Horrorbid reader Laron Scarbrough attended a Hollywood Screamfest screening in 2007 of Oren Peli's Paranormal Activity. After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban 'starter' tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to. Read the review after the jump.

Follow up:

Let me start by saying that I am and have been a horror movie buff since I was six and my parents let me watch The Exorcist back in the mid 80’s. My favorite sub-genre is the unknown supernatural, paranormal side. I'm a sucker for a good scary ghost story. The only problem is that most ghost and paranormal related movies either aren't really that scary or they go off into some fantasy angle or a myriad of dream sequences. However, when I received the PARANORMAL ACTIVITY flier at the 2007 Hollywood Screamfest I figured a movie called Paranormal Activity would be right up my alley. I thought since it wasn't a big Hollywood movie there wouldn't be a lot of unnecessary special effects and maybe finally just a good honest movie made to scare people out of there minds.

So I decide to go and view the film. While watching and being admittedly freaked out at what I was seeing (Something that never happens to me might I add) I began to look around at the audience and so many people were truly, truly terrified. Out of possibly hundreds of movies that I have seen in theaters I have never EVER seen an audience be totally terrified as they were with this movie. From the beginning to the end it never lets up on your psyche. It reminded me of the stuff I would read about when The Exorcist first hit theaters in 1973. As it ended and the theater lights came up, I looked around at the audience and could visibly notice they had just been through a horrific experience. I sat there and thought to myself, "wow this is the movie that I have been waiting for. This is the movie the horror genre in itself has been waiting for."

The movie is about a San Diego couple who just get there 1st home. It's also about a man with a brand new video camera. He uses this camera to its fullest leaving it on practically 24/7 even at night when they're sleeping. Of course you start to notice things happening on the camera, mainly when they are sleeping. Things that are totally unexplainable and downright freaky start to happen. The terrifying occurrences get worse as the movie goes on.

Now in most ghost/unexplainable phenomena type movies they always go into a fantasy direction or a dream sequence type scenario and something that just takes away from the scariness of the ghost or a haunting. However, in paranormal activity, once the unexplainable events start to happen on camera this movie never lets up. It doesn't go off into some weird direction like most movies of this genre, it stays and concentrates on these terrifying unexplainable events that are going on in this house and to this couple. Like I said earlier in this review and in many other reviews, this movie will terrify you while watching it and you will still be terrified hours later.

You would think that a movie like this would draw tons of comparisons to movies like the Blair witch project and more recent movies like Quarantine. However, none of those movies shot on hand held even come close to the total realistic feeling and pure terrifying horror that you feel with Paranormal Activity. Most of the movie is filmed on a tripod and centers on simply watching this couple. There are times in watching this movie where it just gets real. This movie is in a league of its own. It's far scarier than any of those shaky camera filmed movies and I would for surely go out on a limb and say it may be the scariest movie of at least the last 2 and a half decades. Now, I'm not the type of person to praise a movie and say it has no faults simply because I like the movie or the director or actor etc. But after watching this movie I tried to remember any parts that I didn't like or parts I thought should be changed. I looked for anything bad about it and I couldn't find anything. Everything works in this film. When concerning the acting you actually get to know this couple and share the horror that they go through. The effects (although not pricey or high tech) go perfectly with the way the movie is shot. Plus the movie's cinematography is also a part of why the film is so great. When the camera is on the tripod it's like you are watching your worst nightmare come true.

As a true die hard horror fan I was blown away by this movie. If you are a fan of horror (good horror) you should go see this film!! It’s a movie that the true horror fan, the person that likes to genuinely be scared, hasn't seen in a very long time. There's no Hollywood special effects just pure in your face terror. I also recommend that people that are into the Hollywood type horror movies see Paranormal Activity so they can experience what an actual good horror movie is, especially in this day in age of pg-13 movies that are watered down and not very scary. They are suppose to be called scary movies for a reason!!

I also encourage anyone who's inspiring to make a low budget movie and wanting to learn the process to see this movie along with anyone that honestly wants to truly be scared. Not just a jumpy scary but a true psychological scare that sticks with you far after you have left the theater.

You can watch the Paranormal Activity Trailer Here.

Thanks to Laron Scarbrough for the Great Review! Also, you can demand that Paranormal Activity's next screening should be held in your city. Click Here.