MovieChat Forums > Annabelle: Creation (2017) Discussion > James Wan directs the best horror out th...

James Wan directs the best horror out there today

posted 8 years ago by [deleted]
24 replies | jump to latest

I loved and was scared by the first two Conjurings and the first two Insidii (Insidiouses?) and there is a certain humanity to those films, despite the scares, a nice balance between the two. What's more, he doesn't use those damn false jump scares that lesser directors do.

I really disliked the third Insidious (it creeped me out too much) and A:C was scary, but ultimately disappointing, a bit like Ouija 2 for that matter. I wasn't too enamoured with Lights Out, neither.

But I want to see what James Wan will direct next.

[–] Barclays (960) 8 years ago

The Conjuring was scary as heck. Insidious 2 was even scarier. Insidious 3 was a joke. I hated that girl so much that I wanted her to die.

[–] LetThemEatCake (2717) 8 years ago

Not at all, one of the worst film directors on record, since as far back as Saw which was just shameless gore.

[–] grindovermatter (380) 8 years ago

The sequels, sure. But the first Saw movie was a smart and original - if imperfect - psychological horror film. Wan is certainly one of the best horror directors of his generation.

[–] LetThemEatCake (2717) 8 years ago

How can you even say that?? Have you not seen The Exorcist?? All the horror classics? What is wrong with you? If you have seen them then you must realize just how awful his films are, including Saw. If you don't then you are as crazy as everyone is right now. I reggretably saw The Conjuring 2 on a theater and the people were reacting like they were watching Me, Myself & Irene. laughs, snickering, screams, they may have fun but believe me they are not scared. I saw The Ring when it came out and there was not a peep from the audience because when a film is truly scary, people are not fooling around.

[–] grindovermatter (380) 8 years ago

I can guarantee I've seen more horror films than you've ever even heard of. Wan might not be Carpenter or Argento, but his work easily tops most of the horror of the current generation.

[–] LetThemEatCake (2717) 8 years ago

It's not the quantity, it's the quality, and have you seen Argento's last film? He is a charlatan and has been his entire life, Wan is no different.

[–] grindovermatter (380) 8 years ago

Argento fell off years ago (as did Carpenter in the 90s), that still doesn't discount his brilliant early works.

[–] LetThemEatCake (2717) 8 years ago

But they are not brilliant. Many scenes in his early films were directed by other people, Suspiria is pretty colors and nothing more, that's the director of photography's work. And they are terrible films.

[–] napsdufroid (2077) 8 years ago

Wan is a completely mediocre or less director.

[–] [deleted] 8 years ago

I think out of all those movies, I liked Conjuring 2 the most. Possibly because of the British setting, where I come from, most likely. But I did like the families there, and the old man (why would they keep his old chair in the corner, even AFTER the mother of the family died at the end???) and of course, the creep factor of The Nun. It may not be terrifying, but I don't like too much terror in my horror movies. I related more to Babadook for the eerie factor or even American Werewolf in London, as I like horror comedies.

[–] CraigJamesReview (1816) 8 years ago

This movie was fine, but I thought the characters kept making dumb decisions every 5 minutes. You're right about The Conjuring films tho, they're better because they have more humanity.

I'm trying to go for an engaging, funny youtube channel so, if you have the time, take a look. Hope you enjoy what you see. Thanks in advance. A review of the movie here-https://youtu.be/hSa7oMkArlA

[–] Barclays (960) 8 years ago

One successful skill in screenwriting is to give the audience a superior point of view that enables them to know what is coming next or the ability to see when tge character(s) are about to make a huge mistake.

[–] modica (4169) 8 years ago

He didn't direct this movie. I actually hated it. Predictable and boring.

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

I know he didn't direct this movie, I wasn't talking about this movie in this thread.

[–] Barclays (960) 8 years ago

I read some other people leaving good reviews as well. I'm going to see it tomorrow.

[–] modica (4169) 8 years ago

I didn't like it. All jump scares and little suspense or horror. Really bored me.

[–] Barclays (960) 8 years ago

I like jumpscares when they are done well like Insidious2 had some really scary jumpscares. I screamed and jumped out of my seat.

[–] modica (4169) 8 years ago

jump scares should only be done if it is done to move a story along. A movie with all jump scares and no substance is boring to me.

[–] Barclays (960) 8 years ago

I guess you and i have different tastes. I have heard good reviews.

What are your favorite scary movies?

[–] modica (4169) 8 years ago

The Babadook, Evil Dead movies, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Exorcist, Night of the Living Dead, The Haunting(original) Rosemary's Baby(original), Carrie(original), Get Out are some of my favorites.

[–] Barclays (960) 8 years ago

All good picks except for Get Out.

[–] cyberbob (3488) 7 years ago

He is definitely not my cup of tea

I actually loved the first two Saw movies and the first Insidious

But The Conjuring, IMO, has not a single ounce of originality to it. It's just a very straightforward haunted house movie, which we've seen too many times before already. Decades after the first Poltergeist and Amityville horror we're still getting these extremely similar stories

I feel like there's something very cynical about why these movies are still being made in such large numbers.

A) They're super cheap to make. Just get an old looking house and some make up for the ghosts. The soundeffects, like the banging walls and the creaking doors, I mean come on. A group of student filmmakers could pull that stuff off.

and

B) People love them. General audiences really like these ghost stories for some reason. I guess they assume they could actually be real and that's where the source of horror comes from for the, because I don't find these movies scary at all. They're usually dull and move at a very slow pace. But they always make tons of money

So you get very high profit margins and a very low risk of losing money because they're so cheap. Blumhouse has perfected these low budget horrors, and these haunted house movies are their specialty.

I guess for some real horror fans it might be appealing. I admit they are competently made, with good cinematography and all that. But I just find them so dreadfully boring.

And because of him we're getting copycats that AREN'T competently made, like the Oujia movies, the Poltergeist remake, and the new Amityville movie, which I haven't even seen but is no doubt a shameless cash grab

[–] clickbait (193) 7 years ago

James Wan didnt direct Annabelle or Annabelle creation and he didnt direct the third insidious movie either but he did produce them all, but thats a big difference.

[–] membrane29 (228) 7 years ago

I have no idea what people see in James Wan.
He makes horror films for teenagers...