Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Paranormal Activity

Everyone talks about this movie. Some say this is the best horror movie. Some say this is the most boring movie. So, last night we went to see this movie in the theater.

Paranormal Activity is a horror movie produced under $15,000 and has only 4 actors. It was filmed within one week using a hand held video camera. Within a month of its release, the revenue has grossed up over 100 million dollars.

Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat are lovers and start to live together. As soon as Katie moved in with Micah strange things start to happen in the house. Micah bought a video camera to document these strange occurrences. There have been strange noises, whispers, and footsteps.

Micah has been filming all the conversations. He even has the camera filming while they are sleeping in the bedroom. They ask the advice of a psychic. He tells the couple that most of the things are normal house noises. Katie then tells the psychic that these things are happening in all the house she lived since she was a child. The psychic is an expert in human spirits only. He suggests that they should consult an expert on demons. But that demonologist is out of the city on some business.

The video tape is recording everything that is happening every night. The noise and bizarre happenings become more violent each night.

The director tries to tell the audience that this story happened to somebody in real life. The names of the two characters in the movie are same as their real names, i.e. Katie and Micah.

The Director is also trying to tell us that genuine scary situations do not have to include the usual lots of blood, gruesome death and psycho killers.

I am not reviewing this movie. I am just expression my impressions of this movie. If some strange things are happening in the house, my thinking is, why don’t they get the hell of that house? Again, one might argue that wherever Katie goes this will follow her.

When they sleep in the upstairs bedroom there will be a noise in the downstairs. These 2 will run down the stairs to see what it is. They never turn on the lights. They always run in the dark. If this happens in your house, won’t you turn on all the lights the whole night?

There is no photography or music. As I said, the actual filming was done on a hand held video camera. I am sure we all have watched something recorded from a hand held video camera. It is not steady and shaking all the time. So I had to sit through 89 minutes of watching a hand held video camera shoot in the dark. When we came out of the theater my eyes were straining.

If it is not such a good movie…story-wise and also production-wise…then how come it has earned more than 100 million dollars within a month? May be some people really like this movie. If they read this blog, they may think, as they say in Tamil, kazhudhaikku theriyuma karpoora vaasanai (Does a donkey know about the aroma and smell of camphor?)

If there is a war movie, I want to see both sides fight like hell. I do not want to see couple of diplomats negotiating a cease fire. If there is a horror movie, I want to see lots of bloods, gory killing, and the audience scream in fear.

This movie is over hyped.

29 comments:

  1. Hi SG,

    Under 15000$ and it has grossed 100 million dollars!!!

    And you say its just shot with hand-held camera!! Very interesting. I want to watch it now. By the way, horror movies seem funny to me

    I can remember this new Tamil movie- low budget, unknown casts- Eeram. Its a horror flick. Its a hit, no gory stuffs, no blood. Plain horror. I didnt even feel any blood curdling moments too.

    Maybe nowadays people prefer mild horror. And I really thought the same each time I saw an horror movie. Why dont they get out of the building instead of roaming inside? Why dont they switch on the lights?

    I want to watch the movie now. Hope it releases here sooner

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  2. SG, you know, I am really scared of horror movies..when I was reading this post, i was getting goose bumps...i moved away from this page thrice, then again came back to read...i will never see this one or any other horror movie ever in my life..

    PS: the last one I saw was "what lies beneath" with a friend, and that was our last movie together.

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  3. Thanks for your comments Insignia. Nice points. People prefer mild horror in India? I have a suggestion. Ask the hero and heroine to appear in the movie without make-up and ask them to speak in their own voice. There you get mild horror and some more. ha ha ha.

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  4. Thanks for your comments Neha. I did not know that you are scared of horror movies. I have a suggestion. If you want to see a horror movie, go to the movie with Insignia. She thinks horror movies are hilarious comedy. You will not be scared, with her sitting next to you and laughing and giggling.

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  5. Yeah, they just don’t make horror movies like they used to.
    Blood, gore, and scantily clad women running around at night looking like imbeciles.

    Check the date this Friday because I’ve got my hockey mask on and I’m ready for some action.

    Regards,
    Jason Voorhees

    p.s. Freddy Krueger is gay!

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  6. Scary movies have now taken a shift away from the traditional style of straight horror (bloody violence - chop em’ up) to more of a psychological/mental thriller.
    If you see Blair Witch Project (Part I) or even Room 1408…they are more disturbing and creepy than the traditional style of horror movies like – Halloween or Nightmare on Elm Street. They still make horror movies in that original style but those flicks usually fail miserably in the theaters.

