I do recommend for anyone wanting to watch a mildly horror movie but I felt it was more drama then anything else. Though sometimes clever, it doesnt offer anything like the deep-geek inventiveness of, say, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wrights movies. Ava. Well, as grounded as things would get in this films universe. and "Did anyone call in sick for me?" ("We don't say the D-word.") Partway between the worlds, she can see the other world intruding into ours; or perhaps she had become nuts. Krause proves to be a likeable lead presence and she's well supported by the likes of Deborah Rush, Lou Taylor Pucci, Annabelle Dexter-Jones and a scene stealing performance from Wass Stevens as Tony, the leader of the possession group. Very often in horror comedies we get over-the-top ridiculous humor with intentionally silly gore and a simple yet coherent plot. "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" Ridley Scott, who of course directed the original classic in 1979 and later returned for prequelsPrometheusandAlien: Covenant, will produce the movie via his Scott Free banner. Louisa Krause stars in the titular lead role Ava, a woman who's in the process of recovery after being afflicted by demonic possession. Furious, Ava begins screaming and the office door swings open, showing the shadow of Ava's demon. Spirit Possession Anonymous. Other reviews already mention the unnecesary subplots. Freaking excellent! Visually weak as most of the setups are "people in a room talking". Normally, a possession movie ends with the victim baths in sunlight or in some cases wanders into the dark. Is too bad this isnt good because the concept is gold. "Ava's Possessions" follows the titular character, a young woman who wakes up one day tied to her bed after an exorcism. On a related note, FX has a small screenAlienproject in the works at the moment, a plannedAlien television series from Noah Hawley. I won't bother to describe the plot of this disaster, but some of the dialog is pricelesssuch as 'I think my demon likes me, I'm the first girl he was ever inside.' Ooops. She soon begins to sense that the demon is near and accidentally causes some boxes to fall, revealing some old files on former possessed people. [1] Entertainment Weekly wrote a mostly favorable review, criticizing it for having too many plot threads in one movie but stating that "Krauses deadpan wit, coupled with the inspired scenes at Spirit Possessions Anoymous, make Avas Possessions a fun, fresh take on a genre staple. Spirit Possession Anonymous is not your typical twelve-step recovery program. Just go watch it. Its situation comedy dealing with horror. And as expected, just like in the mafia, you dont walk away scot-free. Dont want to miss anything on the site? At the start of the film I was like WTF is going on is this a comedy. I mean "entity." This is the one. Roger drives Ava to Tony's now empty classroom, where he forces her to put on the necklace and bring back the demon, as he believes the two of them had a connection. Gallands film plays more like a cable-ready mystery than a cult film in the making, offering just enough chuckles to stay afloat. Rating: R (Bloody. not wacky enough to do justice to a tantalizingly-wacky concept. Sure that he is dead as a result of her, Ava lies to Ben about how she found the watch but ends up spending time with Ben. Throughout "Possession," we view Anna through Mark's eyes, always tinted in blue, her visage becoming more eldritch and terrifying with time. The phones screen shows the time as 1:10 PM. A light riff on a staple of horror cinema. Awards But while trying to deconstruct a series of toxic relationships between Natalie, her parents, her beaus and Karim, her countrys clingy man in Israel, the series ends up painting her as an accidental and unfeeling femme fatale by fating the men in her life to tribulation and her to an ice queen veneer. She believed that she should value death over having Jonah take her status and possessions and let her live like a prisoner. Double A Horror Highway Favorite Opening Scenes In Horror. Debuting on HBO Max on Thursday, the French and Hebrew language thriller opens at the wedding of French expat Natalie (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) and handsome Israeli nonentity Eran (Valley of Tears Imri Biton dont get too attached). Ava (Louisa Kraus) is recovering from a demonic possession, after committing a string of crimes while under possession she is forced to attend a spirits anonymous group to avoid doing jail time and with little memory of the incident she has to piece together the details leading up to the possession to find out who put the curse on her. Instead of focusing on her possession, this movie asks the question, what is life like AFTER your demon has been exorcised? Watch Ava's Possessions Theatrical Trailer, The movie playing at around 55 minutes is. She then discovers that while she did kill Ben's father, he was only in the apartment because he was a hitman that Roger had hired to murder her, as Ava had seen Roger with the prostitute and then joined the two of them for a sexual encounter. This is where Wass Stevens steps in as Tony, the head of Spirit Possessions Anonymous. "[3] The New York Times was more critical, writing that "Though at times pleasingly quirky, the story is too slackly written and insipidly photographed to entertain."