Comedy comes in all shapes and sizes. Whether we’re talking about modern hits or the classics, there truly is something for everyone in the genre. While the best comedies may not get the critical acclaim they deserve during award season, they’ll always have a spot in our viewing rotation.
Buckle up and get ready to laugh: here are 23 of our favorite comedy movies ever made.
Airplane!
The 1980 classic spoof film is considered one of the greatest films ever.
It features non-stop memorable quotes and is better with repeated viewings.
Superbad
The 2007 coming-of-age teen comedy features a star-studded cast.
The movie has only improved over time and is still a fantastic watch.
This Is Spinal Tap
The mockumentary from Christopher Guest helped introduce “Turning It Up to 11” into popular culture.
One impressive bit of trivia is that the film tricked moviegoers into thinking Spinal Tap is a real band.
Best in Show
Another Christopher Guest mockumentary, this time about Dog Shows, features an ensemble cast.
As you’d expect, not everything goes to plan for every hopeful contestant. Many Redditors agree that this is an under-the-radar comedy you need to check out.
Shaun of the Dead
The Edgar Wright film brilliantly spoofs the zombie horror film genre.
Fantastic performances carry clever and witty dialogue from the cast, led by Shaun Pegg and Nick Frost.
Hot Fuzz
The trio of Edgar Wright, Shaun Pegg, and Nick Frost return.
This time, they’re spoofing the world of action movies. Some argue that this is even better than Shaun of the Dead.
The Emperor’s New Groove
This animated Disney comedy stars David Spade and John Goodman.
While it doesn’t have the pedigree of other Disney classics, much of the humor has a Looney Tunes feel.
Trading Places
Trading Places fits the bill if you want something different to watch during Christmas.
The comedy, starring Dan Akroyd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis, is a hallmark of 80s comedy.
The Jerk
Steve Martin’s breakout theatrical performance is the 1979 comedy The Jerk.
Martin, also a co-writer for the film, delivers a performance for the ages.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
From one Steve Martin comedy to another. This time, he co-stars with John Candy in this Thanksgiving-themed John Hughes film.
For many, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles has become a yearly viewing tradition with family.
Tropic Thunder
While it’s arguable that the 2008 Ben Stiller comedy would never be made today, you still need to watch it.
The film spoofs various Hollywood tropes between multiple action films and method acting. Stiller stars alongside Jack Back and Robert Downey Jr.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The first original film from the Monty Python comedy group spoofs the medieval legends of King Arthur and his Knights.
Many of the movie’s lines have become a part of popular culture.
A Fish Called Wanda
Python members John Cleese and Michael Palin star with Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis in one of the best comedic films ever.
Kline won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 1988 as Otto West.
What About Bob?
Bill Murray stars as what may be the most annoying person in the world.
To our chagrin, he drives his co-star, Richard Dreyfuss, absolutely bananas.
Borat
Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, better known simply as Borat, is the film that brought comedian Sascha Baron Cohen to the spotlight for many moviegoers.
Directed by Larry Charles of Seinfeld fame, Borat is a satirical mockumentary that analyzes American life. Fully in character, Baron Cohen features real-life interactions with everyday Americans. Most of the film is unscripted, with unassuming people unaware he’s an actor and not the foreigner he claims to be.
Office Space
This workplace comedy from Mike Judd highlights the mundane office lifestyle.
Thanks to Office Space, office workers around the country continuously ask, “PC Load Letter? What does that mean?!”
Tommy Boy
The first movie with Saturday Night Live stars Chris Farley and David Spade is a classic 1990s movie.
Rob Lowe and Bo Derek co-star, complete with a cameo appearance by Dan Aykroyd.
Blazing Saddles
Mel Brooks takes his satirical talents to the old West.
Starring Gene Wilder and Cleavon Little, Blazing Saddles brilliantly spoofs life in the late 1800s.
Young Frankenstein
Blazing Saddles wasn’t the only 1974 hit from Mel Brooks. Young Frankenstein is the acclaimed director’s homage to classic monster movies.
Brooks himself claims that Blazing Saddles is the funniest movie he’s ever made, but “as a writer-director, [Young Frankenstein] is by far my finest.”
Super Troopers
Comedy group Broken Lizard bursts onto the scene with the 2001 film Super Troopers.
Spoofing a group of highway police offers, many of the film’s lines of dialogue are still used in conversation by fans today.
Clue (1985)
The ensemble cast of the 1985 film based on the Clue board game is a cult classic.
Initially, the theatrical release had several endings that varied between viewing locations.
Dumb and Dumber
The 1994 comedy from Peter and Bobby Farrelly stars Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.
After release, the film solidified Carrey’s stock as a top-tier comedic actor in the 90s.
National Lampoon’s Animal House
The 1978 film by John Landis is, in the eyes of many, the greatest comedy ever made.
An ensemble cast highlights the extreme nature possible in Greek college life. Obviously, things are exaggerated, but who hasn’t enjoyed a Toga Party now and then?
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