With no memory of the past month, she is forced to attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group. While the mixing of different tones without going straight into horror wont be to everyones liking, its still a unique film that deserves a watch to see that not every possession film has to be told the same way. Scattershot possession horror comedy that works for the most part even if it has more story threads than it can handle in one movie. The last time Jonah saw Sophie, he wanted to give her a second chance. Its situation comedy dealing with horror. Throw in a bunch of bad dialogue and some skinless sex scenes and you have an attempt at a movie. At one meeting Ava meets Hazel (Annabelle Dexter-Jones), a fellow ex-possessed person that wants her demon to return since she enjoyed its presence and felt that it was "special" for both of them. 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 supernatural comedy that kicks off after the exorcism. When her family confirms this story, Ava's first question is whether anyone called in sick for her at her job. Ava's Possessions (126) 5.6 1 h 28 min 2016 X-Ray R. A young woman recovers from a demonic possession. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. Also POSSIBLE SPOILER! Filming kicks off later this month. Click here for Culture Crypt's interview with filmmaker Jordan Galland and star Louisa Krause. You sorta acted like a mega bitch when you were possessed, one friend tells her. Perri splits her time between Los Angeles and New York, but wherever the film and television coverage takes her, she goes! It does take away from the fun of the film a bit and the resolution isnt all that satisfying either. Alter Egos was a solid second feature, but its pretty evident that Galland is taking a major step forward with this 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. what's the problem. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. Jessica Chastain stars in a new action-thriller revolving around an assassin, and here's how Ava ends and sets up a sequel. There are subplots (such as Avas romance with Lou Taylor Puccis character) that feel underdeveloped and are subsequently left by the wayside in order to focus on the main story. Ava's parents (William Sadler and Deborah Rush), sister (Whitney Able), and her sister's fiance Roger (Zachary Booth) are all concerned for her. Perhaps they owed someone a favor. Im reasonably confident you wont be quick to solve the murder mystery at the heart of Possessions. If you do work out the exact whys and wherefores before, say, episode four of six Im more than a bit worried about you. Just search below. It goes for a neo-noir horror mystery comedy, how cool is that? Late in the show, writers Shahar Magen and Valrie Zenatti introduce the cause of Natalies man troubles. This comes as a blow to Max, who is a musician . Where precisely does it go off the rails? Production companies: Ravenous Films, Traction Media, Cast: Louisa Krause, Whitney Able, Deborah Rush, William Sadler, Carol Kane, Lou Taylor Pucci, Wass Stevens, Zachary Booth, Producers: Jordan Galland, Maren Olson, Carlos Velazquez, Douglas Weiser, Executive producers: Mike Landry, Mark L. Pederson, Aldey Sanchez, Gregory P. Schockro, Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. 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. She hosts and produces the interview series, Collider Ladies Night, a show geared towards highlighting the need-to-know female voices in film and television. Overall, its a sexy and funny horror mystery, cool enough to be worth the time. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. Yet "Ava's Possessions" seemed to take a completely different route with its aftermath story. (Re-summoning Hazels demon requires a trip to an occult shop, owned by a delightfully wicked Carol Kane.) They walk down the aisle to a chuppah wreathed in fog machine exhaust and pyrotechnics. Mobilesite. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Ava is a deaf person, and she is the surrogate mother of Jenny and Max's child. I really liked this movie. 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I realise I'm supposed to suspend disbelief a bit more than usual due to the genre, but the alternate world, where possession is relatively common, wasn't as fleshed out as I thought it should be. 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. Possession, which was released in 1981, is the answer. Is it passed genetically though too?? Ava's Possessions. Her immediate response is "How long was I out?" Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Now shes being charged with a variety of crimes including property damage, assault, indecent exposure and more. She may even end up in jail for her crimes. So what is this movie really? Ava (Louisa Krause) has a possession issue of which she is cured in the first scene. However, things change when the baby is born and revealed to be deaf. Film: Ava's Possessions (2015) So what do we have here? 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. He throws her out of the program, as the tattoo makes it easy for the demon to return. Shes soon justified in her apprehensions. The halo cures Ava's paralysis and gives her superpowers, but also burdens her with the mantle of the Warrior Nun. [Exclusive]. TMDb However, Avas Possessions does manage to get away with it thanks to the appealing core concept, Krauses charm and writer-director Jordan Gallandsfirm handle on the material. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 3 days to finish once started. Beginning where most, if not all, exorcism-related horror movies end, "Ava's Possessions" travels the path less taken, chronicling its titular character's recovery from a brutal bout with a demon name Naphula. External Reviews March 30, 2022. . At the same time Shai wonders, as others do, if Erans death was retribution for marrying Natalie a sign that Maybe she wasnt his. A capable production communicates the narrative without adding appealing energy. A French family has been left heartbroken after their 19-month-old daughter died during their Miami . The story for Ava's Possessions is done in a very flexible way; starting off as a pseudo-possession genre that further develops into detective noir, with, obviously a pack of affluent & pretentious white bowery dwelling hipsters (including john lennon's son and a kirke sister) got together to make a neon drenched, hyper stylized detective story about post demonic possession that never takes itself too seriously. But the ending was a bit confusing. Yes, a visual treat as well. In spite of some great stuff in the story and performances, Avas Possessions does have some slips. ", "Review: In 'Ava's Possessions,' Fallout From a Lost Month of Demonic Activity", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ava%27s_Possessions&oldid=1135691640, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 06:45. But grisly visions continue to plague her . and that music, with all its funhouse-mirror doo-wop and moody rockabilly-ish twang, was ready for action. The ending is atrocious. That's the purpose of Spirit Possession Anonymous. The film ends with Ava rebuilding her life and working with Tony in the facility office. 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. Movies Explained. 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. and "Did anyone call in sick for me?" 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. Natalies mother, Rosa (Dominique Valadi), opposes the union and almost walks out. 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. I just watched this movie and I kind of liked it. She then rips the necklace off. I'm generally skeptical of anything Hollywood calls "multicultural." It's usually a cover phrase for "objectively without value except for raising your social . After being possessed for 28 days, Ava (Louisa Krause) is finally free of her demon. Im not a fan of this digital filming stuff, it looks horrible. Accused Episode 2 Recap. The back-story is a mismatch of flash-backs and hints from the family that don't accelerate the plot much. They were really creative in showing possible life changes that occur after a possession. I don't care what the critics say. So what do we have here? There is a good story as well, one that has layers of mystery that get peeled back every so often. 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. It does this by a subversion that presents problems of its own. Its not the expected smooth landing after the pleasant 89 minute flight. Ava is last seen approaching the helicopter that was supposed to pick Caleb up, but her conversation with the pilot is not heard. 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. The cast was great, the cinematography was appropriately oddball (so many Dutch angles! Wth was that about? A little heavy on plot and the horror lacks a bit of a bite, but the demons are quite cute and it's creative and colorful enough to keep the attention. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Vibrant, red blood splotches run down her mouth as she . 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 Avas Possessions loses a little momentum. neon shot, deadpan delivered. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. | A support group that helps her readjust herself after having a demon inside her fucking things up. Salems Lot: William Sadler Joins Adaptation of Stephen King Novel! You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search. That is the way to connect to the audience, and this movie does it well. I guess this is actually a serious attempt at a horror movie. says the actress. 2 May 2016. 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. Ava's Possessions. Fun performances and unique ideas carry it. 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