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The connection between stand-up comedy and sadness has long been apparent, and what we see of these performers onstage is almost never the full story. For a more lighthearted examination of this than, say, the documentary “Misery Loves Comedy,” consider the trailer for “Dying Laughing” — a nonfiction look at the failures that preceded the successes of Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Jerry Lewis and more.

Read More: ‘Sadako vs. Kayako’ Trailer: ‘The Ring’ and ‘The Grudge’ Villains Do Battle in J-Horror Crossover

“Comedy is purely a result of your ability to withstand self-torture,” says Seinfeld as it opens. Lewis, meanwhile, points out that audiences can always tell the difference between a rehearsed joke and something spontaneous that “comes from the heart.” None of them are exempt from bad nights and hecklers, of course, and Kevin Hart — by many metrics the most successful comic in the world at the moment — recounts being...

The Late Bloomer is basked on author and E! News personality Ken Baker’s incredible life story and is directed by multi-hyphenate Kevin Pollak (Misery Loves Comedy, War Dogs, The Usual Suspects, A Few Good Men) and stars Johnny Simmons (The Phenom, The Perks of Being a Wallfower), Maria Bello (Prisoners, A History of Violence), Brittany Snow (Pitch Perfect 1&2, Hairspray), Golden Globe and Emmy winner Jane Lynch (“Glee”, “Two and a Half Men”, Best in Show), Oscar and Golden Globe winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash, Up in the Air, Juno), Kumail Nanjiani (“Silicon Valley”), Beck Bennett (“SNL”), and Paul Wesley (“The Vampire Diaries”).

Check out the trailer for The Late Bloomer:

Now you can win a The Late Bloomer poster signed by cast members J.K. Simmons, Brittany Snow, Johnny Simmons, Maria Bello, director Kevin Pollak and author Ken Baker. We Are Movie Geeks has this amazing prize package to give away.

In 2001, entertainment journalist Ken Baker released the memoir “The Late Bloomer: A Memoir of My Body,” which tells the story of his battle with a prolactinoma, a testosterone-sapping tumor that inhibits puberty. Baker experienced late-onset puberty at age 28, undergoing rapid teenage hormonal changes well into his adult years.

Read More: Kevin Pollak on Dedicating ‘Misery Loves Comedy’ to Robin Williams

Now, Kevin Pollak has adapted Baker’s memoir into the indie ensemble comedy “The Late Bloomer” starring Johnny Simmons as Dr. Pete Newmans a 30-year-old sex therapist who discovers that he has a pituitary tumor that has delayed puberty for over half his life. After receiving a simple surgery, Pete must struggle with his body changes while trying to win over the girl he loves. The film co-stars Maria Bello (“A History of Violence”), Brittany Snow (“Pitch Perfect”), Jane Lynch (“Glee”), J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”), and Kumail Nanjiani (“Silicon Valley...

There has never been a story quite like this! Coming to theaters this fall is the true-life comedy The Late Bloomer. To celebrate director Kevin Pollak's latest project, we have a tantalizing one-sheet that teases one man's dire dilemma. But it's one problem we're not too sure many of you will be able to identify with!

The Late Bloomer is&#160based on&#160Ken Baker's&#160book&#160of the same name, which is subtitled 'A Memoir of My Body'. It hits book stores and online outlets on September 27th. Just a few days later, Momentum Pictures will release the film in theaters on October 7th. Kevin Pollak is working from a script by Joe Nussbaum, Mark Torgove, Paul A. Kaplan, Kyle&#160Cooper, and Austyn&#160Jeffs, from a story by Joe Nussbaum and Gary Rosen.

In The Late Bloomer, Dr. Pete Newmans (Johnny Simmons) is a successful sex therapist whose&#160practice&#160is...

We previously covered Kevin Pollak’s directorial debut with the film Misery Loves Comedy, in which he dedicated to Robin Williams and featured countless interviews from the likes of Martin Short, Jimmy Fallon, Tom Hanks, Whoopi Goldberg, and more. Now check out our interview with Pollak at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival, where he talks about his creative processes and what he did in order to get the documentary shot.

Highlights of our interview include around the six minute mark where he talks about dedicating the documentary to Robin Williams, around 9:30 for his favorite part of the film, 13:40 for what he wished he didn’t cut out, and more…...

In his directorial debut, Kevin Pollak signs on an impressive roster of actors, comedians, stand-ups, writers, and more, all to come together and answer one of the most dumbfounding questions known comedy lovers everywhere: do you truly have to be miserable in order to be funny?

