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? But that's all i am going to tell you. "Ava's Possessions" follows the titular character, a young woman who wakes up one day tied to her bed after an exorcism. The cast was great, the cinematography was appropriately oddball (so many Dutch angles! Its situation comedy dealing with horror. "[Review] 'Ava's Possessions' Takes Post-Demonic Possession In a Fresh Direction - Bloody Disgusting! The phones screen shows the time as 1:10 PM. A semicomic mystery imagining what happens after the credits roll on a demonic-possession fright flick, Jordan Gallands Avas Possessions realizes the obvious it aint easy to reenter polite society after spending weeks unleashing hell and then makes things worse. Movies Explained. Watch Ava's Possessions Theatrical Trailer, The movie playing at around 55 minutes is. His death sends Ava on a self-destructive path, and she starts drinking again after years of sobriety. The back-story is a mismatch of flash-backs and hints from the family that don't accelerate the plot much. 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. 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. 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). Read Perri's Ava's Possessions review from SXSW 2015; Jordan Galland's latest feature stars Louisa Krause, Lou Taylor Pucci and Wass Stevens. On a related note, FX has a small screenAlienproject in the works at the moment, a plannedAlien television series from Noah Hawley. Letterboxd Limited. and our I also dug the choice of colours used in the film. 2 May 2016. I thought the exploding shipping container near the cemetery was a bit much. Honestly, one of the better horror comedies in a while, and I'll tell you why; the comedy fits the horror. She discovers that her mother had also previously been possessed by the same demon, hinting that their bloodline is predisposed to possessions. However, this scene is clearly established to be taking place at night. During their sessions together, Ava expresses attraction towards Caleb. It happened . [Exclusive]. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. Theres still a serious tone to the film, but the variety of tones that make up the story definitely keeps things interesting. Bernard: I mean, it's a gateway drug, okay? Natalie's mother, Rosa (Dominique Valadi), opposes the union and almost walks out. 2016 R 1h 29m DVD Rent this movie. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. I guess this is actually a serious attempt at a horror movie. 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. Directors Jordan Galland Starring Louisa Krause, Whitney Able, Deborah Rush Genres Comedy, Suspense, Horror Subtitles English [CC] Audio languages English. Director Jordan Galland Writer Jordan Galland Stars Louisa Krause Whitney Able Deborah Rush See production, box office & company info Watch on Prime Video Evil Dead Star Lou Taylor Pucci Battles a Tasmanian Devil in Devil Inside. ("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. | She believed that she should value death over having Jonah take her status and possessions and let her live like a prisoner. 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. It does this by a subversion that presents problems of its own. 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. Yet "Ava's Possessions" seemed to take a completely different route with its aftermath story. The story is not only a different take, but is also . and then there's the small matter of a large bloodstain on . 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. Then comes the B-team, an overinvested French consulate worker Karim Taleb (Reda Kateb) and Natalie herself. 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. Report this film. Please email us at [emailprotected], subject line republish, with any questions or to let us know what stories youre picking up. 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. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. Horror is in trouble if this doesn't become a cult classic someday. 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. Click here for Culture Crypt's interview with filmmaker Jordan Galland and star Louisa Krause. 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. Visually weak as most of the setups are "people in a room talking". Perri's a proud graduate of Columbia University's Film MFA program and member of the Critics Choice Association. Normally, a possession movie ends with the victim baths in sunlight or in some cases wanders into the dark. it's got a total sleazy noir feel but full of yuppie cunts, a detective story for the modern age. Jordan Galland's sharp satire Ava's Possessions, on the other hand . The project is described as an original standalone feature, and THR notes that Alvarez wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues (Evil Dead). This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ava was possessed by a demon. If they made a second one I'd watch it. That is the way to connect to the audience, and this movie does it well. It premiered at the Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival in 2015, and was given a DVD and Video on Demand release in 2016. It doesn't go too extreme either way, and sits right in a perfect middle ground, even for those who are big horror fans. A light riff on a staple of horror cinema. "Ava's Possessions" follows the titular character, a young woman who wakes up one day tied to her bed after an exorcism. Metacritic Reviews. Nadia Tereszkiewicz as Natalie in HBO Maxs Possessions. Courtesy of HBO Max. 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. Ava is last seen approaching the helicopter that was supposed to pick Caleb up, but her conversation with the pilot is not heard. She then rips the necklace off. It really is still a bit of a guessing game that you play until the end, which offers not only a nice reveal but wraps the story together nicely as well. 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). The story is not only a different take, but is also strong, and backed by some great acting. See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs. Film: Ava's Possessions (2015) So what do we have here? Natalies mother, Rosa (Dominique Valadi), opposes the union and almost walks out. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. 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. Yes, a visual treat as well. 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 must now make amends with those she affected during her possession and take action to see that the spirit does not re-enter her. And a slut, another (played by Girls Jemima Kirke) adds. Loved the idea, enjoyed the movie, but left with unanswered questions. Definitely worth a watch, any way you can find it. Krause isnt the only one on point in the film. User Ratings AVA'S POSSESSION doesn't really take off like a movie should. Possessions.Available now on HBO Max. 