Ok,
I apologize for the shaky-camera crack. I'm truly not one of those nitpicky haters on that style. If you're familiar with the Lost Tapes show on Animal Planet (the one that deals with cryptids and supernatural entities supposedly encountered by the camera-users, who generally get killed by the supernatural baddies.) I genuinely like that show. As for the Blair Witch, its not really my cup of tea, but I can see why some people enjoy it.
I guess my real problem with Paranormal Activity 1 & 2 is that the whole less-is-more style ends up feeling very dry and dull to me. Yes, no question it's more realistic than say, Poltergeist, but there isn't enough going on to hold my interest. Then, to top it off, the first one hit a pet peeve of mine. Maybe pet peeve isn't quite the word for it, but it'll have to do. I've always felt very uncomfortable when I've found myself a bystander to a nasty quarrel between a couple. Uncomfortable in such a way that I don't want to be aware of it anymore. Unless one of the pair is a friend of mine and either being victimized in some way by their partner, or the quarrel left them with a problem they choose to share with me as a friend, I want no part of it.
I guess you could give credit to the realism of the interactions between the couple in the first Paranormal Activity that their quarreling generated that same uncomfortable, want-to-look-away feeling in me. However, first and foremost a movie has to be enjoyable in some way, and between the discomfort of their fighting interspersed with cruel tit-for-tat snide remarks being exchanged, and the nebulous nature of the activity in their home, I was caught between the desire not to see anymore of their squabbling, and the boredom that stemmed from not being drawn in by the paranormal phenomena, the movie just didn't do it for me in any way. The capper was the way that even when what was going on had terrified the woman to the point she was frantic to reach out for help from someone who understood and could deal with the situation, her significant other dismissed her wishes and acted like a husband who fancies himself a handyman feeling threatened when the wife wanted to bring in a plumber, electrician etc. That just made me MAD.
Finally, I suspect that P.A 2 will suffer from the same sort of problem the Blair Witch sequel did. From the previews it seems like they've ramped up the ghostly activity somewhat, but despite being interested in a couple of A&E shows with much the same subject matter, I just can't see myself doing more than maybe watching it when it hits TV, or if my only local friend who still comes over has a copy of it on DVD.
I agree that stuff like SAW and Hostel lack redeeming qualities, but since very little "Horror" actually scares me, I look to the genre more as dark supernaturally-themed action. Bram Stoker's Dracula did a lot more for me than The Exorcism of Emily Rose, if that gives you an idea of my tastes. I often watch some of the cheesiest low-budget Direct-to-DVD or made for Sci-Fi Channel movies and enjoy many of them for what they are. I guess I'm just a philistine uninterested in much art in my horror movie viewing. Though I can and do appreciate well-made movies, excellent pacing, choreography and fitting music that serves to enhance the visual elements. I absolutely loved Avatar for many of those reasons, not least of which was the breathtaking visuals and organic-feeling of the movie.
I'm an odd creature though, and full of eccentricities. Certainly not educated in the realm of film, though I did get a lot out of the Movie version of Matheson's What Dreams May Come.
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Originally Posted by blind2d
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