Top 10 Best Comedies of All-Time

We all love a good comedy.  When done correctly, they can keep you laughing well after they’re finished.  There’s been a lot of great comedies over the years, but which stand as the best comedies ever made?

Without further ado, here’s a couple movies that just missed the top 10 best comedies:

Honorable Mentions

21 Jump Street (2012)

21 Jump Street brings us one of the best bromances we have seen in a long time to the big screen.  The reboot of the 1987 movie is self-deprecating, witty, and even thoughtful at times.  Personally, this was the first movie in which I really enjoyed Channing Tatum (and he has continued to impress me ever since).  Tatum steals the show and displays incredible comedic timing playing off of Jonah Hill.  Rob Riggle is uproariously hilarious as the villain.

image via The Guardian

Airplane! (1980)  

Often considered the ultimate spoof movie, Airplane!‘s antics have stood the test of time.  Every single moment in Airplane! has some gag interwoven into the story and is one of the most parodied movies ever (looking at you Family Guy).  Leslie Nielsen, the king of spoof comedies, plays great against type as the straight man with all the chaos around him, although he does get a few shots in himself.  Just remember, please don’t call him Shirley.

image via MovieFone

The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

I will always be grateful to this movie for bringing everyone Steve Carell as a leading man.  Carell had just found success as Brick Tamland in Anchorman a year earlier, but The 40-Year-Old Virgin gave us Carell as the lead of an incredibly hilariously and thoughtful movie with a great supporting cast including Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, and Catherine Keener.  The 40-Year-Old Virgin is filled with memorable scenes including a gust-busting hair-waxing scene.

image via Movie Mezzanine

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)  

Austin Powers rest solely on the shoulders of Mike Myers not only playing three separate roles, but also writing the script.  And boy does he deliver.  This is another one of those movies that is considered “stupid comedy.”  However, it expertly sends up the spy genre, almost pleading all other spy movies to stop taking themselves seriously.

image via Playbuzz

The Hangover (2009)  

Although it spawned two lackluster sequels, the original is an uproarious ride.  The movie caused a resurgence in the R-rated comedy and created a classic character in Alan played by Zach Galifianakis.  The main cast has such great chemistry, allowing for hilarious banter among them.  The hangover concept was such a fresh take at the time, pioneering changes to the raunchy comedy.

image via Amazon.co.uk

Now that we’ve covered those that just missed the list of the best comedies, here’s the actual list:

#10: Wayne’s World (1992)  

PARTY TIME! EXCELLENT!  Wayne’s World is one of the few Saturday Night Live sketches that really works as a feature length film.  Full of memorable dialogue,  Mike Myers and Dana Carvey team up to create a classic film of the 90’s that has stood the test of time.   This movie may be best characterized as stupid.  However, its memorable characters elevate Wayne’s World past the average effort.

image via Rolling Stone

#9: The Big Lebowski (1998)

Arguably the most iconic Coen Brothers’ movie, The Big Lebowski is full of memorable characters such as Walter and Jesus Quintana (not to mention the Dude himself).  This movie is unlike any that I’ve ever seen.  Full of twists and turns just for the hell of it, The Big Lebowski is a ridiculous movie written by some of Hollywood’s best which created a gleefully silly and ludicrous plot that’ll make you go crazy if you think about it too long.  MovieBabble most certainly abides to this one.

image via Curbed

#8: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) 

Ferris Bueller encapsulates the 80’s while also aging well to speak to today’s audience.  The movie created one of the most iconic characters ever in Ferris.  Not only is this movie hilarious and iconic, it’s also a sweet coming of age story as Ferris, Cameron, and Sloane find a little about themselves in the process of playing hookie throughout all of downtown Chicago.

image via Pyxurz

#7: Dumb and Dumber (1994)  