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. Spirit Possession Anonymous is not your typical twelve-step recovery program. There is a good story as well, one that has layers of mystery that get peeled back every so often. Flaws and all, Avas Possessions is still something genre fans tired of the usual possession story willing to try something new will enjoy. When her family confirms this story, Ava's first question is whether anyone called in sick for her at her job. Again, this part of the film is packed with clever concepts that are fun to consider. Ava is a deaf person, and she is the surrogate mother of Jenny and Max's child. Its not the expected smooth landing after the pleasant 89 minute flight. The idea of AA for the post-possessed is another brilliant novelty in the film. Scattershot possession horror comedy that works for the most part even if it has more story threads than it can handle in one movie. Part of Avas recovery plan is to retrace her steps and atone for her possession-induced sins, which has her tracking down prostitutes and searching for the source of an enormous bloodstain in her apartment. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. 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). 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. 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. Possession can be fun! More at Funny and original demon possession film. 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 is initially flippant towards her actions during this time, but soon discovers that she caused serious emotional and physical damage, resulting in her losing her job, friends, and boyfriend, as well as potential jail time. 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. FAQ Good cast, original story, so you know, that's that. 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. Possession horror/black comedy mash up set amongst the NYC hipster scene. The ending is atrocious. "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" The story has some ok twists, but I was hoping they'd be a little better to really pull it all together. Her immediate response is "How long was I out?" It sets a world where this kind of things seem normal and that feels nice, like getting something annoying out of the way. Spirit Possessions Anonymous, where the d-word is a big no-no. Just go watch and tell me what it made you feel. The film had its world premiere at the Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival on April 26, 2015. B-. Her only clue to the person's identity is an engraved watch that leads her to Ben (Lou Taylor Pucci), who tells her that it belonged to his father. Awards 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. Ava (Louisa Krause) plays her part extremely well, both as a demon and a regular woman. Oops, I said the d-word. Shortly after coming to, she asks her family if anyone bothered to call out sick from work for her. Still, Krauses deadpan wit, coupled with the inspired scenes at Spirit Possessions Anoymous, make Avas Possessions a fun, fresh take on a genre staple. Instead of the classic horror movie reactions to things like possessions and demons, we get a more muted and organic comical touch. Ava is able to control the demon and use its abilities to capture Roger. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search. 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. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. So what do we have here? At the start of the film I was like WTF is going on is this a comedy. 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. The story afterwards, fleshed out more and the comedy was gone. 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. While shes possessed, Roger confesses his crimes in front of the facility's security cameras. What I loved about this film is that the comedy feels like it belongs. Disneys Haunted Mansion Teaser Trailer Welcomes You Back to an Iconic House of Horrors! 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. and that music, with all its funhouse-mirror doo-wop and moody rockabilly-ish twang, was ready for action. Louisa Krause stars in the titular lead role Ava, a woman who's in the process of recovery after being afflicted by demonic possession. and they got a cameo from the god carol kane!!! TMDb Very often in horror comedies we get over-the-top ridiculous humor with intentionally silly gore and a simple yet coherent plot. It goes for a neo-noir horror mystery comedy, how cool is that? Mobilesite. The movie after all the Possession movies What Happens After Your Demon Has Been Exorcised? 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. I think it hints that her sister performed a demon summoning ritual or something, but I don't understand why. The last time Jonah saw Sophie, he wanted to give her a second chance. By the time the cake cutting begins, Eran is dead. It was pretty cool trying to figure out what's happening and putting the story together. But though shes eager to protect herself from her uninvited spirit guest, another member of the group wants hers back. 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. Perri splits her time between Los Angeles and New York, but wherever the film and television coverage takes her, she goes! Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. Fun performances and unique ideas carry it. All caveats aside, Tereszkiewiczs magnetic performance as Natalie, the stunning shots of the Negevs sun-blanched dunes and the regular hiss of something sinister afoot along with a sleekly menacing score by French music collective HiTnRuN propel a mystery that resists easy answers and straightforward clues. Its again not something you see every day in the genre. 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. Possession (1981) Ending Explained. This is a perfect horror movie for a chill night. Overview; Details; While struggling to recover from the trauma of demonic possession, Ava Dopkins attempts to resume a normal life. The family has sued Airbnb, the property owner, the rental manager, and the former tenants. Evicting a demon from its host is just the beginning. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. Copyright 2023 The Forward Association, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. So what is this movie really? 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. 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. I try not to be boring. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 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. Ava (Louisa Krause) has a possession issue of which she is cured in the first scene. The golden rule of spirit possession anonymous is never ever use that word. He can be reached at [emailprotected] and @pjgrisar on Twitter. Vibrant, red blood splotches run down her mouth as she . Its more comedy than horror, but it mixes enough to make it a decent watch. Beginning where most, if not all, exorcism-related horror movies end, "Ava's Possessions" travels the path less taken, chronicling its titular character's recovery from a brutal bout with a demon name Naphula. She gets some leads and finds some clues and eventually comes full circle. A French family has been left heartbroken after their 19-month-old daughter died during their Miami . What does make this film a worth while watch is the performance from the main actress, coupled with the interesting, if not predictable, story. The problem is it tries to be so many things at once than its mostly none of them. 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. March 30, 2022. . With no memory of the past month, she is forced to attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group. Is it passed genetically though too?? Salems Lot: William Sadler Joins Adaptation of Stephen King Novel! The priest exorcised it out of her and now she goes to SPA. (Re-summoning Hazels demon requires a trip to an occult shop, owned by a delightfully wicked Carol Kane.) There are subplots (such as Avas romance with Lou Taylor Puccis character) that feel underdeveloped and are subsequently left by the wayside in order to focus on the main story. Ava's Possessions. For more information, please see our The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. She may even end up in jail for her crimes. Rating: R (Bloody. Ava's mother makes a comment "who knew our family would be so susceptible to possessions" because she was possessed previously. 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. Gallands film plays more like a cable-ready mystery than a cult film in the making, offering just enough chuckles to stay afloat. 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. In fact, I actually think I might be able to enjoy upcoming possession movies more now that Avas has opened the door to considering what happens to a person post-exorcism. Fede Alvarezs Alien Movie Fills Out Cast With Four More Fresh Faces, Eli Roths Thanksgiving Cast Adds Milo Manheim, Scream Why Wes Cravens Classic Is Still the Perfect Scary Movie for Horror Newcomers, Nosferatu Aaron Taylor-Johnson Joins the Cast of Robert Eggers Remake, Hellboy: The Crooked Man Adeline Rudolph and Jefferson White Join the Reboot, Poltergeist Amazon Reportedly Looking to Revive the Franchise, Agent Elvis Trailer Elvis Gets Bloody in Netflixs Adult Animated Series on March 17th, From Season 2 Teaser Trailer Critically Acclaimed Series Returns to MGM+ in April. 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. Possession, which was released in 1981, is the answer. All the exorcism/possession movies end, after the exorcism - whether it went right or wrong, there's not much we get after that. They were really creative in showing possible life changes that occur after a possession. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. 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. 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 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. But the ending was a bit confusing. Ava is just your average twenty something who's just been exorcised. BetweenAvas Possessions andAlter Egos, its pretty clear that Galland isa skilledworld builder. 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. And the demon bursting inside after she finds her mother's file?? I may be biased because I adore film noir, but I was impressed with this movie's plot. 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. It could be because I was high while viewing, but I feel the story leaves the viewer with more questions than answers. Though sometimes clever, it doesnt offer anything like the deep-geek inventiveness of, say, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wrights movies. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. 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. With no memory of the past month, she must attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group to figure out what happened. From an acting and character standpoint, Krause nails it as Ava with a realistically straight performance. Is too bad this isnt good because the concept is gold. For me if they just stuck more to the world that a demon possession could offer would have been much much better. But is it enough to give viewers something different? Cooky. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. But in a genre where possession is old-hat, it's rare to see a fresh and unique take on the material. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. 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. Where precisely does it go off the rails? Welcome to the Quantum Realm. Ever wonder what happens to someone post-exorcism? This amateurish mess of a movie tries to be a horror/comedy but falls flat. I dont think that weve ever had a competent story (Exorcist 2, anyone?) Bill and Teds Bogus Journey: 30th Anniversary Death Statue from Incendium Now Available for Pre-Order! A capable production communicates the narrative without adding appealing energy. Learn more. 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Ava's life was hijacked by a demon, now it's time to get it back. A young woman recovers from a demonic possession. Perhaps they owed someone a favor. Louisa Krause leads as the title character, Ava. 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. It's not the typical horror slapstick, it plays more like a sitcom of sorts, in the truest sense. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. 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. 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 Bedouin kitchen worker hangs a white dress from a tree after witnessing the bloodbath at the reception. Sign up for our newsletter HERE. 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. Freaking excellent! External Reviews With her biological father falling miserably short in his parental duties, Duke filled that void for her. I just watched this movie and I kind of liked it. If nothing else, this film is quite unlike anything you've ever seen before. Her latest film puts her in the titular role of Ava and teams her up with director Tate Taylor after . A supernatural comedy that kicks off after the exorcism. says the actress. The ritual also leaves a tattoo on her neck, which Tony discovers. PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. The story itself isnt without subjective flaws, mind you. It just ticks all the boxes and makes sure to play off some of the simple things those fans would know. I really liked this movie. Thats expected sometime in 2023.