The Funniest Kiwi Comedies


   

The laughDB database is dedicated to the funniest comedy movies, stand-up comedy and TV series.

This section is for comedies from New Zealand. By default they are presented starting with the ones ranking highest on the laugh-o-meter, but you can also sort them by year, title or IMDB rating.


Funniest Kiwi Comedies sorted by Laugh-o-meter (descending)


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What We Do in the Shadows posterWhat We Do in the Shadows
      2014 | New Zealand | Laughs: 6.0 | imdb: 7.7
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This mockumentary follows four flatmates who endure the usual tensions associated with sharing space, in addition to tensions peculiar to their condition as immortal vampires. Since my lady friend is allergic to blood on the screen and I hadn't watched a vampire movie since Herzog's Nosferatu, it says a lot for this movie that we watched it till the end. I was drawn to it by the presence of Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords and was delighted to also spot his band manager (Rhys Darby) as a werewolf. The film's premise is quite funny, and although it sometimes seems like the authors were more concerned with pleasing themselves than the audience, the film is a success. I can't say that I laughed but I did smile a lot. With Jemaine Clement, Rhys Darby and others, at the moment New Zealand seems blessed with a solid crew of humorists. (Last viewed: February 2015)

More About What We Do in the Shadows:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
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      laughDB's full page for What We Do in the Shadows


Goodbye, Porkpie DVDGoodbye, Pork Pie
      1981 | New Zealand | Laughs: 5.2 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

If you can (i) get your hands on it and (ii) get over the accent, this classic New Zealand comedy is sure to give you a laugh and more than a few chuckles. Two petty crims make their way in a stolen yellow mini from Auckland (in NZ's North Island) to Invercargill, at the southern end of the South Island. (Last viewed: February 2010)

More About Goodbye, Pork Pie:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
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      laughDB's full page for Goodbye, Pork Pie


Sione's Wedding AKA Samoan Wedding posterSione'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)

More About Sione's Wedding:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Sione's Wedding


Eagle vs. Shark DVDEagle vs. Shark
      2007 | New Zealand | Laughs: 2.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.8
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

Four stars. Offbeat, shot in New Zealand with Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords, perhaps the cutest romantic comedy of all times. (Last viewed: Feb 2010 June 2011)

More About Eagle vs. Shark:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
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      laughDB's full page for Eagle vs. Shark


Sione's 2 Unfinished Business posterSione's 2: Unfinished Business
      2012 | New Zealand | Laughs: 0.6 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 5.9
      wikipedia | who was involved?

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)

More About Sione's 2: Unfinished Business:
=> Read what people say on Amazon
=> Add your own Review or Comments on
      laughDB's full page for Sione's 2: Unfinished Business


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