PHASMA EX MACHINA (2010) | Ghost from the Machine
This was the official website for the release of the 2010 sci-fi horror film Phasma Ex Machina, also called Ghost from the Machine. Phasma Ex Machina is a testament to what can be accomplished with a great idea, smart production priorities, and talented individuals all working toward one common goal.
The content below is from archived pages related to the movie and other outside sources.
I thought the film was a little gem when I first saw it with friends on our monthly movie night. Each month we choose a theme and dress accordingly. For some unknown reason that I now don't remember I thought we were all going to wear Batman related garments. I had found the coolest Batman T shirt store and bought myself several wicked t-shirts. Check out moonatmidnight.com if you're a fan of the dark knight. That night I wore a Batman sublimated T shirt. It was super soft, light weight tee shirt in 100% polyester that featured advanced moisture management and odor control- great for the summers in Georgia, let me tell you. I show up in a Batman Begins Costume T shirt that looked like body armor - so cool. Everyone else was dressed in gothic black. Oops. However, my Batman T-shirt was so dark it actually looked like it fit in, but was cooler than just solid black. No one ever knew that I had a brain fart and forgot the gothic theme. We had a blast at the movie and that was all that really mattered.
When I recently I discovered that the domain for phasmamovie.com was available I bought it with the goal of recreating some of its content from archived pages. I definitely didn't want someone else purchasing the domain and re-purposing the site for something that had nothing in common with the Phasma Ex Machina film. Consider the resurrected site as an homage to this film. It sucks that Netflix doesn't carry it.
Pronounced Phasma Eks Mah-kuh-nuh, it's latin for "Ghost from the Machine."​
What would you do to bring someone back? How far would you go? Phasma Ex Machina explores the grey area between life and death and how science may be the bridge between the two. A young man named Cody, tasked with raising his younger brother James after the death of their parents, plunges himself into the murky science of the supernatural. Ignoring his responsibilities as a caretaker, Cody invents a machine he intends to be a conduit to the other side. In his pursuit to build the device he befriends an affable electrical engineer named Tom who has his own tale of love and loss. Cody eventually reaches an unintended level of success that not only threatens his safety, but also the well-being of James and Tom. He quickly learns that the supernatural isn’t all that super and human nature can even be worse.
Devastated by the loss of his parents Cody, who must now look after his neglected younger brother, is determined to bring them back. So he creates an electro-magnetic field in order to bridge the dimensions between the living and the dead enlisting the help of a neighbour still grieving for his own dead wife. Superb acting is equal to the brilliant screenplay from first time writer-director Osterman. This chilling and smartly conceived neighbourhood thriller sustains a spellbinding atmosphere around its unique concept and through each mounting suspenseful development begs some interesting moral questions such as how do you control who comes back? How long will they stay? Expect Phasma Ex Machina to become a hit with fans of horror and sci-fi.
Five Most Frequently Asked Questions About Phasma Ex Machina
What does “Phasma Ex Machina” mean and why use something so weird?
a. It’s Latin and is loosely translated as “Ghost from the Machine”
b. The film deals with technology and Latin is the language of science
c. It’s a play off of the term “Deux Ex Machina”, however it’s not so much a plot device as it is a character motivation and a slight nod to Aristotle
d. Some people don’t like it. That’s a good thing.
e. It beats the hell out of “Finding Apparitions” or some other nonsense, right?
How long did it take to write, shoot, and edit the whole thing?
a. One year to write the first draft (nights and weekends)
b. One year of re-writes, fundraising, and preproduction
c. 17 days of on-set production
d. 5 months of editing (nights and weekends)
Where did you (Matt Osterman – writer/director/editor) get your inspiration for the film?
“I like the big questions. There’s not much more intriguing than what happens after we die. If there is an afterlife is purely spiritual? Is Criss Angel waving a plastic wand as you float off to the 24th dimension? Maybe the supernatural is still relegated to the league of the unknown because science hasn’t figured out a way to get it to waltz with the scientific method yet. That and ghosts are creepy”.
What other movies/shows is it like?
Always a tough question, but probably: Primer, Sixth Sense, Poltergeist, Solaris, Twilight Zone episodes, and Freddy Got Fingered
Is the machine real? Could it actually work?
