News

Anxiety, depression, addiction, suicidal ideations, cancer diagnoses — we’re not exactly in “take my wife, please” territory with some of today’s more adventurous comedians, who mine their occasionally harrowing personal experience for material. “Group Therapy” gathers half a dozen of them for a free-ranging discussion in front of cameras and a live audience, “hosted” by Neil Patrick Harris. This is not exactly the most profound forum for probing mental health, or comedy’s relationship to it for that matter. Still, Neil Berkeley’s slick feature offers considerable entertainment value in mixing ingratiating personalities, stand-up excerpts and serious issues … even if the result ultimately plays more like a high-concept TV special than a “documentary.”

While their personas run a gamut from Tig Notaro’s lower-than-low-key deadpan to London Hughes’ boisterous style, the comics here share a penchant for using potentially discomfiting autobiographical truths in their act. For some, like Nicole Byer or Atsuko Okatsuka,...

Cristin Milioti earned a whole new fanbase in 2024 thanks to her scene-stealing performance as Sofia Falcone in the HBO series, The Penguin. Don't call it a breakout role, though — the wonderful actor has developed ardent supporters over the years thanks to her self-aware comedy skills, naturalism, and ability to lean into intensity without ever seeming phony or melodramatic. Seriously, if you haven't been a fan of her in the past, where were you? Surely her iconic role in the faux Star Trek episode of Black Mirror, "U.S.S. Callister," rings a bell, or her infamous role in How I Met Your Mother. Catherine Sacrimoni in The Sopranos? Betsy Solverson in Fargo Season 2? DiCaprio's first wife in The Wolf of Wall Street? Come on already.

While all of these projects are surely memorable and important in different ways to Milioti, the actor recently reflected on her career and quickly pointed...

With his Emmy-nominated Netflix special The Old Man and the Pool, Mike Birbiglia digs deep into our sense of mortality and meaning, while literally lying on stage in true confessional comedic style and going out with a ‘bang’. Birbiglia has honed his career out of deep honesty and the importance of “sharing secrets”, as his work has traversed such revelatory topics as reluctant fatherhood and terrifying health scares. Looking back at the path that led him to his ‘specials’ specialty, Birbiglia explains his reluctance to venture into sitcom territory, his love of working with This American Life producer Ira Glass with whom he made the film Don’t Think Twice and Sundance hit Sleepwalk With Me, the SNL star who pushed him in college, and the importance of paying it all forward.

Deadline: Congratulations. You went from taking The Old Man and the Pool on Broadway to an Emmy nomination. This...

For many viewers, the scenes hardest to take in viral streaming cringefest “Baby Reindeer” weren’t the ones of overt stalking or abuse, but those depicting the Doa stand-up comedy of Richard Gadd’s alter ego — moments whose flop-sweating public failure seemed to stretch into tortuous infinity. Canadian feature “I Used to Be Funny” likewise hinges on a paralyzing intersection between stand-up, anxiety and depression. Mercifully, however, here it’s not the protagonist’s stage act that is the cause of massive self-doubt. Instead, it’s a host of external problems that conspire to make her incapable of performing …as well as eating, sleeping and leaving her apartment.

Ally Pankiw’s big-screen debut recalls such prior indie features as “The Big Sick,” “Sleepwalk With Me” and “Obvious Child” in successfully using a comedy milieu to place a leavening frame around some very serious issues. In this case, an aspiring comedian...

Watch Good One: A Show About Jokes on Peacock for a peek into the art and process of stand-up comedy with Mike Birbiglia. The documentary special features insights on jokes and development from Birbiglia after his Broadway show. From personal truths to new material, follow Birbiglia on his comedy journey from Providence to D.C.

If you like stand-up comedy and are interested in the actual art and composition of it, the new Peacock special Good One: A Show About Jokes is just for you. The delightful comedian and filmmaker Mike Birbiglia is the subject of this hybrid comedy-documentary special that takes its name from a Vulture podcast hosted by Jesse David Fox which interviews comedians about the development of specific jokes and bits. The special also features Seth Meyers, Joe Birbiglia, Hasan Minhaj, and Atsuko Okatsuka, and others. Read the synopsis below:

"A Peacock Original adaptation of the popular Vulture comedy podcast,...

Sundance turns 40 this year and AMC Networks is celebrating the film festival’s big 4-0 with the release of a curated lineup of dozens of movies that previously debuted at the event, including “Birth/Rebirth,” “Sleeping with Other People,” “Savage Grace” and “Heathers,” for streamer AMC+.

A long-time sponsor of the Sundance Film Festival with roots in indie films through IFC Films and now horror-focused streamer Shudder, whcih is debuting Chris Nash’s “In A Violent Nature” at the fest this year, AMC Networks will be offering the compilation of Sundance movies all through January, in connection with the 2024 edition of the film festival running Jan. 18-28.

