What Are Some Great Comedy Movies?

I've watched quite a few different comedy movies over the years and I know for a fact that some of them aren't all that good. However, there are some comedies that are really good for one reason or another. Today, I'll be answering the question "what are some great comedy movies to watch" by providing you with a list of 10 really funny films that I've seen which I think are worth watching. So without further ado, here they are in no particular order:

1. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

This one's a classic. Monty Python and the Holy Grail stars (and was written by) the members of the British Monty Python comedy group. There's a very strange style of comedy in this film, which takes place in medieval-period England. Basically, the story follows King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table on a quest to find the Holy Grail. On this quest are lots of random comedic events that allow for some of the Python group's surreal humour to shine through. Overall, this is an excellent and very hilarious movie which I highly suggest you watch if you're looking for a good laugh.

Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin

2. A Serious Man (2009)

Probably one of the best comedy movies of 2009 (and one of my favourite movies of the past few years), A Serious Man is one film that you should definitely watch. The movie was directed by the famous Coen Brothers and stars Michael Stuhlbarg (who was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance in this movie) as Jewish professor Larry Gopnik whose life is in ruins and, consequently, whose faith is questioned. The film is a black comedy (it jokes about the circumstances of this man's life which would normally be nothing to joke about) and it does a very good job at entertaining you. The soundtrack in this movie is very well done and the actors do a great job (especially the minor ones that appear for only one or two scenes).

Cast: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Sari Lennick, Fred Melamed, Aaron Wolff

3. Airplane! (1980)

Yet another classic. Airplane! is directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker and features well-known actors such as Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges and Peter Graves. The film is a parody of disaster films, particularly focusing on the movie Zero Hour!. As such, the main plot of the movie is that there's an airplane crash that is imminent unless someone can stop it. There are lots of hilarious puns and jokes, some of which have become popularized and referenced numerous times elsewhere. This is a really funny movie and a quintessential comedy.

Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges

4. Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

The sequel to Airplane! is just as good as the original. Many of the cast members return for this movie and some new faces (including William Shatner) make appearances. The plot now involves a space voyage to the moon which has been recently colonized. There's great fun to be had with this movie just as with the first film.

Cast: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Chad Everett

5. Vegas Vacation (1997)

The main reason this film is on the list is because I saw it the other day and thought it was really well-done (all of the National Lampoon's Vacation films are funny however). In this film, Clark Griswold and his family head to Las Vegas for a vacation after Clark receives a bonus from his job. Hilarity ensues as the Griswold family splits up and each of the members decide to do their own thing. Great film.

Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Ethan Embry, Marisol Nichols, Randy Quaid

6. The Great Outdoors (1988)

The Great Outdoors is a humourous movie similar to Vegas Vacation except the vacation is out in the woods and there's a greater focus on family relationships (which we see a little bit in Vegas Vacation with Clark's cousin Eddie). The movie stars Dan Aykroyd and John Candy, two comedy legends who have some funny moments in this film.

Cast: Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening, Chris Young

7. Yes Man (2008)

Yes Man is a really good Jim Carrey comedy. It's probably one of his better recent comedies (although I haven't seen too many of his more recent films, so I could be wrong). The basic premise of Yes Man is that Carrey's character Carl takes up the challenge to agree to anything that anyone asks him to do (hence the title “Yes Man”). Carrey performs well here, but one notable character that I think really makes this movie hilarious is Rhys Darby's character Norman. He doesn't have the largest role in the film, but he has some hilarious moments.

Cast: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper, John Michael Higgins, Rhys Darby

8. The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

The Men Who Stare at Goats is a rather strange comedy which is the main reason why it's funny. Apparently based on real events, the story involves a reporter named Bob Wilton (played by Ewan McGregor) who finds out about a secret U.S. training operation to experiment with psychic powers. It's definitely something you should watch if you're looking for something out of the ordinary.

Cast: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey

9. Death at a Funeral (2007)

I'm a big fan of a lot of British comedies and this is no exception. The movie tells the story of a funeral of the main character Daniel's (played by Matthew Macfadyen) father and how during the procession many crazy events occur. It's definitely a good film, especially if you're a fan of black comedy or British comedy.

Cast: Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Andy Nyman, Kris Marshall, Peter Dinklage

10. And Now for Something Completely Different (1971)

This is another Monty Python movie. The film consists of sketches from the British comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus (featuring the Python group). The film was made in order to show the series to an American audience who wouldn't have been familiar with the British sketch comedy series. It's a very funny movie and features some famous sketches such as The Lumberjack Song.

Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Michael Palin

So there are 10 comedy films that I think are pretty good. Now it's your turn. Do you have any favourite comedies that I haven't listed here? Let me know in the comments.