Why its important for comedy fans to go to movie theaters this weekend
May 25, 2023 Matt Kleinschmidt Bert Kreischer, Features, Movies, Sebastian Maniscalco
You might not know it, but this weekend is and important one for the future of comedy movies. Perhaps one of the more important ones we’ve had in a long time. It’s also why you should make every effort you can to get to the theaters to support.
You see, there are two major comedy films premiering in theaters, Bert Kreischer’s first-ever and semi-autobiographical movie The Machine and Sebastian Maniscalo’s co-written flick About My Father, which is at least based on his act filled with wild stories about his Italian family.
Both films star incredibly popular stand-up comedians, are loosely based on aspects of said comic’s lives, star major actors as the dads (Mark Hamill as Kreischer’s dad and Robert DeNiro as Maniscalco’s dad).
They also represent, for the first time in a long time, American comedy films being released in actual movie theaters that don’t star “sure thing” known comedy leads. Sorry Adam Sandler, Kevin Hart, or Will Ferrell but perhaps its time to get some new blood out in theaters.
The big thing to take note here is that in the time of superhero franchises, we’ve seen all of Hollywood’s attention and money get absorbed in the process, smaller films haven’t had the attention they once did a few years back, those that do manage to get the life from investors seems to be reserved for mostly Oscar-bait flicks and horror genres and not comedy. These movies were also filmed on relatively modest budgets and have the potential to lead the way for comedy movies to have a movie theater renaissance and regaled to a streaming service. So, a film made for $20M can be lucrative if it makes more than its money back if people just go see them.
So, the point we’re trying to make here? If you want to see comedy movies come back to theaters where you can have a shared experience and laugh your asses off, you need to support the ones that are being made and right now. The pickings have been few and far between the last few years as it’s been 10+ years since the big comedy ruled the theaters (films like Old School, The Hangover, Bridesmaids). Not a dramady or indie indie quirky film and it seems like now is a perfect time for a big, broad comedy to make a comeback in movie theaters.
We grew up loving punk rock shows and going to see bands at the local VFW halls. There were not many places that would book these kind of shows (particularly all ages matinees). There always seemed to an underlying mentality amongst the people going, and it was that you went to theses events as often as possible regardless of whether or not your favorite band was headlining. And you did it so the venue would continue to put on these shows and bands you actually did love could tour through your town and have a place to play. Our thesis here is similar, if you don’t support comedy films in theaters, you will not have future comedy films in theaters.
The Machine and About My Father are in theaters starting tonight (Thursday, May 25th) will you be?
