Cinematic Releases: A Haunted House
While it's not a perfect movie by any means, it's definitely a few steps in the right direction for a genre that lost all hope after the 16th Scary Movie entry. Producing a satirical film this funny is not always an easy task. Wayans triumphantly pulls through with his latest horror movie send up.
Overall, it takes a really good comedy to impress me. Growing up with the Airplane series, the Naked Gun franchise, and the classic Ghostbusters movies, my expectations are set extremely high. And surprisingly enough, A Haunted House delivers on almost every level. Despite a few awkward moments and a horrendous ending, A Haunted House is the funniest movie I've seen in a while. It's a comedy that takes the popular found footage genre and turns it into a laugh out loud satire with direct references to every haunting movie of the last 10 years.
Marlan Wayans and Rick Alvarez truly capture something rare with this over the top adult oriented laugh riot. They capitalize on the success of the Paranormal Activity franchise with a movie that satires black culture while also making fun of every other nationality and sexual preference. They pull it off by not shying away from stereotypes, but instead celebrate them with absolute comedic precision and perfect timing.
If you're looking for something fun to see this weekend, I would actually suggest seeing this movie. It's big dumb fun that any fan or non-fan of the Paranormal Activity movies will enjoy. There are a few unfunny segments, but it's definitely not enough to make me shy away from telling you to see it.
4 out of 5 -CG