Actors from Sam Rockwell, Bobby Cannavale, Matthew Perry, Nick Swardson, William H. Macy, Tom Hanks, Maria Bamford, Lisa Kudrow, and more were on film talking about comedy and how they came to it, as were writer/directors Jon Favreau, Kevin Smith, Judd Apatow, Larry David, Marc Maron, Lewis Black, and more. And of course, a large score of comedians were in attendance, such as Jimmy Fallon, Amy Schumer, Martin Short, Whoopi Goldberg, Christopher Guest, Greg Proops, Jimmy Pardo, Penn Jillete, Jim Gaffigan, David Koechner, Kevin Nealon, Rob Delaney, James L. Brooks, Andy Richter. And of course a whole lot more people that offer some...

As is always the case around this time of year, the Academy has given us a hint as to what’s eligible for nominations in certain categories. Today, I have the recently released list of eligible contenders in Best Documentary Feature to share with you all. There’s 124 docs in total hoping to score one of the five slots open at the Academy Awards. Historically, Oscar is fairly picky with their subject matter, but they do throw up some curveballs from time to time. This year, they’ll have as unique a choice to make as any, especially considering how there’s no true frontrunner right now. Of the numerous titles in contention, there’s a large group that bears specifically keeping an eye on. Just a small sample includes 1971, Above and Beyond, Amy, The Armor of Light, Batkid Begins, Best of Enemies, Cartel Land, The Diplomat, Every Last Child,...

Spectrum

To celebrate the release of Misery Loves Comedy, available digitally on 19th October 2015 and on DVD from 2nd November 2015, we have three DVD’s to give away courtesy of Spectrum.

Featuring more than 50 comedy legends including Tom Hanks, Amy Schumer, Matthew Perry, Judd Apatow, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Favreau, Lisa Kudrow, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Coogan, Stephen Merchant, Martin Short and Larry David, these icons candidly explore their motivations and inspirations in this hilariously unique examination of the age old question: do you really have to be miserable to be funny?

Directed by Kevin Pollak, whose acting credits include The Usual Suspects and Casino, the star- studded cast dig into their earliest comic experiences, most epic fails and tell unforgettable anecdotes to reveal a performer’s deep, and perhaps paradoxical, desire to connect with audiences.

This master class in comedy offers a rare opportunity to hear comedy icons dissect the art...

Titles include Asif Kapadia’s Amy Winehouse documentary, Michael Moore’s Where To Invade Next and Matthew Heineman’s Cartel Land.

Among those in consideration for the 88th Academy Awards are Cartel Land, He Named Me Malala, Amy, Janis: Little Girl Blue, Sherpa, Where To Invade Next, Winter On Fire, Wolfpack, Meet The Patels and A Sinner In Mecca.

Several of the submissions have not yet had their Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases.

A shortlist of 15 films will be announced in December.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on January 14 2016 and the ceremony takes place on February 28 2016 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood .

The submitted features in alphabetical order are:

Above And Beyond

All Things Must Pass

Amy

The Armor Of Light

Ballet 422

Batkid Begins

Becoming Bulletproof

Being Evel

Beltracchi – The Art Of Forgery

Best Of Enemies

The Black Panthers: Vanguard Of The Revolution

Bolshoi Babylon

[link...

Among those in consideration for the 88th Academy Awards are Cartel Land, He Named Me Malala, Amy, Janie: Little Girl Blue, Sherpa, Where To Invade Next, Winter On Fire, Wolfpack, Meet The Patels and A Sinner In Mecca.Several of the submissions have not yet had their Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases.A shortlist of 15 films will be announced in December.The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on January 14 2016 and the ceremony takes place on

Among those in consideration for the 88th Academy Awards are Cartel Land, He Named Me Malala, Amy, Janie: Little Girl Blue, Sherpa, Where To Invade Next, Winter On Fire, Wolfpack, Meet The Patels and A Sinner In Mecca.

Several of the submissions have not yet had their Los Angeles and New York qualifying releases.

A shortlist of 15 films will be announced in December.

The 88th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on January 14 2016 and the ceremony takes place on...

One hundred twenty-four features have been submitted for consideration in the Documentary Feature category for the 88th Academy Awards.

Last year’s winner was Citizenfour (Laura Poitras, Mathilde Bonnefoy and Dirk Wilutzky)

The submitted features, listed in alphabetical order, are:

“Above and Beyond”

“All Things Must Pass”

“Amy”

“The Armor of Light”

“Ballet 422”

“Batkid Begins”

“Becoming Bulletproof”

“Being Evel”

“Beltracchi – The Art of Forgery”

“Best of Enemies”

“The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution”

“Bolshoi Babylon”

“Brand: A Second Coming”

“A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story”

“Call Me Lucky”

“Cartel Land”

“Censored Voices”

“Champs”

“CodeGirl”

“Coming Home”

“Dark Horse”

“Deli Man”

“Dior and I”

“The Diplomat”

“(Dis)Honesty – The Truth about Lies”

“Don’t Think I’ve Forgotten: Cambodia’s Lost Rock and Roll”

“Dreamcatcher”

“dream/killer”

“Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon”

“Eating Happiness”

“Every Last Child”

“Evidence of Harm”

“Farewell to Hollywood...

