Paranormal Activity...

thedeparted · #1 (**permalink**) 10-20-2009

I just got from going to see this movie, and I'm just too tired to type out all of my feelings, but I can't hold myself back from letting everybody here know that I feel like I just wasted $25 for nothing...anybody else see this and agree? I'll let everybody know all my feelings tomorrow.

Deaf_Null · #2 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

^ Did you like The Blair Witch Project btw? I am sensing some resemblances with this movie (I haven't seen PA yet though). I remember when it came out people either loved it (and shit their pants) or thought it was a complete waste of time and money and weren't scared at all.

thedeparted · #3 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

Wow...good call. I hated the blair witch project, although I was only 13. I was taken to go see it with my mother, sister, father, aunt, uncle and the kids of my aunt and uncle... Just to make it clear, my parents didn't often take me to go and see movies either, they made an "event" out of it because of how much hype that movie had.

I thought it was terrible (and not because of the way it was shot. I liked Cloverfield and Quarantine). So maybe if you liked the blair witch project this movie will do it for you.

PigsnieLite · #4 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

I thought QUARANTINE wuz Incredibly good. Not too crazy about CLOVERFIELD. BLAIR WITCH wuz alright. So whut about the ending? Were you at least surprised at the ending?

thedeparted · #5 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by PigsnieLite

I thought QUARANTINE wuz Incredibly good. Not too crazy about CLOVERFIELD. BLAIR WITCH wuz alright. So whut about the ending? Were you at least surprised at the ending?

Don't read my response if you haven't see the movie...could spoil it for you.

______________________________________________

Alright, I know everybody always try to say "I knew what was going to happen", and sometimes they are full of it. I wasn't surprised by the ending, but I only knew it was going to happen about 40 seconds before it did. (with the exception of the very final scene...I mean the actual last moment of the film...I didn't see that coming, and that did surprise me, my g/f actually screamed...but what happens just before that I did)

The moment I figured it out was when she started screaming for him to come downstairs and he jumped out of bed. I immediately turned to my g/f and said "she is going to......(insert what she does here)"

I was mainly able to figure it out because the ONE scene of the trailer that is actually very creepy hadn't happened yet, and it only made sense given her "condition" just before going downstairs.

thedeparted · #6 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

Here is my full review of this movie (copy and pasted from my website):

Alright, so I just went and saw Paranormal Activity last night. Before I go any further and tell you what I thought, I just want to make something clear first.

I think Hollywood has taken horror movies in the wrong direction in terms of how they go about scaring you nowadays. Scary movies now (for the most part...there are of course some exceptions to what I'm about to say) are all about gore, things "popping up and out" of nowhere and "twists".

The gore (you know, some guys abdomen exploding or something) is really more gross than anything. Somehow, Hollywood is mistaking an audiences wincing at arterial blood spray because it is just plain gross, as wincing because it is scary...it isn't scary, we just don't want to puke.

The "things popping up and out" Again, you know this tactic... Girl takes shower, girl gets out of shower, girl looks in mirror (nothing there), girl opens medicine cabinet mirror, girl closes medicine cabinet mirror...SCARY MONSTER IN MIRROR (insert loud obnoxious sound here). Now, during a horror movie, everybody enjoys a good "jump out of their seat moment". The thing is, when that tactic is used as the sole source of "scariness" it just doesn't make the movie scary, it just makes you spill your soda.
Lastly, the "twists", not really a scare tactic so much I guess, but it could be depending on how it is used.

Why did I bother writing all that? Because I thought that Paranormal Activity was going to take me back to the good ole'days of scary movies...where you actually feel scared...where you actually feel uncomfortable...where you're afraid to go home and turn the lights off...

So, did Paranormal Activity accomplish making me feel scared, uncomfortable and paranoid? No...not even close... What it DID accomplish was making me feel as though I would at some point in the future feel scared, uncomfortable and paranoid...but that point never came. It always seems as though that moment is just around the corner, you know, the moment where you are ACTUALLY scared. Since it never happens, throughout the whole movie, you find that the only reason you're even still watching it is because you're afraid that if you leave you'll miss the moment that makes the movie good. Otherwise, you'd either fall asleep or just leave.

Now, there were some "creepy" moments, but they were the kind of creepy moments that should have been built upon and used to truly scare you. The thing is, the whole movie ended up being comprised of "creepy" moments that weren't take full advantage of...in fact, they weren't taken advantage of at all. There was no leveraging of those creepy moments into full blown terror. They just fell flat.

The movie was 1/4 "creepy" moments, 1/4 "am I about to actually be scared?" moments (and you aren't) and 1/2 dialogue (slow boring dialogue...not even dialogue that drives those creepy moments into your psyche for you to develop into "your own terror" so to speak)

For me, this movie was a repeat of The Blair Witch project (which I didn't like and was not scared by). When I went to see The Blair Witch, it was with the sincere feeling that I would be scared while in the theater and upon leaving...however, upon leaving the only feeling I had was on how I could get back my wasted money.

