The 'Paranormal Activity' Series: Part 2

[Rocketman]

In my opinion, they wouldn't be dumb enough to just randomly introduce [BLACKOUT]witches, cults, and satanic rituals[/BLACKOUT] unless they ABSOLUTELY had an idea about where to take it next. I mean, it's just way to specific and distinct to just go back to the writers' room and announce, "Okay, what the hell do we do now?" I personally believe they've got a plan. At least I hope.

I actually think they're skating on VERY thin ice now, storywise. They've successfully made 3 amazing movies, but now it's not so easy to do it a 4th and 5th time. If they can pull it off, I'm tempted to say that this might go down as THE best horror series of the past 20 years. The 90s sure as hell didn't bring anything to the table, aside from Scream or I Know What You Did Last Summer. The most notable ones would probably be The Sixth Sense or The Blair Witch Project.

 

[Matt]

The buzz seems to suggest that it is the best sequel yet. If they make 5 critically, financially, and well-received horror movies, I'd argue that they are the best horror series EVER. Maybe no individual part of it is the best horror movie ever, but can you really name any other horror franchise that has made 5 good movies? Of course, we're putting the cart ahead of the horse.

 

[Rocketman]

The buzz seems to suggest that it is the best sequel yet. If they make 5 critically, financially, and well-received horror movies, I'd argue that they are the best horror series EVER. Maybe no individual part of it is the best horror movie ever, but can you really name any other horror franchise that has made 5 good movies? Of course, we're putting the cart ahead of the horse.

It is absolutely the best movie in the series. I'd rank them 3,2,1.
Not many movie series get better with each movie. Especially with a third one.
As for the bold part, I'm actually second-guessing myself on the "past 20 years" thing. In general, this is one of the best Horror series of the past 60 years, easily. If you look at Halloween, Friday the 13th, and so on, they all spawned a plethora of incredibly TERRIBLE sequels.

God damn it, this might already be the best horror series ever. I'm drawing a blank when it comes to anything that is just as consistently great.

 

[Matt]

It is absolutely the best movie in the series. I'd rank them 3,2,1.
Not many movie series get better with each movie. Especially with a third one.
As for the bold part, I'm actually second-guessing myself on the "past 20 years" thing. In general, this is one of the best Horror series of the past 60 years, easily. If you look at Halloween, Friday the 13th, and so on, they all spawned a plethora of incredibly TERRIBLE sequels.

God damn it, this might already be the best horror series ever. I'm drawing a blank when it comes to anything that is just as consistently great.

I'd say if you go bases on individual movies alone, The Exorcist, Alien and Halloween all surpass 1 and 2 atleast (have yet to see 3 so I'm not sure, but it would have to be tremendous to surpass those). In terms of franchises, most horror movies are lucky if they have two decent entries much less three consecutive ones....

 

[Rocketman]

I'd say if you go bases on individual movies alone, The Exorcist, Alien and Halloween all surpass 1 and 2 atleast (have yet to see 3 so I'm not sure, but it would have to be tremendous to surpass those). In terms of franchises, most horror movies are lucky if they have two decent entries much less three consecutive ones....

Oh, as singular movies, nothing tops The Exorcist, The Shining, Alien, Halloween, The Thing, etc. Those are unbeatable. But as a series as a whole, Paranormal Activity might be the best horror series ever.
And as for seeing PA3 tonight, I wasn't kidding: it might be the scariest movie I've ever seen.

There's a difference between well-made cinematic masterpieces like Alien and The Exorcist, and a movie that is genuinely terrifying. As far as delivering the scares, PA3 took the cake for me.

The Shining, for example, is a Kubrick film that I love to sit down and enjoy for its beautiful lighting and cinematography. PA3 almost gave me a goddamn panic attack. Huge difference. The Exorcist is an amazing film; Paranormal Activity 3 is an amazing horror film.

 

[wiegeabo]

Oh god. Maybe I don't want to see it this weekend.

 

[Call Me Darkman]

Future generations will not acknowledge "Blair Witch Project." The "Paranormal Activity" films have set the standard for the found-footage genre of horror. And, as a horror series, it may very well be the best. As Matt said, most horror franchises are lucky if they get two decent sequels. This series, on the other hand, keeps getting better. They're classics! No one can deny that at this point. So, going back to "Blair Witch Project," it may have done it first but it was just the blueprint for a better movie. The same way that "Peeping Tom" and "Black Christmas" are the prototypes for "Psycho" and "Halloween."

 

[Rocketman]

Honestly, as long as they stay as great as they've been, I hope they make a thousand sequels. This series has everything I want in the horror genre, and strays away from everything I hate. It's absolutely perfect.

 

[Wolfwood]

So for those that have seen it...

Spoiler

Who do you think stole the tapes at the beginning? I doubt it was the demon that tossed them out. If we're to believe that we're seeing this found footage because someone wants us to see it (like how the police "released" the previous tapes) then I'm thinking it's someone that wants to expose the covenant.

