The PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Trilogy:
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
USA, 2007/2009
Director: Oren Peli
8/10
USA, 2007/2009
Director: Oren Peli
8/10
A bit too overhyped but still an absolutely brilliant supernatural found footage/mockumentary flick, waaay better than the totally overrated "Blair Witch Project".
A little too slow and tedious in the beginning - gladly the longer it lasts, the more tense and frightening it gets. There are some fantastic jump-scares and many really powerful edge-of-seat-scenes that impressed me deeply - and the ending is one of the most horrifying things I've ever seen. Furthermore, script and story are well-developed, the acting is very believable and the movie's whole atmosphere is simply unbeatable.
Overall an excellent and highly original scarefest!
(Review from 11/2009)
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2
USA, 2010
Director: Tod Williams
8/10
It's packed with loads of heartstoppingly scary and extremely horrifying scenes. I don't know how often I nearly jumped out of my seat (beware of the outstanding kitchen scene!). It's as tense, suspenseful and atmospheric as the original. The acting is great (especially the gorgeous Molly Ephraim), the story is highly interesting and the whole security camera footage is very effective and cool-looking.
If you like PA1, you sure as hell will like PA2 too!
(Review from 11/2010)
Wiki ~ Imdb
USA, 2010
Director: Tod Williams
8/10
Surprisingly an absolutely top notch sequel that totally lives up to Part 1. If it wasn't for a really disappointing ending and a couple of unnecessary scenes, I'd even give it a 9/10.
It's packed with loads of heartstoppingly scary and extremely horrifying scenes. I don't know how often I nearly jumped out of my seat (beware of the outstanding kitchen scene!). It's as tense, suspenseful and atmospheric as the original. The acting is great (especially the gorgeous Molly Ephraim), the story is highly interesting and the whole security camera footage is very effective and cool-looking.
If you like PA1, you sure as hell will like PA2 too!
(Review from 11/2010)
Wiki ~ Imdb
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3
USA, 2011
Directors: Henry Joost & Ariel Schuman
8/10
Starts out slow-paced, gets wilder and wilder and ends up pretty insane. We get to see loads of highly supenseful scenes, a few wonderfully scary moments and a shitload of horrifying jump scares that brought me and most of the audience close to a heart attack (most notably the sheet-ghost's appearance and another super-shocking kitchen scene).
USA, 2011
Directors: Henry Joost & Ariel Schuman
8/10
Holy crap, hat-trick!
Seriously, I enjoyed Part 3 as much as the other 2 parts, especially because it totally exceeded my expectations which actually weren't that high.
Starts out slow-paced, gets wilder and wilder and ends up pretty insane. We get to see loads of highly supenseful scenes, a few wonderfully scary moments and a shitload of horrifying jump scares that brought me and most of the audience close to a heart attack (most notably the sheet-ghost's appearance and another super-shocking kitchen scene).
The acting is great (especially the 2 young girls), the footage looks once again pretty cool (especially due to the ingenious 'fan cam') and I love all the little nods to "Poltergeist" and "Last Exorcism".
Ok, I admit it's a bit of a letdown that most of the scenes from the trailers didn't make it into the movie - but apart from that, this is once again a terrific and highly satisfying found-footage-fest. I'm already pumped for Part 4!
Other "PARANORMAL ACTIVITY"-related stuff:
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2: TOKYO NIGHT
Original Title:
Paranômaru akutibiti: Dai-2-shô - Tokyo Night
Alternate Title:
Paranormal Activity: Tokyo Night
Japan, 2010
Director: Toshikazu Nagae
5,5/10
Oh, those Japanese...
Original Title:
Paranômaru akutibiti: Dai-2-shô - Tokyo Night
Alternate Title:
Paranormal Activity: Tokyo Night
Japan, 2010
Director: Toshikazu Nagae
5,5/10
Oh, those Japanese...
"Tokyo Night" was meant to be a sequel to the original, but actually it's more of a remake - in fact, for the greater parts it's an exact copy of the original with way too many remade scenes (glass breaks, doors open, girls stands in front of the bed for hours, girl gets dragged out of the bed etc. etc.). Further, the plot is quite lame, the settings look mediocre and the ending is a huge disappointment.
