EDITOR NOTE: Streaming Wars is DFF’s on-going column about the various streaming platforms. Part of the column (that may become a weekly feature) will be an attempt to suggest what to watch and where to find it. Please offer up your suggestions of streaming platforms not referenced here as well as what to watch by contacting us at DailyFilmFixATgmail.com.
“Paranormal Activity” was the little 2009 release that could and then some. The emerging “PA” series of films that developed thereafter returns this weekend with its third installment.
The original “PA,” written and directed by Oren Peli, was made in 2007 for a reported budget of just $15,000.00. Even before the film was released and following it’s festival appearance at 2008’s Slamdance, rumors swirled of a remake under the control of none-other-than Stephen Spielberg. Finally released theatrically in 2009 after an unusual “demand it” Internet campaign, “PA” grossed over $107 million in domestic box office alone and added another $85 million from foreign markets.
The amazing success of “Paranormal Activity” made a sequel inevitable and last year around this time “PA 2” crept into theaters with a huge opening weekend in excess of $40 million. That sequel was directed by Todd Williams, whose previous work included the drama “The Door in the Floor.” And although the movie had an impressive first weekend out, the total domestic gross was far less than the first installment. Surprisingly, the foreign box office was better than the original and larger than what it made at home netting “PA 2” a worldwide total of more than $177 million, still less than its predecessor. Once again, the production budget was minuscule, just a reported $3 million, compared to other typical Hollywood wide releases. Naturally, the “PA” series had the makings of a franchise.
“Paranormal Activity 3” is actually a prequel, which is all the rage and was tried on last weekend with “The Thing.” This time, the “Paranormal” producers smartly enlisted two directors, Henry Joost and Ariel Shulman, that understand the right visual scope and filmmaking techniques that made the original “Paranormal Activity” so effective. Joost and Shulman were responsible for last year’s quasi-documentary “Catfish.” From a look at the trailer for “PA 3,” it appears that the filmmakers have brought lessons learned in crafting what many referred to as last year’s “other Facebook movie” into the “Paranormal” universe.
In order to get prepped for the weekend and understand what “PA” is all about, you might want to watch the first two movies at home (or on your cellphone, tablet, computer, and so forth). But where can you find them? And how much will it cost you?
As an aside, in writing this, I noticed that the Nic Cage/Nic Kidman thriller “Trespass” is available at YouTube Movies for just $6.99. And it is still in theaters! Well, technically if you can find it. Given the low buzz for the movie, I seriously doubt that theater owners are losing much sleep over “Trespass’” streaming and VOD release competing with its theatrical run.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY:
- Amazon: $2.99 Rental/$9.99 Buy – Link: CLICK HERE
- Netflix: Link: CLICK HERE
- Cinema Now: $2.99 Rental in Standard Def – Link: CLICK HERE
- YouTube Movies: Not Available
- iTunes: $2.99 SD Rental/$3.99 HD Rental/$9.99 SD Buy
- Playstation 3: $2.99 SD/$4.50 HD Rental; $9.99 SD/$19.99 HD Buy (Sony also has a price of $19.99 for both SD and HD versions, which might take longer to download, but I can’t understand why you wouldn’t get both for the same cost of the HD version. The idea is to be able to run the movie on both your home theater and portable devices without having to use a third party piece of software like a DRM removal program and Elgato.)
- Blockbuster: $2.99 Rent/$10.99 Buy – Link: CLICK HERE
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2:
- Amazon: $14.99 Purchase – Link: CLICK HERE
- Netflix: Link: CLICK HERE
- Cinema Now: $15.95 Purchase Standard Def – Link: CLICK HERE
- YouTube Movies: Not Available
- iTunes: $14.99 Buy (looks like SD widescreen)
- Playstation 3: $14.99 Buy SD
- Blockbuster: $17.99 Buy – Link: CLICK HERE
CATFISH:
Was teased as a real documentary but is now billed as a faux doc, “Catfish” is still worth watching in the “Blair Witch” vein. The story concerns a New York-based photographer (played by Yaniv Schulman) who becomes involved via Facebook with a family in rural Michigan. What starts out creepy ends as a fascinating comment on our socially networked age.
- Cinema Now: Not Available
- YouTube Movies: Not Available
- Amazon: Not Available – Very interesting because there is a place for the film on Amazon but the link gives a page that says the following: “Due to our licensing agreements this video is currently not available for purchase or rental.”
- Netflix: DVD-by-mail only – Link: CLICK HERE
- iTunes: Not Available
- Playstation 3: Not Available
- Blockbuster: DVD-by-Mail only – Link: CLICK HERE
Please note that I intend to add other streaming services. Drop me an email if you have suggestions.
