A horror film done RIGHT.

Rating: 8/10 (20 October 2009)

I saw this film earlier today, and I just want to start by saying that I also watched Haunting in Connecticut right afterwards; I wanted to see it and I had seen the two movies compared. The thing I noticed is mostly only people that disliked Paranormal Activity compared the two, calling Haunting scarier. Apparently those people don't know what makes true elements of horror. It isn't a bunch of unrealistic and quite frankly senseless plot lines and effects; it's SUSPENSE.
This movie builds up like none I have ever seen. It starts VERY subtle, but it gains momentum. People calling this film boring must simply be void of senses in favor of mindless horror films with special effects. The name of the game here is REALISM. The acting is excellent; you really get a feeling that this is actually happening to them.
The movie is shot as a mockumentary, and that's what makes it effective. Many things in this movie probably wouldn't be scary on a high budget film camera, but since it is real, even the most subtle thing is terrifying. The final 20 minutes of this film are beyond disturbing. It builds upon terror based on realism and as such is the ONLY horror film to stay with me after viewing besides Halloween, and that is one of the most effective horror films ever made. I'm not trying to compare the two as the film has its quirks (a few parts are really cheesy), but it does the job. The suspense grips you each night these two go to sleep, and by the next night you wonder if you can handle any more of what you are seeing. And the beauty is that that DON'T see very much; much is left to the imagination. And THAT, ladies and gentleman, is what a good horror film does. Again, it has that Halloween-esquire technique in terms of suspense and realism that keeps you scared after you watch it.
Ignore the haters; they simply do not understand that it's a combination of SUSPENSE and realism and/or abstract visuals that are actually psychological. You won't get that from the lowly Haunting in Connecticut, which is simply not in the same LEAGUE as Paranormal Activity.
This may sound strange, but I LOVE getting scared out of my wits because scaring me is a challenge. So, if you want to be disturbed, creeped out and afraid of the dark, watch this movie.