The ultimate buddy comedy,  Dumb and Dumber finds Jim Carrey in his element with a more than game Jeff Daniels who, at the time, was not pegged as a comedic actor.  Dumb and Dumber changed the game for comedies, allowing for silly movies to once again be popular.  Carrey goes absolutely bonkers and it pays off every single time.  Unlike my previous arguments regarding stupid comedies, Dumb and Dumber is legitimately a stupid movie, but a funny one as it fully encapsulates its title.

image via Bustle

#6: 22 Jump Street (2014)  

I am one of the biggest proponents of 22 Jump Street.  It not only has me in tears upon every viewing, but it is a commentary on the half-assed studio sequels that give audiences nothing new in the means of creativity but is just a means to make money off of the brand name and sometimes even soil the reverence for the original (cough both Hangover sequels cough).  Through witty dialogue and great writing by rising stars Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, 22 Jump Street creates the same movie it parodies, but even improves upon the original in my mind.

image via The Independent

#5: Ghostbusters (1984)  

I really feel bad for the creative team involved with the all-female reboot of Ghostbusters.  They had to overcome the true comic brilliance that was the original Ghostbusters (while also fending off some gender persecution, but I digress).  Ghostbusters blends a whole lot of comedy along with a tad of science fiction and horror.  Bill Murray along with Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson create one of the most balanced teams in cinematic history in terms of their strengths (brains, street sense, humor, etc.).

image via Now Very Bad

#4: Animal House (1978)  

Animal House is the Godfather of raunchy comedies.  It set the tone for every raunchy comedy thereafter with its lovable characters such as Bluto and Flounder and absurd story points including the infamous toga party and food fight.  Animal House is an over-the-top template for frat douches everywhere and still resonates today while showing a hilarious view of fraternity life and also bringing a college’s worst fear to life on screen.  Animal House is a landmark film for allowing R-rated comedies and beyond suggestive content to thrive on screen.

image via YouTube

#3: Step Brothers (2008)  

I consider Step Brothers to be the R-rated Dumb and Dumber.  The story allows for its two leads to improv like there’s no tomorrow.  Thankfully, it’s not hampered by a PG-13 rating, leading Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly to become our favorite adult children.  Step Brothers will make even the most uptight person laugh on shear insanity alone.  What Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly do together is like letting two pitbulls off their leash.  Step Brothers is quoted by every teenage boy for its crass, memorable lines and revered for trying to make you laugh any way possible.

Step Brothers is certainly worthy of being among the best comedies.

image via Unilad

#2: Anchorman (2004)  

The movie that no doubt sent Will Ferrell to the top, Anchorman is a ridiculously hilarious plot that overshadows a somewhat serious plot point of women looking for equal work opportunities and stardom.  While this is certainly applause worthy, we’re all too focused on laughing at Will Ferrell as the most smug but funny news anchor in film.  While Ferrell undoubtedly puts the movie on his back.  Anchorman is extremely well-cast with supporting roles from Paul Rudd, David Koechner, and Steve Carrell as the idiot we have all come to love in Brick Tamland.  In my humble opinion, Anchorman is one the best satires as well as one of the best comedies.  It sends up the news industry with abandon while including over the top non-sequiturs such as the famous news channel fight.  Possibly the most quotable comedy ever, Anchorman continues to age well like a fine wine.

image via Bustle

#1: Caddyshack (1980) 

Any movie that includes Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, AND Bill Murray is destined for greatness.  Caddyshack delivers from beginning to end.  Filled with such memorable characters as Carl Spackler, Judge Smails, Ty Webb, and of course Al Czervik, Caddyshack is juvenile, but one of film’s best examples (if not the best) of slapstick comedy.  The film does such a great job of satirizing the stuffy, gold lifestyle while also putting Bill Murray into the public consciousness as Carl Spackler.

Practically everything Bill Murray does in Caddyshack is memorable.  There are numerous all-time comedic actors putting in some of their best work.  That’s certainly a recipe for a movie that belings as one of the best comedies.

image via Tiger Strypes

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