Fortunately, there are many really frightening and suspenseful scenes that creeped the shit out of me (f.e. the horrifying crucifix scene), the acting is pretty nice and I think the idea of using 2 cameras / split scenes is quite smart.
Overall nothing special - still, it could have been worse.
Recommended to fans of PA1/2 and people who love found footage stuff in general.
(Review from 05/2011)
PARANORMAL ENTITY
USA, 2009
Director: Shane Van Dyke
2/10
Aaaarghh, crap alarm!
The Asylum film studios continue their mockbusting with this super-lame and superfluous "Paranormal Activity" rip-off.
The Asylum film studios continue their mockbusting with this super-lame and superfluous "Paranormal Activity" rip-off.
The acting is passable and there are even 2 scenes that are quite tense. As for the rest, it's horribly boring and slow with an illogical script, annoying dialogue and an incredible high amount of scenes that are meant to be scary but actually are completely bland and boring. Forgettable.
(Review from 07/2010) 
Posts
This is were I have to agree that
ReplyDeleteBOTH movies were very effective.
I am like you, I didn't enjoy the very ending of Part 2 movie. I guess I wanted something different.
The first one made the hair on the back of my neck stand up! The second gave me chills numberous times. I thought through the whole movie the Father know what was going on, but that was never revealed. Can't wait for Part 3 in Oct I think!
yeah, they're both absolutely great. I'm totally excited for Part 3!
ReplyDeleteI loved the second one and thought it was a great expansion pack on the first one. I looked over my shoulder a few times and even moved to another location at one point! I didn't have a problem with the ending, though. It was more downbeat than the first film for me.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't even aware of a part three in the making. I've been so out of the loop lately it's sad.
Loved the first one (8.25/10); liked the second one (7/10), especially the final act; Thought the Japanese version was decent, thanks to its likable characters.
ReplyDelete@Venom:
ReplyDeleteyeah, there were many scenes that were way scarier than anything from the first part. I had a great and creepy time at the theatre!
The ending... well, I don't know. I expected something different. Wasn't my cup of coffee.
Yeah, there is a third part coming and I'm already totally pumped for it!
@George:
the Japanese version is far from being as great as the originals, but surprisingly way better than I expected it to be.
Would be fun If they'd do another part :)
Love the first two, but haven't seen 3 yet. Did see Paranormal Entity last year at a Halloween party and you are dead on about it. It's pure torture that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
ReplyDeleteIf you love the first 2, you sure as hell will love 3 too.
ReplyDeleteLOL Well, I've seen worse... but not much :)
The original PA remains the best of all three for me. The second was great too especially in its second half. The third was okay, and Tokyo Night was decent as well. I have no intentions watching Entity though. It looks horrible.
ReplyDeletewell, Entity is from the same studio who is also responsible for Gacy House, so you might check it out as you're one of the few Gacy House admirers out there :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of them yet, but sounds like a good box set!
ReplyDeleteyeah, minus Entity it would be a really great box set :)
ReplyDeleteyou haven't watched any of them yet? Well, if you like found footage movies or paranormal/ghosts stuff, you will definitely enjoy at least one of them.
For all your OCD, you missed one, Maynard.
ReplyDelete'8213: Gacy House' is The Asylum's answer to 'PA 2.' I suppose you could argue that it's not part of the 'series,' but it also wouldn't exist if 'PA 2' didn't.
As far as I go, I haven't actually seen the original, but I have see 2 and 'PE.'
Honestly, I'm kind of 'meh' on the whole thing. They're not terrible- well, 'PE' is- but I just don't care all that much.
seen and hated it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.horrormoviediary.net/2011/04/gacy-house.html
I agree with you, it is definitely their answer to PA2 - however, it's focusing more on Gacy and it also has no 'Paranormal' in its title, that's why I excluded it from the posting :)
what? you haven't seen the original? Shame on you!