Normally, a possession movie ends with the victim baths in sunlight or in some cases wanders into the dark. Bernard: Are you still smoking marijuana? But grisly visions continue to plague her . I may be biased because I adore film noir, but I was impressed with this movie's plot. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. Aside from that, the movie does a great job of juxtaposing regular daily scenes with night scenes that are bathed in neon aesthetics. The film ends with Ava rebuilding her life and working with Tony in the facility office. 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. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Click here for Culture Crypt's interview with filmmaker Jordan Galland and star Louisa Krause. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The colors used to make day and night feel different are just a superb touch and adds to the story being a genuine fun ride. (Re-summoning Hazels demon requires a trip to an occult shop, owned by a delightfully wicked Carol Kane.) But Avas recovery efforts get bogged down by Hazel (Annabelle Dexter-Jones), a fellow Spirit Possessions Anonymous attendee whos developed an obsession with her former possessor and enlists Avas help to invite him back. It just ticks all the boxes and makes sure to play off some of the simple things those fans would know. Avas quest for the truth makes the film feel like more of a detective yarn than a straight-up horror flick, and Galland elevates the noirish tone with a heavy use of atmospheric neon. The struggle with a part of your life that is embarrassing to talk about or explain, all these things come out through the story and make Ava as a character feel just like someone you might know, or even mirror some things you've gone through before. It is neither scary nor humorous. says the actress. Normally, a possession movie ends with the victim baths in sunlight or in some cases wanders into the dark. That is the way to connect to the audience, and this movie does it well. Ava awakens to find a priest at her bedside; unbeknownst to her, she's been possessed by Naphula, a demon from hell, for the past month, but the priest has successfully exorcised the demon and she's herself again. Youll want to know how it ends, but may come to dread which way the evidence is pointing. . This is the one. Obviously, the highlight of a possession film that tells the tale of the aftermath of a possession is going to be the story. As Ava struggles to reconnect with her friends, get her job back, and figure out where the huge blood stain in her apartment came from, she is plagued by nightmarish visions - the demon is trying to come back. This complicates her attempts to make amends with those she injured while possessed, including a stranger named Conrad, the pursuit of whom opens up a whole new can of worries for poor Ava. If you know of any, please let me know in the comments, because I would love to see them. Ava's mother makes a comment "who knew our family would be so susceptible to possessions" because she was possessed previously. not wacky enough to do justice to a tantalizingly-wacky concept. Her mother was tormented by the same demon at one point, why wouldn't she just explain to her daughter in the first place?! From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. 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Minus that flimsy ending, Gallands got every element of this film right on point. Is it passed genetically though too?? 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. As I sat there, I was a little surprised were the story was taken, it wasn't your typical run of the mill possession movie. Cooky. Overall, its a sexy and funny horror mystery, cool enough to be worth the time. Possession horror/black comedy mash up set amongst the NYC hipster scene. A young woman recovers from a demonic possession. In "Ava's Possessions" it's just the beginning as the priest commences the procedure along with opening credit. Im not a fan of this digital filming stuff, it looks horrible. Overview; Details; While struggling to recover from the trauma of demonic possession, Ava Dopkins attempts to resume a normal life. Basically OK - if it was a series for teenagers, Life following demonic possession is anything but easy, could've been better if they focused on the main plot more. Its situation comedy dealing with horror. 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. We get a strong sense that this movie is made for fans of horror, specifically supernatural and possession horror. Ava is a deaf person, and she is the surrogate mother of Jenny and Max's child. 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. The prostitute is murdered before she can tell Ava anything. While shes possessed, Roger confesses his crimes in front of the facility's security cameras. Ava is last seen approaching the helicopter that was supposed to pick Caleb up, but her conversation with the pilot is not heard. 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. A more traditional one than Joseph Larsen's very slow art-house approach. 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. 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. