Quote (AvanineCommuter @ 21 Dec 2021 11:04)
“Scary” is subjective. I like the Conjuring series but jump scares only surprise me, not scare me. Hereditary is a much better movie overall even though I don’t really find any horror movies scary anymore.
For a recommendation that I think you won’t like but I find “scarier” than ghosts and jump scares - Irreversible by Gaspard Noé (fantastic director) is pretty terrifying in how it frames a truly terrible rape/murder and how it affects the characters in the film.
Atmospheric horror can actually be terrifying, jump scares are misnamed and used to trick the lowest common denominator into thinking a bad movie is actually scary. Getting startled is a biological reaction, getting scared is a psychological one.
Great horror can utilize both for extreme effect.
The fact that he doesn't appreciate one of the best movies ever made and also thinks the conjuring is the scariest movie of all time is pretty much all you need to know