Ava’s Possessions: Demon Anonymous
Few things pique my interest more than the words “music by Sean Lennon.” I’m a big fan of Lennon’s music and his involvement first drew me to Ava’s Possessions, currently streaming on Netflix. With the bulk of Netflix’s movie content seemingly going toward indie releases, it’s getting more difficult to decide what to watch. Shortcuts like a famous actor or musician helping out with the movie heavily influence my decision. Many of the indie movies I’ve reviewed recently have had at least one recognizable actor attached to the project, be it a Whedonverse actress or a Game of Thrones lead. While the best-known actor I recognized in Ava’s Possessions was a Deep Space Nine character actor, Lennon’s involvement (and the offbeat trailer) sold me on the movie.
Ava’s Possessions starts with a simple premise. Demonic possession is real and happens often. So often in fact that there’s a support group for possession victims: Spirit Possession Anonymous. We find Ava (Louisa Krause), attending SPA meetings under court order after her demon has been exorcised. Ava has much to atone for, and she tries to pick up the pieces of her life with her friends and family. But not everyone is ready to forgive her just yet, and not everyone at SPA believes demonic possession is a bad thing.
Much like the indie rom-com Timer, Ava’s Possessions relies on a simple premise one must accept in order to enjoy the movie. There’s never any explanation given for why demons possess the living; they just do. Ava has her work cut out for her trying to return to something approaching a normal life. There’s a few different plots going on here, but writer-director Jordan Galland keeps things moving along. One complaint I had was the lack of comedy in this horror-comedy. Anyone looking for a gore-splattered laugh-fest should look elsewhere; Ava’s Possessions is quirky, but the humor never really rises above the raised-eyebrow stage.
Ava’s Possessions is a satisfying little movie that’s good for watching on a lazy afternoon. It tells the story it sets out to tell, no more, no less. The actors help make the universe feel real and grounded (which is critical, given the high bar required to suspend disbelief about demons among the living). Looking forward to checking out Galland’s other movies…a few of which have been scored by (you guessed it) Sean Lennon.
Ava’s Possessions tl;drs
Quick summary: After Ava has her demon exorcised it’s up to her to put her life back together, by attending Spirit Possessions Anonymous meetings and atoning for everything she did while under the influence of her demon. But some demons just won’t stay out for long.
Too many writers? Just one: writer-director Jordan Galland.
Recommended if you like: The quirky indie horror comedies I’ve been reviewing of late.
Better than I expected? The cinematography is very deliberate, with intriguing light choices for each scene.
Worse than I hoped? It’s more horror than horror-comedy. There aren’t jokes in the film per se.
Verdict: A solid film from a director with a promising vision.
Related Reading: Wiki article
Related Viewing: Trailer
