What it’s about
In 1971, Carolyn Perron (Taylor), her husband Roger (Livingston) and their family of girls move to a remote farmhouse in Rhode Island. Soon after, strange things start to happen: Carolyn finds bruises all over her body; their dog dies; weird smells waft through the creaky building… and something is down in the basement. The Perrons become so terrorized that they call in paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren (Wilson and Farmiga) to investigate the increasingly violent occurrences.
Why we love it
Working firmly within the outlines of classic ‘70s genre conventions, director Wan delivers a chilling fright-fest that doesn’t let up from opening to closing frame. Eschewing the gore of his earlier “Saw” success, he instead relies on tension and shock tactics to keep his viewers biting their nails and squirming in their seats. Based on a true story (with the real Lorraine and Carolyn serving as consultants), this treads familiar territory by referencing archetypal horror films, while turning up the dial on scares. Taylor is especially convincing as the possessed wife. If you like to be scared out of your skin, “The Conjuring” should do the trick!