The 50 Greatest Comedies of All Time (cont’d.)
<— Click here to see #50 – 26
25. Spaceballs
Starring Bill Pullman, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Daphne Zuniga, and Mel Brooks as both President Scroob and Yogurt, Spaceballs is a slapstick parody of science fiction films such as Star Trek, Alien, Planet of the Apes, and of course Star Wars. While initially receiving mixed reviews it has since become one of Mel Brooks’ most popular films thanks to its cult status.
24. The Blues Brothers
Released in 1980 and directed by John Landis, The Blues Brothers is the second-highest grossing film based on a Saturday Night Live skit. The brothers were on a mission from God to clean up their act as they try to save the orphanage that they called home in their youth. This franchise has grown into much more over the years, including concerts, musicals, video games, bars, and restaurants.
23. The Big Lebowski
The Coen Brothers’ comedic masterpiece, The Big Lebowski is a surrealistic movie populated by oddball characters, creating a hysterical, unique movie. The Dude, Walter and Donny bowl and bumble their way through a kidnapping investigation. Jeff Bridges’ most beloved character.
22. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Jim Carrey was just “the white guy” on In Living Color before this ridiculously premised film debut. To an 18 year old high school senior the humor in this film was a dream come true- the man talked out of his ass for crying out loud. After this release Jim Carrey became a mega-comedic star and we were blessed with such gems as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask and even a second Ace Ventura, although its the first Ace that hits my funny bone and always reminds me to put the ‘laces out’.
21. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad
The first film of a series based on the short lived show, The Naked Gun is a slapstick comedy that was both a critical and commercial success. Starring Leslie Nielson and Priscilla Presley, it brought bumbling detective Frank Drebin to the big screen where he belongs.
20. ¡Three Amigos!
The jokes in this movie appealed to the 12 year old me when I first saw it, and the 36 year old me today. Perhaps then it was different jokes, or for different reasons, but to me this movie never gets old. Chevy Chase, Steve Martin and Martin Short were an 80s comedy dream team, and although this film initially garnered mixed reviews, general fondness seems to have grown with age. Bravo only ranked it as high as #79 on their 100 Funniest Movies list, but they seem like the type of network that would shoot the Invisible Swordsman.
19. Coming To America
Another Eddie Murphy “fish out of water” tale, this one has him star as Akeem, Prince of Zamunda, who travels to America in search of a bride. Along with Semmi (played by Arsenio Hall) they immerse themselves into the culture of Queens, NY, shedding his riches for a lower case lifestyle. This movie is responsible for the multi roles Eddie would juggle in future films (The Nutty Professor, Bowfinger, etc). Murphy and Hall lead a talented cast in this laugh riot. The barbershop scene (among other scenes) is still quoted today, some twenty plus years later.
18. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
When this film came out in 1997 it was not a major success. My friends and I thought we had a diamond in the rough that no one else knew about. Then when the VHS came out and momentum built, our little unknown comedy was no longer under the radar. Sequels followed and the humor became slightly dated, but it’s the first film about the exploits of another “fish out of water” sixties super spy that still holds up and makes me horny, baby. YEAH!
17. Tropic Thunder
Another Ben Stiller-directed film makes the list. The film is unapologetically funny, whether it’s the discussion of how to win an Oscar (“Everybody knows you never go full retard”) or Stiller doing ‘Simple Jack’ (“I’ll see you again tonight when I go to bed in my head movies. But this head movie makes my eyes rain!”) This is one of those movies that you always stop at and watch when channel surfing on a Friday night.
16. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Offensive, Sexist, Racist, Homophobic, Xenophobic, Anti-Semitic, and oh yes, funny as hell. Sacha Baron Cohen unleashes a work of comedic performance art on the world that is beyond brilliance. Staying in character and ad libbing as he goes, the character of Borat exposes the failings of others for our benefit. Great Success!
15. Beetlejuice
After Barbara & Adam Maitland (Geena Davis & Alec Baldwin) die, they commission zany and obnoxious ‘bio-exorcist’ Beetlejuice (masterfully portrayed by Michael Keaton) to rid their New England house of the new yuppie home owners. Come for Keaton’s creepy, repulsive ghoul, but stay for the perfectly choreographed “Banana Boat Song” scene as the Maitland’s take a shot at haunting the Deets’. One of Tim Burton’s finest.
14. The Hangover
The surprise comedic hit of 2009, The Hangover received both critical praise and popular approval. Starring Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, and Zach Galifianakis, it presented a different take of the often attempted and sometimes failed story of the weekend gone wrong in Vegas. Its success has spawned a less popular sequel, and a yet-to-be-filmed final installment of the trilogy to be released in 2013.
13. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
The third film in the National Lampoon’s Vacation series, Christmas Vacation is the only one in which the Griswold family stays home, still resulting in disastrous consequences for Clark and kin. This film, perhaps more than any of the other vacation films has a high level of rewatchability due to its place as a modern holiday classic.
12. Tommy Boy
The first of the pair of buddy road comedies starring the late Chris Farley and David Spade (Black Sheep was the other), Tommy Boy initially opened big at the box office, but was received poorly by critics. Still, it holds on today as a fan favorite and has a loyal cult following, in no small part due to Farley’s untimely death.
11. Fletch
Chevy Chase’s stars in 5 of the movies on this list, and that’s no coincidence. Most of the other films involve Chase as a part of an ensemble, but Fletch was all Chevy. A prequel starring everyone from Jason Lee to Zach Braff has been rumored for almost a decade now, but Fletch is one of those characters that we identify so closely with the actor who portrayed him, that it could never match the quality of the original.
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