Paranormal Activity

[Forever Knight]

 

[Bolt]

For those who enjoy the more realistic, minimalist approach of "found footage" films like the Paranormal Activity franchise, I encourage you to look into the Australian-produced 2008 horror/mockumentary Lake Mungo. The film is shot entirely in an airtight documentary format (and features some of the most credible acting performances I've ever witnessed) and is thematically and stylistically very similar to Paranormal Activity, but executed in a less overt fashion so that none of the scares seem forced or contrived. Instead, the film is imbued with a grave and foreboding atmosphere that persists throughout its running time as you gradually realize the source of the mystery, and leaves you feeling genuinely unsettled at the implications of the plot's final developments, rather than just racked with adrenaline as the result of being repeatedly startled by loud noises.

Lake Mungo is available on Netflix for instant streaming, which I know most of you have, so there's no excuse for you not to watch, alone, in the dark, tonight.

 

[Keith Justice]

Was just wondering if anyone had seen the films or if anyone had an opinion on them

Just got done watching 3 and much like the others, it doesn't fail to disappoint

It unfortunately joins the ranks of The Ring and The Blair Witch Project in movies that have successfully made me so horrified that I've had trouble sleeping.

If you want scary.. this would do you right. I'll never watch one of these movies ever again if I can help it.

 

[DoGu]

I just watched Paranormal Activity 2 in the afternoon, mainly because I was bored, and it was pretty freaky. It starts off slow, but it gets better near the end. If I watched it at night, I'd pee in my pants...

 

[chronoxiong]

I've only watched part 1 so far. It was pretty freaky although it was slow at times. I need to hurry up and watch the sequels...I mean, prequels since I have a lot of free time on my hand. Sucks being a part-time worker. I read on another message board that if you watch part 3, then 2, and lastly, 1, you will see the whole saga in a different way. Has someone tried that? That's like watching the whole Star Wars films starting with the high-tech prequels to the old but awesome original trilogy. Lol...

 

[StaticShin27]

Haven't gotten around to 3 yet but I'll probably continue the tradition of watching it in my basement by myself. You know I can live with all the criticism of these movies because I can see some of it myself and even despite all that, these films still scare the crap out of me.

 

[Vitor]

Haven't gotten around to 3 yet but I'll probably continue the tradition of watching it in my basement by myself. You know I can live with all the criticism of these movies because I can see some of it myself and even despite all that, these films still scare the crap out of me.

What I enjoy the most about the movies is that it's more psychological, like a lot of the older horror movies were (not to mention the Twilight Zone)

It puts you in a world that's very familiar (nice family, nice house) and then you start to see it deteriorate bit by bit

I'd kind of compare it to the scene in Lost Boys where the Vampire Gang gives Micheal Chinese take-out, but the pot he smoked gives it the illusion that it's grubs/worms

And it's also quite ironic how a simple indie movie blew every other horror movie out of the water

That should definately be a que for the big wigs that they need to rethink about what they green light

 

[chronoxiong]

Alright guys, I have finally watched parts 2 and 3 in the recent weeks. Glad I finally did because part 3 was pretty cool and freaky. There were quite a few scenes that got me feeling scared for the characters. The way how how it ended left me kinda confused though. Were Kristie and Katie brainwashed in the end? How did they not remember this haunting at all? I guess those answers will be answered in part 4 right? There can't be much information to show to us anymore except for those answers. I thought it was freaky when Dennis discovered the Coven and the women straight up chased him Resident Evil style. Part 2 was okay though but it didn't leave a big impression on me as 1 and 3.

 

[StaticShin27]

That's what I'm assuming as well with them being brainwashed, although I remember lines from 2 where they said "all I remember was mom crying all the time" or something along those lines.

 

[Vitor]

The way how how it ended left me kinda confused though. Were Kristie and Katie brainwashed in the end? How did they not remember this haunting at all?

In part 3, the Dad finds out information about this all female cult that brainwashes it's members into forgetting what they had done and also forces them to conceive male children