Comedy movies might not always get the same respect as dramas, but there are some which are generally considered masterpieces. These movies prove that comedy can be just as rewarding and important as any other genre, and they offer a counterpoint to lists of thebest movies everwhich only include hard-hitting genres. Comedies rarely enjoy the same critical prestige or awards success, but this isn’t because they are undeserving.
For a comedy movie to achieve masterpiece status, it usually has to stand out from the crowd by innovating in a particular area, whether this is a specific subgenre or a comedic style. It also helps if it represents the zenith of a filmmaker’s comedic efforts. Billy Wilder, Wes Anderson and Mel Brooks have all been praised for their comedy movies, for example, with the very best ones being described as masterpieces.
Each movie inEdgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogyparodies a different movie genre, andShaun of the Deadkicks things off by taking a sideways look at horror movies. The title is a nod toDawn of the Dead,but there are countless references to other horror classics throughoutShaun of the Deadfor audiences to pick up on. This is just one reason why the horror-comedy has such great rewatch value.
Shaun of the Deadshowcases Wright’s incredible attention to detail.
Shaun of the Deadshowcases Wright’s incredible attention to detail. While his script is hilarious, he also tells a lot of jokes using the movement of his camera, his characters and their surroundings. There are subtle sight gags that could easily be missed on a first watch, as well as densely-layered callbacks and intelligent moments of foreshadowing. Some comedies lose their edge when they try to be too clever, butShaun of the Deadis a rare exception to this rule.
Stanley Kubrick’s career showed that he could master a variety of movie genres, even though he was never the most prolific director.2001: A Space Odysseyis one of the best sci-fi movies ever, andThe Shiningis one of the best horror movies ever, so it’s no real surprise in this context that Kubrick created an enduring classic comedy before either of them.Dr. Strangelovemay be divorced from its Cold War context these days, butits universal political satire is sadly just as relevant as ever.
Dr. Strangeloveis filled with hilarious quotes, but, like most Kubrick movies, it also creates some indelible images.
Peter Sellers plays three characters of different nationalities inDr. Strangelove.It’s a virtuoso performance that’s impossible to look away from, as his exaggerated mannerisms create a culture-clash comedy amidst a broader political satire about men accidentally bumbling into a nuclear war by mistake.Dr. Strangeloveis filled with hilarious quotes, but, like most Kubrick movies, it also creates some indelible images.
Mel Brooks' movies are still among the funniest comedies ever, withBlazing Saddles, SpaceballsandThe Producersall considered masterpieces.Young Frankensteincontinues Brooks' fruitful collaboration with Gene Wilder, casting him as Victor Frankenstein’s grandson, who is initially keen to distance himself from his grandfather’s legacy of mad science. Ultimately, he resumes his grandfather’s work.
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While most comedy movies end with a brief moment of sincerity, there are also those that keep the audience laughing until the very end.
Young Frankensteinis a brilliant horror pastiche.It doesn’t take inspiration from Mary Shelley’s novel as much as it takes inspiration from other adaptations ofFrankenstein.Its stark black-and-white appearance is just one way that it refers back to the dawn of horror movies, but it frequently subverts the most popular tropes of the genre.Young Frankensteinis also rife with the kind of sharp wordplay and quick wit that Brooks is known for.
The Apartmentstarts out much like many other lighthearted Billy Wilder comedies, but it eventually reveals a surprising darkness that aligns it more withSunset BoulevardthanSome Like It Hot.Jack Lemmon stars as a dissatisfied office worker who finds that he can get a leg up in the company by allowing his coworkers to use his New York City apartment as a safe zone for their extramarital affairs.
While Jack Lemmon is his usual superb self,The Apartmentonly works thanks to an outstanding performance from Shirley MacLaine as his love interest. She is most often responsible for carrying the movie through its sharp tonal shifts, and she manages to make the audience laugh while tapping into a deep sorrow the next moment.Wilder’s chatty, erudite characters are a joy to watch, butThe Apartmentis also emotionally intelligent to sustain multiple watches.
Office Spaceis one of a handful of movies released in the 1990s that took aim at modern corporate culture, andit has become a symbol for dissatisfied office workers ever since. The story follows a jaded programmer in a dead-end job who is hypnotized into abandoning his stress over work. The corporate satire that runs throughoutOffice Spacetakes many forms, but it’s always about deconstructing the phony personalities that most jobs require people to put on.
Office Spacehas proven to be a lasting rebuttal to corporate culture.