“This collection is such a great way to honor the history of the legacy of Sundance bring AMC+ subscribers, who are not going to be in Park City, virtually to the event through this portfolio of such unforgettable films,” chief commercial officer for AMC Networks Kim Kelleher told Variety.

Comedian Vic Henley has died at age 57.

His niece confirmed the news on Facebook earlier this week, writing that Henley suffered a pulmonary embolism over the weekend and died on Monday.

“We already miss him so much and feel the heavy weight of this loss. He was our best friend,” the relative wrote. “We love you more than you could ever know, Uncle Vic.”

In her emotional tribute to her uncle, she also added that the Alabama-native “loved his life” and that he “loved his work because it brought him so many of his friends.”

Some of those friends within...

Update, with announcement video Netflix continues to mine Broadway for possible gold: Mike Birbiglia: The New One, the stand-up comic’s well-received show that opened in New York last year, will launch globally November 26 as Birbiglia’s latest stand-up special.

Birbiglia made the announcement on his social media today. (Watch his video below.)

Prior to the Netflix debut, Birbiglia will perform The New One for the last time before a live audience at Los Angeles’ Ahmanson Theatre from October 23 through November 24.

The Netflix special was filmed at Broadway’s Cort Theatre, where the show ran last November through January following a sold-out engagement at Off Broadway’s Cherry Lane Theatre. Other Birbiglia stage credits include his 2008 breakthrough Sleepwalk With Me that was adapted into a 2012 feature film.

The New One builds on the biographical details disclosed in his breakthrough, but with the arrival of a baby daughter to Birbiglia and his wife,...

A highlight of the annual Tribeca Film Festival is getting to witness in-depth on stage conversations with some of film’s most significant figures.

The 2019 Tribeca Talks lineup includes the likes of Queen Latifah, Dee Rees, Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Guillermo del Toro, David O. Russell, Jennifer Lawrence, Sarah Silverman, Michael J. Fox, Rashida Jones and Irwin Winkler. There will also be a sound design masterclass and a discussion with boundary-pushing video game creator Hideo Kojima.

Here’s a rundown of this year’s Tribeca Talks series. For the full lineup and to purchase tickets head to the official Tribeca website.

Tribeca Talks: Directors Series Martin Scorsese with Robert De Niro

Celebrated Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese is responsible for some of cinema’s most highly regarded works including Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Goodfellas and Casino. Ahead of his latest film The Irishman which will be released by Netflix later this year,...

Kevin Barnett, co-creator/executive producer of Fox’s comedy series Rel, has died suddenly while vacationing in Mexico. The writer-comedian was in his early 30s, believed to be 32. Cause of death is not known at this time. I will update with more information when I get it.

Barnett’s last post on social media was two and a half days ago from Mexico (you can see it below).

Barnett, a rising comic in New York City, recently co-created and executive produced fellow comedians Lil Rel Howery and Josh Rabinowitz Rel, the freshman Fox/20th TV comedy series starring Howery.

“Our hearts are broken, as are those of everyone at Rel, at the news of Kevin Barnett’s passing. He was an incredibly funny, wildly talented man who had so much more to do and so many more stories to tell. We send our thoughts and prayers to his friends and family during this difficult time,...

Maybe you could quibble with the title of Mike Birbiglia’s latest one-man show. The New One, opening tonight on Broadway at the Cort Theatre, is the same one he debuted last summer Off Broadway (now that would be a silly quibble), and all the bassinets in the world couldn’t contain the TV and movie scripts that got to the subject of panicked, bumbling fatherhood long before Birbiglia.

But it would take someone as dim as one of those sleep-enhancing nursery room lights not to figure out soon enough that The New One, really, is the baby, stupid, not the play. And besides, Birbiglia could name his daughter Little Ricky and still seem fresh. He’s that good.

Normcore to the bone in frumpy khakis, untucked button-down over a t-shirt, white sneakers you might see lined up in a one-style-only discount store, a haircut he might have done to...

Mike Birbiglia’s sold-out Off Broadway show The New One will move to Broadway’s Cort Theatre next month, the producers announced today.

The limited engagement begins previews on Oct. 25, with an official opening set for Nov. 11. The limited engagement runs through Jan. 20, 2019.

“I’m so excited to be bringing The New One to The Cort Theater on Broadway which is where I saw the great Kenneth Lonergan play This Is Our Youth,” Birbiglia said at the start of a very long statement (read it all below). “Which is fitting because this show is about somebody’s youth. Not mine.”

