Presence
2024
***
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Lucy Liu, Chris Sullivan, Callina Liang, Eddy Maday, West Mulholland, Julia Fox, Natalie Woolams-Torres, Lucas Papaelias
A family of four move into a large new house, where a mysterious spirit observes the family's attempts to cope with grief, family disputes, and the presence itself. Steven Soderbergh's short and disposable thriller doesn't outstay its welcome, but the underwhelming screenplay by David Koepp doesn't lead to anything particularly interesting. Soderbergh has shot the entire film from the ghost's point of view, as the camera glides from floor to floor and room to room like a voyeur, and never cuts to a close-up. This technique creates an unsettling atmosphere, although it results is some mighty murky footage.