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. The idea of AA for the post-possessed is another brilliant novelty in the film. Ava is able to control the demon and use its abilities to capture Roger. Relatively well acted with a unique spin on the possession genre. | and that music, with all its funhouse-mirror doo-wop and moody rockabilly-ish twang, was ready for action. They were really creative in showing possible life changes that occur after a possession. I dunno this should have been a pretty great dark/quirky cult movie, along the lines of Repo Man and After Hours and others like it. ("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. 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. Incredible, modern film noir. It does take away from the fun of the film a bit and the resolution isnt all that satisfying either. Report this film. For a while, Karim and Natalies team up is the weirdest thing about the show, which has the typical gritty police work and societal excavations one expects from Israeli prestige programming. I guess this is actually a serious attempt at a horror movie. Awards Also POSSIBLE SPOILER! Here, possession is commonplace enough the judicial system has a way of handling it: Either you can stand trial for all the crimes your body committed while you werent in control, or you can enroll in Spirit Possession Anonymous. It becomes so much more relatable, and that makes the comedy work. Another movie that thankfully dispenses with the exorcism cliches and deals more with the after effects, in a comedic matter-of-fact way, with a splash of noirish mystery to it. 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). You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search. A nice take on the after effects of demonic possession. But in hindsight, Rosas superstitious, evil eye-evading practices, derived from her childhood in the ancient Tunisian Jewish community in Djerba, point to one of the series major themes: the sway tradition can still hold over a modernity in an Old New Land like Israel. Just another solid pickup for a dollar. This is a perfect horror movie for a chill night. Sounds as fresh as it is with humor that isn't trying to be funny, but definitely is. "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. However, this scene is clearly established to be taking place at night. 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. Director Jordan Galland (Alter Egos) puts. And a slut, another (played by Girls Jemima Kirke) adds. Please correct me if Im wrong once youve seen the whole show! Cookie Notice Directors Jordan Galland Starring Louisa Krause, Whitney Able, Deborah Rush Genres Comedy, Suspense, Horror Subtitles English [CC] Audio languages English. "[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. The movie does have a great way of making what is a horror trope feel like a regularity, and with that comes the mundane and irritation of every day life. When the lead character attended a meeting of 'Spirit Possessions Anonymous' I thought this may be similar to 'Scary Movie', 'Naked Gun' and other satirical comedies, but no such luck. If they can pull the necklace off and reject the demon, they graduate since this shows that they are strong enough to deter future possessions. Joking aside, the story Avas Possessions is seriously its strong point. 2015 Spirit Possession Anonymous. Ava's Possessions (126) 5.6 1 h 28 min 2016 X-Ray R. A young woman recovers from a demonic possession. I do recommend for anyone wanting to watch a mildly horror movie but I felt it was more drama then anything else. [Exclusive]. Ava struggles to make amends with those she hurt while possessed and get her life back together only to have the demon return to possess her once again. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. TheAlienfilm franchise is currently six movies deep, with filmmakers including James Cameron, David Fincher, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet bringing to the screen their own versions of the Xenomorph monsters that Ridley Scott and Dan OBannon gave birth to back in the 1970s. The best movie with Ava in the title since Avatar. Alien television series from Noah Hawley. She gets some leads and finds some clues and eventually comes full circle. A girl recovering from demonic possession is forced into therapy, but flashbacks make her doubt the origin of her troubles. [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. Unless she agrees to join a self-help group, the SPA or Spirit Possession Anonymous, that is. Evil Dead and Dont BreathedirectorFede Alvarezwill both write and direct a brand newAlienmovie forRidley Scottand 20th Century Studios, withCailee Spaeny(The Craft: Legacy,Pacific Rim Uprising) set to lead the cast. Very often in horror comedies we get over-the-top ridiculous humor with intentionally silly gore and a simple yet coherent plot. 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. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. Jordan Galland's "Ava's Possessions" stood out in the Fantasia International Film Festival schedule to me for being a movie about the aftermath of a possession. During their sessions together, Ava expresses attraction towards Caleb. This movie drew my attention due to its somewhat original premise. After that first flush of interest, though, its draw is largely obligatory. But in a genre where possession is old-hat, it's rare to see a fresh and unique take on the material. 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. 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. