The Comedians of Comedy

Not only did I just see this movie last week, but I went to see the Portland performance shown in the movie. The movie gives a great portion of these four hilarious comedians at their best. If it's playing in your area, you should really go and see it. It will not disappoint. It's high time that a movie that takes place in Oregon shows Oregon as a great state. It's all too often that it's seen as some backwoods hick state just because crystal meth has been a beaver state staple for so long. But, I digress. See the movie; it will make you laugh so hard that you will surely come up with some crass way of describing its high potency of hilarity. The stars of the movie will inspire you to do so.

Lots of goofy fun. These guys (and 1 gal) are as funny off the stage as they are on the stage. I've always enjoyed Patton Oswalt, and this gave me a chance to see what he's like goofing with his friends. Even bits I don't really find funny (or maybe don't understand) like the whole pretending to be gay shtick, are tolerable, and the parts that are funny are downright killer.

Patton was my favorite to start with, and I was really impressed with Zach Galifianakis. I didn't know him before I watched the show. He is extremely good at improv and he'll dare to do anything. He has an innate instinct for bringing a joke to the next level. I do wish I could spell his last name correctly, but no one could spell Arnold Schwarzennegger's name when he started out.

Maria Bamford has always annoyed me on a subcutaneous level, and the show didn't change my opinion, but some of the stuff she does is really funny. Brian is a great foil for Patton, and you can tell the two share a strong bond of friendship.

I've seen this in both episodic form on Comedy Central and in the uncut movie version on Showtime. I recommend the Showtime movie version, naturally.

Don't watch this show if the word M-F offends you, or if you're a die-hard Hannity Republican, or otherwise mentally impaired.

Now granted, comedy is subjective and everyone has their own opinion of what is funny and what is not. Personally, I found this to be a terrifically funny and entertaining look at what life on the road is like for many modern-day comedians. Patton Oswalt has always been a favorite of mine, but I very much enjoy Brian Posehn, Maria Bamford and Zach Galifianikis as well. Maybe it's because I more closely identify with them and their "off-beat" personalities, this probably stems from the fact that I've been a proud "nerd" all my life. These are people who were brave enough to stand out by simply being themselves and not trying to fit into any category or alter their personalities in order to endear themselves to a wider audience. Brian and Patton are 40- year old comic book lovers, how could you not find that refreshing? Too many people take life much too seriously and spend most of it worrying about what everyone else thinks of them, these are INDIVIDUALS who could not care less about that. The comedy in this film is not always laugh-out-loud funny, but it is not forced. It's honest and unapologetic, which is what comedy is really all about.

I am a huge stand-up comedy buff and instantly recognized all 4 comedians involved when I saw the preview on the digital cable box. I knew that three out of the four comedians were hilarious and Maria is not. The problem is that she just has one voice and tries to rely on that to be funny. Sadly there is a lack of material or any real comic timing on her part. The other 3 never fail to deliver, especially my favorite out of the bunch Zach Galifianakis. The best part of the documentary is the on-stage stuff, which is what makes this movie as enjoyable as it is. The off-stage stuff is a mixed bag. Some of the scenes, like where the 3 male comedians are discussing puns using the word "bear" are extremely hysterical. Once again, Maria's scenes end up more disturbing than humorous. It ruins couple-of-comedians-hanging-out vibe that the rest of the off stage stuff is like. You end up feeling more concerned about her mental health than thinking she is funny. Also, there is a lot of time spent establishing that they are some very nerdy guys. Which doesn't end up that entertaining. If a the tour was a little bit longer (for some more material to be captured) and the editing a little bit better the movie could have easily made it to 9 out of 10. Be warned, the movie gets a bit odd and pervish at the end. The comedians appear to lose their minds, which must've involved some drug use that we never see. However, there is some of the crude material that is genuinely funny. It is what really makes Patton and Brian's political jokes work. In conclusion, the stand-up receives a 9 out of 10 and the off-stage gets 8 out of 10 and Maria subtracts some points away. If you are not a fan of crude material, you shouldn't watch this movie.

I saw "The Comedians of Comedy" last month at the South by Southwest Film Festival. It was excellent. First of all, the comedians that are featured are among my favorites, and they all have a unique brand of stand-up. Each one of them is hilarious and you practically have to leave the theater to stop laughing. The film lets the audience see what they are like in their private time (i.e. buying a whole bunch of comic books every Tuesday). Patton Oswalt made a great point that people follow their favorite bands from their beginnings, but the same doesn't happen for comedians. After this movie, I think people are going to start following them a whole lot more.