I Am a Ghost

I'm a fan of paranormal and ghost movies. I Am a Ghost felt "new", a unique voice standing apart from other films. I had no idea what to expect and I wasn't disappointed. It lingered with me for days. I don't want to give anything away, but the movie provides a slow moody build up before unfolding its mystery. I want to watch it again to catch clues. Initially, you watch the main character Emily go through daily, mundane routines at home, and there is repetitiveness in order to illustrate an important point. Throughout these daytime scenes, you quickly realize that something is awry. There were some truly scary parts. The main character is living in this creepy, out-of-time, old house. Even in daylight, the house manages to feel oppressive and terrifying.

I hadn't even heard about this 2012 movie "I Am a Ghost" from writer and director H.P. Mendoza before now in 2020, when I was given the opportunity to sit down and watch it. All I knew about the movie, prior to watching it, was that it was a horror movie. Which, in itself, is more than enough to get my attention.

First of all I must say that "I Am a Ghost" is a unique movie, for better or worse. And this movie will not find a broader appeal with everyone in the audience, that is for sure.

The movie follows the ghost Emily - played by Anna Ishida - in her daily routines as her spirit lingers, trapped within a house. This was actually quite interesting and a touch of genius from writer H.P. Mendoza, because this is not something that you see often.

With that being said, then I must say that Anna Ishida actually carries the movie quite well, especially when she is essentially the only one performing in the movie. I am not familiar with the acting talent of Anna Ishida, but the movie definitely displays her talent, and I would like to see more of her movies if given the chance.

However, the movie does suffer from it being not interesting enough. Too little happens actually throughout the course of the story. And while showing the same scenes again and again does help to set a mood of repetition, then it sort of grew stale and annoying fairly quickly.

"I Am a Ghost" is actually well-worth sitting down to watch, if you want a ghost movie that differs from the usual blueprint that ghost movies tend to follow. Just take into consideration that this is not a movie with a whole lot of things going on, so you might be bored.

I am rating "I Am a Ghost" five out of ten stars. I watched the entire movie, and was mildly entertained, but this is hardly a movie that I would return to watch a second time.

There have been an undeniable amount of ghost pictures in our history. But only a teaspoon of them can make you sit back and question yourself on what might actually happens when we die.

Presented in a very original and artistic screen with some stunning visuals and shots, we follow the story of Emily (Anna Ishida) in what is a long opening act as she goes about her day. Now, this will put most people off but, bare with it, as everything that happens during the entirety of the film is apparent and necessary. 99% of the picture is carried by Anna Ishida. A very small cast is used here and that makes for an excellent ghost film.

One of the key points about 'I am A Ghost',that ANY film enthusiast will feel comforted by is this, 'I am A Ghost' doesn't treat you like a moron. Many films similar to, or just plain complicated will retract back to earlier scenes to tell you, 'Hey, dumb ass, remember this bit? Yeah, this bit means that bit. Okey carry on watching I'll be back to remind you again in 3 minutes'. Everything compiles into a well structured plot that even if you feel lost part way, will eventually be clicking your fingers saying, "Oh Blimey! That's what that was".

Now why didn't I give this a whopping 10/10? In truth, the opening act is long and repetitive, even if it is key, it still feels like a fist- in-cheek 'chop chop hurry up' moment. Next, is some of the effects used are poor and feel a little bit silly for a picture that is so good, but aside that, the plot keeps it strong.

Now, notice how I am not saying an entire amount about this picture? Well the plot that floats about and even on this site explains more than enough. And I quote~ (*If you refuse to read the plot on this site, skip to the next paragraph, if you don't give two-damns, please, continue reading as I detest spoilers more than anything on this floating rock we call Earth!*)~~ 'Emily is a troubled spirit. With the help of Sylvia, a clairvoyant hired to rid the house of spirits, Emily is forced into a 'patient/therapist' relationship, uncovering disturbing mysteries about her past that may help her move on to 'the next place'.~~ End Quote So to say more than that is more than enough and even that itself is far too much information!

Conclusion. This is a smart, gorgeous, underrated must see! This shall be placed high on the shelf along side The Others, Sixth Sense and Martyrs. A single actor throughout most (if not all) the film. Wonderfully directed by H.P Mendoza, showing off his style by not filming what is not needed, then giving us visual chocolate. An incredibly eerie and haunting soundtrack that fits into place like a Soul-mate (Oh I am scandalous!) And most of all, an ambiguous ending.

While the vast majority of Hollywood movies are made on a budget of millions, an amount of money I can't even fathom seeing over the course of my life, the budget for I Am a Ghost couldn't even afford you a decent used car. While this doesn't excuse a boring picture, it seems amiss to not at least consider when judging the success of the film. So it does occasionally look cheap, especially in the effects of the eventual "monster" and for some reason the obvious wig that near solo actress Anna Ishida wears throughout. It also greatly overplays it's hand at repeating various scenes. While I understand this is a plot device used to show the redundancy of the ghost's rituals, one can't help but wonder if the filmmakers leaned into this to pad out an already lean run-time to feature film length.

Otherwise, the movie does succeed beyond it's limitations. There's a clever premise at the core, flipping a haunted house movie to the ghost's perspective, which I can't say I've seen explored much before. Anna Ishida does a bang up job expressing the confusion of the situation. There's a pleasant, Lynchian abstraction that floats around the movie, and even the aforementioned repetitive editing does effectively convey how the fabric of reality has broken down. This is all the more impressive when you realize what they were working with and makes it easy to forgive many of the film's shortcomings.

I am not really much of a film buff and I cannot remember commenting on a film in my life, but i do enjoy reading and listening to audio-book ghost stories instead of watching films, but this is a little gem. The great thing about this 'low budget' film is that it is not padded out with over the top effects, which can be a turn off when over done. The film has a decent story backed up by a fine and believable acting performance from Anna Ishida, i really felt for her character.

I will be on the lookout for more low budget films from now on and hope that i can find a few more quality films like this. Low budget does not mean low quality.

8/10 and well done to those involved in making this little gem.