Written by Birbiglia (Sleepwalk With Me), with additional writing by Jennifer Hope Stein, The New One is directed by Seth Barrish with set design for Broadway by Beowulf Boritt (Bernhardt/Hamlet), lighting design by Aaron Copp, and sound design by Leon Rothenberg.

The New One will be produced on Broadway by Kevin McCollum,...

Comic and actor Mike Birbiglia’s return to Off Broadway this summer sold out within hours yesterday and is being extended by two weeks.

Mike Birbiglia: The New One begins a limited engagement July 26 at the Cherry Lane Theater in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. Originally set to close August 2, the show will now close August 25. No further extensions are possible due to another booking at the theater.

Tickets for the original run sold out within hours of going on sale Wednesday, according to Mike Lavoie, who produces along with Birbiglia. Lavoie also speculated that “Broadway may be in the future” for The New One.

Birbiglia’s previous one-man shows include My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend and Thank God for Jokes, both filmed for Netflix, and Sleepwalk with Me, which he developed into a feature film. As an actor, he’s appeared on Billions and Orange is the New Black, among other series.

Author: Adam Lowes

Us comedian and filmmaker Mike Birbiglia may not be a comedic household name here in the UK as yet, but he’s been slowly building up a strong reputation State-side, particularly with his stand-up specials and one-man shows. His breakthrough in the latter, Sleepwalk with Me, formed the basis for his directorial debut of the same name, which went on to win an award at 2012’s Sundance Film Festival.

He’s also parlayed his talents on stage into a burgeoning acting career, cropped up recently as a supporting player in high-profile works like Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck and the Ya adaptation The Fault in Our Stars. His small screen roles has seen him appear in popular fare such as Girls and Orange Is the New Black.

Birbiglia’s appealing mix of broad laughs and excruciating truths found in both his work under the spotlight and behind the camera,...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

Blow Out (Brian De Palma)

In a career fixated on the machinations of filmmaking presented through both a carnal and political eye, Brian De Palma’s fascinations converged idyllically with Blow Out. In his ode to the conceit of Blow Up — Michelangelo Antonioni’s deeply influential English-language debut, released 15 years prior — as well as the aural intrigue of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation, De Palma constructs a conspiracy...

Arriving on Blu-ray/DVD this week is Mike Birbiglia‘s impressive sophomore feature, Don’t Think Twice, starring Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, and Tami Sagher. We’ve now teamed with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment to give away one Blu-ray to a reader. All entries must be received by 11:59 Pm Est on Sunday, December 11th.

To enter, do the first two steps and then each additional one counts as another entry into the contest.

1. Like The Film Stage on Facebook

2. Follow The Film Stage on Twitter

Follow @TheFilmStage

3. Comment in the box on Facebook with your favorite comedy of the year so far.

4. Retweet the following tweet:

We're giving away @birbigs' #DontThinkTwice on Blu-ray. Rt this & follow us to enter. Details: https://t.co/JlILglmeYe pic.twitter.com/uO2WDtlXFO

— The Film Stage...

Editor’s Note: Click here for more information about the indie films available from Movies on Demand.

Comedian Mike Birbiglia first showed his filmmaking chops with his 2012 debut “Sleepwalk With Me,” which won the Best of Next Audience Award at Sundance, but he truly came into his own as a director with this year’s wonderful “Don’t Think Twice.” A favorite at SXSW and Tribeca, the comedy-drama opened to rave reviews over the summer and continues to chart on the list of the highest grossing indies of 2016.

Birbiglia plays an improv comedian along with other favorites like Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Tami Sagher and Chris Gethard. Their group is shaken up by a “Saturday Night Live”-style sketch comedy show that could give certain members a next leg up on the road to success, which creates tension among the members and forces each to get self-relfective about their artistry.

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

Amour Fou (Jessica Hausner)

An ecstatically original work of film-history-philosophy with a digital-cinema palette of acutely crafted compositions. Amour Fou seamlessly blends together the paintings of Vermeer, the acting of Bresson, and the psychological undercurrents of a Dostoevsky novel. It is an intensely thrilling and often slyly comic work that manages to combine a passionately dispassionate love story of the highest order with a larger socio-historical examination of a new era of freedom,...

Awards season is a brutal one in Hollywoodland. Plenty of worthy — but perhaps “smaller” — films get left behind as other, larger, starrier features push to the front to collect their accolades. But filmmaker and comedian Mike Birbiglia is hopeful that his latest film, “Don’t Think Twice,” doesn’t suffer the same kind of fate as other exciting offerings that never quite push past the gold-plated finish line.

