The Funniest Comedies Ever

Mean Girls
      2004 | USA | Laughs: 7.2 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.0
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

A sixteen-year-old who has been home-schooled in Africa enters a high-school in the States. All of a sudden, she must adjust to a world where the nicest smile is often used to cover the meanest intentions. The plot is nothing special, but it's a fun watch—I smiled a lot and laughed a few times. (Last viewed: December 2013)

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Date Night
      2010 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.3
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Once a week, to overcome the routine, a married couple with two turbulent kids hire a baby-sitter and treat themselves to their "date night"—usually a tame affair at a local family restaurant. One week, on a whim, they drive to nearby Manhattan, where everything goes terribly wrong and they soon find themselves chased by blood-thirsty mobsters. The two lead actors did a good job and the film had funny moments, but there was too much filler in between. The cast cannot be blamed for the tiresome plot. I'd suggest skipping this one. (Last viewed: December 2013)

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Ghost Town
      2008 | USA | Laughs: 7.2 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.7
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After dying for a few minutes during minor surgery, a selfish New York dentist starts to see ghosts who pester him to help them with their unfinished business. One of them leads the dentist to grow fond of his ex-wife. I liked this movie a lot. The story was good, it was well put together and it made me laugh. Ricky Gervais does not always work for me, but he did a great job, as did the other actors. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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Adventureland
      2009 | USA | Laughs: 2.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.8
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

To pay for his first term at college, a high-school graduate spends the Summer working at an adventure park in his home town. There are good characters and the movie is endearing—just don't watch this expecting to laugh, as it's a light-hearted movie rather than a true comedy. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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Seven Psychopaths
      2012 | U.K. | Laughs: 3.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This movie may have a laugh lurking somewhere, but making you laugh is really not its main purpose. It's an edgy composition in the tradition of Adaptation, and it will please fans of artsy multi-layered scripts. For my taste, that form of storytelling is over-labored. Yet I found enough to enjoy in this film, which involves a Hollywood writer working on a script about psychopaths and running into more real-life material to inspire his story than he feels comfortable with. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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Choke
      2008 | USA | Laughs: 2.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This is definitely not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it is an excellent light-hearted movie. Summarizing the plot would do severe injustice to this beautifully layered film, so I'll just say that the story involves two men with addictions, a mother in a mental hospital run by nuns, a good friend, a nurse, Heimlich maneuvers, the staff of a historic colonial village, and a big surprise near the end. Despite the occasional nudity, there is none of the usual exploitation of the female body. The movie features the two least gratuitous scenes of intercourse I have ever seen on film. A must-watch. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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The Way Way Back
      2013 | USA | Laughs: 3.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A teenager spending the Summer in Cape Cod escapes his family by taking a job at a water park. This is certainly not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it's a good movie in the light-hearted movie. I did have a couple of good laughs thanks to the character of the water park supervisor (Sam Rockwell), who carries the bulk of the film's comedic power. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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Spinning Boris
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 1.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.7
      wikipedia | who was involved?

IMDB wrongly labels this movie as a comedy. It's a good movie, but don't expect to laugh. Three American campaign political advisers are hired to help run the reelection campaign of Russian president Boris Yeltsin. Australian Anthony LaPaglia makes a convincing American, and I'm always happy to see Jeff Goldblum. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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This Is the End
      2013 | USA | Laughs: 3.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.6
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A group of Hollywood celebrities barricade themselves in a house on the day of the Apocalypse. Apart from a few good lines from Jonah Hill, much of the humor in this film stems from the grotesque nature of the plot and situation. Usually, when a movie is bad that is because it fails at what it sets out to do, but that is far from the case here. In essence, it seems to me that the producers tried to make a "cult movie" (something that is so bad that it becomes good for a certain audience), and they achieved that goal to perfection. If you're into cult movies you will probably enjoy this. I'm not, hence the low rating. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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Sione's 2: Unfinished Business
      2012 | New Zealand | Laughs: 0.6 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.0
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This sequel of the mediocre Sione's Wedding is simply unwatchable—and that's a shame. The actors are certainly capable of the kind of performance required of the comedy genre, the Samoan cultural background is as interesting as ever, and Auckland is a nice city to shoot a movie. What's missing is a script and a director. The four friends embark on a search for another member of their community who has gone missing. Watching the story is like wafting through sludge. Given all of the movie's fore-mentioned assets I wanted to give it a chance, but 38 minutes into the movie I just couldn't take any more and had to turn it off. It pains me to say this because I love local cinema and don't wish to offend New Zealanders, but one is left wishing that the New Zealand film industry outsourced the making of more movies in their country to real pros from places where they know how to make movies forwards and backwards, such as the US, France, Italy or Germany. (Last viewed: October 2013)