The machine is not real, but it is based on supernatural theoretical science. If the supernatural does indeed exist and someone was to actually create a working model, then of course it would absolutely work. I mean ghosts and machines go together like ninjas and pirates or zombies and robots. They’re all just two sides to the same metaphysical coin. Right? What was the question?
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Rating:PG-13
Genre: Mystery & Suspense , Science Fiction & Fantasy
Directed By:Matt Osterman
Written By:Matt Osterman
On DVD:Jul 12, 2011
Runtime: 86 minutes
Studio:Hodag Films
Rotten Tomatoes Audience REVIEWS
**** Robert Beveridge
Ghost from the Machine (Matt Osterman, 2010) Last Tuesday (which as I write this was December 10) was one of those rare days when I didn't put a single foot wrong with my movie watching; everything that came off my Netflix queue ended up being pure gold. Of the bunch, my favorite was Ghost from the Machine, a low-budget thriller bursting with intelligence. It crossed my mind more than once that this is the movie Primer wanted to be and, in my estimation, never managed to become. So, needless to say, Universal is remaking it, rather than using the rights to push a film that deserves far, far wider recognition than it has so far gotten. Why do I get the distinct impression the remake, if it ever surfaces, will be dumbed down to the point where it'll be unrecognizable? Plot: Cody (See Jane Run's Sasha Andreev)'s parents died in a car accident, and since then, he has had two obsessions: taking care of his younger brother James (Aberration's Max Hauser) and building a machine that will allow him to communicate with his parents in the afterlife. Of course, doing such things requires parts, parts, and more parts, and a certain combination of same brings him to the attention of Tom (Factotum's Matthew Feeney), who builds pieces on the side that Cody has bought through the store Tom sells them to. Cody's machine, with all the bugs worked out of it, starts doing what it was made to do-with results that neither Cody nor Tom could have predicted. The great thing about Ghost from the Machine, like last year's similarly excellent Bellflower, is that this is a movie that Osterman could have easily taken in a generic sci-fi or horror direction, but instead, this reminded me a great deal of the wonderful little 2004 French film Les Revenants; Osterman instead focuses on the characters' reactions to what's going on around them rather than spending all the movie's time reveling in the wonderment of "hey, look what we did, and how many CGI effects we used to do it!". This is not a movie for the stuff-blows-up crowd, which unfortunately limits its appeal to the broad market, but those who appreciate intelligence, empathy, and a great story will find this exactly the kind of thing they've been looking for all their lives without realizing it.
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***1/2 Lee Mayo
"Ghost from the Machine" (a.k.a. "Phasma Ex Machina") is a quality ghost story even without having to judge it against its limited resources.
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Outside 2010 Review on Joblo
by: Moises Hernandez
Where the heck did this come from? Here's something that has managed to sneak up out of nowhere. It's called PHASMA EX MACHINA. A film about someone trying to transport ghosts into our world via machine. Sounds like crazy fun. We've also got a preview of the first artwork from the film, courtesy of Dread Central. Check out the synopsis below to get a better feel for the flick and then click on the preview of the poster to be redirected to a larger view.
After his parents are killed in car accident, Cody is left dealing with great guilt, caring for his younger brother and the persistent thought of how to bring his parents back to life. Cody knows he is not the first person to have this idea or the first to have attempted to carry it through. After several attempts with his electromagnetic device, he becomes the first to breach the wall between the living and the dead. But where is the line between life and death? And who actually comes back? What ghosts come out of the machine? “Phasma Ex Machina” is a sci-fi film which has succeeded to combine both heart and mystery with electronic veins and sheet metal.
Matt Osterman directs the film and Jennifer Kramer produces. The film stars Sasha Andreev, Max Hauser, Matthew Feeny, Katrina Hawley, Ellen Karsten and Emily Fradenburgh.
More Background on PhasmaMovie.com
PhasmaMovie.com was the official website for the 2010 independent science fiction horror film Phasma Ex Machina (also known as Ghost from the Machine), directed and written by Matt Osterman. While the website itself served as a hub for the film’s promotion and content, it is no longer active as a primary source, and information about it must be derived from other online sources and archives.