Read More: ‘Don’t Think Twice’ Stars Gillian Jacobs and Kate Micucci On How to Maneuver The Wilds of Hollywood

“Don’t Think Twice” marks Birbiglia’s second directorial outing, following the also well-received “Sleepwalk With Me,” and has enjoyed a slow-burn theatrical release that kicked off quite auspiciously with a July limited release from The Film Arcade that saw it earn a very impressive $92,835 in its first weekend in just one theater. (All these many months later, it’s still playing...

As the specialized film industry concentrates on the Toronto International Film Festival, new movies do continue to open around the country.

The leading opener this weekend, Gravitas Ventures’ “For the Love of Spock,” had a strong initial take via Video on Demand home-viewing venues.

Opening

“For the Love of Spock” (Gravitas Ventures) – Metacritic: 74; Festivals include: Tribeca 2016; also available on Video on Demand

$42,000 in 34 theaters; PTA: $1,235

The key number isn’t the slight theatrical take. It’s the reported $400,000 initial take on streaming platforms, where it is ranked best among independent and documentary releases. “Star Trek” and Leonard Nimoy fans found the vehicle to connect with for the 50th anniversary of the original TV show’s debut.

What comes next: Expect ongoing interest for this, mostly in home viewing.

“Author: The Jt Leroy Story” (Magnolia) – Metacritic: 74; Festivals include: Sundance, San Francisco, Seattle 2016

$25,000 in 5 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $5,000

A disappointing...

This weekend brings a rare event as three very different specialty films face off nationally on between 800-900 theaters. Debuting “Southside With You” (Roadside Attractions) and “Hands of Stone” (Weinstein) go up against “Hell or High Water” (Lionsgate) in its third week.

The winner is “Hell or High Water,” which after this weekend’s success could wind up the year’s highest-grossing specialized release. “Southside With You” also scored high numbers, with “Hands of Stone” not up to its level.

Five Sundance releases are among this week’s new films, ranging from relatively wide opener “Southside” to Video on Demand entry “The Intervention.” As the Toronto Film Festival looms, the Park City event, despite offering half as many films, remains the biggest festival for acquisition titles.

Opening

“Southside With You” (Roadside Attractions) – Metacritic: 75; Festivals include: Sundance, San Francisco, Seattle 2016

$3,065,000 in 813 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $3,762

A strong initial result...

Playing in 100 locations around the country right now is the sophomore writing/directing effort of comedian turned filmmaker Mike Birbiglia. He made a splash at Sundance a few years ago with the charming, semi-autobiographical Sleepwalk with Me, and now he’s back with a movie called Don’t Think Twice, focusing on a group of tight-knit friends […]

The post Lol: The ‘Don’t Think Twice’ Cast Gets Infected with the Viral Video Virus appeared first on /Film.

Late August is not prime release time for top-end specialized films. While the quality of new entries this week is better than usual, two Sundance premieres, A24’s “Morris from America” and Werner Herzog’s documentary “Lo and Behold” are also hitting prime exposure on Video on Demand.

The best limited theatrical opening went to rookie director Natalie Portman’s “A Tale of Love and Darkness” (Focus), shot in her native Israel. The breakout of the month is CBS Films’ second-week expanding “Hell or High Water” (Lionsgate), which looks headed for Top Ten-level grosses over upcoming weeks.

Opening

“A Tale of Love and Darkness” (Focus World) – Metacritic: 55; Festivals include: Cannes, Toronto 2015

$36,000 in 2 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $18,000

Natalie Portman’s Israeli-made drama did not garner strong critical response at its Cannes debut last year. But the movie star is campaigning hard to make it work, with appearances on both...

After one of the best openings of the summer, Texas western “Hell or High Water” could become one of the strongest specialized releases of 2016. This bank robbery and pursuit thriller debuted at Cannes and scored among the best reviews of the year. CBS Films and Lionsgate opted to take the easier commercial route rather than chase awards via the standard September festival rollout.

Late summer has yielded a spate of arthouse successes including strong holdovers “Café Society” and “Indignation.”

Opening

“Hell or High Water” (Lionsgate) – Metacritic: 86; Festivals include: Cannes 2016

$592,000 in 32 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $18,500

A gamble paid off big-time for CBS Films, who acquired this independent Texas story of two struggling brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster) who rob a bank to save the family farm. Distributed by Lionsgate, “Hell or High Water” debuted well at Cannes. Knowing it had rave reviews, CBS decided to go broader than...

It’s not easy being thirty. At least that seems like the case for Mike Birbiglia. The comedian, actor, writer, and now director isn’t quite at the level of Eeyore, but he’s definitely one of indie cinema’s recent favorite sad sacks. A consistent theme in his work is a male character (always himself) self-analyzing his life and career and pining after the “shoulda been me” moments that could have propelled his career. Part of this introspection is centered around how the thirties is ultimately the final nail in your budding professional career. At that point you might as well turn off the microphone and settle down into a life of domesticity. Well… at least in the eyes of Birbiglia.

