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. Is it passed genetically though too?? 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. The film begins during the tail end of her exorcism. The last time Jonah saw Sophie, he wanted to give her a second chance. 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. 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. It happened . This is a film that I've notice on Netflix a number of times, but for some reason or another I kept on passing it by. Two teams of two pursue this goal. I thought the exploding shipping container near the cemetery was a bit much. Her mother was tormented by the same demon at one point, why wouldn't she just explain to her daughter in the first place?! She gets some leads and finds some clues and eventually comes full circle. PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. Shes soon justified in her apprehensions. Possession can be fun! 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. See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs. That alone lends to a sort of relatable aspect that you don't often get with a horror movie. is a hoot and the girl that kind of misses hanging out with her devilish infiltrator is just a wonderful idea. A support group that helps her readjust herself after having a demon inside her fucking things up. Its again not something you see every day in the genre. Gallands film plays more like a cable-ready mystery than a cult film in the making, offering just enough chuckles to stay afloat. Funny and original demon possession film. 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. There have been sequels to exorcism movies of course and they show a sort of aftermath, but this is an "original", without any background as to what happened before. It did not succeed in my opinion. This is one of the most original movies i have seen recently. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. 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. Honestly, one of the better horror comedies in a while, and I'll tell you why; the comedy fits the horror. Very often in horror comedies we get over-the-top ridiculous humor with intentionally silly gore and a simple yet coherent plot. Overview; Details; While struggling to recover from the trauma of demonic possession, Ava Dopkins attempts to resume a normal life. 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. Yes, you read it right. 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. Still Alive Watch Demi Lovatos Scream VI Music Video Featuring New Clips from the Movie! and that music, with all its funhouse-mirror doo-wop and moody rockabilly-ish twang, was ready for action. 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. An admittedly compelling idea delivered too flatly to make a difference, "Ava's Possessions" finds a young woman recovering from demonic possession with the help of a 12-step program. Thanks again in part to Gallands script, the film succeeds in getting you to feel for Ava. Its situation comedy dealing with horror. The acting and story are very well done. Is too bad this isnt good because the concept is gold. External Reviews With no memory of the past month, she is forced to attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group. Ava's Possessions. If you love (deader than) deadpan stuff 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. However instead of taking her to the facility Roger instead tries to kiss her and reveals that he murdered the prostitute in order to keep her from telling anyone that he had visited her. It not only feeds into the mystery of just what her familys hiding from her, but also earns her the sympathy needed from the audience. She's now trying to figure out what went down when she was a demon. 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. However, this scene is clearly established to be taking place at night. 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. 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. 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. Read Perri's Ava's Possessions review from SXSW 2015; Jordan Galland's latest feature stars Louisa Krause, Lou Taylor Pucci and Wass Stevens. From an acting and character standpoint, Krause nails it as Ava with a realistically straight performance. Directed by Jordan Galland. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. You need to give Avas Possessions a chance. 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. David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu have signed on, THR reports. 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. 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. (Re-summoning Hazels demon requires a trip to an occult shop, owned by a delightfully wicked Carol Kane.) All Rights Reserved. It does take away from the fun of the film a bit and the resolution isnt all that satisfying either. Simon mourns for his old mentor in his own way and accuses Ava of forcing his hands. 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. A Bedouin kitchen worker hangs a white dress from a tree after witnessing the bloodbath at the reception. Louisa Krause stars in the titular lead role Ava, a woman who's in the process of recovery after being afflicted by demonic possession. Director Jordan Galland Writer Jordan Galland Stars Louisa Krause Whitney Able Deborah Rush See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video Normally, a possession movie ends with the victim baths in sunlight or in some cases wanders into the dark. 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 It's an interesting angle to take and director Jordan Galland makes considerable hay with the concept, even if some elements fall flat. Practically the entire cast gets whats needed to make this film work. Good cast, original story, so you know, that's that. But is it enough to give viewers something different? With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. Ava's mother makes a comment "who knew our family would be so susceptible to possessions" because she was possessed previously. It's a fun ride we have some really, aa for people who are possessed seems wild. I almost stopped watching there and then but decided to keep on going for a bit. Now shes being charged with a variety of crimes including property damage, assault, indecent exposure and more. Still, its a nice alternative to yet another self-serious Exorcist wannabe. The movie after all the Possession movies What Happens After Your Demon Has Been Exorcised? Awards Then comes the B-team, an overinvested French consulate worker Karim Taleb (Reda Kateb) and Natalie herself. And a slut, another (played by Girls Jemima Kirke) adds. 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). Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. I do recommend for anyone wanting to watch a mildly horror movie but I felt it was more drama then anything else. Please correct me if Im wrong once youve seen the whole show! 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. Its more comedy than horror, but it mixes enough to make it a decent watch. Ava is a deaf person, and she is the surrogate mother of Jenny and Max's child. Well, as grounded as things would get in this films universe. Flaws and all, Ava's Possessions is still something genre fans tired of the usual possession story willing to try something new will enjoy. More at 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. Possession, which was released in 1981, is the answer. Demonic possessions are a well-trod trope in horror movies, but most of them end with the exorcism. The phones screen shows the time as 1:10 PM. Accused Episode 2 Recap. Instead of focusing on her possession, this movie asks the question, what is life like AFTER your demon has been exorcised? Father Merrino (John Ventimiglia) extracts the demon and Ava takes controls of her body again, but she cant recall a single thing that happened since the start of her possession - and a lot of things happened. 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. 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. Ava is able to control the demon and use its abilities to capture Roger. Instead of the classic horror movie reactions to things like possessions and demons, we get a more muted and organic comical touch. I guess this is actually a serious attempt at a horror movie. The results land on the dismissible side. The story afterwards, fleshed out more and the comedy was gone. Don't make this any more serious than it already is. Evicting a demon from its host is just the beginning. Perri's a proud graduate of Columbia University's Film MFA program and member of the Critics Choice Association. And therein lies another major theme of Possessions: possessiveness. While Ava is trying to piece together her missing 28 days she discovers blood stains on her floor. The story has some ok twists, but I was hoping they'd be a little better to really pull it all together. Ava: Are you seriously blaming me for being possessed? The cast was great, the cinematography was appropriately oddball (so many Dutch angles! Louisa Krause stars in the titular lead role Ava, a woman who's in the process of recovery after being afflicted by demonic possession. Yet "Ava's Possessions" seemed to take a completely different route with its aftermath story. 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. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. For more information, please see our (You're not supposed to say the D word - inside joke with the movie). It is neither scary nor humorous. 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. Lending credibility are the performances by veterans William Sadler and Deborah Rush, who nail whats required in their roles and the story. 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 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.