Paranormal Activity 4, to Watch or Not to Watch?

There really shouldn't be any question here, if you're considering watching the new Paranormal Activity movie... Don't. The whole franchise may not be a work of art, but they are enjoyable to watch around Halloween, I mean everyone enjoys a few good scares and cuddling up to someone for protection. But even I am finding it difficult to defend their latest, less than par, installment in the series. I've gone to see each Paranormal movie in theaters, and I've spotted a trend, audiences are taking the movies less seriously as each new film in the series is released. Audiences were horrified by the "found camera footage" style, popularized by the Blair Witch Project, in the first film; I went to see the fourth this weekend, and by the looks of things audiences weren't having the same reaction. With the majority of my fellow movie goers laughing, joking, and criticizing every minute of the movie aloud, it was hard not to join in myself.  Since when are playgrounds, and X-box games a basis for a horror movie plot? Even I, known for snapping way to many pictures among my friends, find it weird that these characters document every waking moment of their daily lives. Nothing new is introduced into the premise, its the same sarcastic "oh jeez I wonder what's going to move around by itself next" that has become all too familiar to all of us to provide any real chills. For some odd reason, this film feels strangely unrelated to the others, the writing aims for a horror/comedy type style (think The Cabin in the Woods) yet fails miserably at being considered a member of any of those genres. Not to mention that most of the characters' deaths (oops spoiler alert) could have been easily prevented, if they didn't wander off to random houses alone at night, befriend strangers, and sneak in and hang out in their friends' houses when they weren't home. All basic things our mothers taught us as kids, you'd really think these people would know better, right? With the news of the fifth film starting production, there's no doubt in my mind people will flock to the cinema in hopes of a good thrill, but by the trend developing, you can probably expect an unintentionally funny movie, and an even funnier response from those watching around you.