Weekend was for ‘Couples,’ but horror is hot

Looks as if the weekend’s big movie was “Couples Retreat,” which should come as no surprise considering it stars “Swingers” writer-directors Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau. More surprising is the performance of the little horror film “Paranormal Activity,” which is getting so much word of mouth even though it’s playing in only 160 theaters across the country.

“Couples Retreat” earned a 14 percent Tomatometer rating on Rotten Tomatoes . Here’s what Chris Vognar of the Dallas Morning News thought of it: “You know those comedies that hit a little dry spell and have a hard time recovering? ‘Couples Retreat’ has one that lasts about, oh, 90 minutes.”

By contrast, “Paranormal Activity” boasts an 85 percent Tomatometer rating (93 percent among “top critics”). Here is what Colin Covert of the Minneapolis Star Tribune said: “Without financing, stars or more than a couple of special effects, first-time writer/director Oren Peli has made a diabolically effective essay in irrational horror.”

No word on when Peli’s film will come to Spokane, if ever. But let’s hope it arrives before people start dumping on it, as they inevitably will do.