What Do The Critics Say?

"Achieved a rare feat, pumping out a follow-up to a hit indie supernatural thriller that's as good as and remains faithful to the spirit of the original." Annlee Ellingson MOVING PICTURE MAGAZINE "Just when we're ready to write the whole thing off as a waste of time, Paranormal Activity 2 steps up to deliver a quietly brilliant ninth inning save." Rob Vaux MANIA "If Paranormal Activity's domestic brand of spookiness worked on you the first time, you will find a lot to like in this sequel." Tim Martain THE MERCURY "A confident, cocky and often comic promenade down the same primrose path." Roger Moore ORLANDO SENTINEL "Paranormal Activity 2 should have been a quick, cynical cash in on the original. Instead, it's a chiller that stands tall on its own." Christian Toto WHAT WOULD TOTO WATCH? "What was scary once is scary twice, like a carnival funhouse remodeled with a few new mirrors and spring-loaded spooks." Scott Tobias AV CLUB

"This is a date-night fright fest that delivers the goods, and will have you checking behind the door when you go to bed at night all over again." Adam Graham DETROIT NEWS "One seriously scary movie containing at least five jolts that will lift you from your seat and/or make you fill your tighty whities." David Edwards UK DAILY MIRROR "Maintains the original’s slow-burn approach. As a portrait of an American family under paranormal siege, this can proudly stand next to Poltergeist." Josh Larsen JOHN LARSEN ON FILM "Things that go bump in the night have frightened humankind since humankind first existed. It's a fact that both films use to exquisite advantage." Andrea Chase KILLER MOVIE REVIEWS "This excellent prequel once again proves that in a horror movie, often the less you see, the more intense the story." Christopher Smith BANGOR DAILY NEWS "A surprisingly effective follow-up that replicates the creeping dread of the first film and deftly builds on the original storyline." Steve Newall FLICKS NZ "An impressively directed, superbly acted horror flick that creates a creepy atmosphere and delivers some genuinely terrifying shocks." Matthew Turner VIEW LONDON

