Directors Jordan Galland Starring Louisa Krause, Whitney Able, Deborah Rush Genres Comedy, Suspense, Horror Subtitles English [CC] Audio languages English. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. Letterboxd Limited. This is the one. It sets a world where this kind of things seem normal and that feels nice, like getting something annoying out of the way. Natalie's mother, Rosa (Dominique Valadi), opposes the union and almost walks out. Sounds as fresh as it is with humor that isn't trying to be funny, but definitely is. With no memory of the past month, she is forced to attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group. Ava's Possessions is a 2015 American supernatural comedy horror film written and directed by Jordan Galland. 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. 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. A French family has been left heartbroken after their 19-month-old daughter died during their Miami . 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. [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. It was pretty cool trying to figure out what's happening and putting the story together. Theres still a serious tone to the film, but the variety of tones that make up the story definitely keeps things interesting. Very often in horror comedies we get over-the-top ridiculous humor with intentionally silly gore and a simple yet coherent plot. 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. THR adds, Plot details are being kept in a cryochamber, but as opposed to the other movies which focused on adults in corporate, militaristic and scientific roles, this now-ninth installment of the franchise will focus on a group of young people.. Ava's parents (William Sadler and Deborah Rush), sister (Whitney Able), and her sister's fiance Roger (Zachary Booth) are all concerned for her. We get a strong sense that this movie is made for fans of horror, specifically supernatural and possession horror. That's the purpose of Spirit Possession Anonymous. Bernard: I mean, it's a gateway drug, okay? Obstacles both practical and supernatural thwart Avas happy ending here in ways that should satisfy many genre fans, if not the most reverent, at fests; on video, the pic should have a modest reach. Finally someone made a movie, that is so obvious, you really wonder, how no one came up with that simple yet brilliant concept yet. Vibrant, red blood splotches run down her mouth as she . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Again, this part of the film is packed with clever concepts that are fun to consider. 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. Not only does it put a completely new spin on the concept, but its also a downright brilliant idea that could sustain far more than 89 minutes of screen time. Awards 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. Gallands film plays more like a cable-ready mystery than a cult film in the making, offering just enough chuckles to stay afloat. 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. Joking aside, the story Avas Possessions is seriously its strong point. 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. 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. A support group that helps her readjust herself after having a demon inside her fucking things up. The idea of AA for the post-possessed is another brilliant novelty in the film. First are detectives Esti (Noa Koler, largely en franais as she deals with Natalie and her family) and her jaded partner Rafi (Tzahi Grad). The priest exorcised it out of her and now she goes to SPA. With her biological father falling miserably short in his parental duties, Duke filled that void for her. He throws her out of the program, as the tattoo makes it easy for the demon to return. | After escaping from her confinement, she kills Nathan, dons human skin and clothes, and leaves a begging and screaming Caleb behind in the locked compound. Fun performances and unique ideas carry it. Film data from TMDb. So what is this movie really? Your guide to every single Israeli TV show and movie you can stream right now, Tunisia Boosts Security for Lag BOmer on Djerba. While Ava is trying to piece together her missing 28 days she discovers blood stains on her floor. 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. Alien television series from Noah Hawley. It did not succeed in my opinion. Spirit Possessions Anonymous, where the d-word is a big no-no. By the same token, the humour wont play well with everyone, even though its not flaunted. 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. Possession horror/black comedy mash up set amongst the NYC hipster scene. I dont think that weve ever had a competent story (Exorcist 2, anyone?) Her family pushes her into accepting a plea deal that would spare her jail time or commitment in a facility for troubled ex-possessed people as long as she attended a rehabilitation program for the recently exorcised, as possessions are seen as a real, common phenomena. Ex Machina's Original Ending Not completely.. It was more of a mystery than a horror film, but it was certainly a thriller. Isabela Merced(Rosaline) has also joined the cast, we learned earlier this week, and The Hollywood Reporter brings us more casting news. Double A Horror Highway Favorite Opening Scenes In Horror. 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. 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. She's now trying to figure out what went down when she was a demon. Flaws and all, Ava's Possessions is still something genre fans tired of the usual possession story willing to try something new will enjoy. 