A single question whispered in candlelight can blur the line between life and death. Are You There? (2025) marks director Kim Noonan’s entry into psychological supernatural thrillers, with a script by Brian S. Tedeschi and Vicki Vass that probes the edge of personal reality.

At its center is Rosa Gonzalez, a paranormal psychology student who inherits a ritual candle from her late grandmother. Tasked with asking “Are you there?” as the flame bends toward “sí” or “no,” Rosa sets out to reconnect with her abuela. Early on, the ceremony feels like controlled inquiry, but soon the ritual’s response plunges her into a waking nightmare.

Noonan’s film unfolds at an unhurried clip, letting dread simmer rather than erupt. Shadows deepen in every frame, while moments of silence amplify the unexpected creaks and whispers around Rosa. Beneath the supernatural shimmer lies a portrait of grief and unresolved trauma—the real...