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. Filming kicks off later this month. "[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]. With her biological father falling miserably short in his parental duties, Duke filled that void for her. More at As someone whos seen quite a few possession movies recently, Avas Possessions is wildly refreshing. and 'It was negative space, like a donut hole.'. Its more comedy than horror, but it mixes enough to make it a decent watch. Natalies mother, Rosa (Dominique Valadi), opposes the union and almost walks out. Film: Ava's Possessions (2015) So what do we have here? But is it enough to give viewers something different? Freaking excellent! 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. He throws her out of the program, as the tattoo makes it easy for the demon to return. Ava is just your average twenty something who's just been exorcised. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. Ava's parents (William Sadler and Deborah Rush), sister (Whitney Able), and her sister's fiance Roger (Zachary Booth) are all concerned for her. About 20 minutes in I had to check that I wasn't watching a series pilot. She is then recaptured and is put in a car with Roger, who is to take her to the asylum. Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site. is a hoot and the girl that kind of misses hanging out with her devilish infiltrator is just a wonderful idea. Where precisely does it go off the rails? Good cast, original story, so you know, that's that. Evicting a demon from its host is just the beginning. Her friends are pissed because while possessed, she acted like a mega b*tch and slut. She also kicked the crap out of a guy at an ATM and a security camera caught the whole thing. it's got a total sleazy noir feel but full of yuppie cunts, a detective story for the modern age. 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 . Instead of focusing on her possession, this movie asks the question, what is life like AFTER your demon has been exorcised? 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. The only way for Ava to avoid jail time after all of her demonic misbehavior is to attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group, where she and her fellow survivors talk about their feelings and learn skills to keep their uninvited spiritual guests away. PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Props to cinematographer Adrian Correia for presenting the films bright colour palette. Salems Lot: William Sadler Joins Adaptation of Stephen King Novel! Just go watch it. (You're not supposed to say the D word - inside joke with the movie). Metacritic Reviews. It took the bold choice of not really showing much of the exorcism at all, you catch a glimpse right at the very beginning, starting things off where most films of this genre normally ends, but from. Oops, I said the d-word. The project is described as an original standalone feature, and THR notes that Alvarez wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues (Evil Dead). With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. All the other actors are just okay. TMDb 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. First are detectives Esti (Noa Koler, largely en franais as she deals with Natalie and her family) and her jaded partner Rafi (Tzahi Grad). By the time the cake cutting begins, Eran is dead. Jordan Gallands sharp satire Avas Possessions, on the other hand, follows the titular heroine through her demonic recuperation process, resulting in an irreverent, ingenious look at what it means to recover. Jessica Chastain stars in a new action-thriller revolving around an assassin, and here's how Ava ends and sets up a sequel. Flaws and all, Avas Possessions is still something genre fans tired of the usual possession story willing to try something new will enjoy. For me if they just stuck more to the world that a demon possession could offer would have been much much better. Perri splits her time between Los Angeles and New York, but wherever the film and television coverage takes her, she goes! At the start of the film I was like WTF is going on is this a comedy. 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. 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. 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 is recovering from demonic possession. Ava learns from therapy that though she has been freed of possession, she was still very vulnerable to those beings. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions . It's not the typical horror slapstick, it plays more like a sitcom of sorts, in the truest sense. 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. Ava's life was hijacked by a demon, now it's time to get it back. The Netflix series, created by Simon Barry and (loosely) based on the Warrior Nun Areala comics by Ben Dunn, stars Alba Baptista as Ava, a 19 year-old who wakes up in the morgue after having an angelic halo planted in her back. The rest of the series, directed with a brooding flair by Thomas Vincent (the hand behind the UK hit Bodyguard), is devoted to discovering who actually killed Eran. B-. The story is not only a different take, but is also strong, and backed by some great acting. "Ava's Possessions" follows the titular character, a young woman who wakes up one day tied to her bed after an exorcism. A French family has been left heartbroken after their 19-month-old daughter died during their Miami . 