Everest | A Walk In The Woods | Tangerines | The D Train | A Syrian Love Story | A Girl At My Door | Horse Money | Bill | The Messenger | Misery Loves Comedy

The star cast suggests an old-school Towering Inferno-style disaster epic, but the treatment here is the opposite: a faithful account of a true story with the emphasis on mountaineering authenticity and ordinary people. That’s both a blessing and a curse. There’s real conviction to the high-altitude, sub-zero settings, but the dramatic impetus can get lost amidst the high-insulation clothing. Not quite the pinnacle of mountain movies, but a noble assault.

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Actor and comedian Kevin Pollak gathers his funny friends to find out why they spend their lives trying to make other people laugh. Misery Loves Comedy, a documentary that features contributions from stars including Amy Schumer, Tom Hanks and Judd Apatow, reveals comedians to be as brittle and insecure as the stereotypes suggest. Henry Barnes explains why Pollak’s film is worth a watch

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Documentaries need a certain angle to explore, and in Kevin Pollak’s Misery Loves Comedy, it’s not until the final act when we finally reach it. It’s when the series of talking head commentators – made up of actors, stand up comedians and writers – speak about melancholy, and the notion of misery feeding comedy.

The post Misery Loves Comedy Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Dkc Public Relations is expanding its entertainment division in the New York office with two new hires. Abbie Harrison joins the agency after four years at FerenComm where she specialized in television PR and worked with top networks including AMC, TNT, Starz, Bravo and Pivot. Prior to that she was with the Disney Theatrical Group. Jordan Lawrence previously worked as a freelance publicist, most recently with the Tribeca Film Festival, overseeing publicity campaigns for films including “I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story,” “Misery Loves Comedy,” “Hyena” and “Far From Men.” Also read: Former Relativity Exec Ella Robinson Named Svp of.

New on Amazon August 2015 will be all eight seasons of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, Michael Bay’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Clint Eastwood classics Unforgiven and In the Line of Fire. There are also also acclaimed documentaries like Misery Loves Comedy featuring Amy Schumer and Judd Apatow. Mad Max: Fury Road (pictured) is a blockbuster available for purchase on Amazon Instant Video. Piv: New In August 2015 — Available for Streaming on Prime Instant Video Available August 1 Olympus Season 1 The Patriot (2000) Unforgiven Available August 4 Erased Available August 6 Curb Your Enthusiasm Seasons 1-8 (complete) In the Line of Fire … Continue reading →

The post What’s new on Amazon August 2015 appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

Sundance Selects has taken Us rights to culture critic turned filmmaker Nelson George's "A Ballerina's Tale," a world premiere of the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. The film will hit theaters and VOD on October 14, 2015. "A Ballerina's Tale" takes an intimate, behind-the-curtain look at the career of Misty Copeland, the African American ballerina who just last month was promoted to principal dancer in New York's American Ballet Theatre. The documentary shadows Misty as she physically recovers from her triumphant, but demanding 2012 lead performance in Igor Stravinsky's "Firebird." This portrait of a preternaturally gifted dancer was acclaimed at Tribeca. "Ballerina's Tale" was produced by Leslie Norville and executive produced by Dorria L. Ball, Ingrid Graham and Misty Copeland. Read More: Sundance Acquires Tribeca Doc "Misery Loves Comedy"...

Production is currently under way on Fox's Untitled X-Files Revival in Vancouver, which brings back The X-Files stars Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny to reprise their roles as Scully and Mulder. The new series will also bring back original X-Files stars Mitch Pileggi (Walter Skinner) and William B. Davis (The Cigarette Smoking Man), but the only new cast members that has been announced are Joel McHale, who plays a news anchor that becomes an ally to Mulder, and Annet Mahendru. Over the weekend, Silicon Valley star Kumail Nanjiani revealed on his Twitter page that he has landed a role on the series, posting a new photo from the set with Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny.

While he wouldn't reveal exactly who he is playing, the photo he posted from the set showed the actor wearing an animal control officer uniform. It isn't known exactly what episode Kumail Nanjiani will be appearing in,...

