Paranormal Activity (2009)

This independent film directed by Oren Peli takes place over a number of days in which a couple (Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston) decide to film themselves overnight to try and see if there is a ghost haunting them. This film is recorded in the manner of "The Blair Witch Project" and "Cloverfield" in which all is done with a hand-held camera. In this case, a lot of the time the camera is steady, thank goodness. It didn't feel like I had to break out the Dramamine.

The film begins with Katie coming home from school and Micah already filming her as she gets out of her car. We find out during the movie that Micah is a day trader and Katie is an English student, however, neither of them seems to do any work. Katie doesn't seem to want Micah to film her, but gives in most of the time. She has called a psychic to come and visit the house and we find out that she has been haunted off and on by some sort of entity since she was eight years old. The psychic agrees that there is something in the house, but he feels that it is a demonic sort as opposed to a ghostly type and gives her the number to a demonic expert. He also advises them not to antagonize the demon as it could become more aggressive. Micah doesn't want her to call the expert, he wants to try to take care of it himself.

For much of the rest of the movie, they are filming continuously at night and during the day. The night filming produces paranormal activity that begins slowly, but quickly becomes more frequent and aggressive and eventually occurs during the day as well as at night. We are led to believe that this escalation is due in part to the fact that Micah has purchased a Ouija Board after Katie has asked him not to. When they go out to dinner, filming shows the cursor being moved about the board and it catching on fire leaving some sort of wording on it. This, strangely enough, doesn't really seem to bother them. Katie decides to call the demon expert, but he is out of town. The psychic comes back, but leaves the house quickly when he senses how angry the demon is. See Ya!

Upon reading how others saw this film, many seemed to think that this film was the scariest thing that they had seen. According to some things that I have read, in early viewings, people actually walked out because they were freaked out. I didn't feel this at all. There were definitely parts that were creepy and made me feel uneasy. There was a part where Katie got out of bed and just stood and stared at Micah for three hours, and a part where something pulled her out of bed and down the hall. VERY unsettling! There were more, but I don't want to give them away. A good movie to see on Halloween!

This film was first screened at ScreamFest in October of 2007 and was shown at Sundance in October of 2008. It took several people from Dreamworks to view it before Spielberg saw it and was creeped out by it. Paramount also bought rights to it. This film cost $11,000.00 to $15,000.00 depending on where you read and was made in about seven days. As of October 30, 2009, it has grossed over 74 Million in the U.S and Canada and has become the most profitable independent film ever. There are plans for a sequel.

99 Minutes. Rated R. I give this film THREE AND ONE QUARTER STARS because it was different and creepy!