In some ways this is the most affective Paranormal Activity film of the bunch, with a number of good scares and clever use of special effects. There's chills aplenty and some great shorts shitting moments. I'm a bit puzzled by how it ends and how the filmmakers are going to explain the progression into the other movies, as it's a prequel to a prequel. But I guess that's what Paranormal Activity 4 is all about. Directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman -- who made Catfish -- do a great job of recreating the 80s and crafting some convincing horror. That said, if you hated the other Paranormal Activity movies, you'll hate this one. I didn't, so it gets a Good!

Like, duh! When the third installment in the Paranormal Activity series outgrossed the second and made almost as much as the first, it was only a matter of time before Paramount announced a fourth. And, if you doubt my words, check out the following blurb from a Paramount Pictures press release: “In 2012, Paramount’s release slate highlights include “World War Z,” a zombie thriller starring Brad Pitt and directed by Marc Forster, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” the next installment in the global franchise starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Channing Tatum, a new chapter in the “Paranormal Activity” franchise, and “The Dictator,” starring Sacha Baron Cohen and directed by Larry Charles, the team behind “Borat.” The question that must now be asked is what will the latest entry be about? Two and three were prequels. Where will the story go from here? Another prequel? An official sequel? Something different altogether? And, most importantly, will Katie Featherstone (pic) be back? ...

Further proof that Hollywood is out of fresh material, the following is a list of sequels due out this year: First sequels: Cars 2 Diary Of Wimpy Kid 2 Hangover 2 Happy Feet 2 Hoodwinked Too! Johnny English Reborn Kung Fu Panda 2 Piranha 3DD Sherlock Holmes 2 Second Sequels: Alvin & The Chipmunks 3 Big Momma’s House 3 Madea’s Big Happy Family Too Paranormal Activity 3 Transformers 3 Third Sequels: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol Pirates of the Caribbean 4 Scream 4 Spy Kids 4 Twilight: Breaking Dawn (part 1) Fourth Sequels: Fast Five Final Destination 5 Puss In Boots X-Men: First Class Winnie The Poo (kinda) Sixth Sequels (Kinda): The Muppets Rise of the Apes …and Harry Potter comes in as a Seventh Sequel. Isn't that fucked up!?! Do we need all these sequels? Does anyone really care? I know I don't. Out of the above list I am keen to see Sherlock Holmes 2, Piranha 3DD, Scream 4 and Fast Five. I will likely see Mission: Impossible ...

The boys over at Arrow In the Head and Bloody Disgusting report that Christopher B. Landon (Disturbia) and Michael R. Perry are on board to write the third installment in the Paranormal Activity series. Perry is credited with the script for PA2, which Shawn and I have yet to see as catching the new releases right away isn't our gig. But we're big fans of the original and I enjoyed Disturbia. As for the plot of PA3? No damn idea. Paramount Pictures is keeping story details under lock and key pending the film's release Oct. 21. I don't know if I care about a third movie. Paranormal Activity never struck me as a franchise but, if they make money, then Hollywood is going to beat the idea to death. Oren Peli, who directed the original, is back as a producer.