The Conjuring (2013)

The Conjuring is the scariest, most effective supernatural horror film of this decade, maybe even this century. James Wan is a student of horror. He's seen films like The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Amityville Horror. He knows what makes them tick and what makes them scary. Timing is the key. Ghost stories are all about it. In supernatural horror, you need to treat its production, every last phase of it, as if it is haunted itself. Wan has this down to a science and, for his efforts, he created a modern-day screamer. In the summer of 2013, this was the talk of the film world. Everyone who saw it, in a dark theatre, had the same experience. A film so effectively frightening, you either looked away from the screen or you jumped out of your chair. Anyone who elicits this kind of response from an audience is a master in their own way. Mired in our unfortunate realities, it takes a lot to scare people these days. The Conjuring is a scary movie, period. That's why it works.