4. The Conjuring (2013)
Maybe The Conjuring’s place on this list will prove controversial, but we consider it a truly terrifying example of modern horror. It’s a fairly straightforward haunted house story, but the combination of its nostalgic setting and simple scares are achieved brilliantly. After all, there’s a reason it spawned such a successful horror movie franchise.
Following real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga), The Conjuring follows the Perron family as they move into a haunted farmhouse in Rhode Island. After encountering a malevolent spirit in their home, the Perrons call in Ed and Lorraine, who attempt to assist them with removing it. Naturally, it leans into the “true story” of the Warrens quite hard, despite the clear creative license taken with their story.
What makes The Conjuring so scary is its basic understanding of what makes horror audiences tick. It ticks all the right boxes: building anticipation ahead of jump scares, having evil lurking in every shadowy corner, children’s lives and innocence at stake. Granted, it’s formulaic, but The Conjuring is still wickedly scary.