Hands down the best PG-13 horror movie ever

Rating: 8/10 (1 April 2011)

When I went to the theater to see this, I had been excited for awhile. And boy, did this movie deliver. But it unexpectedly did more. I was thinking you'd get your exorcism, with everything being all happy and good in the end, but I honestly was not expecting something that complex.
I'll come out and say it: The outline of the movie was not that original, but what the writers did with the traditional ghost story was amazing. They twisted it to make it not so much about the ghosts, but about what was going on to the family in the house. How they were taking it.
The effects were great for this type of movie, which really only require a slamming door or a random person standing in. And I also thought the actors did a great job. I particularly liked Patrick Wilson playing the father that doesn't want to have any part of the hokus-pokus ghost stories, but is sort of pulled into it against his will.
The best part: It was genuinely scary. There is virtually no gore, because it's not needed to build the creepiness of the plot. It sort of builds and is intense right from the get go. I'm a major scary movie veteran, and I was truly scared (which doesn't happen often).
I highly recommend this movie to anyone up for a good scare. If you aren't an experienced scary movie watcher, this is a good starter. And trust me, you will check all the closets and doors when you get home from the theater.