'Paranormal 2' Star Tackles Fear Of Expectations

In the ever-competitive world of performance art, it's a scary enough scenario for Broadway-turned-film actress Molly Ephraim to find the right projects to audition for. But those jitters have nothing on the baggage that comes with landing a role, especially in a sequel to the blockbuster hit "Paranormal Activity."

Then there's that other thing: As a viewer, she's terrified of scary movies.Thankfully, "Paranormal Activity 2" predates the events of the first film, which meant the stars of the 2009 phenomenon -- Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat -- were on the set to help ease the tension for the young star.

"It was so helpful to have Katie and Micah around and ask about their experiences," Ephraim said in a recent @ The Movies interview. "We made the movie in this sort of bubble (so everyone was watching). It was a relief to wake up the morning after opening night to find out that we matched the box office record for a midnight showing. It was a little surreal."

New on DVD and Blu-ray Feb. 8 (Paramount Home Entertainment), "Paranormal Activity 2" begins in 2006, just as Ali (Ephraim), her widowed father Daniel (Brian Boland), his new wife Kristi (Sprague Grayden) and their newborn, Hunter (twins William Juan Pietro and Jackson Xenia Prieto) move into a new house. All seems well for about a year, until an apparent break-in forces the family to install a set of security cameras throughout the house.

Through the surveillance footage of the cameras and home video reels, "Paranormal Activity 2" unfolds to reveal that there may be more sinister forces at work. It also reveals that Kristi's sister is Katie (Featherston), and some dark secrets from their family's past may be coming back to haunt them.

Just like the first film, "Paranormal Activity 2" relies on raw energy to produce its tension, built in part by the realistic portrayals by the actors; and the rest by the filmmaking crew without the benefit of any emotion-manipulating measures like visual effects, make-up effects and, in post production, music.

But knowing that she wouldn't be aided later on by any film conventions didn't intimidate Ephraim from doing what she was paid to do.

"From an acting perspective, we wouldn't hear anything like music anyway since that would be done in post-production to up the ante," Ephraim said. "So for us, it was like we were going through any other natural acting exercise, where we would play off of each other."

The actress was glad, though, that the film was shot in as realistic environs as possible, so as to give the film its documentary feel.

"We shot the film in a house and not on a soundstage somewhere, plus there were people making loud noises to make us jump," explained Ephraim, who played Donny Osmond's daughter in the 2008 comedy "College Road Trip." "It was sort of organic in a way."

Plus, to create the atmosphere you'd see in a documentary film, Ephraim and her cast mates were encouraged to improvise dialogue throughout the production of the film.

"We would have a framework of a scene, with certain words that we needed to get out," said Ephraim. "But because the filmmakers wanted things to sound very naturalistic, if something didn't sound right coming out of our mouths, we were able to play around with the dialogue. The actors, the director – everyone who was there – was instrumental in making things feel as natural as possible, even though we are dealing with supernatural issues."

While many actors use real-life experiences to inform their work, fortunately Ephraim didn't have to dust off any demons to enable her portrayal in "Paranormal Activity 2." In fact, Ephraim – who graduated from Princeton University in 2008 – isn't quite sure where she stands on the validity of paranormal phenomena.

"I would say I'm curious about it," Ephraim said. "I'm not sure (if I believe in it), but (doing the movie) did open me up to things. I was a religion major in college so I'm always thinking about those sorts of things."

Ackerman In Love With Notion Of 'The Romantics'

While she’s had a great experience on most every film project she's been on, actress Malin Akerman said there's something just a bit more special when that work involves a large ensemble cast, including films like "Watchmen" and "The Romantics." The latter of which makes its debut Tuesday on home video (Paramount Home Entertainment).

"Films with so many great actors are not only exciting to make, but exciting to watch as another actor. Ensembles create so many more layers within a film," Akerman said. "First working with an amazing list of theater actors on 'Watchmen' -- and then with screen actors I’ve been watching my whole life on 'The Romantics' -- was truly an amazing experience."

Written and directed by Galt Niederhoffer (based on her own novel), "The Romantics" finds a group of college friends reuniting for the wedding of Lila (Anna Paquin) and Tom (Josh Duhamel) -- but with much trepidation because of the circumstances. Years before, Tom was in love with Lila's best friend and college roommate, Laura (Katie Holmes) -- and Lila has asked Laura to be her maid of honor at the wedding despite an obvious rift between the two.

Other college friends on hand for the celebration are Tripler (Akerman), a raucous actress and wife of Pete (Jeremy Strong), who doesn’t trust his bride’s in her wild ways; and Jake (Adam Brody) and Weesie (Rebecca Lawrence), who have been engaged for 10 years but can’t quite commit to marriage. The film also stars Dianna Agron ("Glee") as Lila’s younger sister and Elijah Wood as their oddball brother, Chip. Candice Bergen plays the siblings' worrisome mom, Augusta.

With the reunion of the college friends serving as the catalyst for the drama in the film, "The Romantics" recalls such other nostalgic films as "The Big Chill" and "St. Elmo’s Fire." Akerman believes it’s the type of story that movie fans can’t get enough of.

"I think we’re all so occupied with life that when we get older with our jobs, our kids and trying to make ends meet, a lot of us lose touch with our old friends," Akerman said. "Reunion films give us such a good feeling because it presents to all of us what we’d like to do: to drop our lives, get together for a minute with all of the closest friends we had in college and get back to all of the fun times that he had. We were there without a worry and not in so much debt, or maybe we were in debt and didn’t care. We get to experience again all of emotions we don’t get on a day-to-day basis anymore because we’re busy going through the motions of life."

Akerman is currently working on playing late porn legend Linda Lovelace in "Inferno." She said the film will reveal the human side of the adult actress, made legendary by the film "Deep Throat."

Also New:
"You Again" (PG-13): High school rivalries from years propel this effective comedy, starring Kristen Bell, Odette Yustman, Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis and Betty White.

Bell stars as Marni, a former high school geek who went on to success despite the torturous antics by Joanna (Yustman). And just as Marni's career starts to shift into high gear, Joanna reappears in her life as the finacee of her brother (Sean Wing).

But an unwelcome reunion from her past isn't the only thing troubling Marni. It turns out Joanna's closest living relative, Ramona (Weaver) is the old rival of Marni's popular high school alum, Gail (Curtis).

Trying to keep the peace between them all is Marni's grandma, Bunny (the always hilarious Betty White). Kristen Chenoweth is lovable in a strong supporting role, where brings her bubbly presence to the table as an energetic wedding planner. (Touchstone Home Entertainment)