Behind the Couch

Just when you thought it was safe to rummage around in the bargain bin of your local video shop, the latest ‘mockbuster’ offering from The Asylum raises its shameless head from the dank depths of straight-to-DVD hell for a brief release on the big screen. Mega Piranha features a plot involving a mutant strain of genetically modified giant piranha (!) that escape from the Amazon and make their way towards Florida, leaving a trail of cheap and cheerful destruction in their wake. Poor CGI, copious explosions, absurd pseudo-science, baffling technical jargon, 80s popstar Tiffany and much mindless entertainment ensues.  Head over to Eye for Film to read my full review.

Paranormal Entity tells of a family who are increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic, but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. They decide to videotape the ‘activity’ on a series of strategically placed cameras throughout the house. And on handheld cameras when events need to be conveyed with a sense of immediacy or urgency. It is impossible not to make reference to Paranormal Activity while talking about Paranormal Entity . It's essentially the same story but told in a very different way. Whereas Activity drew its audience in with slow-burning chills and intrigue, Entity switches tension for tedium, and slow-burning terror for jump shocks, and becomes repetitious and predictable too early on. In the grand tradition of Transmorphers, I Am Ωmega and The Day The Earth Stopped, Paranormal Entity is the latest mock-buster from The Asylum, a production company famed for producing cheap and cheerful titles that basically capitalise ...