Top 10 Comedies of the Past 10 Years Part One

I believe that I have a pretty good barometer for what is funny and what is not. That said, I’m also far pickier (read: narrow-minded) when it comes to what I like. There are several beloved comedies that are not on the list, not because I don’t like them, but because I flat out hate them and I seem to be the only one that feels this way about the films. These include Meet the Parents, Office Space, and especially Supertroopers.

Now, many are probably ready to write off my opinion based on that alone. Fortunately, there have been some amazing comedies in the past ten years and even if I liked those films, they may not have made the final cut. I had to put some restrictions on what I chose as comedies because, as with any genre, there tends to be a lot of bleed over. I ignored all of Pixar because those films always seem more like funny dramas to me, if that makes sense. Also, if I included those films, the list would have been much harder to make and Pixar dominated. I tried to extend that rule beyond Pixar, but admittedly, some of the films on the list border on dramatic. In those cases, I felt that I laughed harder and more often than not.

I encourage you to question and nitpick my selections. Most of all, I want to hear if anyone has any to add that I may have missed.

10. Role Models (2008)
“This is a classic case of ‘guy on the ground.’”

I was surprised by how much I loved this movie when I first saw it. I’ve never been particularly fond of Seann William Scott or Christopher Mintz-Plasse, but damned if they weren’t both perfect for their roles. In fact, I re-evaluated Scott in other films and am now an unashamed fan of him (it’s kind of like coming to terms with the fact that Ashton Kutcher is, in fact, hilarious as Kelso on That 70s Show). And let no one deny the awesomeness, and I’ll say it, dreaminess of Paul Rudd. Role Models is essentially a raunchy family film that has one of the most gleeful climaxes of any film I saw last year. David Wain knocked it out of the park and I’ve never felt happier leaving the theater.

9. The Royal Tenanbaums (2001)
“Anybody interested in grabbing a couple of burgers and hittin' the cemetery?”

One of those films that borders on drama, but there is just too much hilarity. Gene Hackman was absolutely born to play Royal. People often right Wes Anderson off for being overly quirky and stylistic, but to me it always feels like he’s creating an alternate reality, kind of like a fantasy. What makes The Royal Tenanbaums so great for me is that the comedy is layered under a completely dry façade. It sneaks up on you and rewards you for paying attention. And it gave me one of my most prolonged laughs ever in a theater when Danny Glover falls into the ditch while talking to Anjelica Huston. Classic.



8. Being John Malkovich (1999)
“Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.”

Another of those melancholy sort of comedies. Trust me, it’s the last one. Being John Malkovich blows me away with its inventiveness. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to live as John Malkovich for any period of time? There are few celebrities who would work nearly as well (though Being Christopher Walken would be amazing). Much like in The Royal Tenanbaums, the writing is what gets it on the list. Most of the characters are down on their luck or depressed, but the situations and dialogue are ridiculously clever. I love how balls-out crazy it gets when Malkovich enters his own head. And any world where Charlie Sheen and John Malkovich are best friends is a world I want to live in.

7. Superbad (2007)
Seth: I just wanna go to the rooftops and scream, "I love my best friend, Evan."
Evan: Let's... go on my roof.

I love movies about friends and Superbad captures the back and forth between best friends better than almost any movie I can think of. People complain that Michael Cera can only play the awkward, dorky kid, but who cares when he plays it so well? No one ever complained that Arnold Schwarzenegger only played the same character-types in action movies. The only thing that bugs me about Superbad is the character of McLovin. I like the way characters react to him, but the movie wouldn’t lose anything if McLovin wasn’t in it. For as silly as the movie gets, it’s great to watch the characters come to terms with the fact that they won’t always be together.

6. High Fidelity (2000)
“Should I bolt every time I get that feeling in my gut when I meet someone new? Well, I've been listening to my gut since I was 14 years old, and frankly speaking, I've come to the conclusion that my guts have shit for brains.”

I’m pretty certain that High Fidelity is responsible for my love of lists. I was predestined to love this film. Jack Black has a huge rant about how awesome Evil Dead II is, source material by Nick Hornby (who’s only written on book I don’t like, Slam), and it’s all about music. It was practically written to appeal to me. Not even the horrible performance by Iben Hjejle can bring it down (seriously, why would Rob want to stay with her?). Parts of me wish the entire film was a day in the life at the record store because Cusack, Louiso, and Black are so good together.
PS -- This trailer is incredibly misleading.