When it comes to the horror genre, ghosts are the only thing that really scares me. I know it's silly, but the idea of a spectral entity breaking into our reality is terrifying. That said, I also love shows about paranormal investigations like Paranormal State and A Haunting. That said, going into THE HOUSE IN BETWEEN 2, with what little I knew about the film, I was prepared for a scare.
To better describe the plot, I'll turn to the official synopsis: “After a life-changing paranormal experience, Alice Jackson has refused to spend another night in her own home. Seeking answers, she opened her home to investigators who conducted the first paranormal investigation in a decade. Who or what is hanging around her house? A beautiful documentary that tells the true story of a homeowner and the team searching for answers so Alice can return to her home. Not only is this film scary, but it's also a thought-provoking look at what it's like to live with a ghost. Bridging the paranormal, real science and the human experience, this documentary takes a detailed look at what could be America's most haunted house."
Stars: Elizabeth Saint, Dustin Pari, Sam Baltrusis
This documentary focuses on a house located in Florence, Mississippi, owned by a woman named Alice Jackson. Although I have lived in California basically all my life, I have traveled south several times and have seen some of the oldest and creepiest buildings around. There is a lot of history in the South and because of this, there seems to be a lot of paranormal activity. I had read very little about this documentary before watching it and anticipated that it would be a staged situation that would lead to immense disappointment; however, I was wrong.
As human beings, we want to rationalize things that we cannot explain. It is natural for us to do this because we cannot think of something we do not understand. This is exactly what Alice Jackson did for her home by hiring professionals like electricians and contractors to try and provide a rationale behind the unexplained energy and movement in her home. The paranormal investigators in this film explain the powerful energy emanating from the house and state that they can only be in the house or even near it for short periods of time. An investigator mentions that she has been documenting activity in this house for over 9 years, NINE YEARS! Rightly so, because some of the footage shown in this documentary is some of the most genuine paranormal footage I've ever seen.
I am very interested in researching hauntings and haunted areas, in fact during October I find myself driving through haunted roads and hot spot areas to fuel my interest. Plus, it's spooky season. However, I keep my car safety because I admit I'm a chicken. That is why I like to live this type of experience through the eyes and documented experiences of others in the form of documentaries or series, such as THE HOUSE IN BETWEEN. I will admit that some of the images captured felt a bit silly or I guess disappointing. One of these shots included a ball rolling down the stairs on its own. That's something you're sure to find in paranormal movies like The Changeling. Other than the things that seemed silly to me, there were quite a few shots that were downright terrifying to think about. There is a researcher who mentions that he wants to hear that all the EMF readers are turned off because only one is not interesting. Shortly after saying that, all the EMF readers in the house turn off at the same time. I felt my body fill with chills as I sat in the comfort of my own home where I have also had paranormal experiences. There's another scene with a medium explaining some of the stories of the house accompanied by visions that felt a bit hoaky but still gave me the creeps. This ended up leading to something that happens the next day that is incredibly creepy, but I don't want to spoil it.
Apart from all the paranormal things that take place, I also loved the cinematography. This documentary is wonderfully shot and captures the beauty of both the city and the property. Every drone shot is impressive and gives a concrete idea of how small and historic the area is. Even the cameras placed around Alice's house are clear, helping to capture highly visible evidence of ghostly activity, which, to the watching viewer, helps instill a belief in the paranormal.