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The fall of 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of Fiddler on the Roof, the film Pauline Kael (The New Yorker) called “the most powerful movie musical ever made.” Narrated by Jeff Goldblum, FIDDLER’S JOURNEY TO THE BIG SCREEN captures the humor and drama of director Norman Jewison’s quest to recreate the lost world of Jewish life in Tsarist Russia and re-envision the beloved stage hit as a wide-screen epic. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Daniel Raim puts us in the director’s chair and in Jewison’s heart and mind, drawing on behind-the-scenes footage and never-before-seen stills as well as original interviews with Jewison, Topol (Tevye), composer John Williams, production designer Robert F. Boyle, film critic Kenneth Turan, lyricist Sheldon Harnick, and actresses Rosalind Harris, Michele Marsh, and Neva Small (Tevye’s daughters). The film explores how the experience of making Fiddler deepened Jewison as an artist and revived his soul.
With his signature pitch-black sense of humor, Ricky Gervais takes the stage at the London Palladium in this provocative stand-up comedy special.
Sparks fly after Ali and Ava meet through their shared affection for Sofia, the child of Ali’s tenants whom Ava teaches. Ali finds comfort in Ava’s warmth and kindness while Ava finds Ali’s complexity and humour irresistible. As the pair begin to form a deep connection they have to find a way to keep their newfound passion from being overshadowed by the stresses and struggles of their separate lives and histories.
A young widower sidesteps grief, loss, and familial dysfunction when he steals his wife’s ashes and sets off on an impulsive odyssey through America’s heartland in the charming new road trip comedy, Monuments. Ted (David Sullivan) encounters a cast of eccentric characters, including his rival Howl (Javier Muñoz), who direct and misdirect him on his mission to find something he’d lost long before the death of his wife Laura (Marguerite Moreau). Monuments infuses humor and hope into a story of mourning, loss, and marriage to create one of the best feel-good indie films of 2021.
Jenny (Lynn Chen, Saving Face, Go Back To China), a Los Angeles mom, leaves her family for a blogger convention in Vegas, and accidentally chooses “pool” on her rideshare app, placing her in a car full of strangers including struggling activist Kara (Dreama Walker, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Gran Torino), heartbroken talent agent Sean (Jonathan Lipnicki, The Resident, Jerry Maguire) on a quest to find Dawn (Taryn Manning, Orange is the New Black, Hustle and Flow), and their hipster/anarchist/shaman driver, Marc (Jordan Carlos, First Wives Club, Broad City). Personalities clash, vulnerabilities unwind, and bonds form as they each find their own personal Paradise. Full of humor, heart, pathos and a psilocybin drug trip in Death Valley, Jentis’ script is a relatable millennial road trip rom-com perfect for summer.
The absorbingly cinematic Ascension explores the pursuit of the “Chinese Dream.” Driven by mesmerizing—and sometimes humorous—imagery, this observational documentary presents a contemporary vision of China that prioritizes productivity and innovation above all.
This film is the semi-humorous documentary about the men who made the world of technology what it is today, their struggles during college, the founding of their companies, and the ingenious actions they took to build up the global corporate empires of Apple Computer Inc. and Microsoft Corporation.
An absurdist, surrealistic and shocking pitch-black comedy, which moves freely from nightmare to fantasy to hilariously deadpan humour as it muses on man’s perpetual inhumanity to man.
“ADDICTED TO SEXTING”, a compelling (and sometimes humorous) look at the rise and proliferation of this social phenomenon from several varying perspectives and how the lives of those engaged in it are affected. Throughout the course of the film, we examine nearly every aspect of what has become a national and international pastime. A vast range of opinions give their input about this delicate subject and, as such, discussions with notable figures in the entertainment, political and medical fields (among others) are included. The film touches on the many high profile scandals surrounding public officials and the resulting consequences of their actions. In stark contrast, an honest look at the possibility of sexting as a positive development within the framework of healthy relationships is also presented. Sexting exists and is not likely to disappear anytime soon. “ADDICTED TO SEXTING” shows the why, how and what possible purpose it serves.
Arguing With Myself, a recorded live performance of ventriloquist Jeff Dunham, portrays a comedian whose revival of an old-fashioned art has made ventriloquism more relevant to modern societal concerns. Starring his six main characters, from Bubba Jay, a Nascar-obsessed hick, to Peanut, a flamboyant gay monkey, Dunham’s puppets have dirty but relatively inoffensive senses of humor that mock the American Dream. His skills as a ventriloquist alone make him a fascinating entertainer, and anyone interested in how puppetry and ventriloquism has progressed over the decades would benefit from watching Dunham bring life to his wooden friends.
