The Innkeepers/The Sacrament

The Innkeepers (2011)

Runtime: 101 minutes

Directed by: Ti West

Starring: Sara Paxton, Pat Healy, Kelly McGillis, Alison Bartlett

From: Dark Sky

The Sacrament (2013)

Runtime: 99 minutes

Directed by: Ti West

Starring: Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen, Kentucker Audley, Gene Jones

From: Worldview Entertainment

Yep, I saw two films last night, from the same director... a director I haven't liked up to yesterday but I still wanted to give it a shot. Turns out, I'll never see a film from Ti West ever again! I have both Letterboxd reviews below, in chronological order. I'll be back Wednesday night as I need a respite after last night.

First, The Innkeepers:

To give a brief refresher, the only Ti West films I had seen before last night (when I saw his last two full length works on Instant) was his shorts in VHS and The ABC's of Death, which I thought were atrocious, and The House of the Devil, which I thought was poorly shot, boring and had an awful final act. Yet, many people sing his graces. Maybe I am brave and maybe I am a masochist but I decided to give his other movies a shot.

I now wish I didn't.

I will admit that this was better made than Devil and actually had things happen throughout. I was OK with it taking its time introducing the characters and the story. Problem is, I had enough time to realize that the two young leads investigating apparent hauntings in an old hotel about to be closed down (and with their demeanor and the way they treat guests, no wonder the place doesn't get guests anymore!) are both hipster D-bag A-holes. The guy... his hairstyle was so distracting! He was starting to bald so having a fauxhawk sort of thing... just atrocious. And they were both so aggravating, annoying, and even acted inconsistent and nonsensical... I've said it before in other reviews but when you can't stand the lead characters, that's a huge problem. And what exactly was the point of Lena Dunham's cameo, anyhow?

As for the story, just because things happen doesn't mean it's any good, or even that it's any exciting. The ending is creepy but the final few minutes weren't really needed, or at least needed to be shorter. So yeah, I once again don't get why so many people love Ti West.

There are two compliments I can give it, though. It does accurately portray what a personal paranormal website looks like, as I've actually come across some of them before. And, them drinking Schlitz Beer was funny and not as cliché (or expected with those hipsters) as consuming Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Now, The Sacrament:

Oh, where do I even start with this? I suppose I should do it where the first part is a regular review then the last part I get into some spoilers and the biggest issue I have with the whole film.

I heard all sorts of things about this film, both positive and negative. I couldn't help but hear what the movie is all about and despite being tainted with that I still went in with an open mind, hoping to enjoy this. The found footage genre has started to become tired by now, especially considering most of those films aren't too good. Again, I went in with an open mind.

Well, there's editing and many other signs with belie what is said at the very beginning, in that this is “immersion” into the story of VICE Magazine doing a story on how the sister of someone on staff is at a “commune” in rural Mississippi (although at times I wasn't quite sure if they knew that while filming. There was more than one hint that this wasn't in the United States and may have been, say, a small country in South America... for example, if they're in the state of Mississippi in the United States, what was the big deal with the passports? Why did everyone have their passports to begin with?) but of course it's actually a cult... it's supposed to be a small thing where only three people from VICE and one camera are filming it but all throughout there are such things as graphics to tell the time, musical cues, and multiple camera setups, and those are rarely explained away in the story.

As for the trio, they act pretty dumb and again, aren't likable protagonists. That's not even getting into how the overall story makes zero sense once you see how it plays out. The movie certainly shows the dangers of cults and what can happen when a charismatic leader brainwashes people with the power of saying the right things, but while this is certainly different from other films West has done, I once again fail to comprehend his popularity. This is just a bad movie which completely falls apart in the last half hour or so before the end credits roll. I think I am officially done with Ti West for good. Others can love him and that is OK, but me I do not get it at all.

Now, onto the major problem I had with this film, and from here on out there be SPOILERS, so you've been warned.

This is Jonestown. Really, it follows the events of Jonestown in South America rather closely; I'm sure you all know of it even if you don't think you do. It's where the phrase “drinking the Kool-Aid” came from and it's where in 1978, Reverend Jim Jones down in a settlement in Gyuana, South America ordered his followers (almost 1,000) to drink a cyanide-laced beverage and they either did so or were gunned down if they refused and Jones himself killed himself with a gun, which of course happened in this film too. Yes, they actually ripped off that horrific tragedy and actually exploited it via a crappy horror movie. I know that others have talked about it here but what a gross thing to do as you get to see everyone die agonizing painful deaths, either by poison or even worse. The movie would have sucked even if it wasn't based on an actual event-for the reasons listed already-but the fact that it was... I was disgusted by the end.

It's a shame as the dangers of such leaders should be broadcasted and Gene Jones as Not Jim Jones did a good job and you got to see through what he said how he was manipulative. The rest of the movie being so bad made it irrelevant, though.