The Funniest Comedies Ever

The Ref (a.k.a Hostile Hostages)
      1994 | USA | Laughs: 2.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.9
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

A thief on the run takes two hostages, a husband and wife who cannot stop bickering. While seeing Kevin Spacey in a comedy was refreshing and the premise was fun, execution was mediocre and the movie failed to deliver laughs. (Last viewed: March 2015)

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A Beginner's Guide to Endings
      2010 | USA | Laughs: 0.2 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Although this movie is tagged as a comedy, it is one in the long series that have been trying (and failing) to emulate the style of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. It might have a lot of edge, but it doesn't cut. Skip. (Last viewed: March 2015)

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Dumb and Dumber To
      2014 | USA | Laughs: 4.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 5.6
      wikipedia | who was involved?

The first half-hour of this sequel (twenty years later) to the original Dumb and Dumber is barely watchable. I persevered because I vaguely remembered that the original also started weakly. This time, our couple of likeable losers embark on a mission to track down a long-lost daughter in the hope she will donate a kidney. The movie does improve slightly after a while, but it does feature the worst performance by Jim Carrey I have ever seen. Don't waste your time: this "comedy" will make you sad. (Last viewed: February 2015)

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What 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)

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American Reunion
      2012 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 | imdb: 6.7
      wikipedia | who was involved?

The only reason I came to watch the nth installment of American Pie is that I realized the script had been written by the same duo who gave us Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Well, don't get too excited, these two movies are in very different brackets. After five minutes, we had almost given up on this story of the 13th reunion of a group of high school buddies, and after 35 minutes we decided to pause it for the day. But we came back to it the next day, and I was glad we stuck with it because once you go over a certain threshold, the film does have some good moments. By the same token, I could just as well have skipped it entirely. This is not a roarer, but it will please those who like their movies crass. (Last viewed: February 2015)

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Corner Gas: The Movie
      2014 | Canada | Laughs: 3.0 | imdb: 6.8
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Having enjoyed a number of episodes from the Canadian TV series Corner Gas some years ago, I was intrigued to watch the movie. The fact that it aired on television a few days after its theatrical release is no small hint about the film's merits, and indeed we found it mediocre in a number of departments: the plot, to be sure, but that doesn't matter one bit when a movie triggers hard laughter; laughs were not forthcoming. We still enjoyed seeing the familiar faces of these "old friends", but that pleasure was accompanied by a distinct feeling of having moved on. (Last viewed: December 2014)

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Muggers
      2000 | Australia | Laughs: 2.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 5.6
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Strapped for the cash they need to study in comfortable conditions, two promising medical students resort to harvesting kidneys from live patients and selling them to a private clinic. I liked the premise and the cast. Sadly, that's probably all it took for the Australian Film Commission (or whoever was involved) to give the green light, and the final product is one of those two-legged stools that are all too common in Aussie theaters. I was glad to see one of the actors from the terrific TV series Rake, but the movie failed to deliver in the laughs department. (Last viewed: December 2014)

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The Inbetweeners 2
      2014 | U.K. | Laughs: 7.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.4
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Three young men from England go to Australia on holiday to visit one of their mates, who has promised them that Oz is a paradise for those with promiscuous interests. This movie is easily one of the crudest I've ever watched. And yet, in the midst of all the ear-bendingly foul language, there are a large number of comical situations that make it worth a watch for those with a high profanity threshold. I won't lie to you: just thinking about it, I'm still smiling. (Last viewed: December 2014)

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Love and Other Catastrophes
      1996 | Australia | Laughs: 1.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.3
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Over the course of a day, several university students wrestle with their respective anxieties over relationships before coming to a temporary resolution. I enjoyed seeing one of the lead actors from the terrific TV series Rake. What else can be said in favor of this movie? The acting is decent; it's cute; it has a terrific title. (For some reason I always thought this was a Hugh Grant movie. If you can explain the connection, please post a comment.) Sadly, this film is also extraordinarily boring and should be viewed only by those who have a personal reason for doing so — for instance if their mom was one of the lead actors. (Last viewed: December 2014)

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Along Came Polly
      2004 | USA | Laughs: 7.5 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.0
      wikipedia | dmoz | who was involved?

