George saw the movie during Fantastic Fest last month. Read his take here. Mine follows below:

Rarely do movie critics talk about the actual experience of seeing a film in the theater in their actual review. It happens sometimes, but it’s usually presented as an aside (the film broke, the crowd responded this way, the sound was bad, etc.) and not something that’s necessarily essential to the enjoyment of the film.

For this review, there is simply no way around it.

First off, the ultra-low-budget suspense flick “Paranormal Activity” has based its entire ad campaign around audience reaction. The trailers and ads show movie theater crowds jumping in their seats and screaming in horror while viewing the picture.

Secondly, Paramount has been rolling it out at midnight shows only in select cities (until this weekend’s wider release), so the viewing hour limits the movie to its intended demographic—college kids up for a late-night scare. It also means that with only one showing a night the shows sell out quicker.

This means the movie’s been playing to packed crowds who are already predisposed to buy into its premise of a young couple haunted by a demon who tape the bizarre happenings in their home on a video camera, especially if they watch any number of the night-vision “reality” shows based on supernatural phenomena on A&E or MTV.

One thing must be mentioned: Since 1999’s similarly themed “The Blair Witch Project,” audiences are smarter about the way their images and movies are presented, so filmgoers going in believing that this is documentary footage left behind by real people are probably few and far between.

All of the above-mentioned points factor into how this movie played for me. To put it simply, it didn’t.

Is that the fault of stars Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat? Not really. The acting is quite naturalistic, considering some of the contrived things they have to do and say to hit the beats of the screenplay while convincing us that the footage is real.

Is it the fault of writer/director Oren Peli? Partially. His adherence to the premise that all video was shot by Micah and Katie is part of the movie’s fly-on-the-wall appeal, but it’s also its biggest stumbling block when it comes to plot. It’s hard to believe the couple wouldn’t leave their home or seek help outside of a psychic who leaves them high and dry, bolting from the front door because of angry demon vibes.

Mostly, it’s the fault of a friend of mine who sat two people down from me.

To put it mildly, the movie is a slow build. In fact, like “Blair Witch,” there’s barely any onscreen “action” at all. The whole less-is-more approach wasn’t working for my friend, who made it known about 20 minutes into the movie that something “better happen soon.” As the movie wore on, it wasn’t simply whispers to his girlfriend or the guy next to him anymore, it was loud exhortations directed at the screen or to everyone else in the theater.

When I hate a movie, I’ll admit that my body language can give it away sometimes. I’ll even admit to a groan or loud sigh every now and then. For the most part, though, I try to keep that stuff in check.

When my friend started reaching across the guy between us to tap me on the leg and talk to me, I knew I was sunk. I waved him off and gave him dirty looks, trying to show my displeasure silently (while still concentrating on the film), but he continued to show his disgust with the movie out loud. (And with a great big “rock fist down.”)

Here’s the funny part: For some of the film, I was right there with him. I agree with him that it was hard to get into and slow to get going. There is a certain amount of suspension of disbelief, however, that you must accept in order for the movie to work for you. My friend was “out” of the film early and stayed out. (Another friend was literally out—he left 30 minutes into the movie and decided to have a drink at a nearby bar until the movie was over!)

So the bottom line is—did “Paranormal Activity” work for me? No. That night, it didn’t.

I tried to concentrate on the movie, but my environment conspired to get the best of me. (Admittedly, I even dozed off for a second or two towards the middle of the movie and was jarred awake by my friend in kind of a “ha ha—gotcha!” moment for him.)

But this brings up an interesting question: If the suspension of disbelief is such a hurdle, how does the movie play in huge, sold-out theaters, where one would expect that more people means more hecklers? I would think there would be a lot of haters, but maybe the rest of the crowd would intimidate them into shutting up.

The theater I saw it in held about 100 people, fairly spread out, and there were waiters bringing food and drink orders and checks. Their mere appearance tended to draw me out of the movie a little more too.

Or—am I simply making excuses for a movie that I never really believed? There was an impressive level of skill on display in shaping the threadbare story around the reality-style limitations it required. But I only noticed these things occasionally and on a formal level, rather than actually getting into the movie on an emotional level.

Will the movie play on TV better because the cheapo camerawork suits the medium better or will it be impossible to stay involved in with interruptions galore at home?

I can only tell you about my experience and it was mixed at best. I guess this is one of those times where I’m glad I have a rating that doesn’t commit too firmly in either direction. Instead, it’s complete neutrality. I’m happy to give “Paranormal Activity” the Swiss fist and I’m happy to ask you about your experience seeing the movie.

