Top Ten Great Comedies: Why They Make Us Laugh

When it comes to watching a comedy movie, the truly great ones can make you laugh dozens of times. They can brighten a rainy day and be the perfect ending for a great day. It’s these films that are impossible to not smile during. And that is why I love great comedies; they are pure unadulterated joy that’s impossible to turn away from, sucking you into a world of laughter, meaning, and joy.

These traits, along with hilarious characters, quotable lines, and exuberant set pieces, are exemplified by the ten films from all eras I’ve chosen as my favorite comedies. This list could change tomorrow as there are many movies I haven’t seen. But I will always love all these films, and the ranking is accurate as of this date. I also can’t pick five. Here’s a list of ten.

10. Brazil

Terry Gilliam’s Brazil is a masterpiece that is devastatingly biting, entirely absurdist, and exceptionally brilliant. The film jumps around from idea to idea, Freud to farce, without skipping a beat. Nothing is safe from Gilliam’s mind for satire. The film also stands as one of the smartest science fiction films, with each scene asserting itself.

9. Frances Ha

While I love Brazil for its absurdity, I love Baumbach’s Frances Ha for its authenticity. The film follows a confused, quirky 20-something-year-old as she attempts to make her way through life in New York. The authenticity of the writing, carried by Baumbach and Gerwig, makes the film a perfect blend of laughter and wistfulness.

8. The General

Going straight from the newest entry to the oldest, The General stands as Buster Keaton’s grandest achievement. It’s a film that has imprints in virtually every comedy and action film made after, with Mad Max: Fury Road copying its plot almost to a tee. Through his subdued facial expressions and unending charm, Keaton makes every single gag work, turning something as simple as almost falling down into hilarious moments.

7. Punch-Drunk Love

Punch-Drunk Love is a testament to Paul Thomas Anderson's versatility. The film’s premise is what if the Adam Sandler archetype was transmitted into real life, leading to the character failing his way through life in the most wonderfully pathetic manner. Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s bit part, with less than 5 minutes of screen-time, still steals the film. His performance is one of the greatest in cinema history.

6. Inglourious Basterds

Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds is a heightened world where everybody finally gets what they deserve. It’s a land where manic violence against terrible people takes on an edge to it. However, the film’s funniest moments come from the hilarious one-liners and the surprising yet satisfying death scenes, especially the last one, which I laughed at the most.

5. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

No film on this list presents its comedy with more creativity than the constantly irreverent Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Edgar Wright’s direction is constant in every frame, editing jokes into the background and foreground, helping to develop the deceptively nuanced protagonist. Despite its premise, the film is much smarter than many give it credit for, balancing character and comedy without a word.

4. A Serious Man

A Serious Man challenges the title of a comedy with its ironic positioning. The Coen brothers show their comedic prowess with strong comedic monologues, and the film’s satirical portrayal of Jewish life and the protagonist’s relentless hard knocks is so pathetic that you have to laugh. It’s a title and fact—being a tragedy—that makes it no less hilarious.

3. Monty Python’s Life of Brian

Monty Python’s Life of Brian is social comedy at its finest. It blends the line between satire, absurdism, and farce to create a series of loosely tied sketches that, when combined, create one of cinema’s most fascinating works of art. It starts with the three kings abusing a woman for what more could you possibly want? And it isn’t just the funniest Python film; it’s also the only one that carries quite a bit of meaning, with a clear anti-authoritarianist/conformity slant running through the film.