Read More: Watch: Judd Apatow Reflects on His Unpopular Childhood in 'Misery Loves Comedy' ClipThe third night of Judd Apatow's four-day retrospective at the Film Society of Lincoln Center provided serious insight to the comedic director's attitudes, wit and most of all respect in the industry. Apatow sat down with "Girls" creator Lena Dunham for what was a sincerely honest conversation between two comedically, and sensitively, minded people. Though the two filmmakers didn't necessarily approach the talk with a specific angle, it was clear that any conversation between the two of them would naturally take on a course of hilarious back-and-forth, punctuated by real moments of reflection and sincerity. The comfortable dynamic between Apatow and Dunham was palpable, and led to a genuinely intimate and eye-opening audience Q&A session from other creatives looking for advice. Everything from Bill Cosby, to feminism and diversity in the film...

We're entering the dog days of summer -- the perfect time to binge-watch some new TV shows and movies on Amazon. You can do it outside, if you want, to not feel so guilty. But why feel guilty about streaming all eight seasons of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm"? It's pretty, pretty good. You can also buy movies like the amazing "Mad Max: Fury Road," which hits Amazon Instant Video on August 11.

Amazon just issued its list of new titles available for streaming on Prime and available for purchase through Amazon Instant Video. (If you missed the July titles, here they are.) So check out all the August additions below.

New in August - Available for Streaming on Prime

TV

Olympus Season 1 -- 8/1/2015

Curb Your Enthusiasm- Complete Series -- tbd

Wishenpoof - Original -- tbd

Movies

The Patriot -- 8/1/2015

The Longest Day -- 8/1/2015

Unforgiven -- 8/1/2015

The Legend of Longwood --...

People often strive to become rich and famous, as they equate achieving a high level of success to being endlessly happy and content in life. But often times the comedians who attain the biggest accomplishments in life still struggle with their own despair, but have luckily found a creative outlet that allows them to relatably express their suffering with audiences. That continued battle of trying to achieve and maintain happiness, even after you found triumphs in your life, is intriguingly explored in the new documentary, ‘Misery Loves Comedy.’ The film, which is now available on iTunes and VOD, and is playing in select theaters nationwide before expanding to more cinemas [ Read More ]

The post Tribeca 2015 Interview: Kevin Pollak Talks Misery Loves Comedy appeared first on Shockya.com.

[Editor's Note: This post is presented in partnership with Time Warner Cable Movies On Demand in support of Indie Film Month. Today's pick, "Misery Loves Comedy," is available now On Demand.] Some audiences know Kevin Pollak best as the actor from hit drams such as "A Few Good Man," "The Usual Suspects" and "Casino," while others remember the stand-up comedian and master impressionist who rose to fame on the 1980's comedy circuit. Regardless of how you see him, the 57-year-old actor is redefining his career once more by stepping into the director's chair for the very first time. In his debut documentary "Misery Loves Comedy," Pollak interviews some of the biggest names in comedy, including Jimmy Fallon, Amy Schumer, Larry David, Steve Coogan and Judd Apatow, in order to understand the relationship between a comedian and his/her deep desire to connect with audiences. During one of Apple and Indiewire's...

Kevin Pollak‘s latest movie is a documentary that questions whether pain is necessary to create the kind of comedy that resonates. Misery Loves Comedy sees an enormous amount of professional funny people explaining their experiences, and Pollak joins us this week to discuss the myth of the tortured artist and what he learned crafting 700 hours of footage into a 90-minute movie. Plus, Geoff and I will dissect a serious scene from a comedy — specifically the To The Pain speech from The Princess Bride — in order to see how one cup of dirt and three cups of sugar can create meaningful dramatic moments in a movie that makes you laugh. Double plus, we’ll have a spoiler-free interrogation reviewification of Avengers: Age of Ultron that sends us to the corner store for ear plugs. You should follow the show (@brokenprojector), Geoff (@drgmlatulippe) and Scott (@scottmbeggs) on Twitter for more on a daily basis. Download...

Read More: Watch: Judd Apatow Reflects on His Unpopular Childhood in 'Misery Loves Comedy' Clip  If you have any inkling to watch all of your favorite comics in a single sitting, then Kevin Pollak's "Misery Loves Comedy" is your next movie. The documentary gathers the likes of Amy Schumer, Jimmy Fallon, Larry David and many more as they discuss their upbringing, careers and relationships to comedy. Pollak, a prolific actor and comedian himself, joined Indiewire's Nigel Smith at the Apple Store in Soho, Manhattan for one of Apple and Indiewire's Tribeca Talks to talk about the film, from the personalities assembled to the stories shared to even the mixed reviews to come out in the past few weeks. In a short clip posted above, the director shares his insights on the difference between acting and stand-up comedy -- a difference, he says, which is actually quite massive.

