You sorta acted like a mega bitch when you were possessed, one friend tells her. 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. Very often in horror comedies we get over-the-top ridiculous humor with intentionally silly gore and a simple yet coherent plot. 2015 Louisa Krause stars in the titular lead role Ava, a woman who's in the process of recovery after being afflicted by 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. Just another solid pickup for a dollar. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Ava's Possessions is a 2015 American supernatural comedy horror film written and directed by Jordan Galland. It works well at the beginning, but the more Ava learns and the deeper she get into this mystery, the more convoluted things become. The golden rule of spirit possession anonymous is never ever use that word. Instead of focusing on her possession, this movie asks the question, what is life like AFTER your demon has been exorcised? It is neither scary nor humorous. The story is not only a different take, but is also . 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.. Still, Krauses deadpan wit, coupled with the inspired scenes at Spirit Possessions Anoymous, make Avas Possessions a fun, fresh take on a genre staple. Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. In fact, Im surprised Ive never considered the idea much before. 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. PJ Grisar is a Forward culture reporter. Ava. Where precisely does it go off the rails? 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. ("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. 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. Ava (Louisa Krause) has a possession issue of which she is cured in the first scene. that explores the consequences of the events of a demonic possession in a grounded way. It does take away from the fun of the film a bit and the resolution isnt all that satisfying either. and they got a cameo from the god carol kane!!! It does this by a subversion that presents problems of its own. For me if they just stuck more to the world that a demon possession could offer would have been much much better. 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. 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. Cookie Notice You need to give Avas Possessions a chance. So what do we have here? Theres still a serious tone to the film, but the variety of tones that make up the story definitely keeps things interesting. Ava is recovering from demonic possession. Flaws and all, Ava's Possessions is still something genre fans tired of the usual possession story willing to try something new will enjoy. With no memory of the past month, she is forced to attend a Spirit Possessions Anonymous support group. Possessions.Available now on HBO Max. See production, box office & company info. 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. Privacy Policy. The story itself isnt without subjective flaws, mind you. Her latest film puts her in the titular role of Ava and teams her up with director Tate Taylor after . Still, its a nice alternative to yet another self-serious Exorcist wannabe. About 20 minutes in I had to check that I wasn't watching a series pilot. Perri splits her time between Los Angeles and New York, but wherever the film and television coverage takes her, she goes! Its again not something you see every day in the genre. 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. Two teams of two pursue this goal. . 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. In atmosphere the show often resembles a less pretentious True Detective and its initial intrigue is hard to resist. Gallands film plays more like a cable-ready mystery than a cult film in the making, offering just enough chuckles to stay afloat. First are detectives Esti (Noa Koler, largely en franais as she deals with Natalie and her family) and her jaded partner Rafi (Tzahi Grad). Your guide to every single Israeli TV show and movie you can stream right now, Tunisia Boosts Security for Lag BOmer on Djerba. Quirky and naturally charming in sort of deadpan way, Krause, like many other leads in similarly peculiar films, holds her own and delivers a good performance that I think could be even better without the script's limitations. Want to relax and get a horror fix but also have a few laughs? He went into Sophie's cell and gave her a written confession of her betrayal for her to attest, but Sophie chose not to sign it. She may even end up in jail for her crimes. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. The film had its world premiere at the Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival on April 26, 2015. Ridley Scott, who of course directed the original classic in 1979 and later returned for prequelsPrometheusandAlien: Covenant, will produce the movie via his Scott Free banner. On a related note, FX has a small screenAlienproject in the works at the moment, a plannedAlien television series from Noah Hawley. It premiered at the Dead by Dawn Horror Film Festival in 2015, and was given a DVD and Video on Demand release in 2016. Spirit Possessions Anonymous, where the d-word is a big no-no. 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. I really liked this movie. 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. She then rips the necklace off. Her mother was tormented by the same demon at one point, why wouldn't she just explain to her daughter in the first place?! Want more horror movie reviews? I may be biased because I adore film noir, but I was impressed with this movie's plot. Joking aside, the story Avas Possessions is seriously its strong point. Aside from that, the movie does a great job of juxtaposing regular daily scenes with night scenes that are bathed in neon aesthetics. 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. 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. A little heavy on plot and the horror lacks a bit of a bite, but the demons are quite cute and it's creative and colorful enough to keep the attention. They've got to attend Spirit Possessions Anonymous. March 30, 2022. . . Ava's life was hijacked by a demon, now it's time to get it back. If you know of any, please let me know in the comments, because I would love to see them. A Bedouin kitchen worker hangs a white dress from a tree after witnessing the bloodbath at the reception. Im not a fan of this digital filming stuff, it looks horrible. Click here for Culture Crypt's interview with filmmaker Jordan Galland and star Louisa Krause. Though sometimes clever, it doesnt offer anything like the deep-geek inventiveness of, say, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wrights movies. 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. The prostitute is murdered before she can tell Ava anything. 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. Natalie's mother, Rosa (Dominique Valadi), opposes the union and almost walks out. Incredible, modern film noir. A support group that helps her readjust herself after having a demon inside her fucking things up. But grisly visions continue to plague her . A light riff on a staple of horror cinema. I thought the exploding shipping container near the cemetery was a bit much. A nice take on the after effects of demonic possession. Throughout "Possession," we view Anna through Mark's eyes, always tinted in blue, her visage becoming more eldritch and terrifying with time. Lending credibility are the performances by veterans William Sadler and Deborah Rush, who nail whats required in their roles and the story. 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. 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. Nadia Tereszkiewicz as Natalie in HBO Maxs Possessions. Courtesy of HBO Max. That's the purpose of Spirit Possession Anonymous. Ava learns from therapy that though she has been freed of possession, she was still very vulnerable to those beings. PJ Grisar is the Forwards culture reporter. 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. Normally, a possession movie ends with the victim baths in sunlight or in some cases wanders into the dark. Metacritic Reviews. and our Unless she agrees to join a self-help group, the SPA or Spirit Possession Anonymous, that is. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. After being possessed for 28 days, Ava (Louisa Krause) is finally free of her demon. Ava's parents (William Sadler and Deborah Rush), sister (Whitney Able), and her sister's fiance Roger (Zachary Booth) are all concerned 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. 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. 2 May 2016. Disneys Haunted Mansion Teaser Trailer Welcomes You Back to an Iconic House of Horrors! Evicting a demon from its host is just the beginning. She believed that she should value death over having Jonah take her status and possessions and let her live like a prisoner. 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. David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu have signed on, THR reports. 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. Just search below. Honestly, one of the better horror comedies in a while, and I'll tell you why; the comedy fits the horror. 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