The Inside Story Reading the following material comes with a warning from its author Tom Cooney. If you are the type of person who is very suggestible, I suggest you do not read any further. The purpose of this article is to inform people regarding what is out there. It is not meant to scare the hell out of anyone. Demonic possession is a very rare phenomenon. Although it happens more often that people realize, it is still considered rare. Science has swept away much of what used to be considered demonic possession. Diseases of the mind such as Schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome and various forms of psychosis were once regarded as sure-fire signs that diabolical infestation was taking place. We have come a long way over the years and many of the people suffering from the above diseases can live active lives while on medication. Many use this as proof that possession does not exist. After all, some reason, science has proven that it does not exist. The Church fuels this line of thinking today. In this modern era, the Church seeks to write off the devil as a concept, as opposed to being an intelligent force. However, it is flawed thinking. For openers, science does not have close to all the answers and science is always changing. What we once believed as scientific fact now comes under scrutiny itself. In addition to that, there are some very unusual manifestations that take place in demonic possession. These things cannot be explained by science and they offer no cure for them either. It is true that in past centuries, mentally ill people were subjected to difficult exorcisms and the results were poor. It can be rightly argued that those people were done a great disservice and their mental diseases became much worse as a result. Whatever else was wrong with them, they were branded as evil as a result of the exorcisms. As often happens when science and religion get together, the pendulum swings the other way. Unfortunately, it has swung way too far, to the point where people who are being demonized are given antipsychotic medication and turned into walking zombies. As the old exorcisms failed to help those with mental illnesses and even made them worse, we now have the reverse. People who are demonized are being made worse because they are being treated for a condition that does not exist. You would believe that somewhere there is a happy medium but to date, it has not happened. What we will do here is produce a list of conditions that must be met to properly diagnose the problem. Where there are emotional symptoms or symptoms that are likely to be a result of mental illness, I will say so. However, it must be pointed out that many who are possessed are also mentally ill. It may be a direct result of the possession; it may be why the possession took place. The line between the two is not so vague. There is some gray area but there are so many things that occur with possession, things that are taking place around the person, that it is hard to classify what is taking place as strictly psychiatric. Those things are called “outward manifestations.” These are things like moving objects in the house, voices that are not coming from the person. There may even be physical assaults by unseen entities. According to three categories of recognition. The first has to do with mental changes in the victim; the second have to do with physical changes by the person and the third has to do with preternatural changes in the environment. Do you suspect someone is possessed? Then check out the warning signs on the FSPP (Foundation For The Study Of Paranormal Phenomena). Remember: If symptons persist, contact a qualified medical practitioner. According to The Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF), founded with the blessings of His Holiness Dr. Jayant Balaji Athavale, Ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) find it easy to attack and possess the following types of people. (1) Those with a physical illness: Any illness or disease that afflicts a person basically means that there is an increase in the subtle basic tama component with a concomitant decrease in the sattva component. The tama component increases substantially when the illness is severe and prolonged. A higher sattva predominance ensures protection against ghosts, whereas when the sattva component is low, it is easier for ghosts to affect the person or to gain entry through the tama predominant area. As ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) are predominantly composed of tama and raja subtle components, they target the wound or diseased area as a point of entry into the person. (2) People with a weak mind: These persons are easy prey for ghosts. The personality defects such as anger, greed, being highly emotional, etc. are like wounds in our mind. These are again high raja-tama or tama-raja areas in our mind. The personality defects therefore act as easy entry points for ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.). Once the demonic possession is in progress, the ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) use the personality defects of people to control them. They also turn up the amplitude of these defects, for example making an already emotional person excessively emotional. This further weakens the mind of the person allowing the demonic possession to continue on a sustained basis. The principle is that out of the person targeted for attack and the attacking ghost, whoever is spiritually stronger, wins. If the ghost has more spiritual strength than the person to be attacked, then it can affect or possess the person at will. If a person has a higher spiritual level, their defense against an attack is stronger as a result of: their own spiritual strength and the Higher protection that person receives from God. "The Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) is dedicated to exploring the Spiritual science and presenting this knowledge to the world in a modern, contemporary and scientific way. This is so that the common man can understand it regardless of race, religion or culture." Editor Sean Clarke. Don't believe in ghosts? Then go to Ghost Videos and check out their huge range of ghost videos including the series Haunted Britain: Extreme Ghost Stories. Some people foolishly invite ghosts and demons into their lives by one of the most fool-hardy methods: the Ouija Board. Let's take a look at Ouija boards with Tom Cooney, who describes what they are purported to do, the dangers that may or may not exist and why those of us in this field warn against them. There are other articles on this site about Ouija boards but let me give you a little information about the board. There is really not much to it. You can buy the Parker Brother's version or you can make your own. It is simply a board with letters and numbers on it. It also has the words YES, NO and GOODBYE on it. If I were to make up a board, I would add one other word but we will talk about that later. To get the board to "work", you use a pointer, known as a planchette to spell out words. You can also use a shot glass as a pointer. You ask questions and the board spells out the answers. What could be harmful about that? The answer to that depends on where those answers come from. Spiritualists will tell you the communication comes from a spirit. Parapsychologists suspect another source. Parapsychologists will tell you the answers are coming from the subconscious mind of one or more of the participants. This is called "automatism." Each side will agree on one thing- the board can be dangerous. The spiritualists believe the board opens a door to another realm and once a spirit is invited in, you have problems. To the parapsychologist, information coming from the subconscious mind could be something purposely forgotten and once it is revealed, it can have serious consequences. But it is just a piece of glorified cardboard, right? Whatever the cause of the movement of the planchette, it is the result of the opened consciousness of the individuals. Okay, but what does it mean if the planchette moves on its own? That rules out automatism, right. Well, Not really. The planchette could be moved by telekinesis, the movement of an object by the power of the mind. Have I confused you yet? Perhaps after you have read some of these stories, you will have a new opinion on the subject. What is my take on the subject? I believe both sides are right. The perpetual fence-sitter, that's me. Why do those of us in the field warn against it when so many people use the board and only a small number have a problem? Simply put, using the Ouija board can cause a host of problems. Want to find out why? You will see why in three case stories you can read. Add to that the fact that in some of the worst hauntings we get involved with, the one common factor is they haunted all used Ouija boards. Did the board cause the haunting? You be the judge. To read "Obsession", "Uninvited Guests" and "One Of My Encounter", please go to OUIJA STORIES. Finally, those who have had a christian are well aware that Jesus cast out devils. Jesus never used physical force when he performed an exorcism. He simply ordered the demon to leave the body. They always obeyed him because they knew who he was, and recognized his power and authority. Although most cases of possession involve a single evil spirit, it's possible for a person to be taken over by several spirits simultaneously. For example, Luke 8:2 says that seven demons were expelled from Mary Magdalene. In a modern case, a victim spoke in different voices which claimed to be the same demons that had previously possessed Judas Iscariot, Emperor Nero, Adolf Hitler, and several other well-known evildoers. John 7:20 and 8:52 say that some people in Jerusalem even accused Jesus himself of being possessed by a demon. This may have been their explanation for his ability to perform miraculous cures. According to witnesses of modern exorcisms, the demon sometimes tries to hide within the victim, and hours may pass before it finally reveals itself. Then a prolonged struggle will often take place, with the victim shaking and jerking violently as the demon fights the spiritual powers invoked to expel it. During one reported struggle of this type, the victim's face suddenly contorted into an evil sneer that apparently emanated from the demon itself. Then a terrifying shriek pierced the air, and the body collapsed on the floor as the demon left it. Some attempted exorcisms have had tragic endings. In these cases victims were tied down, then repeatedly choked, squeezed, beaten, and starved, sometimes over a period of several days, and this eventually caused them to die. Although these deaths were probably unintentional, several exorcists have been convicted of crimes and sent to prison. For more, go to GOSPEL MYSTERIES. If you're a fan of "The Exorcist", "The Amityville Horror", "Paranormal Activity" or "The Exorcism of Emily Rose", standby for "The Last Exorcism", opening 25/11/10 in Australia. What's It All About?

