The Movie Mash Presents: My ‘Top 10 Comedies’

So far we’ve gone down the list of my Top 10 Thrillers and my Top 10 Sci-Fi movies. Now we’re going to switch gears from action and dark thrillers to some real funny business. That’s right, it’s my Top 10 Comedies featuring my favorite funny movies of all time. Now, comedies are the most subjective form of cinema. Sense of humor ranges from everything to slap-stick, dry humor, screwball, pure irreverence, raunchy gags, the list goes on and on. So I’m sure that many of you might have some squabbles with omissions on this list. While I would have loved to include movies like Dumb & Dumber and Super Troopers, they just didn’t make the cut.

So here we go.

#10 Bad Santa

What do you get when Billy Bob Thorton plays an alcoholic con-artist criminal who goes from mall to mall every year, posing as a department store Santa Claus in order to rob the joint? #10 on my favorite comedies, that’s what. Bad Santa came out in 2003 and blew critics and audiences away with it’s raunchy and outrageous premise and performances. Billy Bob gives without a doubt the funniest performance of his career as the scrooge with a black heart, who turns into a good guy thanks to the oblivious affection from a little, chubby boy.

This movie is filled with hysterically raunchy one-liners that are perfectly delivered by Thorton. His interactions with Thurman Murman are so funny and the two complete opposite character personalities go so well with each other, they create a very unlikely adorable odd couple. Bad Santa is easily the funniest Christmas movie ever, making it #10 on my list.

#9 Swingers

“You’re so fucking money and you don’t even know it.” One of the most beloved cult comedies among guys from the 1990s is with out a doubt Swingers. The low-budget film about a group of struggling actors and comedians living in L.A., has one of the most unique and memorable comedy scripts in the past 20 years. Written and directed by Jon Favreau, Swingers is a film that is quoted daily by its diehard fan base of mis fits who all want a shot to “live the good life with good friends.”

No question the break-out performance in this film is from Vince Vaughn, in what I would say, is the best performance of his career. His witty, snark, fast-talking attitude is mesmerizing to watch, as you can’t really imagine how a guy could be THAT cool and smooth. It’s the kind of character that most guys have in there group of friends; “Yeah that’s totally Dave.” Or if you don’t, you absolutely wish you did.

#8 The Big Lebowski

The incorporable Coen Brothers are masters of the “dark” comedy. With films ranging from Fargo to Burn After Reading, they paint a hilarious portrait of moronic characters who get in over their head, inevitably ending in bloodshed. I think their hands down funniest movie is The Big Lebowski, which is NOT up for debate. “The Dude abides.” “This aggression will not stand man.” “Donnie you’re out of your element.” “Don’t fuck with the Jesus,” etc, etc, etc. Comedies are obviously the “most quotable” movie genre, as I have already alluded to, but The Big Lebowski is on another level.

The film features, again what I think, are the best performances of both Jeff Bridges and John Goodman’s career. The Dude is such a unique character. A jobless, hippie, pot-head, bowling-addict who naively ends up in this spiderweb of criminal misunderstandings. Lebowski is a bonified classic that any self-respecting movie fan has seen hundreds of times and will see hundreds of more times.

#7 Private Parts

Say what you will about Howard Stern. Whether you love or hate him, there’s no denying that his feature film debut in 1997, Private Parts, is a side-splitting comedy outing. The film is of course a semi-biography of the controversial DJ’s life and rise to stardom. What’s really impressive about the film is Stern’s acting. He’s actually quite good in the film, displaying some emotional vulnerability as well as some callus, biting, sarcastic humor.

The flat-out runaway performance in Private Parts is of course Mr. Paul Giamatti as the loathsome “Pig-Vomit.” “He looks like a pig and he makes me want to vomit, pig-vomit,” Stern explains to his audience while discussing the hatred he has for his uptight boss. The back-and-forth banter between Stern and Pig-Vomit is absolutely hilarious and a joy to watch. And you can’t help but be fascinated at how far this man actually went to prove people wrong and achieve his dreams. It’s actually quite inspiring.

#6 There’s Something About Mary

Dubbed “the most outrageous comedy of the 1990s,” There’s Something Abut Mary does not disappoint in that regard. The Farelly Brothers have delivered us some memorable, raunchy, outrageous comedies (Dumb & Dumber, Me, Myself & Irene) but Mary is on a completely different level. Featuring their signature blend of sweet romance with penises caught in zippers, drugged dogs receiving mouth-to-mouth, tricking and making fun of the mentally handicapped, Mary is a comedy that have any person with a ticking heart rolling on the floors.