Read More: Watch: Judd Apatow Reflects on His Unpopular Childhood in 'Misery Loves Comedy' Clip  If you have any inkling to watch all of your favorite comics in a single sitting, then Kevin Pollack's "Misery Loves Comedy" is your next movie. The documentary gathers the likes of Amy Schumer, Jimmy Fallon, Larry David and many more as they discuss their upbringing, careers and relationships to comedy. Pollack, a prolific actor and comedian himself, joined Indiewire's Nigel Smith at the Apple Store in Soho, Manhattan for one of Apple and Indiewire's Tribeca Talks to talk about the film, from the personalities assembled to the stories shared to even the mixed reviews to come out in the past few weeks. In a short clip posted above, the director shares his insights on the difference between acting and stand-up comedy -- a difference, he says, which is actually quite massive.

This weekend, Blake Lively is rendered ageless after an accident in the romantic drama "The Age of Adaline," Russell Crowe stars in "The Water Diviner," his directorial debut about an Australian man who travels to Turkey to locate his missing sons, and Nick Kroll moves in with Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale after his business crashes in "Adult Beginners."

Also in theaters this weekend: "Little Boy" follows an eight-year-old boy who is willing to do whatever it takes to end World War II so he can bring his father home. In "Misery Loves Comedy," over fifty famous filmmakers, writers, actors, and comedians share life and professional insights to answer the question: Do you have to be miserable to be funny?...

An exclusive clip from the doc Misery Loves Comedy.

"Watch Christopher Guest Explain How He Used Funny Noises to Get Other Kids In Trouble" was originally published on Film School Rejects for our wonderful readers to enjoy. It is not intended to be reproduced on other websites. If you aren't reading this in your favorite RSS reader or on Film School Rejects, you're being bamboozled. We hope you'll come find us and enjoy the best articles about movies, television and culture right from the source.

“When someone's off balance, that's the best time to hit someone,” Jim Gaffigan says in Kevin Pollak's breezy, chatty Misery Loves Comedy, a documentary that asks many comics big questions about the dispositions of comics — but doesn't often enough put anyone off balance, the audience included. The film is dedicated to the late Robin Williams, and in it Pollak invites comedians to chin-stroke on the truism, somewhat commonly held, that people who are funny professionally tend to be more miserable than the rest of us.

Amy Schumer asks, “Why do I want to make people laugh, but then I want to disappear, also?” And Jim Norton offers an inspired gloss on the old comedy-as-defense-mechanism saw: In school, hilarious insults proved one thing...

As you read this, the Tribeca Film Festival will be getting fully underway with Press and Industry Screenings of all their titles. Each year, they offer up something very unique in the world of independent cinema. I’ll be taking in some films at the fest and have seen a handful already, so the choices below are sometimes more than just educated guesses. Tribeca is a unique environment, offering up smaller flicks of all ilk, so there’s the possibility of discovering something new and exciting at all times. Still, what you’ll see below are some of the most interesting higher profile titles that are screening. Here are ten films playing at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival to keep an eye on… 10. Good Kill – A new Ethan Hawke collaboration with filmmaker Andrew Niccol, this is a look at the toll that working a drone can take on a man. It...

Watch: Comedy is a Drug for Jimmy Fallon in 'Misery Loves Comedy' Trailer Kevin Pollack's new documentary, "Misery Loves Comedy," features the revelations of more than 60 famous comedians, including Jimmy Fallon, Amy Schumer, Larry David, Steve Coogan, Tom Hanks and more. The film utilizes in-depth, candid interviews with these comedy greatsm who share anecdotes and insights into the comedy world that reveal a performer's deep desire to connect with audiences. In this clip from the film, comedy mogul Judd Apatow talks about his growing up as a very, very unpopular child. Maybe there is some truth to the idea of the comedian developing their sense of humor as a defense mechanism? "Misery Loves Comedy" will premiere April 22 at the Tribeca Film Festival, and is now available on VOD, iTunes and Amazon. Read More: 12 Indies to Watch on VOD This April: 'Lost River,' 'Ned Rifle...

Happy April Fools’ Day folks! I’m going to keep it serious here today though and give you a look at what the month of April has to offer in terms of theatrical releases. I’m going to be getting back into the rhythm of doing this every month, so consider this just the first of many. Obviously, there are more than the ten releases I’m mentioning, but this could wind up as the cream of the crop by the end of the month. I’ve also seen a good number of these, so that works as an added bonus in figuring out what to recommend… Here now are ten April releases to really look forward to: 10. Furious 7 – We all know that everyone is going to see this much hyped sequel staring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, so this is almost a besides the point mention. Still, in a lean-ish month like April,...