Comment away …

Tags: angry, audience, crowd, hated, is paranormal activity real, loud, movie, noisy, paranormal activity, paranormal activity movie review, paranormal activity review, REAL, review, sold out, theater

AMC is restoring and re-opening the Mainstreet Theatre (1400 Main St.) in the Power & Light District and the Kansas City-based theater chain is celebrating with Free Movie Day on Tuesday, April 28. We have 25 ‘admit-two’ passes for the first 25 people to sign up using the entry form below.

photo by Eric Bowers of MadnessMatrix.com

The Mainstreet originally opened in October 1921 as a vaudeville and movie house. Having closed in the mid 1980s, it will have its grand opening on May 1, 2009, and now features an all-digital projection, six-screen movie theater. There are three traditional auditoriums and three Cinema Suites (for the plush in-theater dining experience), plus The Marquee Bar & Grill for drinks before and after the show. This is a true historical gem in downtown Kansas City. Back in its heyday, the theater hosted live performers such as Cab Calloway, Charlie Chaplin, and the Marx Brothers.

There are six screens at the theater, and AMC is showing “Twilight,” “Tropic Thunder,” “Quantum of Solace,” “Seven Pounds,” “Valkyrie,” and “Last Chance Harvey.”

Passholders will have the option to see any one of the movies mentioned.

Quantum of Solace, 7:30

Last Chance Harvey, 7:45

Twilight, 8:00

Tropic Thunder, 8:30

The first 25 people to sign up below will receive an email with instructions on how to print off their passes!

Tags: amc, cinema suites, district, Free Movie Day, giveaway, historical, kansas city, KC, Mainstreet, marquee, power & light, theater, theatre

ADDING MORE GREAT PRIZES SO KEEP CHECKING BACK!

We have been lining up lots of cool stuff to do and a lot of great prizes to give away in the raffle Wednesday Oct. 29 at our Night of Rock n Roll Horror event at the Screenland Theater in Kansas City. Here’s the lineup, getting larger every day:

6:30pm:
-First 50 people in the door get free advance passes to Kevin Smith’s “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.”
-Raffle tickets will be sold for a chance to win big prizes, such as a brand-new 32GB iPod Touch, donated by our good friends at Transmuto Media.
-Rock Band will be available in the Screenland’s big room for everyone to join in and shred some nasty-hot licks and pound those drums.
-The Screenland’s bar will be open and rocking, and much socializing will occur.
-Food donated by our sponsors will be available until it runs out.

7:30pm:
-Eric will host a horror-movie trivia game. The winner will get one of the extremely cool prizes we have to give away. (Not the iPod, that’s up for grabs in the raffle!)
-Inevitably, someone will think they are playing a real guitar and try to smash the plastic toy in their hand. In true rock-show fashion, the drunken lout will be forcibly ejected.

8:00pm:
-Everything we have, including the iPod Touch (see list below), will be given away in the charity raffle.
-A short reel of cheesy 1980s movies, horror and not, will be shown.
-“Trick or Treat” (1986), starring the guy who played Skippy on “Family Ties,” will be shown in its entirety, and you will learn what happens when bad heavy metal albums are played backwards. The bar will stay open.

Prizes for raffle (updated as they continue to be confirmed):
brand new 32 GB iPod Touch
autographed “Grindhouse” poster
autographed “Grindhouse” mini-poster
Quentin Tarantino action figure from “Grindhouse”
huge “Grindhouse” hardcover book
2 Rob Zombie-autographed “Halloween” posters
“Saw I-IV” DVD Box Set
10 “Saw V” T-Shirts
lots of “Saw V” posters
2 “The Strangers” DVD
“Forgetting Sarah Marshall” DVD
“30 Rock” Season Two DVD
2 “The Dark Knight” movie posters
2 “Iron Man” movie posters
“Incredible Hulk” movie poster
2 sets of six “W.” shot glasses
“Religulous” movie poster
2 “The Spirit” movie posters
lots of “Blindness” posters
lots of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” posters
Gift certificate for a free breakfast @ The Classic Cup
25$ Gift Certificate to Grinders
Jazz Bucks from Jazz, a Louisiana Kitchen
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” FX Theater (diorama of boulder scene) from Clint’s Comics

All proceeds go to the Children’s Music Fund.

A special thank you to all of our sponsors, to whom we couldn’t have done this without: Transmuto Media, Allied Advertising, B-BOP Comics, Grinders, The Classic Cup, Jazz, Clint’s Comics, Waldo’s, Zebedee’s rpm, and Chipotle.

Tags: 2008, 29, a, Children's Music Fund, free ipod touch, horror, n, night, october, of, raffle, rock, roll, screenland, theater