If you want a scary movie, turn the lights off and enjoy it

The Conjuring is one of those classic horror movies that doesn't have any sex, or constant cursing, and relies purely on the haunting nature surrounding it. The acting is brilliant, the cinematography is great, and the story is just brilliant. The movie digs into our fears, and demonic realms. No cheap jump scares, just pure terror. This is truly one of the best horror movies I have ever seen. Superb movie. 8/10

I will say when a spoiler is about to appear.I have a rule that I never watch a horror movie with a gerund for a title.But I made an exception for this movie because it was so high profile and people were just raving about it.I didn't notice this first time round but yeah I guess it does have minimal sex or violence but the problem is that it didn't replace it with anything.I actually tried to begin it once before I knew it was so popular and just turned off after 20 minutes. Trying to watch it seriously recently I just got bored toward the end and it's taken me a while to actually finish it, one bit at a time. I've watched a lot of horror movies which is really the worst thing you can do if you want to be frightened by them so I guess I have become a bit picky.But I just don't get the hype. It's not that it's just OK, for me it is simply a through-away film that isn't worth remembering even for critical interest. Other horror movies I think are over-rated like Alien, The Exorcist or Child's Play, I at least sort of see the appeal because they're kind of different and have an individual.But this is just a generic horror movie riddled with clichés: demons smell bad, demons are cold, demons have deep voices, the dog knows, "something bad happened here"... I found the characters generic which is forgivable in a horror movie admittedly but when they try to make me feel pathos for them it just feels trite.We get all the familiar horror schtick: the gruesome which, the Roman Catholic angle...I struggle to take a movie that expects me to just role with the idea that things that mock the trinity are bad guys and the Christians are the Saviours. Many Christians are wonderful people but I think we're at a point in human development where simply having the Christian god equal good just feels like simplistic propaganda. Maybe if it were an irreligious persons discovery that Abrahamic forces were after them...then maybe it could be frightening.That we get some professionals on the scene to describe everything and give them names also kills any mystery or atmosphere and makes everything just feel under control so the remainder of the movie just feels like going through the motions.(soft spoiler in this paragraph) To knit pick a particular moment: they have this game called "hide and clap". The mother is in a room and the door of the wardrobe opens by itself (pretty creepy) and then hands emerge from it and clap. They should have kept the camera on the mother so we only heard the clapping.(No spoilers after this point)I also don't like the Annabelle Doll. It might be the more frightening design in real life but when contextualized within a horror movie, the more innocuous looking thing is always creepier. They should have stuck with Annabelle's real life design.Ultimately, although it isn't a trashy movie, I still feel kind of insulted by it and even with the positive feedback it has received, people who are like me should not feel bad for missing it.My 1/10 grade reflects that it sort of feels like it could get a good atmosphere at times but there's really nothing original here at all. The worst movie I have seen this year.

Seeing it again after 5 years, I realize how important this piece of gem is. This movie defines the horror genre and brought back what the horror lost in our 21 century. It is revolutionizing in every way possible, finally a perfectly written and logical horror story with a decent plot, awesome characters and acting, amazing visuals and an amazing build up play. The movie is so great, that even those less than a few jump scares are crazy good unlike that classical cringy approach to jump scare scenes.