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Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The 12 Funniest Comedies We've Ever Seen
The funniest comedies we've ever seen include satire, deception, kung-fu, 'hair gel,' and morons. Also: These aren't the sweetest or most romantic or most important comedies — but they are, for our money, the funniest comedies. The ones that really made us laugh, and weren't out to save the world. Here we go. Related Headlines The 13 Most Captivating Prison Movies We've Ever Seen 15 Gen X Movie Stars Gone Too Soon The 13 Best SNL Sketches in 50 Years of Saturday Night Live Steve Martin's character in The Jerk isn't really a jerk at all — sweet-natured and naive Navin Johnson is one of the most lovable protagonists we've ever seen, even when he becomes a bigshot. One could argue that all of The Jerk is just a setup to the kung-fu smackdown that occurs when some nefarious real estate developers loop Navin into their racist business plan. His screamed reaction is politically incorrect and passionately anti-racist at the same time — totally cathartic and naive and beautiful. We love this movie. We also love The Jerk for finding room for an extended, pointless stretch that features the line, 'I've heard about this — cat juggling!' 'Oh stewardess? I speak jive,' says Barbara Billingsley in one of the millions of absurdist, anarchic jokes in this parody of disaster movies that plays every situation, no matter how impossible, completely straight. No other movie has a higher jokes-per-minute ratio, and most of them are good. Some are absolutely brilliant. This belongs near the top of any list of the funniest comedies. Also Read: SNL Gone Wild: 12 Behind the Scenes Stories of Saturday Night Live David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker followed up their massive hit Airplane! with this very strange comedies that is a parody between a cross between an Elvis movie and a war movie. Even Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker consider it a bit of a misfire — there aren't many jokes at the beginning, and you can't blame audiences for not understanding what exactly is being satirized. But the setup is just an excuse for a series of absolutely brilliant sight gags, like the backwards library scene, the moving train station scene, and the tunnel gag. The more you like esoteric and obscure jokes (sorry, Ford Pinto) the more you'll like Top Secret! This is a movie where you need to constantly watch the background, because there's almost definitely something ridiculous happening. We also love the songs, and Val Kilmer's outstanding performance as the American singer Nick Rivers — though he has said that when he made the movie, he was a little embarrassed to be making something so silly. One of the things that makes us consider this one of the funniest comedies is that so many people will never get it. A spectacular display of Eddie Murphy's talents, Coming to America comes for everybody of every demographic, and heaven help you if you can't take a joke. Murphy's Prince Akeem plays straightman, mostly, to a cavalcade of self-owning weirdos. The movie presents a version of New York where almost everyone is a scammer on some level — freeing up Murphy and Arsenio Hall to play a barrage of questionable characters. But the movie has a good heart: Akeem has a fundamental decency whether living the life of a rich man or poor man, and his desire for a true partner keeps us invested through all the lunacy. It's one of the funniest comedies and one of the most thoughtful. Rob Reiner's This Is Spinal Tap, in which Christopher Guest was one of the stars, introduced the rich comic power of the documentary format, but Guest's 1996 Waiting for Guffman is the movie that made it so ubiquitous for the next decade. We could have put a lot of Christopher Guest movies on this list, but we gave the edge to Best in Show because of Jennifer Coolidge's monologue about talking or not talking for hours. We had to get Monty Python in here somewhere. This sendup of Arthurian legend films is packed with silliness disguised as intense seriousness, a Python specialty. It also marks the directorial debut of Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, who shared directorial duties — a practice that seems to lend itself to great comedy movies, as the number of co-directed films on this list will hopefully illustrate. We love the Trojan Rabbit, the Knights Who Say 'Ni!,' the coconuts, the French Taunter, and especially Eric Idle (above) saying 'Message for your, sir!' Our favorite of the many funny Farrelly Brothers comedy movies is built around Cameron Diaz as the magnetic Mary, whose kindness, cool and beauty make her the obsession of almost every man she meets. But the one we're all rooting for is Ben Stiller's Ted, who survives a harrowing high-school dance disaster involving franks and beans to remain Mary's most devoted admirer. The Farrellys once told screenwriter William Goldman that while some people think that bathroom scene is the one that makes audiences root for Ted, they think it's actually his decision to seek out Mary even after Matt Dillon's shady P.I., Pat Healy, has lied that she's living a depressing life. Also, the hair gel scene (above). We laughed very, very hard through this movie as we watched it in a theater one night with zero expectations. Its total commitment to self-serious lunacy immediately won us over. Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) is the only reasonable human being in a San Diego news media chock-full of blowhards and buffoons, none more ridiculous than Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy. Standout scenes include the teleprompter showdown, the jazz flute scene, Baxter talking to a bear, and of course the news anchor rumble. But our single favorite scene may be Brian Fanta (Paul Rudd) musking up. Sixty percent of the time, it works every time. One of the things we most respect about this Mel Brooks comedy is how hard it kicked open the door for many of the other comedies on this list. Packed with jokes that would never fly in a modern comedy movie, it tells the story of a Black sheriff (Cleavon Little) trying to protect a town full of people whom his friend the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder, right) describes as 'simple farmers… people of the land, the common clay of the New West. You know: morons.' Co-written by Richard Pryor, it's a smart mockery of bigotry. And the whole thing is worth watching just to see Mongo punch a horse. Chris Farley and David Space established themselves as one of our favorite comedy movie duos before Farley's death cut short their partnership after just two movies — Tommy Boy and the also-funny Black Sheep. Farley's earnest sweetness and Spade's wry cynicism make for a perfect road trip movie filled with jokes we think about every day — fat guy in a little coat, 'Why I suck as a salesman,' and 'what'd you do?'' especially. And we couldn't relate more to the scene that ends with Farley and Spade crying along to the Carpenters' 'Superstar.' We love this movie. We love the weirdness of Mike Myers' time-traveling, swinging '60s spy movie satire: Austin Powers is a gloriously ridiculous character, and the movie is basically a joke delivery system for Myers' observations about such arcane subjects as henchmen and maneuvering tight parking spaces. What makes the whole movie work is the excellent Elizabeth Hurley as Austin's extremely competent modern-day partner Vanessa Kensington. But we're also all in on the many stupid puns, goofy visual gags, and Dr. Evil demanding the shocking sum of one millllion dollars. One of our criteria for funniest comedies is smart-stupid humor, and Austin Powers has it. Yeah baby. Is there a more quoted movie in the last 25 years than Office Space? Mike Judge's masterpiece finds Ron Livingston leading an ensemble cast that also includes the outstanding Gary Cole and Jennifer Aniston and steals its central plot from Superman III. That's OK — they own it. It's all just an excuse for fantastic riffs about TPS reports, pieces of flair, bad cases of the Mondays, and your O face. Though it was initially slept on, audiences who watched it on cable or DVR quickly recognizes it as one of the funniest comedies ever made — especially to people who've had the misfortune to work in an office. Mmmm. Yeah. We don't know if we've ever laughed harder during a movie than we did during Borat, a savage prank on Americans who foolishly allow themselves to feel superior to the ignorant journalist played by Sacha Baron Cohen. We love even the throwaway lines: 'Not so much,' 'king in the castle,' 'like a real man.' And the buying cheese scene that somehow didn't make it into the movie is one of the funniest things we've ever seen. We bet you might also like this list of the 13 Strangest Movies We've Ever Seen (which could include Top Secret!, now that we think about it.) And if you have a movie you think should be on our list of the funniest comedies, let us know. Main image: Elizabeth Hurley in Austin Powers, one of the funniest comedies we've ever seen. Editor's Note: Corrects main image. Related Headlines The 13 Most Captivating Prison Movies We've Ever Seen 15 Gen X Movie Stars Gone Too Soon The 13 Best SNL Sketches in 50 Years of Saturday Night Live
Geek Tyrant
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Steve Martin Breaks the Fourth Wall in Rare Promo For His Classic Comedy THE JERK — GeekTyrant
Back in 1979, Steve Martin did something a little different to promote his classic 1979 comedy The Jerk . In a special trailer labeled 'For Theater Owners Only,' Martin stares directly into the camera and delivers a pitch tailor-made for theater operators, telling them exactly what they wanted to hear. Of course, the whole thing was laced with Martin's signature absurd humor. He assures theater owners that this trailer is strictly not to be shown to the 'general public.' But, it was shown publicly to audience before it disappeared. That would've been the end of it, if not for the folks at Shout! Studios, who unearthed this obscure promo gem and included it on their Blu-ray release of The Jerk . As noted: 'While copies of this trailer exist in various archives, it is not available for streaming online….. Until now. Thanks to Shout Factory for putting this on their recent Blu-Ray release of the classic film.' It's a rare, fourth-wall-breaking slice of movie marketing history. This is a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy!
