Our House (2018 film)

Our House is a 2018 horror film directed by Anthony Scott Burns from a screenplay by Nathan Parker. The film is a remake of the 2010 film Ghost from the Machine, written and directed by Matt Osterman.[1] It stars Thomas Mann, Kate Moyer, Nicola Peltz and Percy Hynes White. It was released in the United States and Canada on July 27, 2018 by IFC Midnight and Elevation Pictures.

Our House
Film poster
Directed byAnthony Scott Burns
Produced by
Screenplay byNathan Parker
Based onGhost from the Machine
by Matt Osterman
Starring
Music byMark Korven
Edited byErin Deck
Production
companies
  • Prospero Pictures
  • Resolute Films and Entertainment
  • Senator Film Produktion
  • XYZ Films
  • Ulterior Productions
Distributed by
Release date
  • July 22, 2018 (2018-07-22) (Fantasia Film Festival)
  • July 27, 2018 (2018-07-27)
Running time
90 minutes
Country
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Germany
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Ethan returns home from college to visit his parents and younger siblings, Becca and Matt. A passionate inventor, he leaves early to conduct an on-campus experiment, but promises his disappointed parents he'll prioritise the family on his next break.

Ethan has invented a machine called 'Eli' that is designed to create wireless electrical power. However, as his project lacks university authorization, Ethan, his girlfriend Hannah, and another friend must sneak into the university lab to perform his experiments with it. When they activate the device, they fail to notice a black, smoky mass emanating from the equipment. The trial causes a campus-wide blackout, and the trio flee.

The next morning, Ethan learns that his parents have died, and he returns home to care for Becca and Matt. He begins a part-time job, and continues to work on Eli in his spare time. After he performs further experiments, strange things begin to occur through the house. The siblings come to believe that Ethan's machine is allowing their mother to make contact with them. When a supernatural entity appears, it tells them that the machine is harnessing spiritual energy, and that increasing its power will allow both of their parents to appear.

Ethan enlists the help of his neighbour, Tom, a widower, to illegally tap into the street's power supply. Becca claims to have given her doll away to comfort a new friend, Alice, who fears a man named Henry. The supernatural events increase and become menacing. Tom begins to exhibit odd behaviour, warning Ethan that the machine's effect has expanded beyond the house. Hannah views footage of the first experiment and shows Ethan a ghostly, female silhouette, and they ask an elderly neighbour, Marie, about the house's previous occupants. Marie tells them about Alice, a child who disappeared from the house, whom Marie thinks was killed by Henry, her foster father.

Becca is lured into the basement by the doll and dragged into a large chest. Ethan informs Matt that the ghosts are not their parents, and Hannah and Matt look for Becca while Ethan goes to switch Eli off. However, he finds that Tom has taken the machine to communicate with his wife's spirit, Ethan breaks in to Tom's house and a fight ensues. Matt and Hannah find Becca in a hidden underground room, but all three are overcome by murderous ghosts.

After Ethan explains that the spirit isn't his wife, Tom releases him. The ghost then turns on Tom and drags him away. Ethan smashes the machine with a baseball bat, saving his family, as well as Tom.

As the siblings prepare to move to a new home, Becca is given the doll she'd intentionally left in the house to keep Alice company. She races in to return it before they leave.

The final scene is that of a happy and loving family unit, with Ethan and Hannah now assuming the parental roles for Matt and Becca. However, there is ominous music, and we see the doll peeking out from inside a packing box.

Cast

Production

In August 2011, Universal Pictures acquired the rights to remake the 2010 film Ghost from the Machine. Gary Shore signed on as director with Moon screenwriter Nathan Parker writing the script.[2] By January 2016, Shore had left the project and was replaced by Anthony Scott Burns. Thomas Mann was set to star in the film with John Davis, Derek Dauchy, Nick Spicer and Kyle Franke producing the film under their Davis Entertainment and XYZ Films banners, respectively.[3] In May 2016, Nicola Peltz joined the cast of the film, with Lee Kim, Marty Katz, and Ulf Israel joining the film as producers.[4] In June 2017, Mark Korven was announced to compose the film's score.[5]

Filming

Principal photography began in May 2016.[6]

Post Production

In June 2017, Electric Youth announced a new album titled Breathing based on a "lost" film of the same name. The band had collaborated with Burns on the film, that was intended to "reinvent the horror genre", which was changed completely in post production.[7] According to band members Austin Garrick and Bronwyn Griffin, Burns had left the project during post production due to creative differences, the duo soon left afterward.[8] Dennis Harvey of Variety had seemingly confirmed that Breathing was an earlier title used for Our House. Harvey also points to the lack of a director of photography credit as further evidence of production troubles.[9]

Release

In June 2016, Elevation Pictures acquired Canadian distribution rights to the film.[10] In February 2018, IFC Midnight acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film.[11] The film was released in the United States and Canada on July 27, 2018.[12][13]

Reception

Sales of Our House DVD/Blu-ray releases have cashed $1,732.[14] On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 62% based on 26 reviews, and an average rating of 6.24/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Our House sits on a solid foundation of genuine pathos, even if the storytelling structure tends to be frustratingly rickety in spots."[15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[16]

References
  1. Our House - WGA Directory
  2. Fleming Jr., Mike (August 11, 2011). "Universal To Remake Phasma Ex Machina With Cup Of Tears Helmer Gary Shore". Deadline. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  3. Tartaglione, Nancy (January 27, 2016). "Thomas Mann Moves Into Our House From Davis Entertainment, XYZ Films – EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  4. Ford, Rebecca (May 11, 2016). "Cannes: Nicola Peltz Joins Thomas Mann in Our House (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  5. "Mark Koven to score Our House". FilmMusicReporter. June 27, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  6. Longwell, Karen (June 29, 2016). "Filming of Our House wraps up in Port Hope". northlumberlandnews.com. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  7. Vehling, Aaron (September 22, 2017). "Electric Youth's Breathing Will Take Your Breath Away". Vehlinggo. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  8. Rodriguez, Krystal (June 29, 2017). "Electric Youth Announce New Album 'Breathing,' Share First Single". Vice. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  9. Harvey, Dennis (July 24, 2018). "Film Review: Our House". Variety. Retrieved December 1, 2020.
  10. Reid, Regan (June 20, 2016). "Why Martin Katz and Lee Kim saw opportunity in 'Our House'". Playbackonline.ca. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  11. Tartaglione, Nancy (February 1, 2018). "IFC Midnight Moves Into 'Our House' With U.S. Rights Deal; XYZ Selling In Berlin". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  12. "Every single movie coming out this summer". Los Angeles Times. April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  13. "Our House". Elevation Pictures. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  14. "Our House (2018)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  15. "Our House (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  16. "Our House Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
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