Paranormal Activity lives up to hype
The national phenomenon and indie horror film Paranormal Activity gives a new meaning to "things that go bump in the night." This is the first film for director Oren Peli and I'm sure it will not be the last. Believe me, if you're going to go and see this movie, be prepared to jump out of your skin!
The film was shot in a week back in 2007 on a budget of $11,000. It is not The Blair Witch Project, nor does it try to be. There is no faux disclaimer about found footage at the beginning.
Although the actors in the film shoot it on a home video camera, it is only to give the viewer a sense of what it feels like to be the characters in the film.
There has been hype for Paranormal Activity everywhere, from Facebook to Twitter to chilling previews with night vision of the audience jumping and screaming in unison. I must tell you: do believe the hype.
Much like Blair Witch, the main characters share the same first names as the actors playing them. This is also the first film for the lead actors. Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat play couple Katie and Micah, who have just moved into their new suburban home in a San Diego suburb.
The couple begins to experience strange occurrences in their house, and Micah purchases a video camera in order to document those that occur while they are sleeping.
At first, the film seems like a happy home video with many quirky and funny moments, mostly coming from Micah.
Katie has an interest in the paranormal and believes that malevolent spirits have been following her since childhood, though Micah is not so easily convinced.
However, after several nights of loud noises and strange happenings, Micah starts to agree with Katie that some sort of ghost may have followed them to the new home.
Katie and Micah have a psychic come to the house to give them an overview, but he says it isn't his field and he can't help them. He tells them a demonologist would help.
Micah decides he will play ghost buster and take control of the situation. He reviews the footage caught on the video camera and audio, even does research on exorcisms and demonology.
Katie tells him not to buy a Ouija board, so instead he borrows one. These tactics seem to really tick off the spirit.
Micah even goes as far as to quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail to the spirit. "What is your name? What is your quest? What is your favorite color?" As I mentioned, Micah is the comic relief of the two.
With improvised acting and the home video feel of it, Paranormal Activity delivers all the chills and scares, which are sure to disrupt sleep patterns of many and cause paranoia to all.
You will go home from the theater investigating every creak of a floorboard and thinking the icemaker is going to get you in your sleep.
This is the film Steven Spielberg left a screening halfway through, because he was so scared. The ending will really shock you too.
Paranormal Activity builds on suspense. You will be on the edge of your seat with your stomach in knots, and it will creep you out immensely. It doesn't need cheesy computer-generated images and special effects to scare the pants off you.
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent The East Texan News Articles
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE EAST TEXAN NEWS
- 'Expendables 2' epitomizes dumb but fun action
- 'The Bourne Legacy' disappoints with same old thrills
- Tasteless 'Total Recall' remake leaves audiences underwhelmed
- Actor chemistry saves 'The Watch' from being boring waste
- Batman goes out strong in final 'Dark Knight' film
- 'Ted' marks promising film career for McFarlane
- Stylistic choices sink 'Savages'
RECENT THE EAST TEXAN CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- The Gap in Gum Care: Why Caring For Your Teeth’s F...
- Top Tips for Signature Scents and Better-Smelling Laundry
- A Dog Trainer’s Top Tips to Support Pets Through Life S...
- Clear the Air of Indoor Pollutants This Spring
- Stroke & Dementia in Black Men: Tips for Staying Healthy...
- Hispanics and African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye...
- African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye Disease
- Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series
- What You Need To Know About Keratoconus and the iLink...
- Your Child’s Tomorrow Begins Today
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Sweeten Your Springtime Salads With Healthy Chilean Grapes
- Young Author Translates 4,000-Year-Old Text to Reveal...
- Keeping Cool and Energy-efficient Amid America’s “...
- Addressing Sarcopenia with a Healthy Diet
- Subway’s New Wraps Elevate Eating on the Go
- Family Teacher Conference Topics Beyond Academics
- Youth Take Down Tobacco
- BookTrib’s Bites: Four Reads to Kickoff Spring
- Curbing Colorectal Cancer in Minority Populations
- Taking Action to Take Down Tobacco
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- Semiconductor Research Corp unveils 2024 Research Call, $13.8M Funding
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK
- BLUMHOUSE AND AMC THEATRES LAUNCH FIRST-EVER HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN FILM FESTIVAL
- THE GEN Z IMPERATIVE: LISTEN TO FEELINGS AND GIVE GEN Z A VOICE