I admit that I wasn’t much of a fan of his previous film – the directorial debut Sleepwalk With Me. It’s consistent down beat tone became a slog to get through.

For years, an improve group called The Commune have been the stars of their small New York improv theater. The members of the group, Mile (Mike Birbiglia), Samantha (Gillian Jacobs), Jack (Keegan-Michael Key), Allison (Kate Micucci), Bill (Chris Gethard), and Lindsay (Tami Sagher) entertain audiences night after night by performing as a finely-tuned troop. But, by day, they have to support themselves by working soul-crushing menial jobs.

Then, after they learn that their beloved theater is closing down and a hit comedy television show, ala Saturday Night Live, is looking for talent, the group dynamic begins to fracture and it may be time for the group to stop dreaming and get on with their lives.

Such is the premise of writer/director/star Mike Birbiglia’s new film Don’t Think Twice. While Birbiglia’s first film, Sleepwalk with Me (2012), was based on his work as a stand-up comedian, his...

Summer is chugging along at the specialty box office.

Another acclaimed Sundance 2016 entry, Ira Sachs’ “Little Men” (Magnolia), showed a credible opening in New York and Los Angeles, as two of last week’s Park City 2016 premieres, “Indignation” (Roadside Attractions) and “Gleason” (Open Road), expanded this weekend to varying results.

The biggest recent success, Woody Allen’s “Café Society” continued to do well, but it’s still below three of his recent hits. Mike Birbiglia’s “Don’t Think Twice” continues to impress. Comedy is the common denominator in their broader appeal.

As usual, Netflix reported no grosses for its token theatrical dates for Mark Osborne’s animated feature “The Little Prince,” the children’s classic adaptation that was initially scheduled to be a Paramount release last March.

Opening

“Little Men” (Magnolia) – Metacritic: 86; Festivals include: Sundance 2016

$32,250 in 2 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $16,125

Ira Sachs’ most recent film joins the...

In 11 Questions, The A.V. Club asks interesting people 11 interesting questions—and then asks them to suggest one for our next interviewee.

At this point Ira Glass and his voice are synonymous with This American Life. But radio isn’t his only medium these days. He’s also a film producer. In 2006 his name was on the pre-Bridesmaids Paul Feig comedy, Unaccompanied Minors, based on a This American Life segment. Since then, however, he’s mainly worked on Tal storyteller Mike Birbiglia’s directorial efforts: 2012’s Sleepwalk With Me, which he co-wrote, and the recently released Don’t Think Twice. Don’t Think Twice follows the members of a team of improv comedians as they navigate their careers, their friendships suffering friction as they achieve varying degrees of success. It’s one of the few movies Glass has seen more than once, thanks to his ...

Three Sundance premieres are boosting the late summer specialty box office as “Indignation” (Roadside Attractions), “Equity” (Sony Pictures Classics) and “Gleason” (Amazon/Open Road) lead openers. Several more including Woody Allen’s “Café Society” (Amazon/Lionsgate) are holding well with positive results beyond just initial dates.

Several documentaries getting play continue to impress, and two more beyond “Gleason” scored initial New York attention: “Hieronymus Bosch: Touched by the Devil” (Kino Lorber) and “Miss Sharon Jones!” (Starz).

Opening

“Indignation” (Roadside Attractions) – Metacritic: 83; Festivals include: Sundance, Berlin, San Francisco, Seattle 2016

$89,072 in 4 theaters; PTA: $22,268

After a long career as a producer-screenwriter (Ang Lee’s”Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Brokeback Mountain”) and distributor (Focus Features before Universal revamped the company), James Schamus directed his adaptation of Philip Roth’s early 1950s Oberlin-set story of a Jewish working class kid trying to adapt. After his earlier run of success, the reaction to his debut is gratifying.

The standup comic and film-maker discusses Don’t Think Twice – his follow-up to Sleepwalk With Me – and why nixing a potential TV show was the right call

For his directorial debut, Sleepwalk With Me, Mike Birbiglia did what so many comics do when assembling their crossover calling card: he made it about himself.

Following loosely in the footsteps of Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr, and countless others, Birbiglia pulled from what he knew best in his 2012 film to play a comic who, like himself, suffers a severe sleepwalking disorder. The movie was culled from his one-man off-Broadway show and book of the same name.

Continue reading...

Chicago – When comedian/writer/director Mike Birbiglia is in his element, as during the interviews he conducted at The iO Theater in Chicago, he is relaxed and ardently philosophical. He has written and directed a new film, “Don’t Think Twice,” which is about a improvisation comedy troupe, but it’s also about life.