On his tropical honeymoon, an insurance man gets cuckolded by his "perfect bride". Back in New York City, he bumps into a former classmate and falls for her despite her bohemian lifestyle, at odds with his obsession for computing risks. This is a very funny movie featuring Ben Stiller in his classic Meet the Parents persona. It was also the first time I saw Jennifer Aniston in a role of any substance. I will gladly watch it again. (Last viewed: November 2014)

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The Heartbreak Kid
      2007 | USA | Laughs: 7.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 5.8
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On his honeymoon to Mexico, a man who rushed into marrying his girlfriend after dating her for two months comes to realize what a nightmare she is and becomes drawn to a single woman who is vacationing with her entire family. Comparing it with other Ben Stiller movies, this film is closer to There's Something About Mary than Meet The Parents: it has adult moments that won't appeal to the more prude viewers. I found it delightfully funny and would watch it again. (Last viewed: October 2014)

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Envy
      2004 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 4.8
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As a man becomes astoundingly wealthy thanks to an invention that initially sounded hare-brained, his best friend has a hard time coping with his mounting jealousy. This theme will be familiar to many who scratched their heads in astonishment as they watched acquaintances attain sudden fortune during the dot-com boom years — which ended four years before the movie's release. Despite its poor ratings, I found it funny and enjoyed the performances by Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Amy Poehler. (Last viewed: October 2014)

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Duplex
      2003 | USA | Laughs: 7.8 (Laugh Out Loud) | imdb: 5.9
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When a young couple buys an old house, they inherit the elderly lady who lives in the rent-controlled apartment upstairs from theirs. Soon, they realize that this apparently harmless creature has an infinite capacity for wrecking their lives.

The cast is terrific, starting with Ben Stiller in a similar character to his role in Meet The Parents. I hadn't laughed at a comedy so heartily in a long while and will be adding this movie to my favorites list.

(Last viewed: October 2014)

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Welcome to Woop Woop
      1997 | Australia | Laughs: 4.5 (Watch Once) | imdb: 5.7
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Deep in the Australian outback, a young New Yorker gives a lift to an equally young female hitch-hiker who seduces him then abducts him to a remote community where her father rules the scraggly populace and its kangaroo-meat-processing factory with an arm of fist—and shotguns. The situation provides an excuse for a funny and sometimes horrifying portrait of how Australians see themselves in their worst moments. (Last viewed: Aug 2001 October 2014)

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The Wog Boy
      2000 | Australia | Laughs: 6.5 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 5.8
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A charismatic man who has made an art out of living on government stipends has a dispute with the minister for employment, who reverses the situation by hiring him to serve as the agency's poster boy. This is a classic comedy, and although it does not have a laugh a minute it is one of my favorites. (Last viewed: Apr 2002 October 2014)

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Alpha Papa
      2013 | U.K. | Laughs: 5.8 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.9
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A sacked radio DJ takes the station crew hostage and appoints a trusted colleague (who in fact triggered the dismissal) as negotiator. This is a chance to see the lead character of the UK TV series I'm Alan Partridge in a full-length film. It won't disappoint fans, and it should also entertain those who are unfamiliar with the series. (Last viewed: September 2014)

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The Inbetweeners Movie
      2011 | U.K. | Laughs: 4.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.7
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Four English boys who just graduated from high school head out to Crete in pursuit of the one thing most boys that age are likely to pursue. Despite the expected crass moments, the movie has its load of funny situations and can provide a fairly entertaining watch if you're in a forgiving mood. (Last viewed: September 2014)

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Neighbors
      2014 | USA | Laughs: 5.0 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.3
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A young couple is in love with lifestyle moves they have recently made, such as having a baby and buying a house. When a fraternity moves in next door, the bubble pops and war ensues.

Given the theme, there were far fewer crass moments than could be expected. Although this is by no means a great comedy, it had some very funny moments and I found it entertaining enough to deserve a watch. (Last viewed: September 2014)

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The Wrong Guy
      1997 | Canada | Laughs: 3.1 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.9
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A young executive who discovers the body of his murdered boss wrongly believes that he is the prime suspect and runs from the police—in the same direction as the real killer. Although the movie didn't make me laugh, I found it consistently funny. It features the same kind of understated humor from the Kids in the Hall TV series in which Dave Foley also stars. (Last viewed: September 2014)

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A Sense of Humor (Le Sens de l'Humour)
      2011 | Canada | Laughs: 5.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.4
      who was involved?

A man who appears to be a serial killer abducts two stand-up comedians to an isolated farm where he gets them to teach him how to be funny so he can stand up to those who bully him at work. This was funny even with subtitles—it might be a roar for native Quebecois speakers. (Last viewed: August 2014)

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Prom Wars
      2008 | Canada | Laughs: 3.5 (Watch Once) | imdb: 5.4
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The senior students at a girls' school set up a competition to determine which of two boys' high schools' seniors will take them to prom. I didn't laugh but did smile a lot—the movie is cute and refreshingly not crass. Save it for a day when you're happy to watch something easy without expectations. (Last viewed: August 2014)

