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After six months of wanting (and waiting) to see Paranormal Activity, it finally arrived in my mailbox from Netflix. Ever since its late December release, the availability of a Blu-ray copy has been listed as a "long wait" until last week. And I didn't want to buy it instead of waiting since it's very, very thin on extras. And frankly, the asking price on DVD was just out of the question.

Plus, I wasn't sure I wanted to own this flick on DVD. Remember, once the marketing is finished for a film, it's all in the hands of those who speak up about a flick, be it very positive or very negative. I wasn't sure which end of critical spectrum I'd be. So I used caution and waited.

Overall, I was pleased with the film, but I didn't love it. I was not very sympathetic to the boyfriend and girlfriend in the leads. Their handling of the situation, especially on the guy's end, was just something I couldn't dig into. But I was genuinely creeped out by the scares, especially towards the end.

I didn't watch and completely distance myself between the plausible and the not. Since I wasn't so sure how the filmmakers created a lot of spook shots, I had to tell myself this was just a movie. Funny how that kind of self-talk didn't help me fall asleep gently.

What I found utterly odd about my experience watching the film (at my home two hours before I went to bed, no less) was how I shed a lot of tears while watching it. These were not tears of joy or immense sadness. No, they were like tears of fears, like sweat coming from my eyes and nose. Maybe I was thinking too much about the dynamics between the couple and how they bickered so much. I'm still not sure exactly why.

I can't say I'd suggest horror fans to own this film on DVD, but it's definitely worth seeing at least once. And as much fun as it might be to see it in a theater, seeing it in the comforts of your home is a genuinely different experience. Any bump or noise you hear, whether it's the neighbors or a pipe, will probably make you jump for a few nights.

Comments

That Guy Kyle said…
Utterly, disgustingly, appallingly, disappointed with this movie. The final scene is retarded. The premise was GREAT and some of the stuff (the time fast forwards) was "creepy". But hated the movie overall.

I also dislike dysfunctional relationships...but...hey, we're in a band together, so... :)

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