“Don’t Think Twice” – besides being a clever play on the famous Bob Dylan song title – is essentially about the stages of life, and how we react to our own ambitions. The members of the comedy troupe – portrayed by (clockwise in the picture below, starting top left) Mike Birbiglia, Kate Miccuci, Chris Gethard, Gillian Jacobs, Keegan-Michael Key and Tami Sagner – are at a crossroads in their professional and personal lives, and have to deal with the sudden uptick of fame to one of their members. As Birbiglia did with his first feature, ‘Sleepwalk with Me,’ he...

Mike Birbiglia’s “Don’t Think Twice” (The Film Arcade) is the latest mid-summer hit, joining the recent turnaround in art house fortunes. Following his template for “Sleepwalk With Me,” Birbiglia & Co. boosted box office via frequent appearances at their New York cinema. The already strong film surged to a huge initial $90,000 number with many sold out shows on multiple screens.

Woody Allen’s “Cafe Society” (Lionsgate) continued to improve on the director’s recent performance, and could end up besting two other recent strong openers. “Captain Fantastic” (Bleecker Street) and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” (The Orchard) continue to have strong expansions; both could end up over $10 million as well.

Asian wide-audience commercial releases are performing well in domestic play, with entries from South Korea, India, the Philippines along with China continuing to deliver strong niche results.

Opening

“Don’t Think Twice” (Film Arcade) – Metacritic: 83; Festivals include: South by Southwest,...

Ira Glass thinks it’s crazy for anyone to make a film. Ever.

But when his “This American Life” contributor Mike Birbiglia wanted to follow their 2012 collaboration “Sleepwalk with Me” with a film about an improv comedy troupe, Glass went along for another ride.

“It’s very hard for anybody who tries to make things for a living,” Glass said in our video interview at SXSW the morning after the film’s rousing premiere. “It’s hard to make anything that’s good… It struck me even more this time how many things have to go right, in every scene, every sound cue, it’s almost like every minute of the film is another 15 things that you can screw up.”

But Birbiglia, who learned a lot writing, directing, starring, and releasing “Sleepwalk with Me,” was up for the challenge. “It’s like nine art forms — you’ve got photography, acting,...

Ira Glass thinks it’s crazy for anyone to make a film. Ever.

But when his “This American Life” contributor Mike Birbiglia wanted to follow their 2012 collaboration “Sleepwalk with Me” with a film about an improv comedy troupe, Glass went along for another ride.

“It’s very hard for anybody who tries to make things for a living,” Glass said in our video interview at SXSW the morning after the film’s rousing premiere. “It’s hard to make anything that’s good… It struck me even more this time how many things have to go right, in every scene, every sound cue, it’s almost like every minute of the film is another 15 things that you can screw up.”

But Birbiglia, who learned a lot writing, directing, starring, and releasing “Sleepwalk with Me,” was up for the challenge. “It’s like nine art forms — you’ve got photography, acting,...

Led by Paramount franchise sequel “Star Trek Beyond,” the box office should soar back into summer blockbuster territory.

After a 16% drop off from 2015 last weekend caused by the sole new wide studio release “Ghostbusters” doing decent but not stellar business, the late summer surge could finally arrive. Paramount’s “Star Trek Beyond” should be the easy #1 film, but two other new entries, animated sequel “Ice Age: Collision Course” (20th Century Fox) and horror flick “Lights Out” (Warner Bros.) —the genre has been rebounding — along with some decent holdovers should elevate the totals ahead above both last year and last weekend.

Year to date numbers remain a scant 1% ahead of 2015, which means that with slightly higher ticket prices, fewer people have attended movies this year. The big shortfall runs from May through summer. Through April grosses had increased over 9%, momentum reversed over the last two months.

Three new movies including two...

Don't Think Twice looks at life inside an improv comedy group, which means it speaks to anyone on the periphery of success who dreams of taking the next step. It also speaks to the agony of watching one of your peers take that step and leave you behind. I can't get Mike Birbiglia's movie out of my head.

Birbiglia, 38, knows the drill: He's been doing improv and stand-up since forever. In 2012, he turned his semi-autobiographical one-man show, Sleepwalk With Me, into his feature film debut as writer, director and actor.

To help sift through the increasing number of new releases (independent or otherwise), the Weekly Film Guide is here! Below you’ll find basic plot, personnel and cinema information for all of this week’s fresh offerings.

For July, we’ve also put together a list for the entire month. We’ve included this week’s list below, complete with information on screening locations for films in limited release.

See More: Here Are All the Upcoming Movies in Theaters for July 2016

Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, July 22. All synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise.