I was left with the same feeling after seeing Paranormal Activity. The thing is, when you go and see a movie that isn't really hyped up and it turns out to be a terrible movie, you don't feel like you've had something stolen from you. You just chalk it up as another crappy movie.

However, when I go and see a movie like Paranormal Activity where the marketing makes it look as though I'm in for the best scary movie I've EVER seen and I'm left with NOTHING (and with this movie, you really are left with nothing), I feel like somebody has punched me square in the face and took my money from me.

And yes, I feel like somebody has punched me in the face and stolen my money...this movie is NOT worth paying to see...wait until it comes out on television and you have the option to change the channel...which you will.

PigsnieLite · #7 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

Ughhhh, now I dont know if Ill go to a special screening here in Londun! GAHHHH!

A question though: is anyone Really SCARED by anything in the movies these days? I mean whut makes you pee in your pants these days? We've seen everything already. (I will admit to some pee-able moments in the original THE EYE though, and in AUDITION.)

thedeparted · #8 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by PigsnieLite

Ughhhh, now I dont know if Ill go to a special screening here in Londun! GAHHHH!

A question though: is anyone Really SCARED by anything in the movies these days? I mean whut makes you pee in your pants these days? We've seen everything already. (I will admit to some pee-able moments in the original THE EYE though, and in AUDITION.)

Although I gave it a bad review, if I were you I would definitely go and see it. When I went to see this movie last night, the theater was FULL (and it was a Tuesday night mind you) I got to see something I've never seen before.

The people in the theater behaved in a way I haven't ever seen. The whole audience would get quiet at the EXACT same moments, when there was (rarely) something that was remotely scary, people would jump SIMULTANEOUSLY (I'm attributing that to the fact that the people sitting next to you screaming scares the crap out of you..because the movie itself isn't scary...but my g/f jumps at everything...she didn't like the movie either by the way). It was an interesting phenomenon.

That and how many times have you read a review and then saw the movie and completely disagreed. You may go and see it and love it (and trust me, I won't argue with you about it. Different opinions on movies are as natural as breathing).

So please, go and see it. Especially if it is a "special" screening of it. More than likely the audience is going to feel obligated to make the movie entertaining (in their minds) even if it isn't. To be honest, I really think that is one of the biggest reasons this movie is getting good reviews. People have too much invested in it to admit that it sucks.

thedeparted · #9 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

I forgot to reply to the latter part of your post (what really scares people these days)...and you're right. It is hard to say.

If I were to try and answer, I'd have to say the only thing that can truly make a movie scary is to "get into your head".

Had this movie done a better job of getting their tagline really driven into your psyche (What happens when you go to sleep) it would have been much scarier.

What I mean is, for a movie to really be scary, it needs to make you think. Compare what scares you in real life...I'm scared of spiders...terrified actually...and I have no basis for it at all.

But I'm scared of them because my mind believes I should be scared of them. I think about sometimes while I'm trying to go to sleep "What happens if while I'm sleeping there is one crawling on me." I think about them sometimes even while I'm working on my computer "What if there is one on the back of my computer chair right now?"

It is scary to me because I've made it scary in my own mind. For a movie to really be scary now'adays, it has to actually be an intelligent movie, because that is the only way it is going to get in your head.

Then, it would have to appeal to some universal fear, and use that intelligence to make sure it is driven home by every viewer.

Making you jump or showing me guts isn't getting into my head at all...it probably isn't getting into anybodys head...unless the sight of blood scares you.

Escape · #10 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by thedeparted

I just got from going to see this movie, and I'm just too tired to type out all of my feelings, but I can't hold myself back from letting everybody here know that I feel like I just wasted $25 for nothing...anybody else see this and agree? I'll let everybody know all my feelings tomorrow.

I'd feel ripped off if I paid 25 bucks to see any movie. I ended up paying 8 for this and really enjoyed it. I loved the build up we get over the nights and especially the ending. I heard there were 2 other endings they could have went with. The first one would have sucked big time but the second could be a bit freaky but seems it would go against this evil spirit's obsession with her so not sure it would have worked.

Spoiler

I loved how the couple interact with each other. The boyfriend not taking it as seriously as he should have but rather playing around with it and calling this thing out. The girl of course realized this wasn't something to be messing with.

I'm with you on the ending where I didn't know till about 40 seconds left what was going to happen but I didn't expect the final act on her part.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deaf_Null

^ Did you like The Blair Witch Project btw? I am sensing some resemblances with this movie (I haven't seen PA yet though). I remember when it came out people either loved it (and shit their pants) or thought it was a complete waste of time and money and weren't scared at all.

I feel if you enjoyed the Blair Witch you won't hate this one. It does have some creepy moments. One lady was actually crying after the movie she was so freaked out. But don't go into it thinking every scene supposed to scare the viewer is intense because as I said earlier, it builds a gradual momentum of this till the final scene of the film. It just depends on the person of course as 'thedeparted' will attest to this. Personally, I can see myself buy this when it arrives on DVD.