Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

For as long as there have been Paranormal Activity movies I have been an avid watcher. I defended each movie thinking that there was some method to the madness and that one movie would reveal the answers to all the questions I had. I am a fool. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension touts itself as the sixth and final installment, which is supposed to tie all the loose ends. Instead, this movie is a testament how lazy filmmakers are and how gullible they view their audiences.

Starting off with the final events of Paranormal Activity 3, the ending is re-capped. Then we are taken 25 years later to find that a new family has moved into the house. They discover an old video camera and a box of old VHS videos. The videos are of Katie and Kristi doing ritualistic cult stuff while the camera is discovered to have the ability to see the demon Tobi. They attempt to put an end to the demon’s hold on their house and hopefully rid their family of the curse that is now afflicting them.

If this movie was not a Paranormal Activity movie the spirit camera idea might have worked. As it is, it comes off as really stupid and takes all the fear away when you see Tobi as an entity and even more so when you see he has a face. There is nothing wholly remarkable about this movie and really it answers no big burning questions you might have had if you are a fan of the franchise. If anything it raises more questions and even creates an ending that would be suitable for a sequel that nobody will be asking for.

What made the Paranormal Activity movies so great were the sense of dread and powerlessness that was created in something that you could not see. It was left up largely to the imagination to develop why it was doing what it was. As the mythos grew the quality of the narrative dipped with each foray into suburban horror.

So why was this made? To put it simply, the Paranormal Activity movies are lessons in making movies on the cheap. They have a built-in audience and they cost very little to make. For a rough $10 million dollar budget they have made out well, raking in nearly $80 million dollars.  This movie is such an obvious cash-grab that I am shocked they didn’t split it into two parts. None of the former cast that you have come to enjoy is there and the ending is awful. Even if you are a die-hard fan of the franchise don’t bother, there are much better movies out there.

My top 5 video games for Halloween

There are tons of video games that are in the horror genre.  During the Halloween season there are several games that are great for playing.  Here are a few that always stick with me.

Feed me Seymour

5. Monster Party- It’s sort of silly as a concept. It’s about a boy that meets a monster from a planet of monsters that uses his help to fight off the evil monster threats.  The kid uses his baseball bat to fight off all sorts of monsters and beasties that he comes across.  When he needs a boost he takes a pill and turns into a flying monster for a brief period of time.  The monsters are goofy looking and it’s a childish sort of game but it has a real Halloween feel to it.

This is an "Aww shit!" moment.

4. Resident Evil 4-The game that perfected the Resident Evil series.  Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil 2 is now protecting the President’s daughter when she is kidnapped by a terrorist organization. This group uses a strange virus to control people like zombies with almost Alien looking creatures.  It was a cool looking concept to move the series and the dark moody European setting made it all the more creepy.

If you have to ask Dracula, you have issues.

3. Castlevania Symphony of Night-This is arguably, the best of the Castlevania games.  This is about Dracula’s son Alucard out to kill his father. The setting is incredibly expansive as you explore the massive labyrinth of Dracula’s castle and the creatures come from a unique mix of golden age film horror and mythological creatures.    It makes for a fun and long game that is reminiscent of the Hammer Horror movies. 

No way you live bat...no way.

2. Silent Hill-Everything about this title makes this game work.  The music is eerie the characters draw you in and the story makes you want to know want to know what madness has taken this town. You play as Harry Mason, a man who is missing his daughter in the haunted town of Silent Hill.  The town has a horrible and dark past that creeps into wherever you travel.  Often you will walk around the snowy town only to have the hellish nightmare world swallow you in darkness so that the only comfort you have is your flashlight.

When it comes to necromorph babies, Isaac is Pro-death.

1. Dead Space 2- Isaac Clark is back but this time he doesn’t know if he is insane or not. This game actually perfected the controls of the last one.  It also had better graphic and a lot scarier creatures.  An alien artifact is causing people to become horrific creatures called necromorphs.  They can only be killed by removing their limbs. Not only are you now fighting with the necromorphs as you were in the first game but your own sanity as well.  It is very bloody and full of jump scares that make it work.  It also helps when you have space walks that occur and you have terrifying moments in the silence of the vacuum of space.