Rewinding to the Beginning
Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Writers: Christopher B. Landon, Oren Pell
Cast: Katie Featherston, Sprague Grayden, Lauren Bittner, Chloe Csengery, Christopher Nicholas Smith, Jessica Tyler Brown, Brian Boland
Cast: Katie Featherston, Sprague Grayden, Lauren Bittner, Chloe Csengery, Christopher Nicholas Smith, Jessica Tyler Brown, Brian Boland
SYNOPSIS: Before Katie and Julie deal with unexplained phenomenon as adults, they befriend an unknown entity during their childhood.
REVIEW: In 2007, the phenomenon of a little independent film raised eyebrows and the hair on the back of the neck. A sleeper hit with a budget in the thousands instead of millions, Oren Peli wrote and directed the horror thriller Paranormal Activity. Centered around a suburban couple Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat), the film focused around unexplained noises and bumps in the night that terrify Katie, but pique the interest of Micah and his hand-held camera. Spoiler alert! Things didn't end well.
In 2010, director Tod Williams and writers Michael R. Perr, Christopher B. Landon, and Tom Pabst bring back the activity with Paranormal Activity 2. This time, Katie's sister Kristi and her family are at the center of a possible home invasion which prompts them to install a security system inside and outside their home, complete with cameras. Expecting a sequel, we soon realize that Katie is still alive and visiting her sister prior to the events of the first film. But as soon as we realize that this sequel is a prequel, we realize later that... Spoiler alert!... its both! The mythos deepens and more chaos takes more lives.
Now, returning for a third installment of the series, we continue to move backward in time. Taking place in 1988, Paranormal Activity 3 revolves around Katie and Kristi during their childhood in 1988. Directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Catfish) take turns at the helm with a story from returning writer Christopher B. Landon (Disturbia). Will we get all of the answers to our questions as to what entity or demon or ghost has attached itself to these sisters?
When the family moves in to their new home, Julie (Lauren Bittner - Bride Wars), her daughters Kristi (Jessica Tyler Brown) and Katie (Chloe Csengery) and Julie's new man Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith) start hearing bumps and unexplained noises. As a wedding videographer, Dennis decides to film to VHS camera different rooms of the house. The tapes reveal that Kristi talks to an imaginary friend named Toby, that objects move by themselves, and that the situation had become increasingly dire. Adult Katie (Katie Featherston) and Kristi (Sprague Grayden) make appearances at the beginning to make sure we know where we stand.
With two films under the belt, the audience has come to expect scares from every corner of the camera's lens. With the 1980s coming to a close, every pan of the camera puts the audience on edge. This time, Joost and crew pull out some cheap frights that scare and delight. In addition, though, they add in some of the good stuff, too. A certain girls' bedroom scene, a sequence at the grandmother's house, and a great kitchen cleaning make the whole flick worth while. Hearkening back to some films of the late 60s and 70s, we find out the deeper meaning and genesis that leads the two young sisters down such a dark, desolate path into adulthood.
As far as the three films go, Paranormal Activity 3 is not the best or worst of the bunch. The first film set the standard, the second upped the ante with more chills in a dark basement and the addition of a child and a pet, and the third sets the foundation to tie the darkness of the trilogy together. There are more stories to be told after the events of part 3. So unless Paranormal Activity 4 turns back time again and uses panning sonograms, it is almost a guarantee that another film is on the way.
WORTH: Matinee or DVD (for the franchise fans)
REVIEW: In 2007, the phenomenon of a little independent film raised eyebrows and the hair on the back of the neck. A sleeper hit with a budget in the thousands instead of millions, Oren Peli wrote and directed the horror thriller Paranormal Activity. Centered around a suburban couple Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat), the film focused around unexplained noises and bumps in the night that terrify Katie, but pique the interest of Micah and his hand-held camera. Spoiler alert! Things didn't end well.
In 2010, director Tod Williams and writers Michael R. Perr, Christopher B. Landon, and Tom Pabst bring back the activity with Paranormal Activity 2. This time, Katie's sister Kristi and her family are at the center of a possible home invasion which prompts them to install a security system inside and outside their home, complete with cameras. Expecting a sequel, we soon realize that Katie is still alive and visiting her sister prior to the events of the first film. But as soon as we realize that this sequel is a prequel, we realize later that... Spoiler alert!... its both! The mythos deepens and more chaos takes more lives.
Now, returning for a third installment of the series, we continue to move backward in time. Taking place in 1988, Paranormal Activity 3 revolves around Katie and Kristi during their childhood in 1988. Directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Catfish) take turns at the helm with a story from returning writer Christopher B. Landon (Disturbia). Will we get all of the answers to our questions as to what entity or demon or ghost has attached itself to these sisters?
When the family moves in to their new home, Julie (Lauren Bittner - Bride Wars), her daughters Kristi (Jessica Tyler Brown) and Katie (Chloe Csengery) and Julie's new man Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith) start hearing bumps and unexplained noises. As a wedding videographer, Dennis decides to film to VHS camera different rooms of the house. The tapes reveal that Kristi talks to an imaginary friend named Toby, that objects move by themselves, and that the situation had become increasingly dire. Adult Katie (Katie Featherston) and Kristi (Sprague Grayden) make appearances at the beginning to make sure we know where we stand.
With two films under the belt, the audience has come to expect scares from every corner of the camera's lens. With the 1980s coming to a close, every pan of the camera puts the audience on edge. This time, Joost and crew pull out some cheap frights that scare and delight. In addition, though, they add in some of the good stuff, too. A certain girls' bedroom scene, a sequence at the grandmother's house, and a great kitchen cleaning make the whole flick worth while. Hearkening back to some films of the late 60s and 70s, we find out the deeper meaning and genesis that leads the two young sisters down such a dark, desolate path into adulthood.
As far as the three films go, Paranormal Activity 3 is not the best or worst of the bunch. The first film set the standard, the second upped the ante with more chills in a dark basement and the addition of a child and a pet, and the third sets the foundation to tie the darkness of the trilogy together. There are more stories to be told after the events of part 3. So unless Paranormal Activity 4 turns back time again and uses panning sonograms, it is almost a guarantee that another film is on the way.
WORTH: Matinee or DVD (for the franchise fans)
Definitely better than the second one and even though it's a little bit of the same thing around again, it still is totally freaky and has so many chilling moments that will stay in your mind forever. Good review. Check out mine when you get the chance.
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