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Sione's Wedding (a.k.a Samoan Wedding)
      2006 | New Zealand | Laughs: 4.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This is probably one of the better put-together movies to come out of New Zealand—the country's films are notorious for campy plots, scripts and production. Yet it's far from tight, far indeed from the heights of Eagle vs. Shark. The priest of a Samoan community in Auckland informs four notorious drinkers and trouble-makers that if they want to attend the wedding of their friend Sione, they will have to bring someone, not just a casual date but a proper girlfriend. The plot is dull and predictable, but some of the characters are endearing, and it is easy to smile along as the four young men's adventures follow their inevitable course. That said, I don't think that even the film's comical peak (the elevator scene) managed to make us break a proper laugh. But it's refreshing to see a different cultural group at the center of a mainstream film, and if you have any interest in Pacifika, surely Sione's Wedding will be worth a watch. Just make sure to pick a day when you are in an undemanding mood. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Mental
      2012 | Australia | Laughs: 6.5 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.2
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A mentally unstable woman is hired to supervise the five mentally unstable daughters of a mentally unstable housewife. But in the sterile Australian suburbia just south of the Gold Coast, who is really mental—the normal people or the loonies? Supercharged with female hormones, this movie gets loud at times, but it is well-constructed by the unreliable standards of Australia's movie industry. It delivers a couple laughs, lots of grinning, and a pleasant couple of hours in the company of Toni Colette, who rarely disappoints. (Last viewed: September 2013)

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Clear History
      2013 | USA | Laughs: 7.8 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Publicly ridiculed for having sold his stake in a start-up company months before it would have earned him a billion dollars, an aging exec moves to an island after changing his name and appearance. Ten years later, his former business partner moves to the same island but doesn't recognize the man who would be happy to blow up his mansion. I laughed. This film is a treat for fans of Larry David and Curb Your Enthusiasm. More than that, it is one of the funniest comedies in recent years (which, admittedly, will not be remembered as the golden years of the comedy genre). (Last viewed: September 2013)

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A Foreign Affair
      1948 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

When a congressional committee comes to post-war Berlin to inspect the morals of American soldiers, a nosy lady gets too close to a captain who is fond of an entertainer with a nazi past. Past the first couple of minutes, once I got used to the quaint 1940s voices, I fell under the charm of this very pleasant and funny movie, which didn't unleash laughter but made me smile throughout. (Last viewed: August 2013)

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Our Hospitality
      1923 | USA | Laughs: 1.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.9
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A young man travels to a faraway town where he has inherited an estate. But he is the target of a century-old family feud, and he is soon hunted by the father and brothers of the young lady he has befriended on the train. Although this film won't make 21st century viewers laugh, it is surprisingly easy to watch, partly for its scenery and historical interest, partly because of its cute plot and descent pace. If you've got an hour to kill, don't let the age scare you. (Last viewed: June 2013)

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A Christmas Story
      1983 | USA | Laughs: 3.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 8.0
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This family classic is a charming, enjoyable watch, but if you're expecting hard laughs you'll be disappointed. Desperate to receive a "Red Rider BB gun" at Christmas, a boy makes clumsy attempts to convince the adult figures who are determined to keep him away from a dangerous toy. The literate voice-over narration by the boy's grown-up version contrasts delightfully with the boy's inept efforts to express himself. Well worth a watch. (Last viewed: June 2013)

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Meet Dave
      2008 | USA | Laughs: 8.5 (Laugh Out Loud) | imdb: 5.0
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An alien space ship lands in New York—an inconspicuous ship sized and shaped like a human being, and staffed by a crew of eraser-size humanoids who make "Dave" (as the ship is soon named) interact with the locals as though Dave were human. I don't know why this film has such a low IMDB rating. Neither vulgar nor loud, it was the best I'd seen from Eddie Murphy in years, and it had me laughing on multiple occasions. Don't miss it! (Last viewed: May 2013)

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The Watch
      2012 | USA | Laughs: 2.0 (Just Awful) | imdb: 5.7
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This movie scores points for casting Richard Ayoade from The IT Crowd. Apart from that, it's another chapter in the decline of the American empire. A group of concerned citizens form a neighborhood watch to solve a grisly murder mystery, and soon run into nasty extra-terrestrials. Ben Stiller is the best he's been in a long time, while Vince Vaughn is at his worst—possibly after completing a class in overacting. Jonah Hill and Ayoade do their best. None of this matter: the script is below third-rate. You really don't have to watch this kind of trash: stay sane and give the film wide berth. (Last viewed: May 2013)

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That's My Boy
      2012 | USA | Laughs: 1.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 5.6
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Days before his wedding, a successful banker is reunited with his father, whom he had kept at bay for years. This movie is only in the "watch once" section for those who are curious about the work of Adam Sandlers; others can skip it. If you're ever in the mood to watch a bad movie, this is a decent choice. You know how sometimes bad can be good? I don't recall all the bad elements in That's My Boy—Adam's voice was certainly one of them—but there's enough badness here to keep you perversely entertained. (Last viewed: May 2013)