    SAW Part1, and even Part2 were huge hits because it was a combination of psychological thrillers with some blood and gore.

    But if you really want to see blood and gore mixed in with a creepy storyline – go watch HOSTEL (Part 1) - which is now on dvd.
    The first half of the movie (about 45 minutes) is just a regular movie…but the second half should satisfy your blood and gore appetite.
    You will probably never visit Eastern Europe or stay in a small hotel (or hostel) again – after watching this movie.

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  7. Thanks for your comments Jason. I look forward to your action this coming Friday, November 13. I am looking for some action like the way you murdered Chelsea on Friday the 13th. After being hit by a runaway ski boat, Chelsea swims to shore, only to be stabbed through the dock and into her head, then you pull her up out of the water exposing her breasts.

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  8. Thanks for your comments The Cagey Bee. And, thanks for the movie suggestions. Hostel is a nice movie. Fear of torture is the biggest sadism.

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  9. lol @ ur conclusion..
    no music is the sad part.. the most terrifyin thing abt horror movies is the music.. shut ur ears and u wont feel a thing..

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  10. Thanks for your comments Vishnu. You are correct.

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  11. SG--A lot of my friends have been calling the movie Paranormal Inactivity...hahaha. I'll just wait until it's out on NetFlix.

    Jason--Good to see you on here! I can't believe you let Freddy brainwash you a few years ago. We were all cheering and the audience went crazy when you kicked Freddy's a$$ at the end of Freddy vs. Jason. You ever think about taking on Michael Myers?

    Ch...ch...ch...huh...huh...huh...

    JaGo

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  12. Thanks for your comments JaGo. And, welcome back. Long time no comments. Your friends said it correctly...Paranormal Inactivity.

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  13. Nice review. I hate horror movies and like you said I would have been one of those to put on the lights all night!

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  14. Amazing.. Filmed in one week and has already crossed the revenue of 100 million dollar..

    American are really smart.. Your review is too good..

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  15. I don't like horror movies. And shaky movies too!

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  16. Thanks for your comments Radha. I would just get the hell ot of the house.

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  17. Thanks for your complements Swatantra. Americans know how to market a product. After all they are the ones successfully marketed pet rock.

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  18. Thanks for your comments Sandhya. I don't like bloodless horror movies. If it is a horror movie, I want to see lot of blood and audience screaming in fear.

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  19. Hey JaGo,

    Yeah, Freddy may be the king of Elm Street but I rule all of the other streets like Lexington, Liberty, and Richmond.
    I had just about enough of him so I gave him a beat down as if he spilled Kool Aid on my white carpet.

    Michael Myers is cool though and I have no beef with him. He is a villain who always walks and never runs to catch you.
    But if I ever see that piece of crap Chucky (from Child’s Play) – I’m going to rip off his head and shiznit down his neck.
    How in the world did Chucky become a horror film star – he’s a freaking doll for pete’s sake!!!!!!!!

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  20. Hey Jason and JaGo,

    I love this exchange of intellectual conversation. Looks like Jason was brought up near that beautiful scenic Stege Park and went to Stege Elementary School.

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  21. I like horror movies too but as you so rightly mentioned, even I'd like it to be spooky and scary etc. Certainly not shaky and silly ;-) Kudos to you - I wonder how you managed to sit through the entire movie.

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  22. I usually avoid horror flicks. and I don't get why scary things happen to a couple-living-in-a-big-house-with-dim or no-lights? but this year's hindi movie, 13B, was a laugh riot. i didn't mind coz it was unintentionally funny.

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  23. Yes, i've heard the same. You should watch cloverfield. it's brilliant.

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  24. Thanks for your comments lostworld. The movie was only 89 minutes. So I managed to sit. Thank God it was not like a Tamil movie..150 minutes with an interval for 15 minutes.

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  25. Thanks for your comments Shruthi. My pet peeve is if there are strange noices at night why they continue to live there. Also, why don't they turn on the lights at night.

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  26. Thanks for your comments Kish. I have seen Cloverfield. It is a showcase for impressively realistic looking special effects.

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  27. Great!100 million dollars?? Thats too much money for a dumb movie.....as you said, any sane person will move out of the house.
    I never watch horror movies, I get scared easily. I always had a wish to see a real ghost...never encounterd any as yet :) ....thank God for that ;-)

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  28. well written
    and i think may be it is success of marketing
    or actress may be very beautiful
    or both,
    thanks was not aware about this movie

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