The Conjuring, a movie review

I saw a movie. Well, let's face it, I've seen a lot of movies, but this is the most recent movie I've seen (in the theater anyway). And let's also face it, I find the supernatural fascinating. Why? I don't know. Maybe it's because the supernatural is sort of like proto-science. And using modern understanding of physics and psychology can explain away a vast majority of the supernatural but then what's left? What do we have when something can't be explained? That's the real terror -- no knowing. 
Science explains. Science brings us comfort in a world we work to understand. In my opinion, one of the worst things a "spooky" movie can do is explain what's spooky. By creating an explanation the story tellers are taking the terror of the unknown right out of the story.
The Conjuring does that. The movie starts off with a, well, a prelude -- a very creepy prelude about a doll that haunts two girls. This prelude introduces the two heroes, the Warrens, paranormal investigators of the 60s and 70s. We then are introduced to the primary story of the Perron family who are moving into their new farmhouse next to a lake and secluded from their neighbors. Shortly after moving in the family starts experiencing paranormal activity from the youngest child's imaginary friend to the sounds of clapping in an otherwise quiet house.
What the movie does well is the subtle nuance of what terrifies us all: large spooky houses, the isolation of being far removed from humanity, finding an unknown room filled with other's belongings and more. 
However, what the movie does wrong is try to explain why the house is haunted. Yes, perhaps in certain circles the explanation might be just as frightening as the actual paranormal actions themselves, but for me it was a mood killer as explained by the hidden spoiler alert below.

[spoiler alert] The ghost of a witch who committed suicide is haunting mothers and forcing them to kill their children in some sort of Satanic ritual. This can only be countered with help from the Catholic Church. The fact of the matter is, I've known a lot of witches (and Wiccans) in my time and not a single one of them was evil, a Satanist or otherwise a terrible person.  [/spoiler alert]

However, the movie was in fact creepy when you don't take into account the "explanation." The paranormal activity wasn't over the top (until people started getting thrown across the room) and the practically primitive, but very ingenious, paranormal investigating by the Warrens and their team was extremely interesting: still cameras on strings, bells on doors, boom mics throughout the house, etc.
If you're in for a good spooky movie guaranteed to make you look at your closet twice before shutting your eyes for the evening, then this movie delivers. If you're looking for blood and gore, then you're in the wrong place.