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Woodburn: Beautiful mosaic of memorial rocks
Some people have rocks in their head. Others have hearts of stone. And then there is a recent visitor to Ventura, a man of Baby Boomer age and reportedly from New York, who was caught on video proving he suffers from both sedimentary maladies. Imagine a vandal toppling gravestones in a cemetery and you get an idea of what this king of jerks from Queens did at the memorial rock garden that graces a raised cement planter along our beach promenade. Specifically, The Jerk ruthlessly threw into the ocean some of the beautiful rocks decorated to honor lost loved ones. Watching the detestable act, posted widely on social media, made my heart feel like it had been stung by a hundred jellyfish. If you have never visited this special garden of stones, you are missing out. It is one of the loveliest little jewels of a place you can image, affording a view of the ocean and the music of breaking waves and this sunny greeting on a tiny sign: 'Welcome to Haole's Memorial Rock Garden / Please leave memorial rocks for all to enjoy!' Haole was a dog, a Yellow Lab albeit with white fur, who was famous because he surfed. Indeed, Haole once appeared on 'Good Morning America' and also stars in a book, 'Ride the Wave: Love Sofia and Haole the Surf Dog,' which is the true story of how he helped teach a little girl with Down syndrome to 'walk on water.' After Haole died five summers past, the memorial garden was planted with its first rock and today blooms with many hundreds, if not a thousand or more. The mini-markers come in many sizes and shapes, although most are round or oval, and more than a few are heart-shaped. Almost all are pleasingly smooth as if selected with great care. What makes these stones true gems is they are hand-painted with flowers and hearts, sunsets and rainbows, paw prints and palm trees, angel wings and crosses, with R.I.P. wishes and other heartwarming messages along with the names of loved ones — pets, yes, but also human moms and dads and spouses and siblings and friends. Many are true works of art and all are works from the heart. Together, this colorful avalanche creates a mosaic worthy of comparison to a stained glass window in a church, which is fitting because this comely corner of the seaside seems like an outdoor temple. As such, it is common to see people — pedestrians and cyclists and rollerbladers; alone and in couples and small groups — stop and visit, pause and ponder, remember and pray. Some search for the rocks they have previously left here while others leave new stones now. One rock in Haole's memorial garden is especially dear to me because I know its honoree as well as the artist, my 6-year-old granddaughter, who lovingly decorated it. When Maya learned that my good friend Nick's dog recently crossed the rainbow bridge, she found a stream-polished rock, palm-sized and oval; cleaned it and painted on swirls of deep blue and sea-glass green, and added white stars; then, in her neatest kindergarten printing, in black marker wrote: 'Henry.' Coincidentally, Henry's rock was placed at the southernmost tip of Haole's garden, precisely where The Jerk committed his briny desecration. I went to check and was relieved to find 'Henry' still resting in peace in view of the Ventura Pier. I hope the memorial stones that were tossed into the ocean can be, or have been, retrieved at low tide. One Jerk cannot wipe out Haole's four-legged legacy. Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@ His books are available at This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Woodburn: Beautiful mosaic of memorial rocks
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Movies and TV Shows Coming to Netflix in May 2025
