Hello, Raven Happy Hour! I’m Titania Ladley, one of the new blog contributors. I’ll be exploring paranormal movies, both old and new, and providing you with an honest review the third Wednesday of every month. So if you’re looking for a good chiller, or if you’ve been planning to head to the theater or rent that certain paranormal movie you’ve been eyeing, bookmark The Raven Happy Hour and check back often for recs.
I thought I’d start off with an appropriate pre-Halloween bang—Paranormal Activity, yes, that low-budget film that started off cult style with midnight sellout showings only. If you haven’t heard, it’s been all the entertainment buzz lately…
Title: Paranormal Activity
Sub-genre: Supernatural horror
Current available format(s): In select theaters
Length: Approx. 1 hr. 40 min.
Movie rating: R
Review rating: C+
Young suburban San Diego couple Katie and Micah lead a relatively normal life… Well, except for the fact that Katie’s been recently complaining about paranormal phenomena in their home: doors slamming, lights going off and on, items misplaced, the terrifying sound of claws scraping down the walls, the sensation that someone’s watching her and breathing down her neck, and the like. Micah’s not so convinced of Katie’s claims, but despite his skepticism, he loves Katie and decides to purchase a video camera in order to ease her mind and prove it’s all in her head.
As the freaky incidents escalate in intensity and number, they’re eventually caught on tape making a halfway believer out of Micah. Throw in a creepy Ouija board scene, slamming doors, shifting shadows, a psychic warning of demons, and lots of other hair-raising happenings, and you’ve got yourself a movie that will amplify those bumps in the night and keep you petrified in your bed long afterwards.
However, reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project’s shaky camera style, Paranormal Activity really got to me—bleh, I had motion sickness throughout much of the movie. Luckily, the most disturbing scenes were in the bedroom at night after Micah would place the camera on a still tripod as they slept. I could then uncover my eyes, calm my belly, and let the chills race up my spine at the growing terror and final scene that had me leaping out of my seat.
Touted for its $15,000 budget while amassing a reported $7 million to-date at the box office, this is a uniquely filmed movie that portrays ordinary people (played by newbie actors) in the midst of a dilemma that turns out to be more than just a house haunting. I gave this one a C+, but I think that was more influenced by the excessive and annoying movements of the camera (which had me nearly hurling on the seat in front of me), and its slow beginning where, IMO, they spent too much time “filming” each other performing boring Non-Paranormal Activities like brushing their teeth, chatting, and eating meals. But all in all, a distinctive and entertaining paranormal flick that could have otherwise earned upwards of a high B/low A in my book.
Titania’s special spooky note: When watching this movie, keep your eye on the camera’s digital time clock during the nighttime bedroom scenes…
Titania Ladley is an erotic romance author multi-published with Ellora’s Cave, Samhain, and Red Sage in a wide array of genres including paranormal. Please visit Titania at her website, join her newsletter, friend her on Myspace, and follow her on Twitter for updates and contest announcements.
