Ava's Possessions

Ava's Possessions

This is the story of Ava Dobkins, a woman who is recovering from a recent demonic possession. Forced to attend a Spirit Possession Anonymous group, Ava struggles to pick up the pieces of her interrupted life and remember the events of her month long possession. But when she starts to suffer from horrific visions she realizes that the demon is trying to come back.

I am loving the mixing of genres that has been taking place in horror lately and the explosion of unique films released on video on demand platforms. It really is the best medium to find the best of horror, and there are a lot of great horror films out there and Ava's Possessions is an example of that.

Ava's Possessions doesn't go with the usual dreary and dark look of the typical possession/exorcism film. It instead is awash with fluorescent neon lighting that in turn casts several dark shadows in every scene. It's a fascinating look that gives the cloaked and chaotic yet secretive feel of a dance club. And with all the randomness and violent movements associated with possession, a dance club is a brilliant analogy to underline the look of the film. It has the look of Nicolas Winding Refn's Only God Forgives.

The film walks the fine line of drama and dark comedy extraordinarily well. With such a unique storyline tied in with familiar horror territory, the script manages to blend this into the real world in a believable way. Huge kudos go out to writer/director Jordan Galland for creating a stylish and lively and fresh feeling story that for me, so far, is one my favorite films of 2016. Louisa Krause is great in her role as Ava. She embodies Ava as a dark and sensitive and lost character in a way that added strength to the already strong story. Wass Stevens also does great work as the passionate but seemingly tortured group leader of Spirit Possession Anonymous. The cast is rounded out with familiar faces such as Carol Kane, William Sadler, and Lou Taylor Pucci.

At the heart of Ava's Possessions is a haunted film noir where the detective herself is the case file and the assailant can only be found within herself with the puzzle piece help of others. It's a story that is constructed with skill and attention to both genres and kept me interested throughout the film.

The final act falters just a little bit with a climax that comes across as slightly disappointing and quick as compared to the skillful build up of the story throughout the film and a final scene that perhaps didn't need to be there. Although I wish the ending was a bit stronger, the film overall was a very welcome and enjoyable experience both visually and in terms of storytelling.

As of this writing Ava's Possessions is available on Amazon Instant and I suggest you check it out for a unique mash up between film noir and horror that's a lot of fun to watch.