Wide

Ice Age: Collision Course

Director: Galen T. Chu, Mike Thermeier

Cast: Adam DeVine, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa Rauch

Synopsis: Scrat’s epic pursuit of his elusive acorn catapults him outside of Earth, where he accidentally sets off a series of cosmic events that transform and threaten the planet.

[Note: This review is from SXSW earlier this year, but we're re-running it now because this spectacular movie is rolling out to theaters this week. Do not miss it.] Will they? Won’t they? That simple question is what drives so many comedies. Usually it’s found in movies or TV shows about two people who can’t stand each other but are clearly meant for each other, so the question becomes can they reconcile their differences and find a way to be together. That sets up a happy ending everybody wants and expects and it’s one that comedies, more often than not, deliver. In a lot of ways, Don’t Think Twice, the new comedy from Sleepwalk With Me writer-director Mike Birbiglia, is a will they, won’t they kind of movie, but it’s not...

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“Don’t Think Twice” follows the members of The Commune, an improv group that plays to small audiences, little money, and even less recognition. The group’s members include founder Mike (Mike Birbiglia), Jack (Keegan-Michael Key), Samantha (Gillian Jacobs), Allison (Kate Micucci), Lindsay (Tami Sagher), and Bill (Chris Gethard); they all work crappy day jobs to feed the dream of performing comedy professionally, and maybe one day being cast on “Weekend Live,” a fictional version of “Saturday Night Live.” But when one of their own actually gets cast on the show, it sends the rest of the members into an existential spiral as they face the real possibility of never actually “making it.” Amidst feelings of jealousy and despair, the group struggles to move on from the thing they love the most. Check out some exclusive stills from the film below.

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Mike Birbiglia continued his writing-directing-acting exploration of the comedian’s life and process by following 2012’s Sleepwalk with Me — one of the clearer recent examples of “far better than you’d have any right to expect” — with Don’t Think Twice, a dramedy concerning the world of New York City improv, late-night comedy, and the resentment that jealousy can breed among friends. Lending this story a bit of additional authenticity, Birbiglia surrounded himself with a row of genuine comedic talent: Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, and Tami Sagher.

Don’t Think Twice begins its theatrical run this summer, ahead of which there is now a trailer. At Tribeca, we were complimentary of the picture, saying, “As in his directorial debut, and comedy in general, Birbiglia — who, as well as writing the screenplay, serves as producer alongside Ira Glass — is astute in blending humor with life’s hardships.

Comedian Mike Birbiglia made his directorial debut in 2012 with the well-received Sleepwalk With Me, and now he's back with his second directorial effort Don't Think Twice, a comedy about an improv troupe that has to weather some internal troubles when one of their members gets to audition for a Saturday Night Live-style show. It features a stellar cast including Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, Tami Sagher, and Birbiglia himself (who you may recognize from Orange is the New Black if you aren't familiar with his stand-up or other comedy work), and this looks like catnip for comedy nerds. I'm definitely interested.

This movie is playing at the Los Angeles Film Festival in a couple of weeks, so hopefully I'll be able to check it out there and review it soon after. It opens in theaters on July 22, 2016.

When a member of a popular New York City...

Mike Birbiglia started out as a stand-up comedian before transitioning into filmmaking with 2011’s loosely autobiographical Sleepwalk With Me, based on one of his stand-up acts. It was solid and sweet and lots of fun, but it’s his second film, Don’t Think Twice, that should really mark him as an indie director to watch. The […]

The post ‘Don’t Think Twice’ Trailer: Mike Birbiglia Goes Deep Into the World of Improv Comedy appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: The Help helmer Tate Taylor and partner John Norris have gotten help for their Wyolah Films banner, hiring producer Jacob Jaffke to be Head of Development & Production for Film & Television. This comes as Taylor is in post production on his adaptation of the Paula Hawkins bestselling thriller novel Girl On The Train, which Wykolah Films produced. Jaffke, whose credits include In a Valley of Violence, Sleepwalk with Me and The Sacrament, will work closely with…...

For his first feature Sleepwalk with Me, comedian-turned-director Mike Birbiglia adapted his semi-autobiographical one-man show, picking apart his anxieties and fears when it comes to the most personal aspects of his life. His follow-up, Don’t Think Twice, presents a perhaps even more insular world, that of the New York improv comedy scene and more specifically, the shifting dynamics of a single group.

Made up of founding member Miles (Birbiglia), Jack (Keegan-Michael Key), Samantha (Gillian Jacobs), Allison (Kate Micucci), Lindsay (Tami Sagher), and Bill (Chris Gethard), the tight-knit troupe goes by the name of The Commune. Whether they succeed or fall flat on any given night, they don’t break any of their rules: always say “yes,” it’s all about the group, and don’t think. They may hold jobs as a delivery man, a hostess or a hummus sample provider, but they live and breathe for that small...