With a terrific cast featuring Ben Stiller, Matt Dillion, Cameron, Chris Elliot and a completely out-of-left-field cameo by Brett Favre, Mary is a comedy epic with literally non-stop laughs. As I alluded to earlier, the scenes in Mary are forever imprinted into the stone of comedy cinema history. The penis zipper scene, the Ben Stiller fight with fluffy scene, the “is that hair gel?” scene, this movie is one that will be considered to be in the Top 10 of all Time, years from now.

#5 Zoolander

Only Ben Stiller would think to make a comedy about the “real world of male modeling.”The second movie on this countdown to star Ben Stiller, Zoolander is a cult classic that didn’t make it’s impact on most of its fans until long after it was released on DVD. With such a ridiculous premise, script and irreverent satire, I think it took a couple viewings for a lot of people to realize the genius comedy that is Zoolander.

I mean c’mon, Hansel, Mugatu, Derelicte, Katinka Ingabogovinanahnah, Zoolander is one of the most random comedies to come out in the last 20 years, but also one of the funniest. As with all of the comedies on this countdown, Zoolander is endless quotable, because of the sheer ridiculous premise and character interactions. I think that I’m not alone in saying that the funniest/best character in the film is Mugatu, played of course by the legend that is Will Ferrell. With his Don King/Ace Ventura hair-do and his high-screeching tantrums, “I feel like I’m taking crazy pills!!” Mugatu is one of the funniest and most original comedy characters in recent memory, taking Zoolander to #5 on the list.

#4 The Naked Gun

I am a sucker for David Zucker. The king of slap-stick, spoof comedies, Zucker has delivered us with some truly memorable spoofs. With Airplane and Top Secrect to name a couple, I believe that his first outing in The Naked Gun trilogy is one of his best. Featuring the legend of spoof, Leslie Neilsen as Lt. Frank Dreben of Police Squad, The Naked Gun is a film that cannot do anything but make you laugh hysterically.

A spin-off of the early 80s comedy show, Police Squad, The Naked Gun is a movie that I cannot turn off when I come across it while channel surfing. The film also ironically and tragically features a very funny supporting performance by, you guessed it, O.J. Simpson. After his legendary NFL career and before his murdering days, Simpson played Lt. Dreben’s trusty side-kick Nordberg, in a role that Simpson played to perfection. The Naked Gun is just a great example of ridiculous spoof, slap-stick that any comedy fan can appreciate.

#3 Ace Ventura

How could I not include this on my list? The movie that introduced Jim Carrey to the world as a comedy genius in all  his glory, Ace Ventura is one of the funniest movies ever made, featuring what I think, is the greatest comedy character to ever grace the silver screen. Shall I go down the list? “Alrighty then.” “Like a glove.” “Einhorn is Finkle, Finkle is Einhorn. Einhorn is a man!” The quotes are endless and significantly impacted the speech of of popular culture in the mid 90s.

While Ace Ventura was not a box-office smash, it has become a universal favorite among most movie-goers since its release in theaters and on video/DVD. Of all Jim Carrey’s brilliant comedic performances over his illustrious career, there’s no doubt his turn as the eccentric pet detective is his most famous, and arguably his best.

#2 Wet Hot American Summer

Now this is a comedy that a lot of people might not have seen, or ever even heard of. And that is an absolute travesty if you’re a movie fan who enjoys a great comedy. Wet Hot American Summer was released in limited cities in 2001, written and directed by the brilliant comedy tag-team of Michael Showalter and David Wain (director of Role Models). The film has one of the greatest comedy casts ever assembled featuring: Showalter, Michael Ian Black, Paul Rudd, David Hyde Pierce, Jeanine Garafalo, Elizabeth Banks, Chris Mahoney, Molly Shannon, Bradley Cooper and Amy Pohler. Yeah, I know.

This is when, obviously, a lot of these actors were not the household names that they are now, but their talent is very apparent in this ridiculous, random, irreverent comedy. It’s the story of a Boston-area summer camp that chronicles the lives of the counselors and campers during the last day of camp. Some completely outrageous shenanigans occur during this 90-minute laugh-fest, and if you haven’t seen it, then I suggest you hit up NetFlix immediately.

#1 Baseketball

I already know what a lot of you are saying, “Baseketball? Really? #1?” Yes! That’s right. Baseketball is my favorite comedy of all time. How can you knock the comedy tag-team of the creators of Sout Park (Matt Stone and Trey Parker) starring in their first movie, written and directed by none other than Mr. David Zucker? I’ve seen this movie hundreds of times and every time I watch it, I laugh at the same parts as if I’m seeing it for the first time.

The humor is so raunchy and the acting is so pitch-perfectly over the top, if you don’t laugh when you’re watching Baseketball, you don’t have a pulse. Matt Stone and Trey Parker are superb actors and I really wish they would star in another live-action movie and take a break from South Park. There’s really nothing more to say about Baseketball because it’s hilarity speaks for itself.

What Do You Think? Discuss.