I have a weakness for found footage films and grade them on a curve. I compare them to other found footage films, not films in general so if you don’t like the genre, keep moving. If you like the found footage genre and enjoyed House of Leaves, a book by Mark Z. Danielewski, then Grave Encounters is a must see. I think that it was unfortunate that I saw it so soon after As Above, So Below, which was filmed after Grave Encounters, because they share similar scares, but Grave Encounters wins in the comparison for being more realistic in addressing concerns like food, water and sleep. I like the idea that cheesy tv hosts that are used to faking it are suddenly confronted with something real, and their routine becomes hellish. That conceit makes their common sense (never split up) and failures more realistic as the film unfolds. Some of Supernatural’s best episodes ridicule this genre of reality tv. Also what is scarier than setting a film in a former insane asylum? Session No. 9, which is not a found footage movie, still wins in a comparison with Grave Encounters because it is terrifying, and less explanation for evil than there was in Grave Encounters. There was a missed opportunity because the movie alludes to the host experiencing supernatural phenomenon in the past, but doesn’t explain what that was or if that is the reason for the quality of his experience in the hospital. He clearly was more curious and psyched at dealing with something real than his coworkers. If you like being scared and found footage movies, Grave Encounters is a fun ride.