One of the new films that is circulation on Reddit.com’s horror subreddit is Ava’s Possessions (2016). When I saw that it was on Netflix, I jumped at the chance to watch it. I was excited even though I knew literally nothing about the film other than it was about Ava and probably her possessions.
My first impression (as in, within the first 5 minutes) was that the soundtrack was bomb. Not even the bomb, just bomb in general. It was so good, I enjoyed it thoroughly… and after those first 5 minutes, it only got better. So if nothing else, you can watch it simply for a great score composed by Sean Lennon (yes, as in John and Yoko’s son).
However, there are many other great reasons to watch it. These include, but are certainly not limited to, someone asking the main character, Ava (Louisa Krause), if being possessed by a demon was anything like being pregnant or the inclusion of Alysia Reiner (Natalie Figueroa/’Fig’ in Orange is the New Black).
Like I said, I didn’t know what to expect going in and what I got was different than anything I’ve personally ever seen before. It was basically the “after-story” of what happens when a movie character gets possessed by a demon. She’s picking up the pieces of her life after a major life crisis and trying to put together what actually happened that week that resulted in the state her life is in presently.
Honestly, I wasn’t enthralled with it and it wasn’t something I’d watch again and again. It’s definitely not on its way to becoming a classic horror film anytime soon, either. But it was fun, creative, and original, and that was enough for me to keep watching. The sideplots were just not that interesting and I can’t help but feel the film would have landed better if they didn’t exist.
If anything convinces you to watch this film, let it be the 12-step satire, “Spirit Possession Anonymous,” because no idea made me smile more in this entire film.