Paranormal Activity

Have any of you seen this movie? I work at a theater and I haven't seen 1 second of it yet, and I don't want to because I'm really scared to see it, and because I'm going to see it and want to be as scared as possible haha. So no spoilers please.

Don't know. Heard its really scary. Probably the scariest movie out there. I'm planning on seeing it soon though. Only if i get the chance. Many people weren't able to sleep the night because of the movie. Sounds good.

What is the story. Even without this information the commercials make me want to see it, claimming its one of the scariest movies of all time I'll be the judge of that.

I think its impressive that all of the dialog was improvised.

Seriously overhyped. It had potential, but ultimately was not nearly as scary as it is made out to be.

Paranormal Activity = Cloverfield in a house.

Originally Posted by Slimerspaze

Paranormal Activity = Cloverfield in a house.

Excellent review haha. I wish all movie critics were like you.

I thought Paranormal Activity was a show on A&E? >_>

Nevermind, that's Paranormal State. <_<

I just got back from this film, and let me tell you, it is one of the worst films that I have ever seen.

There's barely a plot, and the little bit of plot that is present is completely linear and predictable. The characters are one dimensional and boring. The concept is completely unoriginal, and the film makes no attempt to innovate. The basis of the film is entirely fantastical, and thus, difficult to relate to. Even the shock-scares are heavily telegraphed.

Originally Posted by Slimerspaze

Paranormal Activity = Cloverfield in a house.

No. Cloverfield was awesome.

Originally Posted by 8bit

No. Cloverfield was awesome.

By Cloverfield I meant the whole camera style.

In order to enjoy Paranormal Activity, or any other movie for that matter, you must suspend your disbelief. Immerse yourself in the movie. Paranormal Activity is better enjoyed like that. I saw it with my girlfriend and loved it. If you want to be scared by it, don't see it in a theater. Seeing it in a theater makes it a fun experience, not so much a scary one. Tween girls will scream over everything, and I mean EVERYTHING.

"AHHHH! The door closed! AHHHHHHH! It opened again!!!!"

That being said, I believe it to be the scariest movie to come out in a while. It gave me the creeps a little. Oh, also, couples should see it together. Definitely. The movie is about a couple, and when you're watching this thing unfold with your loved one, it adds a whole new dimension to it that seeing alone can't give. The movie is about hauntings as much as relationship fears.

Originally Posted by Earth

In order to enjoy Paranormal Activity, or any other movie for that matter, you must suspend your disbelief. Immerse yourself in the movie. Paranormal Activity is better enjoyed like that. I saw it with my girlfriend and loved it. If you want to be scared by it, don't see it in a theater. Seeing it in a theater makes it a fun experience, not so much a scary one. Tween girls will scream over everything, and I mean EVERYTHING.

The issue that I had with it was that there were a lot of times where I was taken out of the movie, and thus had no suspension of disbelief for a lot of it. Poor acting, some story elements, couple other things, just kept me out of the movie and kept me from finding it particularly frightening.

Though I can totally understand why people would find it so scary, and with some minor changes it really could be that scary.

Originally Posted by nolan

The issue that I had with it was that there were a lot of times where I was taken out of the movie, and thus had no suspension of disbelief for a lot of it. Poor acting, some story elements, couple other things, just kept me out of the movie and kept me from finding it particularly frightening.

Though I can totally understand why people would find it so scary, and with some minor changes it really could be that scary.

You honestly found the acting bad? I thought it was fantastic. How couldn't it have been fantastic? They were improvised, and therefore, real.

If I had one complaint about the movie it's the sometimes drawn-out day scenes. Especially in the beginning. Toward the end, the focus shifted to night, which was just fine.

Scariest movie on the planet.

Originally Posted by Earth

You honestly found the acting bad? I thought it was fantastic. How couldn't it have been fantastic? They were improvised, and therefore, real.

If I had one complaint about the movie it's the sometimes drawn-out day scenes. Especially in the beginning. Toward the end, the focus shifted to night, which was just fine.

There were definitely some scenes that were more heavily scripted, without a doubt. You could tell the girl was reciting some lines from memory, especially when talking about her past and whatnot. Most of it was probably improv or ad lib, but there were definitely some scripted parts.

Originally Posted by nolan

There were definitely some scenes that were more heavily scripted, without a doubt. You could tell the girl was reciting some lines from memory, especially when talking about her past and whatnot. Most of it was probably improv or ad lib, but there were definitely some scripted parts.

I remember the part you're talking about. When she was talking about her past, she'd pause sometimes, or look up as if trying to recount something. That's not her reciting, that looked like someone genuinely trying to recall their past and put it in such a way for someone else to understand. It may stand out in your mind as a scene that shows obvious scripting, but it stuck in my mind because I couldn't believe how genuine she was making her story seem. I really felt like I was watching an interview that just so happens to have a camera nearby.

Originally Posted by Earth

I remember the part you're talking about. When she was talking about her past, she'd pause sometimes, or look up as if trying to recount something. That's not her reciting, that looked like someone genuinely trying to recall their past and put it in such a way for someone else to understand. It may stand out in your mind as a scene that shows obvious scripting, but it stuck in my mind because I couldn't believe how genuine she was making her story seem. I really felt like I was watching an interview that just so happens to have a camera nearby.

To me it sounded like someone reciting a script. Don't know what to tell you, that's just how I saw/heard it.

Originally Posted by Earth

You honestly found the acting bad? I thought it was fantastic. How couldn't it have been fantastic? They were improvised, and therefore, real.

If I had one complaint about the movie it's the sometimes drawn-out day scenes. Especially in the beginning. Toward the end, the focus shifted to night, which was just fine.

Improv isn't "real", nothing outside of extreme levels of method acting is real.

And improv can, and often does, feel fake, because you have to be a good actor to, in an instant, figure out how the character you're portraying would act in this situation if it was real.


I've not seen the movie, but it sounds like a rather poor imitation of the Blair Witch Project.

Originally Posted by John

Improv isn't "real", nothing outside of extreme levels of method acting is real.

And improv can, and often does, feel fake, because you have to be a good actor to, in an instant, figure out how the character you're portraying would act in this situation if it was real.

Yes, improv is real, if you're portraying yourself. What I said was meant to be taken in context of the movie. The actors used their real names in the movie, "Micah" and "Katie". Taking into account what kind of movie this is, improvisation would have no choice but to be real. As real as it gets. With movies like this, the actor already knows what's going to happen. Each scene is given a start and ending, but between that, there is no rigid script. This isn't improv along the lines of "you're a single mother who hates her kids, GO!". It's planned improvisation, and since the actors probably never strayed far from their real-life actions, I consider the acting in the movie about as genuine as it gets. I mean, seriously, how much closer can you get to realism without using hidden cameras on unsuspecting people?

I've not seen the movie, but it sounds like a rather poor imitation of the Blair Witch Project.

Having seen both, I have to say, Paranormal Activity is much better. Blair Witch never made me nervous to look at the screen, and the amount of tension in PA is much higher.

I saw this movie with Earth while he was visiting me for fall break. I thought it was a very good film. Sadly it didn't scare me as much as it should've because there were a bunch of stupid teenager girls screaming and gasping at everything, so that kind of ruined the experience for me. But other than that, I really liked it. It was different. I'm curious about the alternate endings.