But is it enough to give viewers something different? The priest exorcised it out of her and now she goes to SPA. PJ Grisar is the Forwards culture reporter. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. And a slut, another (played by Girls Jemima Kirke) adds. Very often in horror comedies we get over-the-top ridiculous humor with intentionally silly gore and a simple yet coherent plot. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions . Instead of focusing on her possession, this movie asks the question, what is life like AFTER your demon has been exorcised? "Ava's Possessions" follows the titular character, a young woman who wakes up one day tied to her bed after an exorcism. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. The idea of AA for the post-possessed is another brilliant novelty in the film. It does take away from the fun of the film a bit and the resolution isnt all that satisfying either. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. Basically a demon possesses this woman at certain times and manages to save her life, a time or two. She's now trying to figure out what went down when she was a demon. It's not the typical horror slapstick, it plays more like a sitcom of sorts, in the truest sense. Oops, I said the d-word. It premiered at the Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival in 2015, and was given a DVD and Video on Demand release in 2016. 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. Unless she agrees to join a self-help group, the SPA or Spirit Possession Anonymous, that is. Ava's life was hijacked by a demon, now it's time to get it back. A Bedouin kitchen worker hangs a white dress from a tree after witnessing the bloodbath at the reception. Ava is a deaf person, and she is the surrogate mother of Jenny and Max's child. 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). Want to relax and get a horror fix but also have a few laughs? First are detectives Esti (Noa Koler, largely en franais as she deals with Natalie and her family) and her jaded partner Rafi (Tzahi Grad). 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. It is neither scary nor humorous. For more information, please see our 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. In fact, Im surprised Ive never considered the idea much before. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Click here for Culture Crypt's interview with filmmaker Jordan Galland and star Louisa Krause. 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. If you know of any, please let me know in the comments, because I would love to see them. Isabela Merced(Rosaline) has also joined the cast, we learned earlier this week, and The Hollywood Reporter brings us more casting news. As someone whos seen quite a few possession movies recently, Avas Possessions is wildly refreshing. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. User Ratings and that music, with all its funhouse-mirror doo-wop and moody rockabilly-ish twang, was ready for action. In "Ava's Possessions" it's just the beginning as the priest commences the procedure along with opening credit. Gotham Knights Horror Icon Doug Bradley Playing Iconic DC Villain in The CW Series! Salems Lot: William Sadler Joins Adaptation of Stephen King Novel! It sets a world where this kind of things seem normal and that feels nice, like getting something annoying out of the 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. FAQ Well, as grounded as things would get in this films universe. Louisa Krause stars in the titular lead role Ava, a woman who's in the process of recovery after being afflicted by demonic possession. Ava's possession opens with a exorcism sequence (which is as original as it can be) which lasted for 28days but soon ava discovers that she has 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. Awards Going back to that previously-mentioned stereotype within the film, Ava surprisingly doesnt receive much sympathy from her family, despite them knowing fully that she was possessed. A girl recovering from demonic possession is forced into therapy, but flashbacks make her doubt the origin of her troubles. 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. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. Ava (Louisa Krause) plays her part extremely well, both as a demon and a regular woman. Ava is just your average twenty something who's just been exorcised. They were really creative in showing possible life changes that occur after a possession. That alone lends to a sort of relatable aspect that you don't often get with a horror movie. I'd recommend this movie if you like possession movies. 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. 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. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. Its more comedy than horror, but it mixes enough to make it a decent watch. 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). Making its world premiere at the 2015 edition of the SXSW Film Festival, the film takes the unorthodox route in demonic possession stories by picking up the story post-exorcism. Perri splits her time between Los Angeles and New York, but wherever the film and television coverage takes her, she goes! And as expected, just like in the mafia, you dont walk away scot-free. Though sometimes clever, it doesnt offer anything like the deep-geek inventiveness of, say, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wrights movies. External Reviews not wacky enough to do justice to a tantalizingly-wacky concept. If you love (deader than) deadpan stuff that is. Unfortunately, the demon caused a great deal of injury, mayhem and property damage and, well, legally somebody has to pay for that and since it was all carried out by Ava's body, guess who's going to jail? Her family and friends arent exactly sympathetic. A priest (John Ventimiglia) successfully completes an exorcism on Ava (Louisa Krause), who is stunned to find that she has spent the last 28 days possessed by the demon Naphula. She believed that she should value death over having Jonah take her status and possessions and let her live like a prisoner. I mean "entity." 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. Jessica Chastain stars in a new action-thriller revolving around an assassin, and here's how Ava ends and sets up a sequel. 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. Just go watch it. Ava's Possession doesn't rely on jumpscares, or even really anything to scare you other than the odd bit of strange makeup. By the time the cake cutting begins, Eran is dead. 