INSIDIOUS (James Wan)
Supernatural horror movies rely on three things: makeup, music and sound, and production design. Let's include cinematography under production design this instance, because I believe no matter how artsy your shots are, it will not work if your setup is shit. There are a few movies who effectively created a scary atmosphere by mastering these three elements. THE EXORCIST, THE SHINING, POLTERGEIST, SHUTTER (the Thai one). All others seem to fade into the background, and let me tell you there are a million horror films out there. Take INSIDIOUS for example. James Wan (SAW) took an hour before bringing in the big guns, or scares if you will. It was worth the wait. The secret was well-kept until the climax, and though the twist wasn't entirely original (I'm talking about the ending) it was more than welcome. Wan combined a simple story told intricately with effective lighting. For me the lighting is the star of the show. The lights are where they ought to be. All of the tim...