Somewhere Chantal Akerman is either shaking her fist at the world or laughing at conquering it. Akerman invented using extended takes and static frames which capture daily routine to unfold the film narrative and then creates excitement by subtle changes in daily routines that climax in an unexpected & violent subversion of gender roles. Paranormal Activity cheats by using a supernatural reason for filming a daily routine & creates an expectation of violence. The real tension is that the woman wants one action, but the man consistently ignores her desires in order to feel in control thus exacerbating the situation & recognizes his helplessness when it is too late. What struck me, and maybe my interpretation is colored by my faith, was that despite the acceptance that a demon was in the house, they only resort to documentation, i.e. secular techniques, to battle it instead of the power of Christ–indeed Micah burns the cross, is actually afraid of a traditional exorcism or even calling the “demonologist,” which is an academic, not a religious figure. Sure the characters are named after the actors, but was it a delightful accident that Micah is also the name of an Old Testament prophet, who said “a man’s enemies are the members of his own household?” Is there a larger message in this story: that in a world with no faith, people become vulnerable to other forces? Or did these two characters never watch horror movies;)