9) The Conjuring
The year’s scariest movie is also one of its best. As directed by James Wan, The Conjuring is a brilliant nail-biter, a frightfest masterfully crafted by a true lover of the genre. Strong turns from Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson just add to the film’s sense of professionalism. This is a classic haunted-house movie done deliciously right. More than in any other horror film in recent memory, I cared about the characters of The Conjuring, and if that’s not a tribute to the power of the film’s cast, I don’t know what is.
Wan’s flare for sound effects and set design makes The Conjuring a treat for all the senses, as well as a genuinely great horror flick. The director creatively utilizes every dark corner and seemingly innocuous prop to construct an almost unbearable atmosphere of dread, without delving into the same blood-and-guts of the Saw franchise he pioneered. It’s old-fashioned but in such a way that reminds us what we loved about the horror genre to begin with. You’ll never see a childish game of clap hide-and-go-seek the same way again, and that’s a very good thing.