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. The prostitute is murdered before she can tell Ava anything. All Rights Reserved. Ava's Possessions is a 2015 American supernatural comedy horror film written and directed by Jordan Galland. Privacy Policy. It's a question not many movies have asked, so I sat down and took it in. 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. ", "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. Like open a new tab and stream this movie, watch it, then tell everyone you know. Evicting a demon from its host is just the beginning. Critical reception for Ava's Possessions has been mixed and the film holds a rating of 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 16 reviews. Normally, a possession movie ends with the victim baths in sunlight or in some cases wanders into the dark. I watched this movie on Netflix. It's basically jail, or join a group a lot like AA but for possession victims: Spirit Possession Anonymous. Demon AA (sorry!) Don't make this any more serious than it already is. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The 12 steps for possessed people is genius. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. Now demonic possession is a sub genre where almost everything has been done, some perfected it, some tried there level best and. some.. well we'll talk about the devil inside (2012) some other time. A French family has been left heartbroken after their 19-month-old daughter died during their Miami . Theres still a serious tone to the film, but the variety of tones that make up the story definitely keeps things interesting. 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. 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). I think it hints that her sister performed a demon summoning ritual or something, but I don't understand why. The program is led by Tony (Wass Stevens), a gruff man that insists that Ava take the program seriously as to do otherwise would just raise the likelihood that the demon would return, as repossessions will frequently happen. So what do we have here? [Exclusive]. Offers may be subject to change without notice. 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. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. During their sessions together, Ava expresses attraction towards Caleb. Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! The film had its world premiere at the Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival on April 26, 2015. 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. Wth was that about? 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 results land on the dismissible side. Vibrant, red blood splotches run down her mouth as she . Project: Nightlight Has Delayed March 3 Release, New Beta Early Access Gameplay Trailer Gives Diablo IV Fans a Taste of Hell [Video]. He can be reached at [emailprotected]. He can be reached at [emailprotected] and @pjgrisar on Twitter. Film: Ava's Possessions (2015) So what do we have here? 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. Tired of possession and exorcism movies? Unwisely, Ava agrees to assist her friends flirtation with the underworld, going to buy spells from an occultist (Carol Kane, delicious in her forces-you-dont-understand warnings). Ava's life was hijacked by a demon, now it's time to get it back. The story is not only a different take, but is also . If nothing else, this film is quite unlike anything you've ever seen before. Shes soon justified in her apprehensions. Ava's Possessions. The film ends with Ava rebuilding her life and working with Tony in the facility office. Two teams of two pursue this goal. I totally recommend Ava's Possessions because it had a twist AND a freaking cool cliffhanger. what's the problem. Being possessed once increases chances of another possession tenfold, you see, and one must be trained to fight off that homesick evil spirit. A more traditional one than Joseph Larsen's very slow art-house approach. With a great use of a musical track for a horror movie, this if it can be called a sedate but refined version of Pulp Fiction (1994) and The Devil's Carnival (2012) presents the occult in a fresh and humanistic way. While in the group, Ava comes to learn that despite her parents Bernard and Joanna (William Sadler and Deborah Rush), sister (Whitney Able), and sisters fianc (Zachary Booth) being there for her during the ordeal, they seem to be harbouring a secret from her that hides a sinister truth about the possession. 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. Its again not something you see every day in the genre. 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. What I loved about this film is that the comedy feels like it belongs. Aside from that, the movie does a great job of juxtaposing regular daily scenes with night scenes that are bathed in neon aesthetics. The story afterwards, fleshed out more and the comedy was gone. 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. While Ava is trying to piece together her missing 28 days she discovers blood stains on her floor. 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. Throw in a bunch of bad dialogue and some skinless sex scenes and you have an attempt at a movie. Honestly, one of the better horror comedies in a while, and I'll tell you why; the comedy fits the horror. Louisa Krause Whitney Able Deborah Rush Lou Taylor Pucci William Sadler Zachary Booth Wass Stevens Annabelle Dexter-Jones Carol Kane John Ventimiglia Geneva Carr Dan Fogler Jemima Kirke Stella Schnabel Joel de la Fuente Tarik Lowe, Traction Media Off Hollywood Pictures Ravenous Films, 89mins Shortly after coming to, she asks her family if anyone bothered to call out sick from work for her. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. 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. But the ending was a bit confusing. At the same time Shai wonders, as others do, if Erans death was retribution for marrying Natalie a sign that Maybe she wasnt his. However, things change when the baby is born and revealed to be deaf. 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. 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. The characters, particularly our protagonist, Ava, have enough depth and charm to make us care about each one as the story unfolds. Ooops. 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. I almost stopped watching there and then but decided to keep on going for a bit. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. A nice take on the after effects of demonic possession. Demonic possessions are a well-trod trope in horror movies, but most of them end with the exorcism. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. 