When writer-director Mike Birbiglia and his stars Gillian Jacobs and Keegan-Michael Key showed up at TheWrap’s SXSW 2016 interview studio in Austin, Texas, hijinks naturally ensued. The three comedic forces came in support of “Don’t Think Twice,” Birbiglia’s followup to his 2012 festival hit “Sleepwalk With Me.” The film follows a troupe of sketch comedians who lose the lease on their theater space at the same moment when one of their members lands a plum job on a sketch show reminiscent of “Saturday Night Live.” Also Read: SXSW: Nicolas Cage 'Deeply Aware' He's an Internet Icon (Video) Hard realities come as the group.

Improvisational comedy is all about finding character, story, and humor in the heat of an unknown moment – but is that not life, too? As Del Close (a founding improv mind) once said, “Fall, and then figure out what to do on the way down.” That wisdom resonates through Mike Birbiglia’s sophomore effort, Don’t Think Twice, as he explores the perils of personal passion through middling “stagnation.” Life is passion, but passion is also pain, so, by association, doesn’t that mean life also equals pain? Birbiglia doesn’t shy away from the glamourless hardships of navigating New York City’s competitive artistry talent pool, which will be a wake up call that some people might not want to hear…but need.

The film follows an improv collective called The Commune, as they deal with the looming reality of their club’s closure. Over the course of a few weeks,...

On stages at Second City, Upright Citizens Brigade, iO, and more, writers and performers hone the art of comedy improv, chasing funny ideas into the unknown with the hope of arriving somewhere worthwhile. For some the goal is to create their own improv group; for others, the form is just the road to movies and TV. However, failure is also a very real outcome, and it’s a reality superbly captured in comedian Mike Birbiglia's sophomore directorial effort, “Don’t Think Twice.” Following six New York performers on the cusp of breaking out, played by Birbiglia, Gillian Jacobs, Chris Getherd, Tami Sagher, Kate Micucci, and Keegan-Michael Key, it fashions an entertaining, thoughtful portrait of friends in crisis when success is near. Read More: 2016 SXSW Film Festival: 12 Films & TV Highlights To Look Out For The film progresses the narrative and technical aims Birbiglia targeted with his first, “Sleepwalk With Me,...

Anyone paying attention to the SXSW Film Festival — or, for that matter, the American independent film scene — will recognize plenty of names in this year's lineup. Standup comedian-turned-filmmaker Mike Bibiglia follows his breakout hit "Sleepwalk With Me" with "Don't Think Twice," the story of an improv group facing big changes, with a cast headlined by Keegan-Michael Key. Horror maestro Ti West returns to the festival that first showcased his eerie ghost story "The Innkeepers" with a change of pace, the western "In a Valley of Violence," which stars John Travolta. And Austin's biggest source of pride, director Richard Linklater, opens the festival this year with his "Dazed and Confused" riff "Everybody Wants Some." Read More: Ethan Hawke, Jake Gyllenhaal and More Headline 2016 SXSW Features Lineup But like the feisty crowd that crams the downtown streets in mid-March, SXSW owes much to the youthful energy of...

New films from Mike Birbiglia ("Sleepwalk with Me"), Ti West ("The Innkeepers"), and a doc from studio exec-turned-director Susan Glatzer highlight the latest additions to SXSW's feature film lineup, set to open March 11 with the world premiere of Richard Linklater's "Everybody Wants Some."  Birbiglia's comedy "Don't Think Twice," with Keegan-Michael Key, West's revenge drama "In the Valley of Violence," starring Ethan Hawke, Taissa Farmiga, and John Travolta, and Glatzer's swing dance doc "Alive and Kicking" join the U.S. premiere of "Wild" director Jean-Marc Vallee's "Demolition," with Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, and Chris Cooper.  In her eighth year, SXSW Film Festival head Janet Pierson and her team juggled programming the return of many SXSW alumni with "a lot of unknowns," she said in a phone interview. "We are always showing new emerging work, so we default to...

Prior to his 2012 Sundance Institute supported/Sundance Film Festival debuted film based on both his one-man show and novel of the same name, we had no clue who Mike Birbiglia was or what kind of commune following he had. We quickly saw the genius in Sleepwalk with Me (here is our interview with him back in Park City). Fast-forward three years later and a massive fanbase to boot, we’ve been catching him in bit parts in Adult Beginners, Digging for Fire and this year’s Trainwreck until there was mention of Don’t Think Twice. With principal photography on this NYC shot sophomore film beginning in late August 2015, we might effectively be jumping the gun a little with an inclusion on the 2016 list but stranger things have happened.

Gist: This is about an improv group loses the lease on their home theater at the same time that one of...