![]() ![]() It's hard to praise a horror movie without inviting the inevitable criticism from viewers disappointed if they don't die of a fright-induced heart attack, and the film does at times beg the timeworn question - why won't those nice dumb people at least Google "help for domestic demonic problems?" Nevertheless, it delivers satisfyingly gasp-out-loud scares. As the lights came up, the man next to me shook his head and said, "Man, that was messed up." It all leads up to a climax that left the audience I watched with rooted to their seats even after the film ended, laughing nervously and exhaling deeply. But the camera also captures Katie and Micah's increasingly tense dynamic, and as they argue over how to handle the activity, her fear and his stubbornness feed off - and into - the malevolent energy in their home. Sure enough, soon doors start squeaking and lights start flicking on and off. The entire film unfolds via Micah's camcorder. He buys an expensive video camera, the better to capture some spooky stuff - and, by implication, eventually become the Susan Boyle of demonic episodes. The man, Micah, thinks it's kind of cool. The woman, Katie, has been tormented by a hostile unseen force her whole life she's scared and wants to get rid of it. The plot is simple and familiar - a young couple believes they're being haunted. Though the New York Times dismissed it as only "half clever," Entertainment Weekly praised it as "freaky and terrifying," the Los Angeles Times called it "a psychological thriller of such small scale and yet such heightened effect that no doubt Hitchcock, wherever he may be, is smiling." And Roger Ebert called it "ingenious." In comparison, the wildly hyped "Jennifer's Body" did less than $7 million in its opening weekend - and that was in wide release. Last weekend, the movie, which director Oren Peli says cost $15,000 to make, earned almost $8 million in limited release, making it already one of the most profitable movies ever. But "Paranormal Activity" is also the story of how savvy marketing and carefully cultivated demand can turn a wannabe cult classic into a bona fide hit. The low-budget, virtually bloodless little shocker with no major stars is being hailed as the scariest movie of the year - and not without justification. Taken merely as a tense, minimalist horror flick, "Paranormal Activity" would be fascinating.
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