Film adaptation of the same-titled comic popular for its extraordinary premise. Up-and-coming Yoshida Kota, known for his humorous yet sensual style in films like Usotsuki Paradox, creates a unique coming-of-age drama about love between two girls, with elements of sports and perseverance sprinkled throughout. The “Torture Club” is an official afterschool activity at the private school Saint Honesty Gakuen. Yuzuki (Kijima Noriko) has no idea about the club when she enrolls, and gets abducted by the club members and hauled off the clubroom. There, she finds out that upperclass student Aoi (Yoshizumi Haruna), her secret idol, is in the club, and decides to join, but…
Just in time for Earth Day, the politically not so correct but environmentally correct… well sort of… first time ever comedy show, The Green Collar Comedy Show offers humorous observations on efforts, or no efforts to preserve and conserve the environment and bringing awareness by just talking about it, well that’s the hope anyway. Hosted by internationally renowned political satirist Will Durst, The Green Collar Comedy Show features nationally recognized comics Wendy Liebman, Randy Kagan, Sean Kent, and Oscar Ovies.
Based on the characters from the bestselling novels by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg, tells the story of Rudolph, a thirteen year old vampire, whose clan is threatened by a notorious vampire hunter. He meets Tony, a mortal of the same age, who is fascinated by old castles, graveyards and – vampires. Tony helps Rudolph in an action and humor packed battle against their adversaries, together they save Rudolph’s family and become friends.
The debut feature from Bertrand Mandico tells the tale of five adolescent boys (all played by actresses) enamored by the arts, but drawn to crime and transgression. After a brutal crime committed by the group and aided by TREVOR – a deity of chaos they can’t control – they’re punished to board a boat with a captain hell-bent on taming their ferocious appetites. After arriving on a lush island with dangers and pleasures abound the boys start to transform in both mind and body. Shot in gorgeous 16mm and brimming with eroticism, genderfluidity, and humor, THE WILD BOYS will take you on journey you won’t soon forget.
Twenty-five years after Roseanne Barr’s groundbreaking number-one sitcom, Roseanne for President tells the tale of her 2012 grassroots campaign for President of the United States. While Roseanne may have revolutionized the way Americans talked about family, class, race, gender, and gay rights, this campaign trail adventure is a personal account of Roseanne’s thoughts on these subjects—and others, as we have never heard them before. What seems at first like a political profile quickly becomes a humorous and sentimental picture of an icon. This surprising journey uncovers raw and revealing moments from Roseanne’s private world, while juxtaposing her current influence as a politician with her role as a comedy leader in the ’90s.
An ice cold tale of misguided ambition and savage revenge. Set in the bowels of an iconic derelict Los Angeles high-rise, we follow Lauren and her real-estate investing fiancé as they discover first hand what happens when a madman leads not with emotion, but rather chilling rationality. The Man in question brings a heaping helping of sanity and jet-black humor to the crazy table. The result is a wonderfully off-kilter horror/thriller that never goes where we expect, but rather draws the audience deeper into a surprising world that has dark corners even in the brightest rooms.
One summer, mother and ex dancer Eileen lapses back to a troubled past as she starts a new relationship… we watch as she and her family combust. The film, shot on a micro budget, treads between darkness and humour as it moves from its beginning in the suburban cricket club to its conclusion at a music festival.
A top actress, the daughter-in-law for a wealthy family and an innocent bride to be were once good friends. Someone then threatens to reveal their pasts if they don’t seduce three men. The three men are a photographer, a wealthy man and humorous guy. They have a secret hobby, ordinary people could not understand. By chance, these three men and women meet and they all go on vacation to a paradise like place. But, that is all part of a scheme. Who is behind the scheme?
In this documentary five severely wounded Iraq/Afghanistan veterans work with professional comedy writers and A-List comedians Lewis Black, Zach Galifianakis, BJ Novak, and Bob Saget to explore their personal experiences through the healing power of humor. Writing their own stand-up comedy routines they find new perspectives from which to view their injuries and their lives – all of which culminates in a performance at two of LA’s top comedy clubs.
