Paranormal Activity, Saw VI, The Hurt Locker

Paranormal Activity - The thing about Paranormal Activity is this: if you believe in ghosts and the supernatural, then you will more likely than not find it creepy and scary. However, if you do not believe in ghosts or the supernatural, like yours truly and that statement comes on the heels of becoming addicted to the TV show Supernatural thanks in part to my boss, then you'll think Paranormal Activity is a little bit, well, boring. Nothing happens in the movie for a long, long time. I will admit that the last 15 minutes or so are pretty intense and slightly creepy. But 15 good minutes a good movie does not make. The story follows a young couple who have been having experiences in their house. They buy a video camera to document what happens while they sleep. We watch the footage. It's a simple as that. As a fan of film, I can admire a film that was made for $15,000 and went on to make over 60 million. That's an accomplishment (and means there will probably be some brain dead sequel). As a fan of independent film, I can admire the low key vibe of the film. Two actors. One setting. Seemingly no script. This film will get a lot of comparison to the Blair Witch Project but the thing about the Blair Witch Project is this - the "found footage is it real?" thing hadn't been done in so long that it actually was creepy. In a world of reality TV, we don't even question that kind of thing anymore. Overall, I really wanted to like this movie but ultimately, it just wasn't a frightening experience for me.
Grade: C-

Saw VI - My momma always told me if I don't have anything nice to say... So, we'll leave the review at this: The Saw franchise needs to die.
Grade: F

The Hurt Locker - In a word: Amazing. I officially have a new favorite film of the year. Sorry, Inglourious Basterds. The movie is intense and intriguing. Director Katheryn Bigelow (who did one of my favorite horror movies, Near Dark) is amazing in every sense of the word. The Hurt Locker is a riveting character study and an intense thriller, all at once. The movie has to be intense. It follows probably the most nerve-racking job on the planet - a bomb expert who is defusing bombs in Iraq. Said bomb expert is played by the AMAZING Jeremy Renner. Now, I've loved Renner since I first saw him in Dahmer and that was almost a decade ago. It's nice to see him getting great work that truly showcase his talent. He plays a guy who truly loves his job. It's intense but it's probably the only thing he loves. His performance is plain powerful. He is ultimately an adrenaline junkie and he's a little reckless, a little funny and totally badass. Anthony Mackie is damn good too although his performance isn't nearly as ridiculously awesome as Renner's. The thing I loved most about the movie is how it wasn't political at all. This is a war movie but there is no message really. Iraq is more like a backdrop. There is no preaching going on in this movie, just damn fine story telling. I also love how unbelievably different this movie is. There is no clear protagonist (although Renner should clearly be nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars). There is no climax or character development. It's just a story with no beginning and no end, really. It's a moment in the life of these characters. Without all of these things, the movie still manages to be powerful, interesting, intense, suspenseful and just straight up great. This movie is a masterpiece without compromising to Hollywood's sell-out standards.
Grade: A (maybe A+, I have to see it again to be sure).