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. Like open a new tab and stream this movie, watch it, then tell everyone you know. 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. But the ending was a bit confusing. "[Review] 'Ava's Possessions' Takes Post-Demonic Possession In a Fresh Direction - Bloody Disgusting! Louisa Krause stars in the titular lead role Ava, a woman who's in the process of recovery after being afflicted by demonic possession. Overall this was a fun movie, with good acting, and some neat effects. Demonic possessions are a well-trod trope in horror movies, but most of them end with the exorcism. Then comes the B-team, an overinvested French consulate worker Karim Taleb (Reda Kateb) and Natalie herself. I'm not to sure, this is a genre I'm a sucker for and the kind of thing I just eat up, so I decided to finally bit the bullet and give it a watch. No word yet on Alvarezs pitch for his own take on the material, but we expect more real soon. there is an excellent twist that I was totally not expecting! It has a charming sense of humor and a wonderful visual eye, creating a sort of technicolor 60's sitcom palette at times. If you don't know, "Tonight, We Stay Indoors" is essentially about what happens after a slasher movie. It happened . Read Perri's Ava's Possessions review from SXSW 2015; Jordan Galland's latest feature stars Louisa Krause, Lou Taylor Pucci and Wass Stevens. 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). this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. It works well at the beginning, but the more Ava learns and the deeper she get into this mystery, the more convoluted things become. "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" Louisa Krause leads as the title character, Ava. I watched this movie on Netflix. I'm generally skeptical of anything Hollywood calls "multicultural." It's usually a cover phrase for "objectively without value except for raising your social . The movie after all the Possession movies What Happens After Your Demon Has Been Exorcised? Again, this part of the film is packed with clever concepts that are fun to consider. He can be reached at [emailprotected] and @pjgrisar on Twitter. You need to give Avas Possessions a chance. I spent the entire flick wondering why respected actors like William Sadler, Carol Kane and Lou Taylor Pucci (who is unrecognizable here) would stoop to participate in this sorry excuse of a film. By the same token, the humour wont play well with everyone, even though its not flaunted. 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. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Also, the ending is a bit abrupt with its rapid-fire resolution, and is a marked difference from the way the film was building up to this point. On a related note, FX has a small screenAlienproject in the works at the moment, a plannedAlien television series from Noah Hawley. She's now trying to figure out what went down when she was a demon. It not only feeds into the mystery of just what her familys hiding from her, but also earns her the sympathy needed from the audience. It is mysterious alright. I don't care what the critics say. 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. 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. Having no memory of the past month, she agrees to sign on with a support group for people like herself in hopes of undoing the damage done in her life (as well as having the charges against her dropped). 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 breaking into Hollywood with a number of prestige dramatic roles, Ava is the latest example of Chastain continuing her push into action blockbusters in recent years. But in making amends with the people she wronged, she uncovers a plot deeper than mere possession. Scattershot possession horror comedy that works for the most part even if it has more story threads than it can handle in one movie. neon shot, deadpan delivered. Still, Krauses deadpan wit, coupled with the inspired scenes at Spirit Possessions Anoymous, make Avas Possessions a fun, fresh take on a genre staple. It did not succeed in my opinion. 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. And you will also not believe that there is a sample of the screaming from the subway scene which is included at the end of PoesieNoire's song, "Pity For The Self" (1989). Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. March 30, 2022. . 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. 2016 R 1h 29m DVD Rent this movie. She then rips the necklace off. While Ava is trying to piece together her missing 28 days she discovers blood stains on her floor. I wont give too much away, but just know that it is rooted in tradition, strange and alarmingly ableist, Orientalist and so far as I can tell given the search terms that seemed apt invented for the show or at least obscure and troubling. Visually weak as most of the setups are "people in a room talking". It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. It's a question not many movies have asked, so I sat down and took it in. Creeping Dread and Isolation Accompany Gameplay Trailer for The Voidness [Watch], John Wick: Chapter 4 Clips Wick Comes Face-to-Face With Brand New Enemies, Extended Gameplay Trailer for Dead Island 2 Brings Plenty of Mayhem and Gore [Video]. Well, as grounded as things would get in this films universe. No matter how bad that story might be. 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.