Comedy documentary, featuring Tom Hanks among others, premiered at Sundance.

Kaleidoscope Film Distribution (Kfd) has acquired Sundance documentary Misery Loves Comedy for UK release. The film asks more than 50 comedians “Do you really have to be miserable to be funny?”.

Directed by Kevin Pollak and featuring Tom Hanks, Matthew Perry, Jon Favreau, Jimmy Fallon, Judd Apatow, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Smith and more, it aims to provide a first-hand insight into just what makes a comedy mind tick.

Misery Loves Comedy was previously acquired for the Us by Tribeca Film, and will preview at MipTV before screening at Cannes, alongside Kfd’s other new documentary acquisitions, All American High Revisited and Hustlers Convention.

All American High Revisited goes back to 1984 when director Keva Rosenfeld spent 12 months documenting a foreign exchange student’s journey through her senior high school year.

The result was cult documentary All American High. ‘Revisited’ tracks down its stars 30 years later.

Hustlers Convention is the...

Tribeca Film Festival also announces four additional documentaries to screen during the festival as part of the series.

Tribeca Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for this year’s Tribeca Talks series.

Its Director Series will feature Chistopher Nolan with Bennett Miller, George Lucas with Stephen Colbert, Cary Fukunaga with James Schamus and Brad Bird with Janeane Garofalo, while Tribeca Talks Conversations will feature the likes of Harvey Weinstein and Alex Gibney.

Meanwhile, the festival has announced it will screen four additional feature documentary films as part of the Tribeca Talks: After the Movie series.

David Holbrooke’s The Diplomat and Robin Hauser Reynolds’ Code: Debugging the Gender Gap will receive their world premieres, while the festival will host the New York premieres of Brett Morgen’s Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck and Kevin Pollak’s Misery Loves Comedy.

This year’s Sloan retrospectve salute will be Good Will Hunting, followed by a conversation...

Tribeca Film Festival also announces four additional documentaries to screen during the festival as part of the series.

Tribeca Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for this year’s Tribeca Talks series.

Its Director Series will feature Chistopher Nolan with Bennett Miller, George Lucas with Stephen Colbert, Cary Fukunaga with James Schamus and Brad Bird with Janeane Garofalo, while Tribeca Talks Conversations will feature the likes of Harvey Weinstein and Alex Gibney.

Meanwhile, the festival has announced it will screen four additional feature documentary films as part of the Tribeca Talks: After the Movie series.

David Holbrooke’s The Diplomat and Robin Hauser Reynolds’ Code: Debugging the Gender Gap will receive their world premieres, while the festival will host the New York premieres of Brett Morgen’s Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck and Kevin Pollak’s Misery Loves Comedy.

This year’s Sloan retrospectve salute will be Good Will Hunting, followed by a conversation...

What does it take to make people laugh? A strong will to survive and the ability to deal with failure better than anyone else sure helps, as evidenced in the first trailer for Misery Loves Comedy. Tribeca Film has released this first sneak peek, which includes such comedy luminaries as Jimmy Fallon, Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow, David Koechner, Steve Coogan, Maria Bamford, Jim Gaffigan, Larry David and Tom Hanks.

There are over 60 famous funny people featured in this hilarious twist on the age-old truth: misery loves company. In-depth, candid interviews with some of the most revered comedy greats who each share their unique path and a life devoted to making strangers laugh. With arresting anecdotes and insights from the comedy underbelly that reveal a performer's deep desire to connect with audiences, Kevin Pollack's Misery Loves Comedy is the definitive master class on the art of humor that details a...

Misery Loves Comedy is one of the films I wish I could have seen at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. It was presented as a special screening, slotted at a very inconvenient time all the way on the top of Main Street at the Egyptian. Thankfully, actor/comedian Kevin Pollak‘s documentary film was sold at Sundance […]

The post ‘Misery Loves Comedy’ Trailer: Kevin Pollak’s Documentary About Comedians appeared first on /Film.

Watch: Jimmy Fallon Photobombs With Chris Pratt & Chris Evans, Spoofs the 'Fresh Prince' in La Return Kevin Pollack's "Misery Loves Comedy" is a treasure trove of comedy royalty, featuring Jimmy Fallon, Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow, Steve Coogan, Maria Bamford, Jim Gaffigan, Larry David and more. The film features more than 60 famous comedians and is comprised of in-depth, candid interviews with some of the comedy greats who share anecdotes and insights into the comedy world that reveal a performer's deep desire to connect with audiences. In the trailer, we see a handful of famous comedians share what drew them to comedy in the first place, or as Kevin Pollack puts it, "Is there a way to explain why any of us chooses being the center of attention as a career?" The anecdotes they share in the trailer are funny and insightful, and the film is sure to be an interesting watch for any comedy fan.

After premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, the documentary Misery Loves Comedy, marking the directorial debut of comedian and character actor Kevin Pollak, is arriving this spring. With a cavalcade of comics and actors, from Amy Schumer to Tom Hanks to Judd Apatow to Larry David, all these comedians talk about the craft of being funny, and just what it takes to make it happen. Do comedians have to be miserable to be funny, or is there more to it than that? There's also a quote from yours truly there in the trailer (read my full review here), and it's definitely worth checking out. Watch below! Here's the trailer for Kevin Pollak's Misery Loves Comedy, originally from Facebook: You can read my full Sundance review for Misery Loves Comedy right here. Jimmy Fallon, Tom Hanks, Amy Schumer, Jim Gaffigan, Judd Apatow, Larry David and Jon Favreau are among over...

The World Narrative and Documentary Competition film selections for the 14th annual Tribeca Film Festival were made on Tuesday. The list marks the first half of the festival’s film slate and the films chosen include: “The Adderall Diaries,” directed and written by Pamela Romanowsky; “Dixieland,” directed and written by Hank Bedford; “Men Go to Battle,” directed and written by Zachary Treitz, co-written by Kate Lyn Sheil, “The Survivalist,” directed and written by Stephen Fingleton; and “Autism in Love,” directed by Matt Fuller. Also Read: Sundance: Kevin Pollak’s Documentary ‘Misery Loves Comedy’ Sold to Tribeca Film Selections for the Viewpoints section,...

Kevin Pollak's documentary "Misery Loves Comedy" has a cute pun of a title that also draws attention to the film's primary flaw. Had Pollak just called his first directing foray "My Friends Talk About Comedy" or "White Comedians Love Misery," I probably could have just felt that this was one person polling a bunch of chums on a subject of mutual interest and accepted its limitations. But "Misery Loves Comedy" spends its entire runtime on a series of talking-head interviews with various comedians and on grand pronouncement after another, different variably famous stand-ups keep saying what "comedians" are like and what "comedy" is about. And given the composition of Pollak's panel of experts, I'm afraid that's ludicrous. With dozens of comics participating, the total number of African-American comics featured in the entire documentary? One. Whoopi Goldberg is brought in to summarize one Richard Pryor routine. She does that and nothing more.

Most of the documentaries we discuss each year focus on serious, important issues -- topics that are newsworthy and with purpose. The kind of stuff that may help change the world one day. But that doesn't mean docs can't offer up a good laugh, too. With an influx of amusing documentaries on the Sundance Film Festival docket this year, we couldn't help but wonder whether 2015 would become the year of the funny doc. Here are a few we liked the most. Misery Loves Comedy Do you have to be miserable to be funny? This is the question Kevin Pollak eventually asks as he has comedians open up about their day (and night) job. Comedians like Tom Hanks, Larry David, Jimmy Fallon, Judd Apatow, Marc Maron,and Amy Schumer -- plus actors such as Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sam...

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It was American humorist Erma Bombeck who is credited is saying that “there is a thin line that separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humor and hurt.” In the documentary program of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, this is a topic oft explored. From the quite literal exploration in Kevin Pollak’s Misery Loves Comedy to the less overt themes in Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon, there were many instances of both pain and laughter, especially in the creation of great comedy. It is through these docs that Sundance explored the minds and eccentricities behind what makes us laugh. Let’s explore. Misery Loves Comedy In what began as a Kickstarter project for Kevin Pollak, the actor, comedian, filmmaker, podcaster and everyman of entertainment struggles to keep himself unheard as he interviews many of his most revered contemporaries about their lives in comedy. Though we don’t mind, as...

Park City, Ut — Tribeca’s distribution arm, Tribeca Film announced Friday it has acquired North American rights to Kevin Pollak’s directorial debut “Misery Loves Comedy.”

The film premiered the same day at the Sundance Film Festival. The Heretic Films and NewAley Pictures production is written by Pollak and John Varhous, and produced by Becky Newhall, Burton Ritchie and Barry Katz. Ben Galecki, Ashton Newhall, Liz Davidson and Jess Ravich are the executive producers. Tribeca is targeting a 2015 spring release.

Tom Hanks, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Lisa Kudrow, Larry David, Steve Coogan, Jim Gaffigan, and Whoopi Goldberg are among over 60 famous funny people featured in the film, which aims to shine a light on the strange profession of making strangers laugh.

“As a first time director, I couldn’t ask for more than the thrill and assurance I’ve received from the entire team at Tribeca.

