The Innkeepers

Ian West4.0

I’m one of those weirdos that love slow, boring, hallway roaming ghost movies—especially when its set in a beautiful old building like the hotel/inn featured here. I dunno, I know slow burn can be an acquired taste for some but this thing oozes atmosphere that I love and is right up there with House of the Devil as far as atmosphere led roaming empty house movies of the 21st century. Around the time of this movies release I was getting back into slower brooding gothic horror and 70’s ghost story stuff, so I was so stoked for this. Personally I love the anticipation of characters wondering around a creepy old place, the banter between Paxton and Healy as amateur ghost hunters, and Ti Wests’ atmosphere as a character mentality.The genre may have been flooded with stuff like this as the decade ended but I loved the indie horror vibes of the late 2000’s and early 2010’s… and this remains a standout of that time period for me.

𝒊𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒅𝒖𝒅𝒖3.5

Although i preferably opt for more serious movies with a denser atmosphere, "the innkeepers" was a great late-night film for something outside of complexity and absolutely fun watch.We follow two employees of an old hotel in its last days of operation. Claire and Luke share the shift at the reception desk, and both decide to spend the little time they have left there to investigate the rumors of it being haunted by the ghost of Madeline O'Malley, who, in the 19th century, hanged herself there after being abandoned at the altar, and had her body hidden in the basement by the hotel's owners at the time.The Innkeepers has a similar premise to "Ghostbusters" - and I don't just mean because it's based on the plot in which the protagonists try to find a ghost inside the hotel, but also because of the tone that makes up the movie. Here we have a film whose ghostly theme is developed through a soft gore and jumpscares, raised by the sinister aura that makes up the hotel itself and also, surrounded by an innocent humor that is in charge of the protagonists.These are two characters that I could spend the entire review just talking about each one and how the dynamic between them is the high point here.Starting with Claire, her spontaneity and curiosity bring to the film the mysteries of that hotel and all the investigation that brings these questions to light, and she is the one who guides us predominantly through these means with her charismatic and affectionate humor. As for Luke, we have that more reserved and acid character, who is responsible for bringing to the film the comic relief.The dynamic between the two provided me with an absolutely fun experience that, with the excellent work in developing the characters, i was able to easily surrender to the film's lighter/cozy rhythm and tone.

•lily•3.0

I FUCKING LOVE SLOW BURN HORROR FILMSTHE JOY I GAIN FROM WAITING AN HOUR FOR SOMETHING CREEPY OR UNSETTLING TO HAPPEN IS FUCKING UNIMAGINABLE