 

[Call Me Darkman]

I'm thinking it's someone that wants to expose[BLACKOUT] the covenant.[/BLACKOUT]

Or maybe it was Katie. She has a knack for going in and out of places.

 

[Wolfwood]

Or maybe it was Katie. She has a knack for going in and out of places.

That is true, but weren't they stolen before she went all bonkers?

Also someone pointed this out on the IMDB forums, don't know how true it is since I didn't notice, but I thought it was interesting:

Spoiler

In the box of tapes, there was a video marked Katie 1992. In this film she's around 10, so in 92 she'd be about 14. Which is about the age that she said the activity started up again. Maybe that'll be our sequel?

 

[The Dark Defender]

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111019/REVIEWS/111029999

Ebert didn't care for it.

Typically the first sign that a movie is good.

Upon my initial reaction I thought it was better than PA2, but probably not as good as one. The trailers definitely didn't give away too much since almost none of the best moments in the film were in it.

They don't give you the slightest indication of how the film will turn out either.

 

[The Dark Defender]

The same way that "Peeping Tom" and "Black Christmas" are the prototypes for "Psycho" and "Halloween."

But Psycho was well before Black Christmas

I think The Exorcist is probably the most ridiculously overrated film ever made, btw. The possession stuff in that movie is some of the most way over the top crap I've ever seen in a film meant to be taken seriously, it would've been better suited for something along the lines of Evil Dead or Night of the Demons.

The Blair Witch Project is probably the single worst thing I've ever seen in theaters. It takes the "it's better left to your imagination" technique WAY overboard to the point there movie is literally nothing but shaky camera work and tree branches with some shouting thrown in...I could sit home an 'imagine' a much better movie.
I don't even find the ending remotely effective.

 

[Wolfwood]

Peeping Tom is the precursor to Psycho. Black Christmas is the one for Halloween

 

[Clu]

watched it when they had a screener....was pretty good, probably the best one of the 3.

forget what you see in the trailer, but almost everything plays out differently which is good.

if you liked part 1 and 2, this is a welcome addition.

 

[The Dark Defender]

Peeping Tom is the precursor to Psycho. Black Christmas is the one for Halloween

Ah, gotcha.

 

[Punisher Rising]

Is it necessary to watch PA2: Tokyo Night? I'm about to start the first PA now and will watch PA2 after it, but is it necessary to watch Tokyo Night?

 

[Wolfwood]

lol Man, you're the first person I've seen even bring that one up. Nah, you don't need to see that one. It's more of a side-story.

 

[Punisher Rising]

Alright, thanks for letting me know. About to watch PA1 right now and then begin PA2 right after.

 

[Hush]

Great! I'm still shaking, an HOUR later. This was jut great. Damn near had a panic attack and if you get the right crowd it's just damn perfect. We were interactive but not to an annoying level. I knew the Catfish guys had it in them. Katie is soooooooo hot, just damn. And yes I'm talking about Adult Katie pervs.

 

[RedSkull]

Not sure I liked the inclusion of the witches and cults. I think it's overplotting and it decreases some of that feeling of it could happen to anyone. It only happens to those who bring it upon themselves or their family...seems to make it less easy to relate to, and easier to understand whats going on. I liked it better randomly. Having said that, I thought the 3rd was much better than the 2nd and it scared me in a few moments, but nothing with lasting impact like the first.

 

[Ajendo]

Seeing this tonight. Can't wait! I loved the first one but was underwhelmed by the second. I havnt even seen the trailer for PA3 in full, so I'm glad to go in not knowing what to expect.

 

[kickass]

I think I know where the next movie will go. It's actually stated in the first film.

Spoiler

In the beginning of PA3 we're shown the box of VHS tapes. Well, one of the tapes is labeled "Katie........1992". If she's 10 years old in PA3 then she would be 14 in the "1992" tape.

Katie tells Dr. Fredrichs in PA1 that she remembers very little happening when she was a little girl but then some strange things started happening (again) when she was 14.

She'd be 14 in the "1992" tapes. I'm going to guess that that's where we'll see the next movie go and that's where we'll see our fire.

 

[RedSkull]

Yeah since the fire was in the trailer I was thinking WTF when there wasn't a fire. I was thinking thats how the movie would end. Not so. I also dont like how the demon makes "earthquakes" in this one. And I don't like that it can be controlled either or that cults are involved. The more heavily plotted these movies are and the more they try to "unravel" the mystery the more the film suffers as a result. I still enjoyed this one (more than the 2nd) but it lacked the power of the first. I actually blinked when the girl knocked the guy over with the demon face so I missed that bit

 

[The Dark Defender]

I feel the same way about

Spoiler

the cult and witches,

both sequels try to add an ongoing storyline as to why this all happened, which I find interesting but it also makes it less scary when they're showing it's only happening to specific people for a very specific reason, the first film even pointed out "these things are totally random."

Can't really blame them though I guess, if they're going to continue it adding more layers to the story is kind of inevitable.

The first one is really the only one that stands on its own, PA 2 still has a cliffhanger and if the story goes where someone mentioned a few posts up, it'll stay unresolved passed PA 4.