Eddie the Eagle. A more modern take on Cool Runnings. Hunt For The Wilderpeople. Taika Waititi’s masterpiece, based on a book by celebrated NZ author Barry Crump. The Grand Budapest Hotel. Wes Anderson being Wes Anderson, but he is very good at that. Mr Bean’s Holiday. Not as bad as it sounds, it’s actually one of my favourite comedies. School Of Rock. Jack Black playing himself, Mike White also playing himself, Sarah Silverman not playing herself.
We’ve been re-watching some older comedies lately:* Young Frankenstein, Big, Four Weddings and a Funeral, When Harry Met Sally, Groundhog Day*, etc. All good to very good.
Last weekend we watched You’ve Got Mail. Now this was the perfect movie for the times! Really good even if the ending is somewhat sappy. Great cast. Hey, just chat with people online, what a concept!
Plus the fun of seeing how in 1998 the threat to small bookstores were the big chains. Pow, pow, pow.
If B&W is OK, watch some of the old screwball comedies. They were just fun, and didn’t have morals, but they were sophisticated. No fart jokes. OK, one belch joke in the lot, but it’s not so gross, and it’s executed by Carole Lombard.
Here’s a list of some of the best:
Bringing up Baby (this has a hilarious scene where Katharine Hepburn’s shoe actually broke, and instead of stopping the cameras, she improvised a scene, and it was so funny, they used it in the final cut) My Favorite Wife
His Girl Friday The Awful Truth
Ninotchka (tagline: “GARBO LAUGHS!” and she does, and it’s beautiful) You Can’t Take It with You Nothing Sacred (this is in color, and it one of the first all-color films) The Philadelphia Story (this has minor moments where characters indulge in self-examination, but don’t worry, it’s still a comedy)
I recently watched “Earth Girls are Easy” to take my mind off the outside world. Even started a silly SD thread about it, which I won’t bother linking to here. It may not pass your ‘stupid/juvenile’ threshold, but if you have any 80’s nostalgia, it’s like a concentrated, bottled essence of 80’s tropes. It’s on Amazon Prime.
Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. While it might fall under the horror category, it’s not scary, just a bit gory in parts. It hits the line of being funny, almost stupid. Think Shaun of the Dead. I’m pretty sure it’s on Netflix.
Honestly any question like this should start with letting us know which streaming services or cable channels you have access to. Because most movies (TV shows as well) are available at only a limited number of places, and it does no good to suggest a movie that, for example, is exclusively available at Netflix if you only have an Amazon Prime account.
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
What About Bob?
Chef - takes a little while to get going but it’s a cute movie once Dustin Hoffman is off the screen.
Delicatessen - in French with subs. Despite the dark setting and subtext, it’s fairly lighthearted and very enjoyable.
Her Alibi - starring Tom Selleck. Has a real “made-for-TV” feel to it even though it was a theatrical release. In any case, maybe just me, and to be fair it was not well-reviewed, but I found it entertaining.
Defending Your Life - another theatrical film that feels like it was made for TV. It’s about death and the afterlife but it never gets heavy.
My Blue Heaven - some of Steve Martin’s best work IMO. Surprisingly quotable.
Coming to America - Eddie Murphy at the peak of his powers.