Overview of PhasmaMovie.com
PhasmaMovie.com was created to support the release and distribution of Phasma Ex Machina, a film that explores themes of grief, loss, and the supernatural through the lens of science fiction. The movie centers on a young man named Cody who, after the death of his parents, attempts to build a machine that can bridge the gap between life and death to bring them back. The website provided visitors with information about the film’s plot, cast, crew, trailers, and promotional materials.
The site was also a tribute to the film’s unique blend of science fiction and horror, emphasizing the thoughtful and suspenseful nature of the story. It was intended to engage fans of indie sci-fi and horror films by offering background on the film’s production, insights into its themes, and access to reviews and audience reactions.
Ownership and Production
The film Phasma Ex Machina was written, directed, and edited by Matt Osterman, who was also instrumental in the website’s creation. Osterman is an independent filmmaker who invested about two years in writing, fundraising, shooting, and editing the film. The production took place primarily in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of Minnesota, USA. The film was produced by Hodag Films, an independent production company.
PhasmaMovie.com was owned and managed by individuals connected to the film’s production, likely Osterman himself or his team, to maintain control over the film’s online presence and prevent the domain from being repurposed for unrelated content.
Popularity and Audience
Though Phasma Ex Machina was a low-budget independent film, it garnered a niche but dedicated audience, particularly among fans of intelligent, character-driven sci-fi and horror. The film premiered at the FantAsia Festival in Montreal and received positive critical attention for its screenplay, direction, and acting.
Audience reviews praised the film for its originality, emotional depth, and suspenseful storytelling. It was noted for avoiding typical horror clichés and instead focusing on the human drama and moral questions surrounding the attempt to communicate with the dead. The film’s naturalistic acting and authentic dialogue were highlighted by reviewers as key strengths.
Critical Reception and Awards
While Phasma Ex Machina did not achieve mainstream commercial success, it was well-received in the indie film circuit. The screenplay was a finalist for the McKnight Screenwriting Fellowship, and the film’s rough cut was accepted into the prestigious IFP Filmmakers Labs in New York City.
Critics praised the film for its smart, suspenseful narrative and its ability to sustain a chilling atmosphere without relying on heavy special effects. It was compared favorably to films like Primer, The Sixth Sense, and Solaris for its thoughtful approach to science fiction and supernatural themes.
Content and Features of the Website
PhasmaMovie.com offered a variety of content related to the film, including:
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Plot Synopsis: Detailed explanations of the film’s storyline and themes.
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Cast and Crew Information: Background on the actors and filmmakers involved.
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Trailers and Media: Video trailers and promotional images.
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Reviews and Press: Summaries and links to external reviews and festival coverage.
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FAQs: Common questions about the film’s title, concept, and production.
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Production Insights: Behind-the-scenes information on the making of the film, including the inspiration behind the story and technical details about the machine central to the plot.
Cultural and Social Significance
Phasma Ex Machina stands out as an example of how independent filmmakers can tackle profound questions about life, death, and technology through genre filmmaking. The film’s exploration of grief and the ethical dilemmas of resurrecting the dead resonates with audiences interested in the intersection of science and the supernatural.
The website served as a cultural touchstone for fans of the film and the indie sci-fi community, fostering discussion about the film’s themes and encouraging support for independent cinema.
Legacy and Online Presence
Though the original PhasmaMovie.com site is no longer active as a primary source, the film and its website have left a lasting impression on fans and critics. The domain was once repurchased by a fan to preserve the film’s legacy and prevent misuse of the name.
The film has been reviewed extensively on platforms like IMDb and various film blogs, and it has a small but passionate fanbase that appreciates its thoughtful approach to horror and science fiction.
PhasmaMovie.com was the official website dedicated to the 2010 indie sci-fi horror film Phasma Ex Machina, created to promote and support the film’s release. Owned and managed by the film’s creative team, particularly Matt Osterman, the site provided detailed information about the film’s plot, production, cast, and critical reception. The film itself earned acclaim for its intelligent storytelling, emotional depth, and unique blend of science fiction and supernatural horror. Though the website is no longer active, its role in preserving and celebrating this niche film’s legacy remains significant.