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The Trotsky
      2009 | Canada | Laughs: 5.5 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Convinced he is the Canadian reincarnation of Leon Trotsky, a high school senior tries to organize his classmates into a student union. Although I didn't burst out laughing, I loved the movie and chuckled throughout. Probably the best high school movie I've even seen, and the second excellent Canadian comedy I've seen in a short while (the first was Starbuck). (Last viewed: April 2013)

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Waydowntown
      2000 | Canada | Laughs: 3.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.9
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Four coworkers have made a bet as to who could spend the most days without leaving the air-conditioned complex of retail space and office space in which they work. No big laughs, but a very decent watch in the tradition of Office Space, featuring Don McKellar, the brilliant creator of Last Day and the TV series Twitch City, where he played the role of a recluse who never leaves his apartment. Go Canada! (Last viewed: April 2013)

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Starbuck
      2011 | Canada | Laughs: 6.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.3
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A grown man learns that his donations to a fertility bank twenty years before spawned 533 children, a quarter of whom are now suing to learn his identity. I seem to really enjoy movies from Quebec, not least The Barbarian Invasions. This one made me laugh, especially in the first half—the second half was more predictable, Hollywood-style. Highly recommended nonetheless. (Last viewed: April 2013)

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Sticky Fingers (Les Doigts Croches)
      2009 | Canada | Laughs: 0.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

To retrieve the loot from a robbery they performed before going to jail, five French-Canadian thugs must walk 500 miles on a "transformational path" in Spain. I couldn't bear to watch more than thirty minutes of this movie that I'd picked up after really enjoying its director's next production, Starbuck. (Last viewed: April 2013)

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Car Wash
      1976 | USA | Laughs: 2.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.1
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Set around a car wash business as the title suggests, this movie feels a bit like a sitcom condensed to the ninety minutes of a feature film. The antics of the staff are not hilarious, but the movie is fun for a number of reasons—the 1970s texture, the gritty working class setting, the African-American culture, a sighting of George Carlin and a pumping soundtrack. Car Wash! (Last viewed: March 2013)

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Bad Santa
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 7.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 7.1
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Each year, a depressive drunk and his little accomplice work as Santa and the elf in a department store, only to run away with the content of the safe. This is not a story for nice kids—expect crude language, which delights in the context of Christmas. This is a great movie to watch when you're in a bad mood: Santa is in a such worse mood that you that he's guaranteed to bring you a smile. With good acting all-around, this movie is a winner. (Last viewed: March 2013)

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The Three Stooges: Dizzy Doctors
      1937 | USA | Laughs: 0.5 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 8.0
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Some comedy ages poorly as culture evolves. This comedy short, one of the highest ranking of the three stooges, features no humor other than people getting poked in the eye or bumped on the head. It's resolutely unfunny but serves a purpose: after seeing this one, you know you never need to watch another Three Stooges again. (Last viewed: March 2013)

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God Bless America
      2011 | USA | Laughs: 2.5 (Watch Once) | imdb: 7.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A fed-up man and an angry teenager decide it's time to rid America of all the people who "deserve to die", such as those who use their cell phones in movie theaters. Apart from one scene that's too heavy on the blood for my taste, this can be a pleasant watch if you go into it expecting to see something from the "cult" shelf—quirky rather than mainstream. If you can tune in to the director's sense of humor you may find the film funny, though it's not laugh-provoking material. And for those who haven't stepped inside the United States in a long time, some scenes offer a worthwhile look at the state of decay in that mighty country's culture. (Last viewed: March 2013)

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This is 40
      2012 | USA | Laughs: 0.0 (Just Awful) | imdb: 6.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Garbage. (Last viewed: March 2013)

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The Proposal
      2009 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.7
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A Canadian national blackmails her executive assistant into marrying her so she can keep her New York job. When she travels to Alaska to meet her fiancé's family, she discovers that he isn't quite the "poor boy" she had pegged him as. I find Ryan Reynolds consistently funny, and the first half of the movie made me laugh a few times. It struck a few pleasant familiar chords—such as Meet the Parents and Green Card. Sadly, just as at it crosses the halfway mark, the movie abandons the comedy genre and powers on as a pure romance. This will make it a great watch if you love chick flicks, but in the world of laughs, the movie loses many points, though it's still worth a watch. (Last viewed: January 2013)

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I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
      2007 | USA | Laughs: 6.7 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.0
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A widowed fireman worried that his kids won't get his pension if he dies pulls a favor and gets another straight fireman to marry him under Canadian law. Back in New York, a city council official becomes suspicious, forcing the two to keep up the pretense. I couldn't bring myself to watch this for a long time, but it turns to be much better that it sounds. In fact, it's pretty funny—a few laughs and lots of chuckles. There's none of the exaggerated effeminate acting you've come to expect from comedies that mine the gay theme. Adam Sandler and the rest of the cast do a surprisingly good job given the challenging task at hand. Worth a watch. (Last viewed: January 2013)

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