the backrooms movie is obviously heavily inspired by things like Everywhere at the End of Time, art about memories that get distorted to hell and back. but it doesn't tap into grief in the same way and i feel like that's extremely missed out potential. i guess that's a fault of needing to be a horror movie with slasher tropes but daaammmn. what's so interesting and unsettling about Presence is that the memories of people act like they're alive, but out of the corner of the main character's eye she can tell they're not there. theyre totally ephemeral, but also warm and physically present, and impossible not to treat as if they were people you already have a connection with. BUT, this really leans into grief, instead of leaning away from it like in Backrooms.

the other thing i realized about that movie during Presence is that IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.... i feel like if the characters were fleshed out just a LITTLE MORE that it would've been a genuinely GOOD movie instead of one with really impressive sets and camera shots that leaves you with nothing new!! i was so confused that they barely showed anything about Clark and his wife or Mary and her mom-- on the other hand, Presence takes a good chunk of time to set up who the main couple are, what kind of people they are, and a bit of their shared experiences-- AND even in the exposition they change!