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TADFF Review: ‘The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale’ is a Delightful Departure

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The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale

South Korea has proven to be a goldmine of genre film offerings. Between films like Train to Busan and I Saw the Devil, they’ve consistently delivered intense, dramatic, heavy-hitting films that just rip your heart from your chest. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’re not going to find it in The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale

What you will find is a quirky zombie film laced with off-kilter characters, hilarious comedy, and a new shift in direction for the ever-cinematically-present zombie virus. Directed by Lee Min-jae, The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale follows a rather dysfunctional yet productive — if not dishonest — family who runs a gas station/garage on the outskirts of Poongsan. Thanks to an experimental insulin that — when tested on human subjects — has rather adverse effects, the family finds a fresh new zombie on their doorstep and discover that its bite actually has restorative de-aging side effects. Soon, the men in town catch wind of this unconventional boost in virility and line up to “cash in” on this rare opportunity. 

The zombified human test subject (Jung Ga-ram) and Hye-gul (Lee Soo-kyung), the daughter of the family, strike up a sweet little love story that is perfectly woven in with the humor of the film. Every encounter is softened with a comedic flush to show that the film doesn’t take itself too seriously. It has all the signs of puppy love without being suffocatingly heavy-handed. 

The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale is positively charming. Each of the characters have a wealth of personality; Ji-won Uhm in particular plays her strong-willed and very pregnant role with deadpan delivery, and it’s an absolute delight to watch.

There are several sight gags throughout the film that have a great payoff (including one of my personal favorites — the flying side kick — and a perfect little reference to Train to Busan), and the comedic timing is perfection. The situational absurdity combined with the family’s antics make the film — overall — gloriously fun and wildly entertaining. 

While there is plenty of zombie violence, there’s never too much carnage. It makes for a really easy watch for even the most hesitant horror viewer. It’s also a nice light meal of a movie; while the zombie genre has deep roots in sociological and cultural commentary, The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale makes its points about class and societal divisions without getting too bogged down in the minutiae. It never feels like it’s preaching a message, it just wants to have fun. 

Not only is The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale a wildly charming and deliciously entertaining film, but it’s beautifully shot. Thanks to Lee Min-jae’s excellent direction and the stellar cinematography by Cho Hyoung-rae, the film is blessed with some gorgeously framed, perfectly lit, occasionally-in-slow-motion shots that breathe fresh air into what many consider to be a tired subgenre. There are moments that soar across the screen with beautiful dramatic flair, while others line up a shot in just the right way to land a hit of humor. 

At 1hr 52min, the run time can feel a little long. That said, that’s not an outrageous amount of time — especially for Korean cinema — and it does pass with ease. The pacing is so consistent throughout that nothing feels like it’s dragging. A dramatic turn in the third act keeps the action moving along and helps to ensure the story is fresh while indulging in some classic zombie tropes. 

The Odd Family: Zombie on Sale is a lighthearted and cheeky addition to the oeuvre of zombie films, and one that definitely deserves attention. It throws fresh meat to the lore of the undead that’s light enough to be easily digestible, but keeps enough focus to make a damn fine film. It may be Lee Min-jae’s first feature, but I’m definitely buying what he’s selling.  

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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Original Blair Witch Cast Ask Lionsgate for Retroactive Residuals in Light of New Film

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The Blair Witch Project Cast

Jason Blum is planning to reboot The Blair Witch Project for the second time. That’s a fairly large task considering none of the reboots or sequels have managed to capture the magic of the 1999 film that brought found footage into the mainstream.

This idea has not been lost on the original Blair Witch cast, who has recently reached out to Lionsgate to ask for what they feel is fair compensation for their role in the pivotal film. Lionsgate gained access to The Blair Witch Project in 2003 when they purchased Artisan Entertainment.

Blair witch
The Blair Witch Project Cast

However, Artisan Entertainment was an independent studio before its purchase, meaning the actors were not part of SAG-AFTRA. As a result, the cast are not entitled to the same residuals from the project as actors in other major films. The cast doesn’t feel that the studio should be able to continue to profit off of their hard work and likenesses without fair compensation.

Their most recent request asks for “meaningful consultation on any future ‘Blair Witch’ reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc., in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.”

The blair witch project

At this time, Lionsgate has not offered any comment about this issue.

The full statement made by the cast can be found below.

OUR ASKS OF LIONSGATE (From Heather, Michael & Josh, stars of “The Blair Witch Project”):

1. Retroactive + future residual payments to Heather, Michael and Josh for acting services rendered in the original BWP, equivalent to the sum that would’ve been allotted through SAG-AFTRA, had we had proper union or legal representation when the film was made.

2. Meaningful consultation on any future Blair Witch reboot, sequel, prequel, toy, game, ride, escape room, etc…, in which one could reasonably assume that Heather, Michael & Josh’s names and/or likenesses will be associated for promotional purposes in the public sphere.

Note: Our film has now been rebooted twice, both times were a disappointment from a fan/box office/critical perspective. Neither of these films were made with significant creative input from the original team. As the insiders who created the Blair Witch and have been listening to what fans love & want for 25 years, we’re your single greatest, yet thus-far un-utilized secret-weapon!

3. “The Blair Witch Grant”: A 60k grant (the budget of our original movie), paid out yearly by Lionsgate, to an unknown/aspiring genre filmmaker to assist in making theirfirst feature film. This is a GRANT, not a development fund, hence Lionsgate will not own any of the underlying rights to the project.

A PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM THE DIRECTORS & PRODUCERS OF “THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT”:

As we near the 25th anniversary of The Blair Witch Project, our pride in the storyworld we created and the film we produced is reaffirmed by the recent announcement of a reboot by horror icons Jason Blum and James Wan.

While we, the original filmmakers, respect Lionsgate’s right to monetize the intellectual property as it sees fit, we must highlight the significant contributions of the original cast — Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Mike Williams. As the literal faces of what has become a franchise, their likenesses, voices, and real names are inseparably tied to The Blair Witch Project. Their unique contributions not only defined the film’s authenticity but continue to resonate with audiences around the world.

We celebrate our film’s legacy, and equally, we believe the actors deserve to be celebrated for their enduring association with the franchise.

Sincerely, Eduardo Sanchez, Dan Myrick, Gregg Hale, Robin Cowie, and Michael Monello

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