Tomorrow, HBO kicks off its week-long annual U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, generally considered to be the largest and most anticipated venue for established and upcoming stand-up, writer's panels, and comedy film screenings. You'll have to visit the website for the full, massive schedule, but here are some of the highlights.
Stand-Up:
George Carlin
Steven Wright
Michael Showalter
Marc Maron
Mary Lynn Rajskub
Nora Dunn
Alan Zwiebel
Andy Milonakis
John Oliver
Josh Blue
Dave Hill
Daniel Tosh
Charlyne Yi
Films:
The Don Rickles Project, a new documentary on the comedian directed by John Landis.
The Host, the beloved Korean monster dramedy, which opens in theaters March 30.
Severance, a slasher comedy set in the world of office team-building retreats.
Selected scenes from The Comebacks, a football spoof from the producers of Wedding Crashers, starring David Koechner.
Colour Me Kubrick, starring John Malkovich as a Stanley Kubrick impostor.
Certifiably Jonathan, a new documentary about Jonathan Winters, featuring Robin Williams, Jeffrey Tambor, Sarah Silverman, Tim Conway, Nora Dunn, Rob Reiner, and Ryan Stiles.
Eagle vs. Shark, an oddball New Zealand romance that won over many a Sundance fan.
Rocket Science, another Sundance favorite about a stutterer who becomes a debate team champ, from the director of the Spellbound documentary.
A screening of Buster Keaton's The General with a live orchestra.
I'm Reed Fish, starring Apatow favorite Jay Baruchel as a radio advice guru, also starring Schuyler Fisk, Alexis Bledel, DJ Qualls, and Chris Parnell.
Death at a Funeral, Franz Oz's new dark comedy about a dysfunctional British family, starring Alan Tudyk and Peter Dinklage.
Delirious, starring Steve Buscemi as a shameless paparazzi, also starring Michael Pitt, Alison Lohman, Gina Gershon, and Elvis Costello, from writer-director Tom DiCillo (Living in Oblivion).
Heckler, Jamie Kennedy's new documentary on handling hecklers and critics, featuring Dave Attell, Bill Maher, Patton Oswalt, Judah Friedlander, Mike White, Carrie Fisher, George Lucas, Rob Zombie, and Ron Jeremy.
Cook-Off!, an improvised mockumentary about a chef competition, starring the Reno 911! trio of Wendi McLendon-Covey, Cedric Yarbrough, and Niecy Nash, plus Stephen Root, Diedrich Bader, Phil LaMarr, Mo Collins, Louie Anderson, and Sam Pancake. McLendon-Covey worked on the "scriptment" as well.
Closing Escrow, a real estate satire featuring Wendi McLendon-Covey and Cedric Yarbrough (again.)
Goodnight, Vagina, a short film with Cheryl Hines as a woman getting a...new vagina?
Starter for 10, starring James McAvoy as a British university student who dreams of being on the institution's TV quiz show team, from producer Tom Hanks.
American Fork, about an obese bag boy who dreams of becoming an actor, starring William Baldwin and Mary Lynn Rajskub.
The Valet, from the writer of La Cage Aux Folles, about a parking attendant who has to live with a beautiful supermodel in order to keep her adultering boyfriend's wife unsuspicious.
The festival will also feature Q&As with the creators and stars of Entourage and the new The Winner, as well as the presentation of HBO's Man of the Year award to Stephen Colbert. As always, if you get to attend any of these events, and have videos, pictures, or comments to share, drop 'em by the office. Or the comments section. Whatever's closer.