The ostensibly simple story of a sympathetic veteran teacher giving Italian lessons to a weekly class of diverse immigrants is given infinitely more depth and complexity by the manner in which director Daniele Gaglianone renders his story. Blurring the lines between fact and fiction, truth and artifice, and between documentary and drama, Gaglianone has created a film within a film. You see the apparent artifice of Gaglianone’s crew using professionals, including the noted film actor Valerio Mastandrea as the teacher, interlinked with ‘real’ immigrant protagonists, studying the language to improve their chances of employment and of gaining a permanent residence permit. Thus in the course of the lessons there is simultaneously the painful and upsetting relation of the students’ personal stories but also humour, as they interact and share their humanity, bridging cultural differences, united in their striving to make a better life for themselves. (Source: LFF programme)
Jess Parks (Hudon) has a good job, great friends and a cool apartment in the city. She has it all, except the ability to find her perfect match that would appreciate her quirky humor and outgoing nature. The only person that ever truly understood Jess is her lifelong Best Friend Ted (Paevey). Jess and Ted grew up together as neighbors in the suburbs and were inseparable. When Ted reveals to Jess that he’s getting married and asks her to be his Best Man, or in this case Best Woman at his wedding, Jess is happy until she finds out that he’s marrying her high school rival and mean girl Kimberly Kentwood (Kruger). As Jess and Ted spend time together planning his big day, Jess realizes that her perfect match has been Ted all the time but is it too late to be his BFF bride?
As the clock counted down to the the 21st century, the world faced a potential technological disaster: a bug that could cause computers to misinterpret the year 2000 as 1900. Crafted entirely from archival footage and featuring first-hand accounts from computer experts, survivalists, scholars, militia groups, conservative Christians, and pop icons, Time Bomb Y2K is a prescient and often humorous tale about the power and vulnerabilities of technology.
Set in the exotic terrain of the Yucatan Peninsula, NO BAD DAYS is an action/adventure film that manifests all the qualities that make for an entertaining and captivating film. The fast-pace style makes for a surprise at every turn, while the charisma and chemistry of the main characters create a romantic subplot. The story begins when evil tomb-raiders rob precious Mayan artifacts and soon face their most difficult opponent an unpredictable, rugged, ex-military operative who discovers his true self after ending 5 years in hiding. Our hero finds himself being chased through jungles, spying in underground waterways, and falling in love with an attractive, yet stubborn American woman searching for her missing mother, an archeologist who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. This gripping, action-packed, humorous tale peaks in one of the most unique and alluring tropical locations in the world, leading the two heroes on a crusade against evil forces even greater than they anticipated.
Jeff Dunham and his iconic creations, Achmed the Dead Terrorist, Walter, Peanut, and Bubba J. have embarked on an unprecedented world tour that has Dunham touching five continents, logging almost 100,000 miles and starring in arenas where few American comedians have dared to perform. Tell the wrong joke in Singapore or United Arab Emirates and risk being handcuffed before you ever leave the stage. Bring Achmed the Dead Terrorist on stage in Malaysia after a government warning forbidding his presence, and you may begin an indefinite vacation in Kuala Lumpur. While Dunham collects and crafts pop culture references that can excite a local audience upon entering each country – Achmed on this trepidation of returning to the Middle East, Walter’s (lack of) understanding of current race relations in South Africa, Bubba J. finding kindred spirits in Australia – Jeff shows that humor is truly universal. Most of the time.
‘We come in peace’ is not what those green men from Mars mean when they invade our planet, armed with irresistible weapons and a cruel sense of humor. This star studded cast must play victim to the alien’s fun and games in this comedy homage to science fiction films of the ’50s and ’60s.
This remarkable animated documentary traces the unconventional upbringing of the filmmaker Jung Henin, one of thousands of Korean children adopted by Western families after the end of the Korean War. It is the story of a boy stranded between two cultures. Animated vignettes – some humorous and some poetic – track Jung from the day he first meet his new blond siblings, through elementary school, and into his teenage years, when his emerging sense of identity begins to create fissures at home and ignite the latent biases of his adoptive parents. The filmmaker tells his story using his own animation intercut with snippets of super-8 family footage and archival film. The result is an animated memoir like no other: clear-eyed and unflinching, humorous, and above all, inspiring in the capacity of the human heart.
A look at the history of the American comedy publication and production company, National Lampoon, from its beginning in the 1970s to 2010, featuring rare and never before seen footage, this is the mind boggling story of The National Lampoon from its subversive and electrifying beginnings, to rebirth as an unlikely Hollywood heavyweight, and beyond. A humour empire like no other, the impact of the magazines irreverent, often shocking, sensibility was nothing short of seismic: this is an institution whose (drunk stoned brilliant) alumni left their fingerprints all over popular culture. Both insanely great and breathtakingly innovative, The National Lampoon created the foundation of modern comic sensibility by setting the bar in comedy impossibly high.
Flytrap mixes sci-fi with dark humor to tell the story of a reserved English Astronomer who becomes ensnared by the mysterious Mary Ann and her creepy and dangerous comrades. Held hostage in a twisted version of suburban San Fernando Valley, the Astronomer slowly uncovers the reason for his capture and the miserable fate that awaits him-and humanity-unless he acts.