[4]. From an acting and character standpoint, Krause nails it as Ava with a realistically straight performance. Jordan Galland's sharp satire Ava's Possessions, on the other hand . Youll want to know how it ends, but may come to dread which way the evidence is pointing. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. Basically a demon possesses this woman at certain times and manages to save her life, a time or two. As someone whos seen quite a few possession movies recently, The idea of AA for the post-possessed is another brilliant novelty in the film. Still, its a nice alternative to yet another self-serious Exorcist wannabe. "Ava's Possessions" follows the titular character, a young woman who wakes up one day tied to her bed after an exorcism. Its not just Rosa who resorts to ritual in the wake of the tragedy. Ever wonder what happens to someone post-exorcism? That's shown with her name on the records in the office and a flashback to her telling Ava that she knows exactly what being possessed was like. Click herefor all of our SXSW2015 coverage orbrowse the links belowto check outmy other reviews: Perri Nemiroff has been part of the Collider team since 2012. Director Jordan Galland Writer Jordan Galland Stars Louisa Krause Whitney Able Deborah Rush See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video The best movie with Ava in the title since Avatar. A semicomic mystery imagining what happens after the credits roll on a demonic-possession fright flick, Jordan Galland 's Ava's Possessions realizes the obvious it ain't easy to reenter. Film data from TMDb. The story is not only a different take, but is also . Perhaps they owed someone a favor. Funny and original demon possession film. However instead of taking her to the facility Roger instead tries to kiss her and reveals that he murdered the prostitute in order to keep her from telling anyone that he had visited her. It adds a kind of absurdity to the film that isnt necessarily played up for laughs, but still evokes a certain amount of humour that adds another dimension to the film. A semicomic mystery imagining what happens after the credits roll on a demonic-possession fright flick, Jordan Gallands Avas Possessions realizes the obvious it aint easy to reenter polite society after spending weeks unleashing hell and then makes things worse. Fun performances and unique ideas carry it. So the point is it's a risky sub genre, but comes this dark comedy AVA'S POSSESSION this was interesting and hilarious. Unless she agrees to join a self-help group, the SPA or Spirit Possession Anonymous, that is. Ava definitely comes across as someone who wants to get her life back on track, and at the same time trying to make amends for what happened. Bill and Teds Bogus Journey: 30th Anniversary Death Statue from Incendium Now Available for Pre-Order! Ava then recalls finding a tattoo similar to the one she received during the ritual, making her realize that her sister had deliberately sent the demon into her in order to avoid getting possessed herself. Flaws and all, Ava's Possessions is still something genre fans tired of the usual possession story willing to try something new will enjoy. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. Ava's family chooses to commit her but Ava manages to gain a lead on Ben's father via a prostitute. Simon mourns for his old mentor in his own way and accuses Ava of forcing his hands. If you don't know, "Tonight, We Stay Indoors" is essentially about what happens after a slasher movie. It premiered at the Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival in 2015, and was given a DVD and Video on Demand release in 2016. The concept, observing the aftermath of the protagonist's dance with a demon, lends itself to something clever and fun at the film's start, but the wit quickly dissolves into flavorless doldrums. With no memory of the past month, she is forced to attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group. When her family confirms this story, Ava's first question is whether anyone called in sick for her at her job. Yet "Ava's Possessions" seemed to take a completely different route with its aftermath story. She may even end up in jail for her crimes. A semicomic mystery imagining what happens after the credits roll on a demonic-possession fright flick, Jordan Galland 's Ava's Possessions realizes the obvious it ain't easy to reenter . By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. However, this scene is clearly established to be taking place at night. Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. FAQ See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs. | Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. She's soon justified in her apprehensions. Filming kicks off later this month. When Ava is in her apartment with Ben she gets a phone call. Louisa Krause stars as the titular Ava, a young woman that must learn how to put her life together after a demon is exorcised from her body. Lending credibility are the performances by veterans William Sadler and Deborah Rush, who nail whats required in their roles and the story. Quirky and naturally charming in sort of deadpan way, Krause, like many other leads in similarly peculiar films, holds her own and delivers a good performance that I think could be even better without the script's limitations. Ava's Possessions. and 'It was negative space, like a donut hole.'. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Avas Possessions picks up post-exorcism, as Brooklynite Ava (Martha Marcy May Marlene star Louisa Krause) wakes up with no memory of her 28-day possession. And therein lies another major theme of Possessions: possessiveness. It was more of a mystery than a horror film, but it was certainly a thriller. The movie takes itself serious, and doesn't at the same time. . Ex Machina's Original Ending This is a film that I've notice on Netflix a number of times, but for some reason or another I kept on passing it by. A French family has been left heartbroken after their 19-month-old daughter died during their Miami . We get a strong sense that this movie is made for fans of horror, specifically supernatural and possession horror. Good cast, original story, so you know, that's that. "[2] Bloody Disgusting shared a similar opinion and noted that while the film was flawed, it had good acting and was "still a unique film that deserves a watch to see that not every possession film has to be told the same way. Even though none of it was really her fault, the only way she can get out of serving jail time is by participating in Spirit Possessions Anonymous, a group treatment program designed to help the formerly possessed prevent it from happening again. 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Ava Dobkins (Louisa Krause) has had a difficult month.For the last 28 days was possessed by the demon Naphula, who did some very bad things while it was in control. Where precisely does it go off the rails? But though shes eager to protect herself from her uninvited spirit guest, another member of the group wants hers back. Your guide to every single Israeli TV show and movie you can stream right now, Tunisia Boosts Security for Lag BOmer on Djerba. A nice take on the after effects of demonic possession. Like open a new tab and stream this movie, watch it, then tell everyone you know. Just when you think filmmakers had all but exhausted the demonic possession subgenre, giving us all that could possibly be wrung from it, along comes writer/director Jordan Galland and Avas Possessions. Her family and friends arent exactly sympathetic. By what name was Ava's Possessions (2015) officially released in India in English? For more information, please see our Ava: Are you seriously blaming me for being possessed? AVA'S POSSESSIONS (2015) After an exorcism expels her demon, a young woman joins an odd support group to piece together the mystery of what happened during her possession. Please email us at [emailprotected], subject line republish, with any questions or to let us know what stories youre picking up. Sign up for our newsletter HERE. Written and directed by Jordan Galland: Ava's Possessions is relatively unique as a mixture of possession horror and film noir, though it somewhat lacks the much needed energy and eagerness in pursuing its meandering narrative. Natalies mother, Rosa (Dominique Valadi), opposes the union and almost walks out. "Ava's Possessions" mixes crime mysteries and comedy with its horror themes, making it something that doesn't require you to be completely on edge. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. He went into Sophie's cell and gave her a written confession of her betrayal for her to attest, but Sophie chose not to sign it. Louisa Krause leads as the title character, Ava. Possession horror/black comedy mash up set amongst the NYC hipster scene. Ava's mother makes a comment "who knew our family would be so susceptible to possessions" because she was possessed previously. BetweenAvas Possessions andAlter Egos, its pretty clear that Galland isa skilledworld builder. Facing multiple criminal offenses, Ava opts to go into "Spirit Possession Anonymous" where she meets Hazel who liked being possessed and wants to embrace her demon. Director Jordan Galland (Alter Egos) puts. Ava learns from therapy that though she has been freed of possession, she was still very vulnerable to those beings. Alter Egos was a solid second feature, but its pretty evident that Galland is taking a major step forward with this one. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. March 30, 2022. . Oops, I said the d-word. Young gal Ava (an excellent performance by Louisa Krause) is forced to join a Special Possessions support group in the wake of being possessed by a demon. The story afterwards, fleshed out more and the comedy was gone. Learn more. [Exclusive]. Still, Krauses deadpan wit, coupled with the inspired scenes at Spirit Possessions Anoymous, make Avas Possessions a fun, fresh take on a genre staple. They were really creative in showing possible life changes that occur after a possession. The problem is it tries to be so many things at once than its mostly none of them. Im not a fan of this digital filming stuff, it looks horrible. It is mysterious alright. He put together a strong ensemble, his shots are all well-composed, there are some stellar lighting choices that give the film a really unique flare and the music he got from Sean Lennon is spot on. 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I watched this movie on Netflix. It's really a disappointment when the end of a decent and likely unique and new look at post-Exorcist horror has a tacked on ending in the tradition of most clichd horror B movies. Her immediate response is "How long was I out?" There's quite the idea here, comically displays the aftereffect of the unfortunate event, but it becomes too busy with overload of subplots, colors and eventually too plodding for its own good. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Is it passed genetically though too?? This is where, I could have spent hours exploring SPA, the cases Tony is dealing with and how having been possessed changes a persons everyday life, but eventually, the film shifts its focus to a mystery of sorts and thats where. Ava's Possessions (126) 5.6 1 h 28 min 2016 X-Ray R. A young woman recovers from a demonic possession. She is initially flippant towards her actions during this time, but soon discovers that she caused serious emotional and physical damage, resulting in her losing her job, friends, and boyfriend, as well as potential jail time. Ava's Possessions 2015 R 1 h 29 m IMDb RATING 5.6 /10 3.3K YOUR RATING Rate Play trailer 1:56 2 Videos 15 Photos Comedy Horror Mystery A young woman recovers from a demonic possession. Theres an SPA handbook thats a bit reminiscent of the Handbook for the Recently Deceased in Beetlejuice, members are instructed to not use the D word and they also all have very different relationships with their uninvited spiritual guest. Whereas Ava is eager to get rid of her rather malicious evil entity, another group member named Hazel (Annabelle Dexter-Jones) has basically fallen in love with hers. Add in a plot about Avas strained relationship with her family, and its a lot of threads for Galland to juggle, which is why the ending feels a bit rushed and unsatisfying. After an exorcism frees her soul, a young woman (Louisa Krause) attends Spirit Possession Anonymous and meets a fellow victim (Whitney Able) who wants her demon back. While Ava is struggling to clean up her apartment and mend fences with old friends (you sorta acted like a megabitch when you were possessed, one observes) she attends AA-like sessions led by the hard-nosed Tony (Wass Stevens). It becomes so much more relatable, and that makes the comedy work. No matter how bad that story might be. Finally someone made a movie, that is so obvious, you really wonder, how no one came up with that simple yet brilliant concept yet. Its more comedy than horror, but it mixes enough to make it a decent watch. PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. Having wrought havoc on the public during her demonic spree, she is ordered by the court to a "spiritual possessions anonymous" group to reorient herself. Horror is in trouble if this doesn't become a cult classic someday. Ava's parents (William Sadler and Deborah Rush), sister (Whitney Able), and her sister's fiance Roger (Zachary Booth) are all concerned for her. I thought the idea was so unique, and I personally don't know of any other movies that show what happens to a person after the spirit they are possessed by is exorcised. I also dug the choice of colours used in the film. I don't care what the critics say. Ava's Possessions. Possession, which was released in 1981, is the answer. Critical reception for Ava's Possessions has been mixed and the film holds a rating of 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 16 reviews. About 20 minutes in I had to check that I wasn't watching a series pilot. Scattershot possession horror comedy that works for the most part even if it has more story threads than it can handle in one movie. His death sends Ava on a self-destructive path, and she starts drinking again after years of sobriety. Incredible, modern film noir. A supernatural comedy that kicks off after the exorcism. (Re-summoning Hazels demon requires a trip to an occult shop, owned by a delightfully wicked Carol Kane.) Possession can be fun! If you know of any, please let me know in the comments, because I would love to see them. Ava's Possessions. 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