The folks at HollywoodReporter.com announced today that Paramount Pictures is looking to produce a sequel to its supernatural hit Paranormal Activity. Shot for $15 thousand by first-time director Oren Peli, Activity has already scared up $85 million domestically. Can the studio summon similar interests in a sequel? Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman seems to think so. He states:

Our team will come up with the right creative and marketing approach to make sure that we benefit from a sequel.

You know what would benefit me? Getting rid of hand-held horror. Paranormal Activity features a likable and talented cast (newcomers Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat), a scary/fun story, and some of the most creepy images committed to film. But, all that shaky-cam action makes me want to puke. I know the film aims to create a real-time vibe for its audience, but is it really necessary to jerk the camera during every frame? I have starred in many of my family’s home videos and not once have they looked like they were shot by a Parkinson’s patient. Am I alone on this?

The Top 5 List of hand-held horror flicks that made me physically ill:

5. District 9

Aliens come down to earth and get treated like black people. Smart and action packed. I was sick an hour in.

4. Seventh Moon

This flick has Amy Smart, engaging folklore , creepy zombies, an exotic location (China) and … Amy Smart! Unfortunately for me, it’s directed by Eduardo Sanchez, aka Mr. Blair Witch.

3. Cloverfield

Interesting concept. Flashy effects. Brilliant poster. Produced by J.J. Abrams (Lost). I got sick 30 minutes in.

2. The Blair Witch Project

Groundbreaking marketing campaign. Believable actors. Super creepy scenes. I loved the story. Vomited in parking lot immediately after.

1. Paranormal Activity

When the camera is on the tripod in the bedroom, this movie is freaky good stuff. When it’s in Micah’s hands, it’s vertigo city.

The gents at AskMen.com took a short break from fawning over Fall’s most chichi jackets for men to write up a list of the Top Ten Scariest Video Games currently on the market (click here to see complete countdown). Topping the list are:

3. Left 4 Dead

2. Resident Evil 4

1. Dead Space

So, what do you think Blogsuckers? Did the dapper lads at AskMen.com get it right?

I’ve heard Left 4 Dead is a blast to play online. Unfortunately, the idea of getting my fragile gamer ego stomped on by groups of tween mouth-breathers keeps me from giving it a try. I’ve loved the Resident Evil series since its days on the original Playstation, but part four gives me vertigo if I play longer than five minutes, which wouldn’t be a problem if Mrs. Muertos didn’t mind me keeping a puke bucket next to the armchair.

Dead Space … now there’s a game that makes the hair on my ball sack stand.

On the flip side, we at Clatto Verata have listed the Top Three Potentially Most Frightening Stories currently on AskMen.com (sorry, we didn’t actually read’em) :

3. Reasons Women Withhold Sex
(Do guys really want to know this?)

2. Top 5: Naked Date Ideas
(It rarely works out the way you imagine)

1. Picking Up Women on Public Transport
(Just a bad idea)

Welcome to the Spookshow

I was among the scum of the earth that gathered at the Hollywood Palladium on Halloween night to see Rob Zombie perform live in support of his upcoming disc, Hellbilly Deluxe 2. The show kicked off at 10 p.m. with the one-two, cranium-rattling punch of “What’s Lurks On Channel X” and “Superbeast,” both off Zombie’s 1998 triple-platinum Hellbilly Deluxe CD. Mosh pits erupted and I suddenly found myself being shoved around by the likes of Ronald McDonald and Tinky Winky the purple Teletubby. Back in the day, I would have mindlessly pushed back while pogoing, mouth agape and screaming, “Zombie!” But, in my old age, I find that I’ve developed an aversion to elbows in the teeth and shirtless, fat guy sweat. So instead, I found refuge among an island of floor rooted fist-pumping headbangers and watched Zombie howl through “Super-Charger Heaven” as fireballs exploded behind him.

Zombie’s pact with the devil has kept him youthful and plenty agile. The 43-year-old rocker ran miles on the Palladium stage, skipping from amp to amp and dancing like a possessed marionette around his band. In addition to the Halloween festivities at hand, the evening also marked a wedding anniversary for Zombie and his actress wife Sherri Moon. Zombie followed the announcement with the serenade “Sick Bubble-Gum,” an infectious new hip-shaker destined to be stripper anthem. Other new songs performed included “What?” and the inspired “Werewolf Women of the SS.”

Jumbo Tron screens provided an ongoing montage of titillating grind-house movie clips, Hentai images, and kitschy, eye-popping retro-erotica starring busty and topless babes of yore. I had forgotten how much production goes into a Zombie show. In between songs, Zombie egged the crowd on with stories (i.e. drawing their first sold out audience during an opening stint with Danzig after the release of 1992’s monster groove “Thunder Kiss ‘65″), good-natured taunts (”Shows used to be brutal back then. You guys are kind of tame!”), and cheerleading (serving up a severed head prop for the audience to throw around the venue). The concert ended near midnight with a booming rendition of “Dragula.”

Photo Courtesy of Bruja Corleone

Zombie’s band is made up of John 5 on guitar, Piggy D. on bass, and Tommy Clufetos on drums. The show’s set list also included: “American Witch,” “Living Dead Girl,” “Demon Speeding,” “House of a 1000 Corpses,” “Scum of the Earth,” and old White Zombie favs “More Human Than Human,” and “Thunder Kiss ‘65.”

Can You Show Me the Way to Zombieland?

Hellbilly Deluxe 2 is slated for early release in 2010 through Roadrunner Records. Rob Zombie parted ways with longtime label Geffen Records in October. For tour info, visit www.robzombie.com.