Ghost from the Machine

{{Infobox film

| name = Ghost from the Machine

| image = Ghost from the Machine.jpg

| director = Matt Osterman

| writer = Matt Osterman

| producer = Jennifer Kramer

| starring = Sasha Andreev
Matthew Feeney
Max Hauser

| music = Wojciech Golczewski

| cinematography = Adam Honzl

| editing = Mark Anderson

| studio = Hodag Films

| distributor = XYZ Films
Screen Media Films

| released = {{Film date|2010|7|16|Fantastic Fest|ref1={{cite web|url=http://www.fantasiafestival.com/blog/fantasia-festival/breaking-news-phasma-ex-machina-to-be-remade-by-fox|title=Breaking News: PHASMA EX MACHINA – which has World Premiere today at Fantasia – to be remade by Fox!|work=Fantasia Festival|date=2010-07-16|accessdate=2014-03-20}}}}

| runtime =

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $25,000{{cite web|url=http://filmmakermagazine.com/28531-ghost-from-the-machine-director-matt-osterman/|title=Director Matt Osterman on Ghost From the Machine|last=Hill|first=Eva|work=Filmmaker|date=2011-11-09|accessdate=2014-03-20}}

| gross =

}}

Ghost from the Machine is a 2010 independent supernatural thriller written and directed by Matt Osterman. It was filmed in and around Minneapolis, Minnesota, and made its festival debut at the Fantasia Festival in Montreal, Canada. Ghost from the Machine was also an official Independent Feature Project Labs participant.{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/ifp-names-ten-narrative-projects-for-summer-lab/5002029.article|title=IFP names ten narrative projects for summer Lab|last=Kay|first=Jeremy|work=Screen Daily|date=2009-06-02|accessdate=2014-03-20}}

Ghost from the Machine was originally titled, and is known internationally as, Phasma Ex Machina.{{cite web|url=http://www.ghostfromthemachine.com/about_the_film/ |title=Ghost from the Machine - The official movie site |publisher=Ghostfromthemachine.com |accessdate=2012-07-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724113430/http://ghostfromthemachine.com/about_the_film/ |archivedate=2012-07-24 }}

Plot

After his parents die, Cody, an inventor, becomes obsessed with finding a way to contact them once again. Tom, a local scientist who lost his wife, becomes interested in the project and helps Cody. Together, they discover that Cody's invention can cause ghosts to momentarily reappear as flesh and blood. Tom and Cody become further obsessed with maximizing the amount of time that they can spend with their loved ones, only to discover that a pair of dangerous murderers have also been rematerialized by the machine. Tom and Cody soon realize that the only way to see their loved ones is to put themselves and others at risk. As they debate the ethical and philosophical ramifications of the machine, the killers grow stronger and attempt to kill Cody's younger brother. Ultimately, Cody is able to rescue his brother, and Cody and Tom destroy the machine.

Cast

Sasha Andreev as Cody
Matthew Feeney as Tom
Max Hauser as James

Release

Ghost from the Machine premiered as Phasma Ex Machina at the Fantasia Festival on July 7, 2010. In 2011, Screen Media Films then acquired and retitled it.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/screen-media-films-acquires-ghost-68730|title=Screen Media Films Acquires 'Ghost From the Machine'|last=Fernandez|first=Jay A.|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=2011-01-05}} It was released on DVD and video on demand on August 2, 2011.{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3180757/ghost-from-the-machine-now-on-itunes-dvd-vod/|title='Ghost From the Machine' Now on iTunes/DVD/VOD|author=|work=Bloody Disgusting|date=2011-08-02|accessdate=2014-03-20}}

Reception

Dennis Harvey of Variety called it "an impressive feature debut" that favors "a slow build and minimal violence over blunt scare tactics".{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2010/film/reviews/phasma-ex-machina-1117943205/|title=Review: Phasma Ex Machina|last=Harvey|first=Dennis|work=Variety|date=2010-07-20|accessdate=2014-03-20}} Andrew Mack of Twitch Film compared it to Primer and called it "a quiet and slowly chilling ghost story that lingers around the fringes of your nerves."{{cite web|url=http://twitchfilm.com/2010/07/fantasia2010-phasma-ex-machina.html|title=FanTasia2010: Phasma Ex Machina|last=Mack|first=Andrew|work=Twitch Film|date=2010-07-30|accessdate=2014-03-20}} Matt Coker of OC Weekly cited the strong performances and well-written relationships made it a stand-out film at the Anaheim International Film Festival.{{cite news|url=http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2010/10/best_of_the_fest_phasma_ex_mac.php|title=Best of the Fest: Phasma Ex Machina at AIFF|last=Coker|first=Matt|work=OC Weekly|date=2010-10-16|accessdate=2014-03-20}} Brad Miska of Bloody Disgusting rated it 3.5/5 stars and called it thematically confused but "a wonderfully tragic supernatural flick that's both captivating and 'smart'."{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/film/114354/ghost-from-the-machine-phasma-ex-machina-2/?tab=bd-review|title= Ghost From the Machine (Phasma Ex Machina)|last=Miska|first=Brad|work=Bloody Disgusting|date=2010-09-02|accessdate=2014-03-20}}

= Awards =

Ghost from the Machine was the winner of the Flyway Film Festival and was voted "Best of the Fest" at the Arizona Underground Film Festival.

Remake

Deadline reported in August 2011 that Universal Pictures acquired remake rights; director Gary Shore and writer Nathan Parker were attached.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2011/08/universal-to-remake-phasma-ex-machina-with-cup-of-tears-helmer-gary-shore-155526/|title=Universal To Remake Phasma Ex Machina With Cup Of Tears Helmer Gary Shore|last=Fleming|first=Mike|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=2011-08-11|access-date=2014-03-20}} By January 2016, Shore had left the project and was replaced by Anthony Scott Burns. The remake was released in 2018 with the title Our House.