Ever since the Oscars wrapped, we've heard at least two people bemoan the fact that it can be hard for comedies to get their golden due on the Kodak stage. That's not entirely true -- seems like "Little Miss Sunshine" stood in the sun a few years back -- but we get the general vibe. Comedies deserve some big ol' splashy award show love, some showering of affection, some tears, some thank yous, some air kisses. Oh, comedies crave the air kisses.
The LA Comedy Shorts Film Festival, a four-day party devoted to -- don't be shocked -- comedy shorts, is ready to air kiss, to embrace, to dip directors and actors and writers in a low, dramatic smooching a la Adrien Brody and Halle Berry. Thursday's opening night includes a ton of sit-back-and-grin goodies, including "nowassitall" featuring Aisha Tyler (the always-makes-us-laugh lady is also hosting during the opener). But there's a bunch of other hilarious films to feast upon as well.
Then, after that, we can only describe the rest of the weekend as a giant, bubbling, simmering cauldron of ha-ha that someone probably needs to take off the stove and yet no one will. On the schedule: oodles of short flickage, milling-about talented people, mucho guffaw-able product. There are contests involved, money to be given away to winners who are deemed the most drollish, and, of course, fun from Funny or Die, those current kings, or impish jesters, of the comedy shorts world.
LA Comedy Shorts Festival 2009
March 5-8
$10 regular screenings/$35 single day pass
Downtown Independent Theatre, 251 S. Main Street, Los Angeles
