Paranormal Activity

I haven't done a movie review in awhile, but I want to review this one: Paranormal Activity.

Have you seen it? It was first released in 2007 to very few audiences and theaters. Then in 2009 it was released again and again, it was only released to a few select theaters. But by word of mouth and the power of the internet, people were able to demand the movie and eventually, it hit theaters everywhere. This movie is incredibly successful. It was made with a budget of 15,000-20,000 dollars and has since earned over 100 million dollers. CRAZY! I mean, think about it. The numbers are astonishing.

And this movie works - it is scary because it's based on the simple fear we all have, the fear we feel as children and adults. The fear of the unknown, the bumps in the night, the scary dark corners of our houses and rooms. There is no music in the film, no forewarning of when scary moments are to come. There are very few special effects and they are so minimal, that the entire movie feels real. And for a long time, a lot of people thought it was real (much like the Blair Witch Project). This movie is great, in the sense that it was made on a modest budget with a simple idea. And like I said, it just works.

If you believed in this kind of thing, then it's ten times scarier. It could happen to anyone. It could happen at any time. Any and every noise in your house could start to terrify you. It's a scary freaking concept.

I watched this movie twice, back to back. The first time I was a little freaked out, I'll admit. I took advantage of watching it at home, and hit my mute button a few times. The second time, I watched. I listened. And not just on low volume, I turned it up to experience the full effect. Because that's an important part of this movie. You have to rely on your ears sometimes more than your eyes. If you just try to "watch" and not "listen" you'll miss out. I'm guilty of not watching and not listening to movies sometimes, but trust me, you just need to keep your ears and eyes open.

The end is the creepiest part of this movie, as it should be with all scary movies. They shouldn't peak in the middle and then platuea out towards the end. The suspense is built perfectly in this movie, with most things happening at night and most things happening in the dark. But the last thirty minutes or so really get to you. They push you mentally, and then it's over abruptly and you don't have any time to calm yourself down. It's exhilirating.

There are of course a dozen or more deleted scenes, different endings, alternate viewings. And this makes for all the more interesting movie-watching. I'm always hunting down parts I missed or endings I haven't seen. They were able to shoot all sorts of different things in the two years between it's first and final release. And so there's all sorts of goodies on the internet waiting for you if you really get into this movie.

Now, if you haven't seen this movie and I've ruined something, I'm sorry. But surely to goodness, if you wanted to see it and you haven't by now, then that's not my fault.

I was totally delighted to learn, through a little research this weekend, that the actors from this movie, Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat, are actually a couple in real life. You can find them on twitter @katiedianne and @micahsloat - very cool stuff. They're both really passionate about this movie, and I think I love the movie even more seeing how much time, work, and love they put into this film.

It's a classic horror movie, one I could watch over and over again, and still get freaked out every single time. Have you seen Paranormal Activity? You should, it's a good and scary one. However, I don't recommend watching it alone. I had to let the dogs in to sleep with me Friday night. Being home alone with this movie will seriously freak you out!