VOD Overdose is Movie Buzzers’ coverage of video-on-demand developments and upcoming films premiering on video-on-demand. With an increasing number of studios embracing VOD as a way to premiere and distribute films, this column covers movies that might be worth a look even though they aren’t playing at your local multiplex.
Latest VOD News
Morgan Spurlock once commented that studios don’t release VOD sales numbers unless they’re really high because most VOD movies don’t become hits. Well, Spurlock might be right, because Radias (which is owned by the Weinstein Company) is happily promoting that its VOD film, Bachelorette, has hit #1 on the iTunes Top Movie Chart ahead of its limited theatrical release on September 7 and making over $500,000 so far, according to Deadline. It’s only been on VOD since August 10! That’s HUGE news for VOD distributors, proving that with the right promotional muscle VOD can do big, big numbers for small films. More of this, please!
In perhaps the most controversial VOD news in some time, Mark Cuban‘s Magnet Releasing announced that it will be releasing the documentary Occupy Unmasked, which claims to be an expose on the Occupy Wall Street movements of 2011. One of the main controversies is that it features Andrew Breitbart, a popular conservative commentator who died earlier this year. Of course, every site that reported this had a lot of raving crazy comments about how evil Breitbart was, how evil Cuban is, or holding them both up as paragons of virtue against the evil Occupy movement. Well, that’s politics for you, but let’s simmer down, everyone! Anyway, the documentary is set for a day-and-date VOD/limited theatrical release in late September.
A distributor right in Movie Buzzer’s backyard, Factory 25, has nabbed the rights Green, a relationship drama which played at SXSW according to Variety. It’s the first featuring film written and directed by Sophia Takal, who stars in the upcoming VOD release V/H/S. The film will get a theatrical release in New York and Chicago on September 7 and will hit VOD in November.
In another example of an actor writing his own material, Christian Keyes (Perfect Combination) wrote and stars in the romantic comedy Note to Self, which will be released on VOD and DVD on October 2. You can check out the trailer for the movie on YouTube.
Moving genres from Rom-Com to Coming-of-Age, Phase 4 Films announced that it picked up the rights to Sassy Pants, about a teen girl (Awkward‘s Ashley Rickards) who leaves her mother to move in with her father and his young boyfriend (none other then Haley Joel Osment). It’s writer/director Coley Sohn‘s first feature and premiered at this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It’s set for a VOD and limited theatrical release later this fall.
And I’ll leave with the trailer for 3, 2, 1,… Frankie Go Boom (below), which already looks to be the most wacky VOD release of the year. It gets a September VOD release from Gravitas and an October theatrical release
Now on VOD… And We Reviewed It!
Here’s a sampling of recent VOD movies that Movie Buzzers has viewed and reviewed. Check your cable provider or the below online retailers:
The Ambassador (Review 6.7/10), available on cable VOD platforms.
Juan of the Dead (Review 6/10), available at Vudu.
Klown (Review 4/10), available at iTunes.
Get the Gringo (Review 7.5/10), available at Amazon, iTunes, and Vudu
Upcoming VOD Releases
(For films premiering on VOD platforms, or hitting VOD after limited theatrical runs. Check out trailers for these and other VOD titles at the Independent Movie on Demand YouTube channel here!)
August 21
The Selling
A clever idea: a straight-laced real estate agent is stuck trying to sell a haunted house. This comedy received a lot of awards during its swing through festivals, and was written and stars stand-up comedian Gabriel Diani.
August 22
Side By Side
This documentary on filmmaking which focuses on shooting on traditional film versus shooting digitally was reviewed by Alex back when we covered the Tribeca Film Festival. It’s worth a look if you’re interested in the technical aspect of the changing film industry
August 24
Solomon Kane
This film based on Robert E. Howard‘s pulp character has taken a long, strange trip to American audiences. Despite strong reviews, the film never got a proper U.S. theatrical release despite hitting theaters in international markets in 2009! It finally will get a U.S. release via VOD, with a limited theatrical release on September 28.
August 28
Searching for Sonny
Getting a DVD & Blu-ray release the same day, this first film from writer/director Andrew Disney (yes, he’s related to Walt’s clan but very distantly), this murder-mystery comedy stars Jason Dohring, Minka Kelly, and Masi Oka involves a murder at the group’s ten-year high school reunion that appears a bit familiar compared to a play they had performed in high school.
August 31
V/H/S
Graham gave this horror film low marks when he saw it at SXSW saying that he couldn’t get into it while admitting it has become the talk of the town. Honestly I’m surprised it is getting a VOD release because it’s gotten a lot of buzz. This could end up being a huge release for Magnet.
Have news about an upcoming VOD movie? Want to have Movie Buzzers check out your upcoming VOD release? Contact me here!
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