2013's The Conjuring was a surprisingly decent horror flick. Based on the true story of demon-fighting couple Ed and Lorraine Warren, it felt like a throwback: Creaking doors, jump scares, and exorcisms, without much novelty or modern spin, proved they stood the test of time. Amid lower expectations comes the prequel Annabelle, and like The Conjuring, it covers little new ground. It might not be as glamorous as its big sister—Conjuring star Vera Farmiga is nowhere to be seen—but it has a few nail-chewing moments of its own. by Marjorie Skinner