Katie and her sister Kristi, have just arrived home from the hospital with her husband Dan, step-daughter Ali and newborn Hunter. Unfortunately, eerie happenings begin almost immediately. The house is ransacked, pots begin mysteriously falling and the pool cleaner somehow ends up on the deck every night. Frustrated and eager to appease his wife, Dan installs security cameras all around the house but as in the first film, they end up documenting more than dissuading any demonic activities. The families Hispanic maid, fed up with the commotion, decides to light incense all over the house in an attempt to ward off any bad spirits. A sceptical Dan instantly fires her, leading to a few babysitting misadventures between Ali and Hunter. Both women, like the maid, are convinced something is definitely amiss, but Dan’s deep-rooted rationality, prevents any exorcisms or medium rendezvous.

The Verdict "If you think you've seen it all before then hang on to your seat because "Paranormal Activity 2" is effectively scarier than the original. With an expanded cast and a baby in the house, the stage is set for a very scary, jump in your seat experience. Things go bump in the night; the family dog growls at the door; a defenceless little baby boy screams for his mummy; dad's in denial; the housekeeper knows somethings wrong; but only the dog and baby Hunter Rey, can see what is in the house at night. Break out The Bible, keep a crucifix by the beside, string garlic everywhere, get your local priest to bless your house and last but certainly not least: make sure you have a legal will. Sceptics beware: you may be it's next victim. Heart-stopping, vein-popping, panic inducing cinema. Recommended. 4 STARS." Who Is Playing Who?

Brian Boland Molly Ephraim Katie Featherston Seth Ginsberg Sprague Grayden William Juan Prieto Jackson Xenia Prieto Micah Sloat Vivis Cortez David Bierend

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Dan Rey Ali Rey Katie Brad Kristi Rey Hunter Rey Hunter Rey Micah Martine Surveillance Camera Expert

Directed by Tod Williams Screenplay Michael R. Perry/Christopher Landon/Tom Pabst From a story by Michael R. Perry Oren Peli the film "Paranormal Activity" Produced by Jason Blum & Oren Peli Cinematography by Michael Simmonds Film Editing by Gregory Plotkin Casting by Michael Hothorn Costume Design by Kristin M. Burke Run Time 91 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2010 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2010 The Movie Pages & impact Internet Services. All Rights Reserved. Protected by Australian and International Copyright. Trademark Laws and Intellectual Property Rights apply.