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This review was originally published on January 20, 2024 out of the Sundance Film Festival.
We are recirculating it now timed toPresences theatrical release.
The story may be familiar, but theres nothing familiar about the way hes shot it.
The set-up, on the other hand, feels purposefully predictable.
Chloe can tell everything is not right.
She can feel something inside her closet.
The books she leaves open on her bed wind up neatly arranged on her desk.
Her distracted mom, Rebekah (Lucy Liu), thinks she just needs to get over it.
You have two kids, Chris reminds Rebekah at one point.)
Dario Argento perfected the idea in hisgialloclassics.
Sam Raimi turned it into the ultimate lo-fi aesthetic in hisEvil Deadmovies.
Stanley Kubrick riffed on it inThe Shining.
The technique is nothing new.
To say more though would be to ruin some third act revelations.
(I can already imagine the trailers.)
