Need to know: It’s been described by many as the ‘new Blair Witch Project’, but Paranormal Activity is just so much better than that. Made for just $15,000 (£9,000) by former video games designer Oren Peli, the movie has been championed by Steven Spielberg himself and has already made a big splash at the US box office, banking over $100m already.
What’s it about? We follow Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston, an ordinary couple trying to get to the bottom of some strange goings on in the middle of the night. Micah decides to buy a hand-held camera and record their bedroom activity (no, not that activity!) to find out exactly what it is that’s going bump in the night. What they record is terrifying stuff, it doesn’t take long before you’re covering your face at every nightshot of the bedroom.
Starring: Newcomers Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston play themselves. Having reportedly just been given scenarios by director Oren Peli, the pair were paid just $500 (£300) each for appearing in the film.
Best bit: Peli’s gore-less tact is the best part of the whole film. This is a psychological horror, rather than a bloody nightmare. Katie and Micah play the ordinary couple next door, they’ve not done anything to antagonise the spirit (except set up a rather large camera in their bedroom), and this makes the film that much more spooky. For this reason, Paranormal Activity has to be the master of hand-held camera spook-fest films, as you realise just how helpless Katie and Micah actually are.
Worst bit: Although it’s not a deal-breaker, we just couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed with the ending, which, rumour has it, was changed after Speilberg had watched an early version. Also, we really wanted to tell Katie and Micah to close their bedroom door! Hello, rule number 12 in how to survive a horror film.
Go and see it with: Anyone. Just don’t go alone.
Watch the trailer
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