October 11, 2009, 12:41:12 PM
Okay, I'm going.

And I'm going with you.

Stefen · October 12, 2009, 12:01:16 AM

Badass bromance being formed right here.

MacGuffin · October 12, 2009, 12:04:12 AM

Quote from: Stefen on October 12, 2009, 12:01:16 AM
Badass bromance(s) ~~being~~ formed ~~right~~ here.

Marquee material.

samsong · October 12, 2009, 12:37:58 AM

i was underwhelmed and find gamblour's response to this movie confounding. it's intelligently designed and executed but in such a way that one can't help but be utterly aware of it while watching the movie. it's like being told how the trick works before it's even been performed the first time. there are maybe two or three worthwhile moments in the third act but paranormal activity is pretty marginal, and i don't think i had impossible expectations (simply to be scared) going into it.

Stefen · October 12, 2009, 12:39:52 AM

Quote from: MacGuffin on October 12, 2009, 12:04:12 AM
Quote from: Stefen on October 12, 2009, 12:01:16 AM
Badass bromance(s) ~~being~~ formed ~~right~~ here.

Marquee material.

There has been some pretty good bromance's formed here (Mod/CBrad, Gamblour/Samsong). It wouldn't be false advertisement.

Gamblour. · October 12, 2009, 07:35:26 AM

Quote from: samsong on October 12, 2009, 12:37:58 AM
i was underwhelmed and find gamblour's response to this movie confounding. it's intelligently designed and executed but in such a way that one can't help but be utterly aware of it while watching the movie. it's like being told how the trick works before it's even been performed the first time. there are maybe two or three worthwhile moments in the third act but paranormal activity is pretty marginal, and i don't think i had impossible expectations (simply to be scared) going into it.

It's not without its flaws, for sure. There is a LOT of repetition in the plotting, and their behaviors get pretty redundant. But on the whole, I can look past it because in a way those parts are boringly normal, which is what makes it work so well.

But as for 'the trick' 'utterly aware of it', what do you mean exactly? The premise? The way the effects are staged?

samsong · October 12, 2009, 01:46:49 PM

what i meant was that the tactics behind the narrative were transparent. it follows the slow-burn horror film model (establish a mundane milieu as a set-up for the scary shit that's to come) to a fault, so instead of actually building to anything, it becomes a waiting game. it's a barely adequate exercise in horror conventions that's lacking in terms of any true terror.

it isn't without its merits as it really is a well thought-out movie and a showcase of economic filmmaking but by those virtues becomes more textbook than an interesting horror movie.

SiliasRuby · October 12, 2009, 02:19:04 PM

I agree with Samsong as I was also unimpressed and not scared whatsoever. It has its moments but I really couldn't get into it. Maybe its partly me but I really am not scared by these types of films. The actors seemed to be doing improvised dialogue that felt stilted to me, maybe I'm just too jaded. I'm anticipating 'The Fourth Kind' and hope that is much better than this un-beguiling movie. I want to be beguiled.