--In a new multipart feature, Highbrow Magazine film staff rave about the best comedies they have ever seen, from the lowbrow to the highbrow, of course.
As much as I love comedies, there are many classics I’ve never seen, some that I saw too late, and others that just never clicked with me. Still, comedy remains one of my favorite genres, and my favorites range from the lowbrow to the highbrow.
Here are, in no particular order, my 12 favorite comedy movies. (Napoleon Dynamite and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory were already on my list for best movies of all time, so they are not included here.)
Shaun of the Dead
The zombie revival of the early 2000s was punctuated by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s zombie romp. This wasn’t meant to be a parody of any particular movie, and instead approaches the idea of a zombie apocalypse from the perspective of an apathetic slacker who is too bored with life to even notice the walking dead. From there, it shows Shaun contend with being the unlikely leader to his friends as he tries to survive, while figuring out how to get his life together.
Dumb and Dumber
Jim Carey was a on a roll in 1994, and I’ll stand by this movie as being his best, This was an early favorite for me that I love more as time goes on and I understand more of the jokes. It’s a wacky, crude comedy where the punchlines are all about how unbelievably stupid Lloyd and Harry.
Idiocracy
I’m a fan of almost everything Mike Judge has made, and Idiocracy is arguably his best. It’s certainly the most enduring as it continually becomes a topic of discussion due to its unfortunate ability to predict the future: a world where corporations run everything and the average person is too dumb to do anything about it. Hope that never happens.
Clerks
It’s weird how this was Kevin Smith’s first big project, and he’s arguably never topped it. This is a classic ‘90s affair with two rude slackers acting like they’re too cool for a society that’s left them behind. The dialogue between Dante and Randall never gets old, and it’s a shame that the somewhat hopeful ending is undermined by the sequels, but the original still stands the test of time.
Borat
Sacha Baron Cohen broke new ground with this mockumentary. It’s a vulgar, insane ride with Cohen seeing how far he can take people’s politeness with his charmingly oblivious and rude Borat character. Borat was so popular and oft-quoted that it became annoying, but I won’t hold that against it.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Speaking of movies that got too popular and quotable for their own good…Austin Powers. This spoof of old James Bond movies put a rocket on Mike Myers’s career before America decided they’d had enough. His charming performances as Powers and Dr. Evil make the movie shine through some of the more childish humor.
The Room
Did Tommy Wiseau intend for The Room to be viewed as a comedy? No, but that’s how people see it: a hilarious comedy. Far from the first “so bad it’s good” movie, but one of the most famous, it’s thanks to Wiseau’s awkward acting, stilted writing, and downright strange directing choices. The bad green screens, the awful dialogue, the running gag of the characters tossing a football around for no reason, it’s all a unique and hilarious experience.
Office Space
Another classic ‘90s movie about an apathetic slacker deciding that he wants to place in a relatively cushy and worry-free life around him. There are similarities between this and The Big Lebowski, but Office Space has the edge for how well it spoofed corporate America and for uh, that printer scene.
Team America: World Police
Matt Stone and Trey Parker carried their legendary satire-writing abilities from South Park to the world of puppetry with this one. It’s a hilarious satire on the post-9/11 warmongering and ultra-patriotism going on in the US that also poked fun at the Hollywood elites who couldn’t help but constantly throw in their own two cents. It’s a political satire that doesn’t take itself seriously, combined with the physical humor of seeing puppets dance around amid all the destruction and action the movie brings.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
John Hughes loved making movies about the problems of white teenagers who were supposed to be middle-class but always seemed rich. This is the quintessential teen comedy, with snappy writing, likeable characters, and a message about making the most of your youth before it slips away. I always love rewatching this movie, and I doubt that’ll change.
Knives Out
A fantastic cast, great performances, and clever dialogue made this an instant classic for me. I only knew Daniel Craig as James Bond, so seeing his character in Knives Out almost gave me whiplash. Despite all the humor, it still managed to wrap a good murder mystery around it, and it’s always nice when a comedy has multiple things to offer.
Jackass: The Movie
There is a visceral joy that comes from seeing Jackass. It’s just a bunch of people hurting themselves and one other. Sometimes with elaborate stunts, sometimes with ideas so simple and childish, you’re surprised someone bothered to make a movie about it. Lowbrow? Absolutely, but there’s something about it that crosses the barriers of culture and language to give it universal appeal.
Author Bio:
Ulises Duenas is a senior writer and film critic at Highbrow Magazine.
For Highbrow Magazine