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Jan 09, 06
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Jan 09, 06
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Anyone seen The Ringer yet? I have to say it is hilarious and it's got a spot on my list.
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Jan 09, 06
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 ^ can't forget the classics
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Jan 09, 06
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It's over. I've finalized it. My top 10 comedies of all time.
Before I get into my list, I want to bring to bear a term that I've coined that's going to affect some of the placements on this list. The term is "First Half Syndrome", and a lot of you are going to know where I'm coming from with this... a lot of comedies suffer from a real slowdown in laughs once you get to towards the end of their running time. Best guess I have as to why this happens frequently is that a comedy often starts out with a hilarious idea, or set of ideas, and then needs to be extended into a feature film, which requires a character or groups of characters needing to overcome a problem. The plot is meant to steadily build towards a climax in which that problem is resolved. As they move closer and closer towards this climax, many films that were riotous in their opening stages start to lose a lot of comedic steam. Some comedies pull this off, and are all the better for it; there's nothing worse than a comedy that doesn't even ATTEMPT to work with the necessary elements of conflict, characters with a need to resolve it, and a resolution. It ends up being just aimless blathering for 1hr 30mins +. But some of these comedies on my list, which I still consider hilarious and would recommend without a moments hesitation, have a really nasty case of "First Half Syndrome" (henceforth referred to as FHS), and not coincidentally find themselves towards the lower half of my list. "Now if you'll excuse me, it's 8 o'clock. Time to get bizzay" - Fry So it was written: #1) Monty Python and the Holy Grail The only movie from anywhere before the 1990s to find its way onto my list, (apologies to Airplane), and look where it ends up. What the hell can I say about Monty Python that hasn't been said already? 5 of the funniest people this planet has ever created, with a mad genius art director pulling it all together. You could play the 2 or 3 minutes of the Black Knight scene on its own and it would bury 75% of the "comedies" festering on Blockbuster's shelves. Funny from start to finish, wildly imaginative, subversively clever.. there will never be anything like it. #2) Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery Remember back when saying "Shagdelic baby, YEAH!" was totally funny? Me neither, but I'm pretty sure there was a 6 month period in 1997 when it genuinely was. Ignore for a moment if you will the dilution of the concept and characters that has occured since then, and you'll understand why this rates so high. Mike Myers was great as Austin powers, Liz Hurley did an A rate job of being his comedic foil (unlike Heather Graham's B-), and Mike Myers was HILARIOUS as Dr fricken Evil. Great supporting cast of characters (including the first, but definetly not last, appearance of Will Ferrel on this list)... it all came together in a way that made Wayne's World look dull by comparison. #3) The 40 Year Old Virgin Oh, does this pick seem high to you? I'm sorry, what was it about this movie that you didn't like? Was it Steve Carrel basically somersaulting along the impossible tightrope between straight/leading man and comic driving force? Was it the 3 guys who played his friends who were each hysterical in their own way, not just for a few jokes but throughout the entire film? In fact I can't really think of a single unfunny character in this movie, nor a moment where it really lags or forgets that it's a comedy first and foremost. And despite all that, it even works in terms of its plot rising towards climax/resolution. Put it this way, on my flight from Bangkok to Australia I watched it, laughed my ass off (despite the fact I had to be constantly pressing my thumb down on my headphone jack in order for the sound to come through), then I watched another movie... and then I watched The 40 Year Old Virgin again (despite the fact that I had to be constantly, yeah you get the idea.) That was less than a month ago and I've already watched it a third time. What more can I say? #4) There's Something About Mary "Is it the frank or the beans???" Like Austin Powers, at the time this was a breath of fresh air, that is to say, what air you were able to breathe in between doubling over with laughter. The fact that Ben Stiller has tried to make the same movie ever since should tell you something. It never came off quite like this, for him or the Farrelly brothers. I guess what makes it stand out is just how surprising it was... I kept thinking things like "Did they actually just show that??".. "Are they really going to make a joke about that???"... "Is that Brett Freaking Farve?.. re?.." *** INTERMISSION *** To me there was a significant drop off after these 4.. I spent way more time trying to organize and arrange the next 6. This is where FHS starts to rear its ugly head... *** RESUME *** #5) Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Put Will Ferrel and Steve Carrel in a movie together. Stand back a fair distance, and shield your eyes from the comedic glare. This movie has generated about 20 different phrases that me and my current flatmate keep throwing out there. No slouches in the rest of the cast, either, but FHS is a definite issue.. #6) Team America: World Police Trey Parker and Matt Stone are responsible for a good 15-20% of the world's comedy production in the past 10 years. I'm glad they're on this list, though who would've thought it would be with freaking marionettes? Extra points for that originality, as well as for parody of both redneck and liberal America, a great soundtrack and the unforgettable Kim Jong-Il. (has he seen this??) #7) Old School Todd Phillips is the man. Between this, Road Trip and Starsky and Hutch he's made 3 comedies in the past 5 years that would probably make my top 20. For whatever reason, Old School makes the top 10.. if I had to guess why, I'd wager it's got something to do with Will Ferrel. OK he was in S&H, but Frank the Tank is a fucking riot.. "We're going STREAKING!!!" Vince Vaughn deserves mention here as well... plays his role to a T. Suffers from a mild case of FHS. #8) Supertroopers Complete unknowns Broken Lizard come out of nowhere to make the bottom half of this list. I feel like I don't have a hell of a lot to say about it, not because it wasn't laugh out loud funny, but because that's kind of all there is to say. Everyone is good, Rod Farva is a cut above. "Liter, it's French for GIMMEE SOME FUCKING COLA" #9) Office Space The most obvious case of FHS on the list. I've had people preface showing it to their friends by saying "the second half isn't as funny". Of course, those same people have watched it 10-20 times. You almost end up being depressed at the end by the fact that if they'd just managed to carry the incredible momentum of the first 45 minutes over to the next 45, well... let's just say the top 5 would be threatened. Office Space gets credit for being funnier with a cast of relative unknowns (aside from a Jennifer Aniston) than most movies with big stars. #10) The Big Lebowski A little curveball for the number 10 spot! I stared at a long list of candidates to bring up the rear: Naked Gun, Dumb and Dumber, Starsky and Hutch, Clerks, Harold and Kumar.. nothing felt right. When this came to me it stomped all the others into submission. There might not even be a single laugh out loud, hysterical moment in this Coen brothers effort.. but I must have seen it literally 10 times and every time I find something else to laugh about; The Big Lebowski is the ultimate comedic slow burn. Huge props are due for the incredibly vivid and unique characters.. no idea how Joel and Ethan come up with this stuff. FIN I want to close this list by offering a gigantic apology to Bill Murray. Dude, I am so sorry you're not on the top 10, but what I've seen you in (Rushmore, Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters, Lost in Translation, Kingpin, What about Bob?).. well nothing was quite funny enough to make the list! YOU were funny enough! Please accept this lifetime achievement award instead. If you read all this, you're even more bored than me. Congratulations. Now if you'll excuse me, I have my own Holy Grail (re: job) to go quest for. Cheers. Last edited by Grapes; Jan 09, 06 at 06:21 PM.
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Jan 09, 06
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Kids in The Hall - BRAIN CANDY.
GLEEEMONEX! "Come with me, I've got piiiiieee...."
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Jan 09, 06
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BRANDED!
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Jan 09, 06
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