The simple story has the pair coming to the rescue of peace-loving Mormons when land-hungry Major Harriman sends his bullies to harass them into giving up their fertile valley. Trinity and Bambino manage to save the Mormons and send the bad guys packing with slapstick humor instead of excessive violence, saving the day.
In 2008 two best friends found themselves trapped in one of the most dangerous places on earth – the only western journalists in the Gaza Strip on what was supposed to be a 24-hour assignment. The War Around Us captures the collision of veteran war correspondent and one of TIME’s most 100 influential people, Ayman Mohyeldin, with rookie reporter Sherine Tadros. As missiles shower the city and unspeakable atrocities emerge, the pair is torn by fierce professional rivalry, private terror and grim humor – with no way out and the whole world watching.
The Square, a new film by Jehane Noujaim (Control Room; Rafea: Solar Mama), looks at the hard realities faced day-to-day by people working to build Egypt’s new democracy. Catapulting us into the action spread across 2011 and 2012, the film provides a kaleidoscopic, visceral experience of the struggle. Cairo’s Tahrir Square is the heart and soul of the film, which follows several young activists. Armed with values, determination, music, humor, an abundance of social media, and sheer obstinacy, they know that the thorny path to democracy only began with Hosni Mubarek’s fall. The life-and-death struggle between the people and the power of the state is still playing out.
Journey to the edge of Brooklyn and of street performance itself in this sparkling portrait of the freeing power of art. Reem is the savvy promoter, Flizzo the undefeated local legend, Jay Donn the innovator with the talent to carry him far away from home. Uniting them is a competitive dance form of dramatic contortions, simulated violence, flowing footsteps and the occasional humorous touch. Welcome to the world of Flex.
After leaving her daughter Jessica in a small town in Pernambuco to be raised by relatives, Val spends the next 13 years working as a nanny to Fabinho in São Paulo. She has financial stability but has to live with the guilt of having not raised Jessica herself. As Fabinho’s university entrance exams approach, Jessica reappears in her life and seems to want to give her mother a second chance. However Jessica has not been raised to be a servant and her very existence will turn Val’s routine on its head. With precision and humour, Anna Muylaert turns her eye on the subtle and powerful forces that keep rigid class structures in place and how the youth may just be the ones to shake it all up.
Four would-be siblings on an outdoor vacation are encouraged to bond by their parents. The four adventurers journey out of bounds into the wild on their ATV’s in search of a family relic. They soon find themselves lost in the woods and ill equipped to deal with not only the rugged terrain but each other. This is a story of hope and overcoming, full of humor and fun. Its a coming of age tale not only for kids but for parents as well.
A medieval tale with Pythonesque humour: After the death of his father the young Dennis Cooper goes to town where he has to pass several adventures. The town and the whole kingdom is threatened by a terrible monster called ‘Jabberwocky’. Will Dennis make his fortune? Is anyone brave enough to defeat the monster?
Based on Terry Southern’s satirical novel, a send-up of Voltaire’s Candide. Young Candy is a high school girl who seeks truth and meaning in life, encountering a variety of kookie characters and humorous sexual situations in the process.
Set in the 1980s, Dom is a teenager who finds himself drawn into the charismatic world of football ‘casuals,influenced by the firm’s top boy, Bex. Accepted by the gang for his fast mouth and sense of humor, Dom soon becomes one the boys. But as Bex and his gang clash with rival firms across the country and the violence spirals out of control, Dom realizes he wants out – until he learns it’s not that easy to simply walk away.
Following the release of the fastest-selling debut stand-up DVD ever (not to mention the biggest seller of last year), John Bishop returns with his new live DVD. Seen by over 400,000 people across the UK, Sunshine was filmed live at Liverpool’s Echo Arena on the last night of his sell-out tour of the same name. The combination of John’s ability to keep the laughs coming along with his unique brand of observational humour, his undeniable charm and unrivalled gift of creating a relaxed atmosphere means that the feel good factor of spending an evening in his company is absolutely priceless. In this show John shares anecdotes about the ways in which his life has changed because of fame, he confesses to what his kids really think of him and he explains why this is his time in the Sunshine.
Gabriel Iglesias is one of the fastest-rising comics today! With his unique brand of humor, lovable stage presence and wide range of voices and impressions, it’s no wonder that he already has a huge fan following. Now you can see Comedy Central’s “Comic of the Year” in his sold-out performance at the historic Fox Theatre in Bakersfield, California!