Comedy is one of those magical things that can bring complete strangers together, all laughing as an instinctual response to a stand-up comedian, an online sketch, a motion picture, or a television series. And while we all know what we find funny, it's seemingly impossible to truly pinpoint just where the comedy comes from. These comedians, writers, actors, etc. all know how to make us laugh, but how do they know? Actor and first-time filmmaker Kevin Pollak sets out to answer the question of whether or not comedians have to be miserable in order to be funny, based on the frequency of talents with tragedy early in their lives. Misery Loves Comedy is a simple and straightforward comedy that lets the parade of incredible comedic talent take the spotlight. Stand-up comedians like Jim Gaffigan, Maria Bamford, Jimmy Fallon and Mike Birbiglia, actors like Tom Hanks and Sam Rockwell, directors like Jason Reitman,...

A first sampling of Sundance offerings reveals illuminating documentaries and compelling, if not perfect, narratives

A bit of friendly advice to the producers of “Ten Thousand Saints”: Please, please, please get rid of the opening narration in which the protagonist observes that life is like a river. It’s the worst line of dialogue in the whole movie, and it starts the proceedings off with a cringe.

Luckily, the script (by directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, adapting the novel by Eleanor Henderson) gets better from there. After the death of his best friend Teddy (Avan Jogia, also...

The specialty label will also be selling three films in Berlin

Sunrise Pictures has formed Terror Films, a specialty division that will focus on development, finance, production, sales and distribution of horror, sci-fi and thriller films.

The films will be targeted for limited theatrical, television and ancillary markets like VOD and Redbox.

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Sunrise CEO Peter Schafer and executives Joe Dain, Jim Klock and Miles Fineburg will oversee the genre label.

Terror recently signed a multiple-picture deal with foreign sales company Automatic Entertainment, headed by Michael Lurie and Jeffrey Giles.

The Rustam Branaman film will be released theatrically on May 1

Gravitas Ventures has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the Rustam Branaman drama “Any Day” starring Sean Bean, Eva Longoria and Kate Walsh, the company announced Friday.

Vian McLean (Bean) is an ex-fighter who is filled with resentment. He killed a man with his bare hands and has just spent the last 12 years in prison for the crime. Upon his release, he stays with his sister Bethley (Walsh) and her son Jimmy, who looks up to his uncle as the greatest man he has ever known.

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Sundance: In another preemptive move that has kept the news flowing in the first two days in Park City, the distributor announced it has acquired North American rights to Kevin Pollak’s directorial debut.

Misery Loves Comedy premieres on Friday (January 23) and features numerous talking heads discussing the art of making people laugh.

Interviewees include Tom Hanks, Jimmy Fallon, Amy Schumer, Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Lisa Kudrow, Larry David, Steve Coogan, Jim Gaffigan and Whoopi Goldberg.

Tribeca has earmarked a spring release for the Heretic Films and NewAley Pictures production.

Pollak and John Varhous co-wrote the script and Becky Newhall, Burton Ritchie and Barry Katz produced. Ben Galecki, Ashton Newhall, Liz Davidson and Jess Ravich are the executive producers.

Tribeca Film brokered the deal with UTA Independent Film Group.

Tribeca Film has acquired North American distribution rights to Kevin Pollak's documentary "Misery Loves Comedy," which world premieres today at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. From Heretic Films and NewAley Pictures, "Misery Loves Comedy" finds Pollak candidly interviewing dozens of the biggest names in comedy, from Jimmy Fallon and Amy Schumer to Judd Apatow, Jon Favreau, Lisa Kudrow, Larry David, Steve Coogan, Jim Gaffigan and Whoopi Goldberg. As the subjects share their unique paths to making people laugh with hilarious anecdotes and insights into the underbelly of the comedy world, "Misery Loves Comedy" becomes a master class on the art of humor and its rare ability to help us understand life. "'Misery Loves Comedy' is a fascinating, unparalleled look inside the minds of some of the greatest and most beloved comedians of our time," said Todd Green, general manager of Tribeca Film. "Kevin Pollak has made...

The movie features Tom Hanks, Jimmy Fallon, Judd Apatow, Kevin Smith, Lisa Kudrow and many more

Tribeca Film is acquiring North American rights to Kevin Pollak’s directorial debut “Misery Loves Comedy,” which makes its world premiere Friday at the Sundance Film Festival. Tribeca announced it is targeting a spring 2015 release.

The talking-head documentary, a Heretic Films and NewAley Pictures production, was written by Pollak and John Varhous, and produced by Becky Newhall, Burton Ritchie and Barry Katz. Ben Galecki, Ashton Newhall, Liz Davidson and Jess Ravich served as executive producers.

Also Read: Sundance Party Report in Pictures: The Snowy...