Blu-ray.com Consensus - Top 50 COMEDIES

[chaopolis]

Blu-Ray.com Community Consensus - Top 50 Comedies

So, with Photogenic's Top 100 Films poll and CZAR's Top 20 Comic Book Films poll wrapping up, I figured I'd throw one into the ring.

Many Top Films polls tend to include dramas more than any other major genre. But, let's look at the lighter side of life. The films that make us laugh, make us... erm.... laugh, and make us.... LAUGH!

I'd like to find out from YOU (the Blu-Ray.com Community) what your 15 Favorite Comedies are. From there, we will compile that list to make a Community Consensus list of the Top 50 Comedies.


What Classifies a Comedy? (You May Ask... Maybe?)

1. A film that, throughout, MAKES YOU LAUGH. There are many films that have strong comedic moments, but would you consider them a true comedy at the end of the day?

2. Must be INTENTIONALLY FUNNY. Although many of us would agree that a film such as "Battlefield Earth" is HILARIOUS... it's for all the wrong reasons. If a film, when it was released, was not intended to be a comedy, then it probably shouldn't be on this list.

3. Oh yeah... it MUST BE A MOVIE. No television shows on this list... sorry folks.


How to Play!!! (aka Rules for the Oblivious/Uninitiated)

List your 15 (yes, FIFTEEN) favorite comedies, with your absolute favorite being NUMBER ONE (or UNO for our Region 4 friends). Under each film, please list/summarize why you love it so dang much.

Once the poll ends, we will score the films as such:

Number 1 spot = 15 points
Number 2 spot = 14 points
Number 3 spot = 13 points
etc, etc, etc...
Number 15 spot = 1 point

Then, we will release a series of YouTube VIDEOS announcing the WINNERS!!!

So, make that list!!!


(Here's mine...)

1. Ghostbusters (1984)

Although partly a horror/science fiction/comedy, Ghostbusters is first and foremost a comedy. I personally can't think of a single comedic MISS in the entire film. Almost 30 years later, I still laugh my ass off every time. It's a perfect blend of comedy and science fiction and horror (elements). A fun film through and through with pitch perfect performances by everyone (especially Bill Murray).

2. Blazing Saddles (1974)

More often than not, "offensive" films lose their spark after several years. Blazing Saddles is a film that not only STILL offends, but may be EVEN MORE offensive than when it was initially released! (Thank you, oh politically correct society we live in)

3. Young Frankenstein (1974)

Offering a surprising ONE-TWO punch in 1974, Mel Brooks delivered his two greatest films. The former being the... er... former film on this list, and the latter being Young Frankenstein. Blazing Saddles goes for offensive, broader laughs, but Young Frankenstein offers a clever spin on the horror genre, plus PERFECT performances by Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, Madeline Khan, and EVERYONE ELSE IN THE FILM. It was a tough choice between Blazing Saddles and this for these spots.

4. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

My favorite John Hughes comedy. Ferris Bueller succeeds on it's EXTREMELY likeable lead, played fantastically by Matthew Broderick. It's a great vicarious adventure that is still brilliant and still funny. RIP Mr. Hughes.

5. Airplane! (1980)

The ZAZ (Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker) team has produced many classic comedies in their time, but this one easily stands above them all (no offense Naked Gun). By taking the film Zero Hour, and adding, well, intentional jokes, they made one of the best comedies. Plus, they did something not normally done back then by casting dramatic actors in comedic roles... and it WORKS!

6. Trading Places (1983)

Once upon a time, Eddie Murphy was hilarious. Case in point, my favorite Eddie Murphy film, Trading Places. It's a fun rags to riches/riches to rags story, and an even better revenge story. However, as great as Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis are in this film, it's Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche as the hoist-toity, racist, douchecanoes: The Duke Brothers that make this movie for me.

7. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)

Shockingly, my only animated film on the list. South Park was a bold move: Making a film based on a currently running TV show, which was only in it's second season. The result is a delightful offensive MUSICAL. And it's the MUSICAL aspect that puts it so high on my list. The songs MAKE this film!

8. ¡Three Amigos! (1986)

Speaking of great songs in film, ¡Three Amigos! has some wonderful musical numbers sprinkled throughout (though I certainly wouldn't call it a musical). This film scores on a fun fishes-out-of-water premise with a really fun villian and three great leads (Steve Martin, Martin Short, and, yeah, sure, even Chevy Chase). It's also... rather quotable. IT'S A SWEATER!

9. Hot Fuzz (2007)

One of two Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg/Nick Frost comedies on the list. Impressive, because they've made..... TWO FILMS together. Although I had the damndest time which one I liked better initially, Hot Fuzz succeeds more in my opinion over time. A great spin on the action-cop film.

10. Galaxy Quest (1999)

A WONDERFUL take on not only Star Trek, but also Star Trek fans. Similar to the plot of ¡Three Amigos!, Galaxy Quest is such a fun, little comedy that I DARE you not to like it... I DARE YOU! Never give up, never surrender!

11. Bowfinger (1999)

A VERY underrated film in my eyes. A splendid spoof of guerrilla filmmaking and Scientology. Steve Martin (who also wrote) is fantastic, and I consider this film to be the last great Eddie Murphy comedy. Gotcha suckas!

12. There's Something About Mary (1998)

The Farrelly Brothers have made many a comedy in their career, but this one's my favorite. While some were a little TOO sweet for their own good (:cough: Stuck on You), this one blends the sweet with the nasty so very well. Never have you wanted to root for a stalker so much...

13. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Film Number 2 in the EW/SP/NF-stravaganza, Shaun of the Dead succeeds for one of the reasons that Ghostbusters succeeds... it's a strong comedy and an equally strong horror film, but without forgetting that it's a comedy. So great!

14. Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)

The film that introduced us to John Landis and Zucker-Abrahms-Zucker, KFM is a "sketch-comedy" film... but a delightfully offensive one, and MANY of the jokes still hit well. Plus, it has a WONDERFUL film within the film, the Enter the Dragon-spoof "A Fistful of Yen". If you haven't seen it, check it out. You'll laugh... I promise.

15. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

Yeah... I may catch hell for this one. But everyone's allowed to have that ONE guilty pleasure. I rank this film so HIGH (no pun intended) solely on the two leads that MAKE MAKE MAKE this film. If they had cast anyone else in this film, you wouldn't have cared... I wouldn't have cared. But it's their chemistry and charisma that take this above your "average" stoner comedy. It's just really damn fun.

Polling will close on Friday, October 5th, with the VIDEOS to follow (hopefully) shortly thereafter. It's important to include summaries under your films (but not mandatory). We hope to include a few select summaries in the announcement videos.

So... have fun, happy thoughts, and...... GO!