NMR: Paranormal Activity

I finally got around to see the surprise horror hit of last fall and found myself liking it more than I had anticipated. First, I'm not a big fan of the horror genre. I also tend to dislike anything that gets overhyped (see Napoleon Dynamite), yet I was curious about the buzz surrounding this film. Similar to the other indie horror blockbuster, The Blair Witch Project, there's not a lot that goes on for most of the film. However, unlike that movie I found the dialogue and interaction between the main characters here to be more realistic and engaging. They do a nice job building your curiosity as to what is really going on in their seemingly haunted house. The film's conclusion provides a nice scare, but is also cheap from a storytelling perspective since it offers a horror cliche and seemingly opens up the possibility for a sequel. Interestingly enough, the film offers some alternate endings, both of which are stronger than the original finish. I truly think this is a film that could only be enjoyed in a dark room late at night. That atmosphere is needed to truly make this film frightening. So if you like a good scare and can see it in that scenario, I think you'll enjoy this one. Rating: ***