I’ve been thinking of watching some more movies recently and comedies are my favorite genre. However, it’s also a genre that’s difficult to pull off well, and probably at least somewhat subjective.
So, sneakily asking for recommendations, I’m going to ask what your all time favorite comedy movies are.
I’ll share my personal favorites too, as well as some I recently had seen and enjoyed. I’ll limit myself to movies that are available in English, otherwise a few Italian movies would also make the list.
Blues Brothers (1980) Mix together a cool retro music act, the Chicago Police Department and Carrie Fisher with a rocket launcher, and what do you get? One of the coolest and most fun movies ever, even if not laugh out loud material.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Love the Bomb (1964) A timeless classic slash terryfing 1960s satire of warmongering that feels still fresh and relevant today, for better or worse.
OSS 117: Cairo, a Nest of Spies (2006) Spy movie parodies are a favorite of mine, and this French movie is one of the best. Taking the reactionary undertones of those old movies, and mercilessly mocking them.
A Shot in the Dark (1964) Fun classic whodunit movie. Not much else to say.
Top Secret, by the same people who made Airplane. I think it’s actually the funnier of the two.
- Airplane (1980) - a million jokes a minute, and somehow most of them land
- Austin Power (1997) - To be honest, I like the whole trilogy. The shtick gets old, but I think each one could stank on its own.
- The Birdcage (1996) - I hate the son so much, but Nathan Lane and Robin Williams are great (Hank Azaria too)
- Bridesmaids (2011) - Been awhile since I’ve seen it, but I remember liking it
- I’m Gonne Git You Sucka (1988) - Another one that it’s been a while, but some of it probably doesn’t hold up
- Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
- Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
- Matilda (1996)
- My Cousin Vinny (1992)
- Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
- A New Leaf (1971)
- Office Space (1999)
- School of Rock (2003)
- Serial Mom (1994)
- Smokey and the Bandit (1977) - Jackie Gleason is great in this
- Step Brothers (2008) - Will Ferrell doesn’t always work for me, but he and John C. Reilly we born to play these roles
- What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - I haven’t seen the show, but the movie is great
I gave up thinking of comments for all of them, but here’s my list.
You should really check out the What We Do In The Shadows series, final season just wrapped so it’s a great time to get into it.
Office Space yep good rec
did you touch my drum set?
Kung Pow! Enter the Fist is the greatest comedy movie ever.
Kung Fu Hustle is peak, and actually from China.
Have you watched most of Stephen Chow’s movies?
the classic 90s hong kong ones are very good in that stupid wacky 90s HK way, even though it’s a bit spoiled by him being a huge dick to everyone and still always getting the girl in the end
Yeah I’ve noticed that’s a recurring theme in his catalog. Just kind of assumed his characters aren’t written to be good people despite being the protagonist.
I’ve seen Shaolin Soccer. Also a fun one.
God of Cookery, King of Comedy and From Beijing With Love are all worth checking out if you liked Kung Fu Hustle/Shaolin Soccer.
Shit, how could I forget this movie?
Jump that wall, if you’re so great!
I am bleeding. Making me the victor!
Burn After Reading is one that I keep coming back introducing new friends too.
Bit of a Oblique recommendation but Jackie Chan movies have some GOAT physical Comedy
The Birdcage. Robin Williams and Nathan Lane are a gay couple that have to pretend to be straight.
I have about a billion favorite comedy movies but a lot of the others were mentioned by someone else except for Super Troopers.
The opening scene is one of the funniest things I’ve ever watched, rest of the movie fulfills its promise IMO
Oh that’s a good one. There’s also the Swedish movie Kopps, which does have a few banger scenes and is overall decent.
Snatch (2000) - The Jewish and Russian mobs go on a joint venture to steal an 86 karat diamond from the Antwerp Diamond Exhange. After pulling off their heist, the stone goes through multiple hands in London’s criminal underworld as various characters try to steal it for themselves.
Mean Girls (2004) - Cady has spent her whole life being homeschooled by her scientist parents all over Africa studying wildlife. But now her parents have brought her back home to the US and Cady finds herself a stranger in a strange land.
