With your two weeks (maybe more) worth of groceries now packed safely in the fridge, you now have to keep yourself busy at home, since everything in the outside world has been canceled. What’s a social-distancing, self-isolator to do at such a unique time in our world’s history? How about relaxing and watching a comedy to make you forget about the chaos going on in the outside world? Given the current state of things, is there any more welcome feeling right now than having a good laugh? May we suggest watching these comedies (all of which are available on Netflix)?
Groundhog Day
Likable, crowd-pleasing, strong performances, Harold Ramis’ 1993 classic is well worth the re-watch. Following Bill Murray’s Phil, as he lives the same day over and over, this will no doubt provide light relief in the world’s current climate.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
One of the absolute greats. Arguably the finest outing for the Pythons, the Holy Grail has left its imprint on a number of comedies since its release in 1975, so why not re-visit a timelessly brilliant time-capsule of comedy. Silly and genius from start to finish.
The Edge of Seventeen
Kelly Fremon-Craig’s coming of age comedy-drama is (for my money) one of the best coming of age stories told in the last decade. Rising to the top of a crowded genre, the film boasts an incredible turn from Hailee Steinfeld as Nadine, whose world is turned upside down when her best friend begins dating her brother. Foul-mouthed, hilarious, but mostly full of heart, it’s the scenes between Steinfeld’s Nadine and Woody Harrelson’s reluctant Mr. Bruner that elevate the film to classic status.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
King of the genre John Hughes created a film etched into teenage cinema and comedy history when he introduced us to Matthew Brodrick’s wise-cracking, thrill-seeking, maverick teenager Ferris Bueller. Every inch of the film has been analyzed, re-hashed, and endlessly copied since it hit cinemas over 30 years ago. The film also boasts one of comedy cinema’s greatest musical scenes.
Austin Powers Trilogy
Crazy, filthy, sweary, and downright mental. Mike Myers Austin flexes all of his comedic muscles throughout the various installments of Jay Roach’s comedy trio. If you’re only going to pick one here then “International Man of Mystery” offers Myers and his comedic peak, along with the most razor-sharp writing the trilogy has to offer.
As Good As It Gets
A comedy designed to make you cry as much as laugh. Landing both Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson Oscars, and with a standout performance from Greg Kinnear, this film appears to have a story that is as cruel as it is comedic, but it’s larger than life performances have carried its message for over 20 years.
Step Brothers
Adam Mckay’s Luke-warmly received at the time story of not so brotherly love has undoubtedly become a cult classic since releasing in 2008. Endlessly quoted, and apparently endlessly watched, it would come as a surprise to no one if this film’s streaming numbers over the years have towered above better-received comedies.
Tootsie
Starring Dustin Hoffman in a story of disguise and deceit, “Tootsie” has been labeled a “cultural artifact” since it hit screens in 1982. Uplifting and hilarious, the film also contains a brilliant Oscar-winning turn from the legendary Jessica Lange.
Silver Linings Playbook
The go-to film on this list for me has to David O’Russell’s wildly entertaining, funny, poignant and beautiful look at mental illness from 2013. Starring the magnetically captivating pairing of Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, both at the height of their powers, O’Russell’s screenplay flips effortlessly between light and dark. Combining both the frivolous nature of things that we all worry about, with the serious, to create a two-hour melting pot of humor and heartbreak.
The Naked Gun
Witty, crass, and crazy. David Zucker’s 1988 classic was argued to have “Shattered the straight lines of comedy” when it burst onto screens full of innuendo and toilet humor, displaying a real spectacle of ‘warts and all’ comedy led by the great Leslie Nielsen. Worth a shot if you like this kind of humor, however this film and those that followed would fail to ever creep out of the shadow of Zucker’s previous, the mighty “Airplane!”.
Tootsie
Dustin Hoffman won raves as an unemployed and struggling actor who decides to dress up as a woman to get a soap opera gig in rural L.A. Not only is Hoffman at his absolute best here but Bill Murray, playing his roommate, almost steals the show with his brass, deadpan and ironic brand of comedy. “Tootsie” is a movie that’s almost impossible to dislike.
The Hangover
The Summer box-office hit that launched the careers of Bradley Cooper, Zack Galifianakis, and Ed Helms. Forget about the two sequels, the first time was the best time as this raunchy comedy tackles the last 24 hours of a completely botched Vegas bachelor party. There are many time-capsule worthy scenes, but the taser gun sequence always gives me the giggles.
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
A modern-day Cheech and Chong, this stoner classic has our two likable characters (played by John Cho and Kal Penn) going through a night of debauchery, just to get to experience the sweet mouth-watering taste of White Castle burgers. The surprises are too hilarious to reveal but expect a testosterone-fueled, drug-induced Neil Patrick Harris to steal the show.
Up in Smoke
Unemployed pot-smoking slackers Anthony Stoner (Tommy Chong) and Pedro de Pacas (Cheech Marin) have become comedy icons in the pot world. But their comedy transcends pot smokeage— there’s a reason why Cheech and Chong broke through the mainstream, this drug-ingesting duo can make you laugh in stitches. Arrested for possession of marijuana, our “heroes” get released on a technicality, allowing them to continue their many misadventures in unwieldy eccentric and innumerably laugh-out-loud ways.
Dolemite is My Name
Call this the blaxploitation version of “Ed Wood,” filled with the same deft comic touch, including the most outrageous sex scene you have ever seen. Craig Brewer’s “Dolemite is my Name” was the funniest movie of 2019, a hoot and a holler about a black man living in whitey America yearning to make a name for himself as a filmmaker. This biopic comedy was not only Murphy's first major movie since 2011’s “Tower Heist,” but his best performance since his Oscar-nominated turn in “Dreamgirls.”
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