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. After being possessed for 28 days, Ava (Louisa Krause) is finally free of her demon. Again, this part of the film is packed with clever concepts that are fun to consider. It kind of floats around, without much highs and lows, between the main character trying to figure out what happened during her possesion and her efforts to control a possible demons return. Horror is in trouble if this doesn't become a cult classic someday. Also POSSIBLE SPOILER! Obviously, the highlight of a possession film that tells the tale of the aftermath of a possession is going to be the story. 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. 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. Ava's family chooses to commit her but Ava manages to gain a lead on Ben's father via a prostitute. Ava's Possessions (126) 5.6 1 h 28 min 2016 X-Ray R. A young woman recovers from a demonic possession. The story itself isnt without subjective flaws, mind you. Her mother was tormented by the same demon at one point, why wouldn't she just explain to her daughter in the first place?! It does this by a subversion that presents problems of its own. 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. You need to give Avas Possessions a chance. It has a charming sense of humor and a wonderful visual eye, creating a sort of technicolor 60's sitcom palette at times. 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. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 3 days to finish once started. and our This movie drew my attention due to its somewhat original premise. While shes possessed, Roger confesses his crimes in front of the facility's security cameras. Overview; Details; While struggling to recover from the trauma of demonic possession, Ava Dopkins attempts to resume a normal life. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Then comes the B-team, an overinvested French consulate worker Karim Taleb (Reda Kateb) and Natalie herself. and they got a cameo from the god carol kane!!! Ava's parents (William Sadler and Deborah Rush), sister (Whitney Able), and her sister's fiance Roger (Zachary Booth) are all concerned for her. It just ticks all the boxes and makes sure to play off some of the simple things those fans would know. Your guide to every single Israeli TV show and movie you can stream right now, Tunisia Boosts Security for Lag BOmer on Djerba. The acting and story are very well done. Ava. 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. 2016 R 1h 29m DVD Rent this movie. 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. Natalie's mother, Rosa (Dominique Valadi), opposes the union and almost walks out. From an acting and character standpoint, Krause nails it as Ava with a realistically straight performance. Directors Jordan Galland Starring Louisa Krause, Whitney Able, Deborah Rush Genres Comedy, Suspense, Horror Subtitles English [CC] Audio languages English. It did not succeed in my opinion. Evil Dead Star Lou Taylor Pucci Battles a Tasmanian Devil in Devil Inside. Sign up for our newsletter HERE. Still, Krauses deadpan wit, coupled with the inspired scenes at Spirit Possessions Anoymous, make Avas Possessions a fun, fresh take on a genre staple. I may be biased because I adore film noir, but I was impressed with this movie's plot. Lonely and confused as to what exactly caused her to become possessed, Ava agrees to help Hazel's demon return via a ritual, which results in Hazel getting committed. Flaws and all, Ava's Possessions is still something genre fans tired of the usual possession story willing to try something new will enjoy. Very often in horror comedies we get over-the-top ridiculous humor with intentionally silly gore and a simple yet coherent plot. Other reviews already mention the unnecesary subplots. When I originally heard about a little movie called "Tonight, We Stay Indoors" by no-budget filmmaker Joseph Larsen, I was intrigued in similar ways. 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. The problem is it tries to be so many things at once than its mostly none of them. Is it passed genetically though too?? Film data from TMDb. "Ava's Possessions" follows the titular character, a young woman who wakes up one day tied to her bed after an exorcism. 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. The second question Ava (Louisa Krause) utters, once she understands she has lost the last month or so to a demon whose behavior she has no memory of Did anyone call in sick for me? establishes that were in the world of quotidian details instead of operatic good-versus-evil. 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. Director Jordan Galland (Alter Egos) puts. In atmosphere the show often resembles a less pretentious True Detective and its initial intrigue is hard to resist. But in a genre where possession is old-hat, it's rare to see a fresh and unique take on the material. Is too bad this isnt good because the concept is gold. Mobilesite. 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. (Re-summoning Hazels demon requires a trip to an occult shop, owned by a delightfully wicked Carol Kane.) It works well at the beginning, but the more Ava learns and the deeper she get into this mystery, the more convoluted things become. David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu have signed on, THR reports. 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. Please correct me if Im wrong once youve seen the whole show! | 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. 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. 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. Watch it with us: Netflix streaming Horror comedies and demon possession movies are both having a moment, but Ava's Possessions is the first film I've heard of that combines these genres.Director Jordan Galland's 2015 indie is an amusing genre mashup, but it also uses possession and exorcism as metaphors for mental illness and addiction, presenting horror not as a one-time event but as . 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. The movie takes itself serious, and doesn't at the same time. Dont want to miss anything on the site? 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. She discovers that her mother had also previously been possessed by the same demon, hinting that their bloodline is predisposed to possessions. Bernard: I mean, it's a gateway drug, okay? Finally someone made a movie, that is so obvious, you really wonder, how no one came up with that simple yet brilliant concept yet. It was pretty cool trying to figure out what's happening and putting the story together. 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. And therein lies another major theme of Possessions: possessiveness. Ava learns from therapy that though she has been freed of possession, she was still very vulnerable to those beings.