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Pacific Banana
      1981 | Australia | Laughs: 0.0 (Just Awful) | imdb: 4.6
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This movie belongs to a genre that for whatever reason seems to have flourished in Australia in the last century—we'll call it Aussie adult comedy. The plot (if there is one) involves a charter airline that flies between Australia and Tahiti, and hordes of women who throw themselves at the two pilots. The comedic power being close to zero, the only point seems to be to show a bit of flesh. It's a big bore: steer clear, unless of course you're one of those people who love bad movies. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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The Age of Ignorance (a.k.a Days of Darkness) (L'Age des Tenebres)
      2007 | Canada | Laughs: 4.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.9
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This is a terrific movie about a civil servant who escapes the crushing pressures of modern decay by constructing grandiose, colorful daydreams. It's funny and has its shares of chuckles, but the humor is on the level of piece of chocolate that slowly melts in the mouth—not of explosive laughter. I never much liked The Decline of the American Empire by the same director, while I loved his Barbarian Invasions. The third installment in that loose trilogy is not a letdown. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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The 'Burbs
      1989 | USA | Laughs: 3.8 (Watch Once) | imdb: 6.9
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Suspicious of the new owners of a house on their street, a group of neighbors in a white American suburb leave no stone unturned to investigate what takes place in their basement. This could almost be classified as a comedy-horror movie—except there isn't a single horror scene… Do spooky sound effects count? It's entertaining if you have nothing better to do. You'll probably smile, but don't expect big laughs. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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Screwed
      2000 | USA | Laughs: 3.8 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 5.8
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With the help of a friend, a millionaire baker's valet kidnaps her dog. This is one of these plots where everything goes wrong. The movie starts out in the burlesque register—in the worst sense of the word—but, thankfully, ever-so-slowly improves. There may in fact be a few decent lines with Dave Chappelle. But what redeems the movie (though not to the point where you'd want to go out of your way to watch it) is an extraordinary performance by Danny DeVito, who plays a disheveled mortician. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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Neighbors (short)
      1920 | USA | Laughs: N/A (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.6
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Two lovers who live across from each other must work around their abusive parents. Someone who saw this 17-minute film in a theater with a live pianist recommended it to me. When I watched it on my own, it entertained me, but it didn't make me laugh. You probably have to be in the mood. (Last viewed: June 2014)

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The Coca-Cola Kid
      1985 | Australia | Laughs: 3.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.0
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A corporate star is sent from the Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia to troubleshoot operations in Australia. He soon discovers a sore spot: a valley where a soft-drink bottler has been keeping Coke out of the market for decades.

This is not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it is funny all-right, what with the fish-out-of-water scenario and the yankee's terrific Southern accent. It has outstanding production value for an Australian movie. First, the plot manages to stay together for most of the film while incorporating a great number of offbeat moments. It has great sound—including a terrific Coke jingle and a compelling rendition of Waltzing Matilda. And it has visual appeal, by which I am referring to the landscapes and overall composition, though the blokes of the time must have enjoyed the eye candy thrown their way in the form of female nudity, which was common in contemporary films. The female in question later played the Italian mom in another Australian classic, Looking for Alibrandi.

Although this is not a roarer, it's an easy watch and a Down-Under classic which has aged remarkably well—so don't let the vintage label keep you away. (Last viewed: April 2014)

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Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
      2013 | USA | Laughs: 6.5 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.3
      wikipedia | who was involved?

In the early 1980s, the crew of Anchorman reunites in New York City for the launch of the first 24-hour news TV station. We put this on at one in the afternoon on a grey Saturday when my lady friend had the flu, and it was suitably decadent. This movie will not go down in history as the funniest comedy ever, but it has its share of laughs and it's a good ride if you're willing to be entertained. (Last viewed: March 2014)

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The Decline of the American Empire (Le Déclin de l'Empire Americain)
      1986 | Canada | Laughs: 2.5 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 7.2
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I didn't much like this movie when it came out nearly thirty years ago. It has aged very well, because I still don't like it today. Although I'm a big fan of Denys Arcand's later work The Barbarian Invasions, this earlier film, which features many of the same characters, does nothing for me apart from the French-Canadian accent, always a delight on the ears.

The whole movie features men and women engrossed in conversation about their sexual adventures. For some reason, I have never been drawn to this kind of conversation. To make matters worse, most of the characters (who gravitate around academia) are unbearably pedantic. The film's original success may have been caused by the novel openness with which the characters discussed their love live. Nowadays, that is hardly original, and there is no good reason to revisit this old bore. (Last viewed: May 1987 March 2014)

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In a World...
      2013 | USA | Laughs: 6.0 (Laugh and Smile) | imdb: 6.7
      wikipedia | who was involved?

The daughter of Hollywood's voice-over king tries to break into the business. Far from supporting her, her dad has a male protégé. This sweet-funny movie offers a strong female character and a glance at an interesting profession. It's not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but it made the three of us who watched it grin much of the time. (Last viewed: March 2014)

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