MovieChat Forums > I Am a Ghost (2014) Discussion > Pretty well done 6/10 here's my thoughts...

Pretty well done 6/10 here's my thoughts.

posted 10 years ago by nathansary
7 replies | jump to latest

I'm literally typing this as the ending is happening and was watching it on a side screen while working and somehow I was so creeped out I almost turned it off. If you're coming to IMDB to find advice on whether to watch this I'll just give you the basics.

This is a shoe (oop theres that mockingbird rhyme in the credits NOPE turning it off too creeped out.) string budget you know one of those $7k deals where the visual effects are handmade so you need to go in being one of the types that prefers that. Frankly I don't think I have ever in my life been scared by a movie that had CGI anything. I don't know why I just gotta feel it. So think maybe "The Inn keepers", "the haunting (1960)", "Insidious", "The pact", "Absentia".

The good - Whoever did the special effect and cinematography in this carried the whole movie. It was like sitting by yourself as a kid and reading "Scary stories to tell in the dark". The film filter was perfect the score was creepy as hell. All perfect. This person should keep going they would have a Raimi-esc career.

The Bad - Acting and script is friggin atrocious(you see atrocious? that was pretty decent). The film only has one main character and her biggest flaw is that shes clearly reading off a script with 0 improvisation. Her acting is fine actually the problem is at points her speaking lines just don't work in the scene. Same goes for the off camera actor.

The rest - the movies big bad guy is kinda goofy. Why they went for this weird nc-17 ben folds flailing around is beyond me. It's super avant-garde. I was able to roll with it but I'm not sure it's for everyone. It's a big in your face BLAH IMMAMONSTER. I think this film needed a more muted creep out villain like "The Pact".

So if you didn't already know -

super low budget ghost story told from the perspective the ghost.

Goes for art house instead of shaky cam found footage main stream garbage. If thats your thing I say it can't hurt. Got me heart jumping.

[–] trek79 10 years ago

I think the acting by Anna Ishida was mostly well done, she captures that vacant detachment you see in the Japanese ghost stories, but the script does ask her to break from that creepiness, notably that she has a modern discussion on psychology considering she is a Victorian era ghost, that kind of ruins it. But yes, given the shoestring budget this is a masterfully crafted movie, kudos to the creators.

[–] bunnywithanaxe 9 years ago

I thought Ishida was an intriguing, intuitive actress, despite the wonky script she had to deal with. ( You're right, trek 79-- who the hell talked about " recovered memory" in the nineteenth century?) Something about her face seems to telegraph her thoughts. Or make it appear so.

[–] sampen78 9 years ago

I'm curious as to how you think she's from the Victorian era?...I know it's been a while since this post and you probably haven't seen this movie in a while. I only say that because there is a radio she is listening to playing early 20th century music. My guess is she lived in the country between 1910's to the mid 1920's.

[–] bunnywithanaxe 8 years ago

Maybe even the 30's, if this was supposed to be rural Santa Rosa, or wherever it was filmed.

[–] bpollen 7 years ago

I think people think it's the Victorian era because of the furnishings. But I think it may have been later.

The furniture is Victorian, but notice that the same furniture is still there in Sylvia's time, it seems. Sylvia can see the rug, walks across the rug (she says), and sits at the desk in the room. Sylvia can see the lamp turn on when Emily turns it on.

Also..there is electricity.

So it's hard to know exactly when Emily lived. Maybe there's a clue that I missed.

[–] HelloGordon 9 years ago

I don't think the acting or script were atrocious, and while you say in your review her speaking lines don't work in the scene. I thought they worked perfectly in the context with the scene. In the long run,..this film is what it is. And I am sure just like you and I, this film should be commended for what they did. And that is to make an absorbing dramatic ghost story for $10,000

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

I liked it a lot. I thought the script and acting were good. I would rate the film an 8/10.