The post Movies and TV Shows Coming to Netflix in May 2025 appeared first on Consequence. Netflix has unveiled its lineup of new TV shows and movies arriving on the streaming platform in May 2025. Among the highlights are the premieres of the new Tina Fey and Steve Carell comedy series, The Four Seasons, on May 1st and Conan O'Brien's 2025 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony on May 4th. Other notable titles include classics like American Graffiti and The Jerk; new episodes of Big Mouth and Tim Miller and David Fincher's Love, Death, and Robots; the Ocean's and Twilight franchises; and documentaries about NBA guard Gilbert Arenas, fitness influencer The Liver King, and disgraced NFL quarterback Brett Favre. See what other movies and shows are streaming on Netflix beginning in May 2025 below. TITLES COMING TO NETFLIX IN MARCH: *This list may not be comprehensive and is subject to change May 1 Ali Airport Airport 1975 Airport '77 American Gangster American Graffiti Angi: Fake Life, True Crime Burn After Reading Constantine Crazy, Stupid, Love. Dawn of the Dead Eat Pray Love Flushed Away Hanna Home Mid90s Ocean's Eleven Ocean's Thirteen Ocean's Twelve Past Lives Paul The Paper Tigers The Sugarland Express Sisters Starship Troopers The Biggest Fan The Cliche The Equalizer 2 The Four Seasons, Season 1 The Jerk The Lego Movie The Mule The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse The Twilight Saga: New Moon The Walk Trainwreck Trolls Twilight Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Why I Dress Up for Love May 2 Bad Boy, Season 1 Peninsula Train to Busan Unseen, Season 2 May 4 Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor May 5 Britain and the Blitz Mighty Monsterwheelies, Season 2 May 6 The Devil's Plan, Season 2 UNTOLD: Shooting Guards May 7 Full Speed, Season 2 Last Bullet (Lost Bullet 3) May 8 Blood of Zeus, Season 3 Forever, Season 1 Heart Eyes The Haunted Apartment 'Miss K' May 9 A Deadly American Marriage Bad Influence Nonnas Too Hot to Handle: Italy, Season 1 The Royals, Season 1 May 11 ABBA: Against the Odds May 12 Tastefully Yours, Season 1 May 13 All American, Season 7 Bad Thoughts, Season 1 UNTOLD: The Liver King May 14 American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden, Season 1 Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story Garbo: Where Did You Go? Married at First Sight, Season 17 Rhythm + Flow: Poland, Season 1 Smile Snakes and Ladders, Season 1 May 15 Bet, Season 1 Franklin, Season 1 Love, Death & Robots, Volume 4 Pernille, Season 5 Secrets We Keep Thank You, Next, Season 2 The Reserve Vini Jr. May 16 Dear Hongrang, Season 1 Football Parents, Season 1 Instant Family Rotten Legacy, Season 1 The Quilters Where Hope Grows May 17 Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping May 20 Sarah Silverman: Postmortem UNTOLD: The Fall of Favre May 21 Poor, Season 1 Real Men, Season 1 Sneaky Links: Dating After Dark, Season 1 The UnXplained with William Shatner, Season 6 May 22 She The People, Season 1 – Part 1 Sirens May 23 Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds Big Mouth, Season 8 Fear Street: Prom Queen Forget You Not, Season 1 Off Track 2 May 24 Our Unwritten Soul, Season 1 The Wild Robot May 26 CoComelon, Season 13 Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life Pig May 27 Better Late Than Single, Season 1 May 28 F1: The Academy, Season 1 May 29 Dept. Q, Season 1 Mad Unicorn Losmen Bu Broto: The Series, Season 1 Single's Inferno: Choices May 30 A Widow's Game Lost in Starlight The Heart Knows May 31 Netflix TUDUM 2025 Popular Posts LAPD Releases Body Cam Footage of Shooting Involving Weezer Bassist's Wife Jillian Lauren Katy Perry Goes Viral for Cringe Choreography at "Lifetimes Tour" Kickoff Phish Snubbed by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Despite Winning Fan Vote Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2025 Class: The White Stripes, OutKast, Soundgarden & More Hans Zimmer Announces 2025 North American Tour Kneecap Respond to Sharon Osbourne, Tell Her to Listen to Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