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. Feeling like a fuck up, being the black sheep, or feeling like you aren't part of the loop anymore. The prostitute is murdered before she can tell Ava anything. The movie takes itself serious, and doesn't at the same time. The back-story is a mismatch of flash-backs and hints from the family that don't accelerate the plot much. Dont want to miss anything on the site? She's soon justified in her apprehensions. I almost stopped watching there and then but decided to keep on going for a bit. Director Jordan Galland Writer Jordan Galland Stars Louisa Krause Whitney Able Deborah Rush See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video 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. 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.' With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. 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. All the exorcism/possession movies end, after the exorcism - whether it went right or wrong, there's not much we get after that. This is a perfect horror movie for a chill night. 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. 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. You sorta acted like a mega bitch when you were possessed, one friend tells her. Spirit Possession Anonymous. "Ava's Possessions" follows the titular character, a young woman who wakes up one day tied to her bed after an exorcism. Jessica Chastain stars in a new action-thriller revolving around an assassin, and here's how Ava ends and sets up a sequel. Honestly, one of the better horror comedies in a while, and I'll tell you why; the comedy fits the horror. The Day of the Triffids Amazon Studios Miniseries in the Works, Wreck Review Infectious Horror-Comedy Series from Hulu Isnt Quite What You Think, Children of the Corn Review Eleventh Entry Pleads a Strong Case to Let the Franchise Die, We Have a Ghost Review Gateway Horror Adventure Uses Ghostly Charms to Capture Family Bonds, Cocaine Bear Review A Raucously Entertaining and Gory Horror-Comedy, The Strays Review Netflixs Social Thriller Feels Like an Incomplete Experience, Six-String Samurai The Glorious Madness of a Dadpocalypse Epic You Maybe Havent Seen, Beyond Godzilla: Six OTHER Kaiju Movies You Need to Watch, Resident Evil 4 PREVIEW Impressions from Our Hands-Off Sneak Peek at the Upcoming Remake, 5 Deep Cut Horror Movies to Seek Out in March 2023. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search. About 20 minutes in I had to check that I wasn't watching a series pilot. Late in the show, writers Shahar Magen and Valrie Zenatti introduce the cause of Natalies man troubles. March 30, 2022. . 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. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. 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. But grisly visions continue to plague her . Spirit Possession Anonymous is not your typical twelve-step recovery program. It happened in the dark, and when the lights come up, Natalie, her white dress now drenched in blood and her hand on the murder weapon, is the prime suspect. They were really creative in showing possible life changes that occur after a possession. Ava's Possessions is a 2015 American supernatural comedy horror film written and directed by Jordan Galland. She is then recaptured and is put in a car with Roger, who is to take her to the asylum. "[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]. Ava must now make amends with those she affected during her possession and take action to see that the spirit does not re-enter her. Just go watch it. Her latest film puts her in the titular role of Ava and teams her up with director Tate Taylor after . Also POSSIBLE SPOILER! Practically the entire cast gets whats needed to make this film work. Filming kicks off later this month. Please correct me if Im wrong once youve seen the whole show! Like open a new tab and stream this movie, watch it, then tell everyone you know. This is one of the most original movies i have seen recently. Oops, I said the d-word. 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. Yet "Ava's Possessions" seemed to take a completely different route with its aftermath story. [Exclusive]. The film takes the notion that society believes that possession is a real thing, and as such comes up with situations (such as the stereotype of being that type of person who gets possessed) that are kind of fun to explore. He can be reached at [emailprotected] and @pjgrisar on Twitter. Its again not something you see every day in the genre. 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. 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. I know I certainly wouldn't mind seeing a Spirit Possessions Anonymous TV show. 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. 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). Ava learns from therapy that though she has been freed of possession, she was still very vulnerable to those beings. Still, Krauses deadpan wit, coupled with the inspired scenes at Spirit Possessions Anoymous, make Avas Possessions a fun, fresh take on a genre staple. The film had its world premiere at the Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival on April 26, 2015. It does take away from the fun of the film a bit and the resolution isnt all that satisfying either. 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. Her family and friends arent exactly sympathetic. Copyright 2023 The Forward Association, Inc. All rights reserved. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Im not a fan of this digital filming stuff, it looks horrible. Unless she agrees to join a self-help group, the SPA or Spirit Possession Anonymous, that is. The story itself isnt without subjective flaws, mind you. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. A supernatural comedy that kicks off after the exorcism. Overall, its a sexy and funny horror mystery, cool enough to be worth the time. If nothing else, this film is quite unlike anything you've ever seen before. The well developed psychological, horror thriller avoids the by now over-used blatantly scary scenes and instead uses a more Hitchcock-directed approach. 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. It works well at the beginning, but the more Ava learns and the deeper she get into this mystery, the more convoluted things become. 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. His death sends Ava on a self-destructive path, and she starts drinking again after years of sobriety. Rating: R (Bloody. Yes, a visual treat as well. You need to give Avas Possessions a chance. | 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. . It was sexy to have a rule-breaking bad boy take control, she says; shes sure if she got him back she could keep him from being quite so homicidal. ", "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 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. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. Director Jordan Galland (Alter Egos) puts. Ava: Are you seriously blaming me for being possessed? The plot is usually so out there that its more of just a viewing pleasure, but this can touch on a lot of aspects of life that we deal with all the time, and put it into the context of the story. Bill and Teds Bogus Journey: 30th Anniversary Death Statue from Incendium Now Available for Pre-Order! (Re-summoning Hazels demon requires a trip to an occult shop, owned by a delightfully wicked Carol Kane.) 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. I thought the exploding shipping container near the cemetery was a bit much. The story is not only a different take, but is also strong, and backed by some great acting. Being possessed once increases chances of another possession tenfold, you see, and one must be trained to fight off that homesick evil spirit. It does this by a subversion that presents problems of its own. 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. Sign up for our newsletter HERE. Lending credibility are the performances by veterans William Sadler and Deborah Rush, who nail whats required in their roles and the story. If they made a second one I'd watch it. Aside from that, the movie does a great job of juxtaposing regular daily scenes with night scenes that are bathed in neon aesthetics. 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 mother makes a comment "who knew our family would be so susceptible to possessions" because she was possessed previously. I may be biased because I adore film noir, but I was impressed with this movie's plot. More at Basically a demon possesses this woman at certain times and manages to save her life, a time or two. It happened . I also dug the choice of colours used in the film. 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. Hes an all-business kind of guy whos deeply dedicated to helping his group members free themselves from their demons once and for all. Nadia Tereszkiewicz as Natalie in HBO Maxs Possessions. Courtesy of HBO Max. Ever wonder what happens to someone post-exorcism? and that music, with all its funhouse-mirror doo-wop and moody rockabilly-ish twang, was ready for action. 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. 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. Overall this was a fun movie, with good acting, and some neat effects. In fact, Im surprised Ive never considered the idea much before. He can be reached at [emailprotected]. 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. Accused Episode 2 Recap. Its situation comedy dealing with horror. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. Freaking excellent! Film: Ava's Possessions (2015) So what do we have here? No word yet on Alvarezs pitch for his own take on the material, but we expect more real soon. Obviously, the highlight of a possession film that tells the tale of the aftermath of a possession is going to be the story. there is an excellent twist that I was totally not expecting! Ava's Possessions is an American supernatural Horror Comedy film written and directed by Jordan Gallard. It's basically jail, or join a group a lot like AA but for possession victims: Spirit Possession Anonymous. Project: Nightlight Has Delayed March 3 Release, New Beta Early Access Gameplay Trailer Gives Diablo IV Fans a Taste of Hell [Video]. Perhaps they owed someone a favor. Just go watch and tell me what it made you feel. In "Ava's Possessions" it's just the beginning as the priest commences the procedure along with opening credit. Shortly after coming to, she asks her family if anyone bothered to call out sick from work for her. If you know of any, please let me know in the comments, because I would love to see them. Well, as grounded as things would get in this films universe. Normally, a possession movie ends with the victim baths in sunlight or in some cases wanders into the dark. 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. Gotham Knights Horror Icon Doug Bradley Playing Iconic DC Villain in The CW Series! what's the problem. Just another solid pickup for a dollar. A nice take on the after effects of demonic possession. Alter Egos was a solid second feature, but its pretty evident that Galland is taking a major step forward with this one. Its not the expected smooth landing after the pleasant 89 minute flight. Report this film. Throw in a bunch of bad dialogue and some skinless sex scenes and you have an attempt at a movie. Learn more. Its experimental story might not gel with those who are more accustomed to the possession subgenre, especially with the fact that the film doesnt venture into outright horror.
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