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) - Two stoner fuckup slackers get the munchies and decide the only thing that will satisfy them are hamburger sliders from White Castle. The night goes awry when they find out the nearest White Castle closed. Neil Patrick Harris steals the show as he plays an alter-ego of himself that’s a straight, horny, dudebro. A lot of lines in this movie were improvised.
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil (2010) - Hillbillies Tucker and Dale are on vacation to renovate Tucker’s newly inherited cabin out in the woods. One night they rescue a young woman who falls unconscious into a lake. The woman’s friends, however, assume she’s been abducted. Unfortunately for Tucker and Dale, these friends choose violence to get her back.
Bottoms (2023) - Two highschool girls decide to start a women-only after school fight club as an extracurricular activity so they can get into the pants of their cheerleader crushes.
Rat Race (2001) - A Las Vegas casino owner entertains his wealthy high rollers by holding a contest for a group of random casino guests to race to New Mexico where there’s a dufflebag containing 2 million dollars.
Rat race is a classic
other people are saying it but I’m saying Office Space too
It perfectly encapsulates the mundane horror of being a cog in the corporate machine which is very comforting to me as someone who genuinely cannot bear to stomach that type of environment - that inhuman, detached social behavior - and for that I love it immensely. I’ve had so many people treat me like I’m completely unhinged for despising corporate employment as much as I do, so seeing a whole movie that reacts to it the same way I do is downright relaxing.
just wish it had a better ending, but I still enjoy it every time I see it
Dr. Strangelove is one of the all-time greats.
Any Coen Brothers film is probably up there. Even their dramas are often laugh-outloud funny. O Brother Where Art Thou and A Serious Man stick out to me rn. Big Lebowkski of course.
I remember Obvious Child (2014) being a cute romcom about getting an abortion.
Lethal Weapon 2 (where the bad guys are South African fascists) and The Rock are great action comedies. So is Beverly Hills Cop.
Palm Springs (2020) was a pretty good Groundhog Day romcom.
Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums if you can handle movies about rich white people
Triangle of Sadness (2022) is a pretty funny one-time watch that features a Marxist captain who only listened to The Internationale and quotes Lenin.
While The Substance (2024) is a lot of things simultaneously it’s also a comedy and it’s fucking hilarious. If you get a chance to see it on a repertory cinema I’d highly recommend watching it in a crowd.
The Substance was just “me shouting ‘YESSSS’ for thirty minutes at the end simulator”
Oh I forgot I made posts in the past recommending Walker (1987) https://hexbear.net/post/259396, a satire on real life filibuster William Walker
And Beyond the Infinite 2 Minutes (2021) a very funny and impressive Japanese time loop flick that is done as a single cut https://hexbear.net/post/2076504?scrollToComments=false
I’ve seen Palm Springs yesterday, actually. Not too innovative in plot, but entertaining. Was a fun movie.
Also I watched The Big Lebowski last week and I was left thinking it’s good, but no masterpiece. But now I look at it differently. It has a vibe few movies have. That Blues Brothers style this is an adventure, and we have sunglasses on. Gotta find more movies like that.
What We Do In The Shadows
I’d add Hunt for the Wilderpeople as another pretty great Taika Waititi comedy.
Dumb & Dumber, Hot Fuzz, Austin Powers (the first one sequels suck).
I don’t ever watch comedy so I have pleb taste.
Austin Powers is fun. I recently watched all three with some comrades.
The first one is the best, true.
The penis enlarger pump bit always makes me laugh.
Does drunken master count
They Came Together made me laugh so hard during one scene I had to pause for a good few minutes to collect myself. Such a funny movie in general.
I was SHOCKED at how good it was. Absolutely amazing.
Quick edit: oooo what scene got you?
the scene with Bubbie 🤣😭
Hahahaha hell yeah
I just watched this movie like two weeks ago, after listening to a review of it on The Worst Year of our Lives (rest in peace, Big Cat) and they were totally right about how hilarious it is. I had never heard of it before!
aw dang yeah, RIP :( — i can’t remember where i heard of the movie but once i realized it was the same people who made Wet Hot American Summer i was in board. that movie is so funny as well.
Oh god the “going into town” scene is one of my favorite comedy scenes EVER
In the loop.
Good call. Death of Stalin is fun too
