Paranormal Activity Franchise

I decided to rate these movies as a whole because I essentially feel the same about the entire story line (with the exception of The Marked Ones, which I could not get into at all because it felt so disconnected from the previous films). It is my experience that there are two types of audiences for this franchise: those who are terrified and enjoy it and those who think the movies are stupid or silly. I am part of the former crowd.

Katie Featherstone who plays the star, aptly named Katie, is amazingly natural in her dual role; she is the easy-going friend you'd like to hang out with on a daily basis and then she is the cruel entity that will kill you, and she plays both parts as those they are her second skins, which makes her both endearing and eerie. As the series continues, we meet her younger sister Kristi and her husband and son Hunter, who becomes Katie's main target for the next three films.

What makes these movies frightening is the well done found-footage style of directing, the natural ability of the actors, and the realistic impression that there is a demonic presence (via sound and sight). If I didn't know any better, I would believe that these "tapings" are real (the way so many did with the first movie). That is how convincing these movies are. Great acting, amazing special effects that don't seem like special effects but seem to be really happening, and a scary story line makes this franchise a compelling watch.

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