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TADFF Review: Supernatural Comedy ‘Extra Ordinary’ Will Lift Your Spirits

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Extra Ordinary

Few things are as instantly uplifting as a good horror comedy. It’s a difficult balance to strike, but when done well, they can win over even the darkest of hearts. If you’re in need of a good laugh and a heartwarming story, quirky Irish horror comedy Extra Ordinary is a solid selection. 

Extra Ordinary follows driving instructor Rose Dooley (Maeve Higgins) who has done her best to suppress her former life as a psychic after her supernatural talents caused the accidental death of her father. When a ritual prepared by one-hit-wonder Christian Winters (Will Forte) leaves his daughter floating and possessed, Martin Martin (Barry Ward) calls on Rose to help, and she reluctantly agrees to dust off her skills to save the day. 

via IMDb

Written and directed by Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman, Extra Ordinary is a delightful feature film debut. Blessed with a quick wit and a perfect cast — including comedic heavyweight Will Forte (Last Man on Earth) and comedy darling Claudia O’Doherty (Love) — it skips through each scene with a lighthearted ease. 

Forte and O’Doherty ham it up, but they keep it at just the right energy so that it never feels excessive. Their passive bickering hits each comedic tone perfectly, really selling the exhausted nature of their relationship. They milk every scene for all it’s worth, and they’re both just so damn good at it.

Higgins as Rose is so instantly likable that you’re on board with her through the whole film. She has an innocent pleasence, and it’s thoroughly charming. Ward shows his versatility as an actor when his role demands a certain unexpected duality, which he pulls off to great comedic effect. 

via IMDb

Together, Higgins and Ward have great chemistry with an awkward yet endearing romantic shuffle. Rose is flustered by her feelings, and it’s a very sweet peek at the early days of love. She seeks a confidant in her fiercely supportive sister, Sailor (Terri Chandler); the two have a no-questions-asked acceptance that is actually quite moving. Relationships are a focal point in Extra Ordinary, easing the story forward and giving it a bit more depth. Each performance is well developed and played with full commitment. 

The film has a sensible enchantment; it’s modest with sparse yet well shot settings that are very down-to-earth. At risk of over-using the adjective, it’s just incredibly charming. The laughs are genuine and the spooky bits are vital yet never heavy-handed. 

via IMDb

Extra Ordinary balances its humor with its horror very well. It’s definitely skewed more in the comedic direction, but it uses horror elements as a baseline and jumping off point for the story. Demons, dark rituals, sacrifices, and lingering spirits are the bread and butter of the film — literally everything revolves around the supernatural in one way or another. But because of the lighter tone, Extra Ordinary is broadly accessible. You could watch this with a friend who has no interest in the horror genre and they’d have a good time. 

That said, there’s an excellent bloody surprise or two to keep your baser needs satisfied. The comedic vibe is ever-present, but it’s not at all afraid to dip into the dark side. As far as horror-comedies go, Extra Ordinary is rather sly. Where some films in the subgenre can feel a bit disjointed — jumping between tones and tripping in the process — the film’s two sides layer rather than compete. The story requires both to really work. The team of Ahern and Loughman have quickly found their footing, and as a result, Extra Ordinary hits the ground running.

Cheeky, charming, and completely enjoyable, the film spins a supernatural tale with a good sense of humor and pitch-perfect performances. If you’re in the mood for a horror comedy with a lot of heart and a great ghostly story, let Extra Ordinary lift your spirits.

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Trailer for ‘The Exorcism’ Has Russell Crowe Possessed

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The latest exorcism movie is about to drop this summer. It’s aptly titled The Exorcism and it stars Academy Award winner turned B-movie savant Russell Crowe. The trailer dropped today and by the looks of it, we are getting a possession movie that takes place on a movie set.

Just like this year’s recent demon-in-media-space film Late Night With the Devil, The Exorcism happens during a production. Although the former takes place on a live network talk show, the latter is on an active sound stage. Hopefully, it won’t be entirely serious and we’ll get some meta chuckles out of it.

The film will open in theaters on June 7, but since Shudder also acquired it, it probably won’t be long after that until it finds a home on the streaming service.

Crowe plays, “Anthony Miller, a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter, Lee (Ryan Simpkins), wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play. The film also stars Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg and David Hyde Pierce.”

Crowe did see some success in last year’s The Pope’s Exorcist mostly because his character was so over-the-top and infused with such comical hubris it bordered on parody. We will see if that is the route actor-turned-director Joshua John Miller takes with The Exorcism.

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Win a Stay at The Lizzie Borden House From Spirit Halloween

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lizzie borden house

Spirit Halloween has declared that this week marks the start of spooky season and to celebrate they are offering fans a chance to stay at the Lizzie Borden House with so many perks Lizzie herself would approve.

The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA is claimed to be one of the most haunted houses in America. Of course one lucky winner and up to 12 of their friends will find out if the rumors are true if they win the grand prize: A private stay in the notorious house.

“We are delighted to work with Spirit Halloween to roll out the red carpet and offer the public a chance to win a one-of-a-kind experience at the infamous Lizzie Borden House, which also includes additional haunted experiences and merchandise,” said Lance Zaal, President & Founder of US Ghost Adventures.

Fans can enter to win by following Spirit Halloween‘s Instagram and leaving a comment on the contest post from now through April 28.

Inside the Lizzie Borden House

The prize also includes:

An exclusive guided house tour, including insider insight around the murder, the trial, and commonly reported hauntings

A late-night ghost tour, complete with professional ghost-hunting gear

A private breakfast in the Borden family dining room

A ghost hunting starter kit with two pieces of Ghost Daddy Ghost Hunting Gear and a lesson for two at US Ghost Adventures Ghost Hunting Course

The ultimate Lizzie Borden gift package, featuring an official hatchet, the Lizzie Borden board game, Lily the Haunted Doll, and America’s Most Haunted Volume II

Winner’s choice of a Ghost Tour experience in Salem or a True Crime experience in Boston for two

“Our Halfway to Halloween celebration provides fans an exhilarating taste of what’s to come this fall and empowers them to start planning for their favorite season as early as they please,” said Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween. “We have cultivated an incredible following of enthusiasts who embody the Halloween lifestyle, and we’re thrilled to bring the fun back to life.”

Spirit Halloween is also preparing for their retail haunted houses. On Thursday, August 1 their flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. will officially open to start off the season. That event usually draws in hordes of people eager to see what new merch, animatronics, and exclusive IP goods will be trending this year.

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’28 Years Later’ Trilogy Taking Shape With Serious Star Power

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28 years later

Danny Boyle is revisiting his 28 Days Later universe with three new films. He will direct the first, 28 Years Later, with two more to follow. Deadline is reporting that sources say Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes have been cast for the first entry, a sequel to the original. Details are being kept under wraps so we don’t know how or if the first original sequel 28 Weeks Later fits into the project.

Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes

Boyle will direct the first movie but it’s unclear which role he will take on in the subsequent films. What is known is Candyman (2021) director Nia DaCosta is scheduled to direct the second film in this trilogy and that the third will be filmed immediately afterward. Whether DaCosta will direct both is still unclear.

Alex Garland is writing the scripts. Garland is having a successful time at the box office right now. He wrote and directed the current action/thriller Civil War which was just knocked out of the theatrical top spot by Radio Silence’s Abigail.

There is no word yet on when, or where, 28 Years Later will start production.

28 Days Later

The original film followed Jim (Cillian Murphy) who wakes from a coma to find that London is currently dealing with a zombie outbreak.

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