As the title says, I need a list of higher quality comedy movies. A typical scenario plays out every time my girlfriend and I attempt to watch a movie:
Me: “I want to watch a compelling movie, something that will make us think. How about Twelve Angry Men? We haven’t seen that in awhile.”
Girlfriend: “No, I want to watch a comedy movie! Let’s watch something with Will Ferrel or Vince Vaughn.”
Ten minutes later, I am stuck sitting through Dodgeball for the umpteenth time, wishing she would fall asleep so I can turn off the drek.
There has got to be a compromise. I need some better comedy movies. I’m talking Duck Soup, MST3K, Blazing Saddles… you know, comedy movies that don’t cater to the lowest common denominator. Something that will satisfy her need for laughter while at the same time satisfy my need to retain all my brain cells.
Blazing Saddles doesn’t cater to the lowest denominator? Thats the movie with the group of cowboys farting around a big pot of beans, right?
(OK… I know it is, I’m just saying… )
That said, I love most comedies from stupid really lame comedies that a lot of people hate (Deuce Bigalow for example) to the higher brow comedies of which you speak.
My first thought actually, coming into this thread, was Best in Show or A Mighty Wind. (I’d give their last one a pass though… I don’t remember the name.)
Some of the Coen Brothers movies are actually really funny and yet still very good movies… “Raising Arizona” “The Big Lebowski” (A big Cult and SDMB favorite) “O Brother Where Art Thou”… and I know “Fargo” is supposed to be a comedy, but I never got that one.
I’m trying to think of others… but I’m coming up blank right now. I’ll probably think of some in a few hours… if I do, I’ll let you know.
Oscar
The Freshman
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Princess Bride
Drop Dead Fred
Groundhog Day
Sneakers (Has some funy bits, though not necessarily a comedy.) Spaceballs
Young Frankenstein
Maverick
Ed TV
Tango & Cash (Action/Comedy) Joe Versus the Volcano
Turner & Hooch (I recall liking it, but who knows) The Burbs
Big
Dragnet
The Money Pit (Again, I recall liking it, but who knows) Spies Like Us
Funy Farm
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Big Trouble in Little China
Scrooged
Overboard
Captain Ron
The Toy
Little Shop of Horrors
Trading Places
Brewster’s Millions
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
The Jerk
My Blue Heaven
Amelie
If you want real highbrow, you can also go for Dr. Strangelove, but I doubt that she would like it. Being There, on the other hand, might work for both of you (though it’s not really a comedy, in some ways), similarly is The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.
You might also think to try some TV shows. There’s some good British shows, and at least Scrubs and House in the US.
Destiny Turns on the Radio
Mr. Destiny
Shakespeare in Love
The Adams Family (1 and 2 were both good, I thought) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
The Night We Never Met
Hudson Hawk
Death Becomes Her
And most, but not all Jackie Chan movies. Not highbrow, mind, but you get to watch Jackie kick butt instead.
I have rated all these highly on IMDB. Some guilty pleasures amongst them mind you.
Groundhog Day
Office Space
The Big Lebowski
Joe Versus the Volcano
Airplane!
City Slickers
Dr. Strangelove or How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Funny Farm
Fletch
Dogma
Love Actually
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Amelie
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Election
Napoleon Dynamite
The Life of Brian
The Breakfast Club
Blazing Saddles
My Giant
Very Bad Things
The Gods Must Be Crazy
Little Miss Sunshine
Analyze This
The Pink Panther
Shallow Hal
The Girl Next Door
Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail
There’s Something About Mary
What About Bob?
Young Frankenstein
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Weekend At Bernie’s
Mad Dog and Glory
Raising Arizona
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Money Pit
Waking Ned Devine
Mars Attacks!
Bad Santa
The Jerk
Three Amigos!
The Royal Tenenbaums
Grosse Pointe Blank
Captain Ron
A Fish Called Wanda
Trading Places
Animal House
Big
Legally Blonde
My Cousin Vinny
Sideways
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle
If you can find them you really should watch Abigail’s Party or Nut’s in May. Both are very British comedies but I think should appeal to most people, very well observed comedy directed by Mike Leigh
Some good suggestions here. I haven’t seen mentioned yet: Roxanne Parenthood Good Morning Vietnam UHF (not exactly highbrow, but good)
both Bill & Ted movies (more intelligent than you might think)
My favorite “high-brow” comedy is the Albert Brooks Defending Your Life
Rip Torn just cracks me up in that film.
Daniel Miller: Is this Heaven?
Bob Diamond: No, it isn’t Heaven.
Daniel Miller: Is it Hell?
Bob Diamond: Nope, it isn’t Hell either. Actually, there is no Hell. Although I hear Los Angeles is getting pretty close.
Comedian: How’d ya die?
Arthur: I was in a coma.
Comedian: I’m sorry. How long were you in the coma?
Arthur: I really don’t know.
Comedian: Let’s play a game, Art. Elvis: living or dead?
Arthur: Living.
Comedian: Long coma, Art. Long coma.