Office Spaceseems rooted in the 1990s in some ways, but it has proven to be a lasting rebuttal to corporate culture. The image of the characters cathartically smashing a faulty printer to pieces probably sums up the movie’s philosophy better than anything else. It also has a lot to say about different kinds of work, as Joanna is required to suffer just as many minor humiliations in her job as a waitress.
Monty Python’s movies are known for their irreverent, absurd humor, andLife of Brianis no exception. The narrative strings together countless hilarious sketches. Many are grounded in the Roman-era historical comedy, like the impromptu Latin lesson and the “What have the Romans done for us?” argument, but some are completely untethered slices of the surreal, with the alien spaceship being just one example.
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Comedy movies don’t have to pass the same standards of historical fidelity, meaning some period comedies are intentionally inaccurate and flawed.
AlthoughLife of Brianis just as proudly silly asThe Meaning of LifeorMonty Python and the Holy Grail,it’s also deceptively smart when it comes to religious satire. Broadly, the story follows an average nobody who is mistaken for the messiah. The resulting fervor, overly confident sectarian debates and authoritarian backlash all suggest that religion is merely a blank canvas for people to visualize their own fears and desires. As Brian is crucified with a catchy show tune accompaniment, the joke is ultimately on the rest of humanity. He’s the only normal person in the story, and he’s relentlessly punished.
Fargois one of thebest Coen brothers movies, and it’s a perfect example of their flair for crime comedies. The story of a man arranging to kidnap his own wife to extort a ransom from his wealthy father-in-law often reads like a noirish moral struggle, with Frances McDormand’s small-town detective representing the one ray of hope in a desperately selfish world. As a comedy,Fargois as dark as they come.
TheFargoTV spinoffhas run for five seasons so far.
Fargofollows a simple, kind woman into a grimy criminal underworld, and the ultimate joke is that her Midwestern charms win the day. While other characters are busy colluding against one another and waiting for an opportunity to stab each other in the back, Marge Gunderson quietly goes about her business, saving time for lunch breaks with her mild-mannered husband.Fargo’s striking cinematography is another huge bonus.
The Graduateis well over 50 years old, but it’s a timeless comedy about the awkward phase of life between college and work. More broadly, it’s relatable to anyone struggling to find their place in the world, as Benjamin is caught between what he wants to do, what he thinks he should do, and what his parents forcefully suggest he should do. Dustin Hoffman’s hilarious comedic performance makes the most out of a script filled with great jokes.
Dustin Hoffman’s hilarious comedic performance makes the most out of a script filled with great jokes.
As Benjamin ponders his future, he tries to busy himself with a needlessly complex love life as a distraction. His affair with his neighbor’s mother shows his real immaturity, but it’s also a minor act of rebellion, even if it’s only a statement he makes for his own admiration.The Graduate’s endingperfectly wraps up a chapter in Benjamin’s life, but there’s just as much uncertainty hanging over his future as ever.
Wes Anderson’s moviescan all be easily recognized, due to the director’s idiosyncratic aesthetic tendencies. His manicured compositions often appear as if they have sprung to life from the pages of a picture book, but this whimsical style is incongruous with some of his dark themes.The Grand Budapest Hotelis the perfect example of this idea, since it looks gorgeous and inviting until the point that a psychopathic assassin is on the loose and a fascist regime is quietly rising to power in the background.
The Grand Budapest Hotelrattles along at breakneck speed.
The Grand Budapest Hotelis arguably Anderson’s masterpiece.It features many of his hallmarks as a director, like a large ensemble cast, a strange sort of father-son relationship and some neatly choreographed bursts of action. Of course, Anderson’s deadpan wit is also in full flow.The Grand Budapest Hotelrattles along at breakneck speed, checking in with a large cast of eccentric characters, each with their own insecurities.
Playtimeis a French movie that can be enjoyed without subtitles by anyone, since the only snippets of dialogue are heard among crowd noise or at levels that make it hard to discern. Stylistically,Jacques Tati borrows from the long tradition of silent film stars. He has the added luxury of sound, but he merely uses this as another avenue for slapstick comedy.Playtimeoften looks as though Harold Lloyd somehow stumbled into a color movie in the 1960s, as Tati bumbles around a bewildering urban landscape.
Playtimeis an ingenious satire of modern life, and stripping away all the dialogue means that there’s no chance for anyone to defend the ridiculous state of society with empty platitudes. Here it is on full display, the way that people posture for one another without ever paying attention, how people shuffle to trendy restaurants as if they’re attending work functions, and how people so rarely see the possibility of beauty when they are so consumed by the drudgery of getting by.
