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Why is it so bloody hard ..

Martin

Martin

Active Member
.. to make a decent comedy?!

Only two films have made me laugh out loud on a regular basis, and still do - these are Ocean's Eleven and Shrek.

All the SNL Alumni do nothing for me, nor do the Wes Anderson flicks (Tennenbaums and Aquatic) or the Sandler flicks (or is he from SNL also?). Jim Carrey gives me a chuckle, every now and again, but that's because he's mad.

Mind you, I'm not talking about comic relief in drama films; I'm talking genuine comedies here.

Anyone any ideas, suggestions?

Cheers
 
Films which make me laugh include: Dogma, Zoolander, Mystery Men, Wayne's World (the first few years after it as released - it's not ageing too well), anything in which Keanu Reeves thinks he can genuinely act (esp him in Dracula)
 
Sar said:
... anything in which Keanu Reeves thinks he can genuinely act (esp him in Dracula)
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I'd like to add that I'm talking about comedies which were intended as comedies. :D Accidental comedy is another thread altogether.

Adam Sandler, Will Ferrel and Ben Stiller make me physically ill.

Cheers
 
Likewise, I tend not to like the Farelly Brothers film, they seem to think simply using toilet humour or trying to gross people out is funny. I agree with you that it's very difficult to find a genuinely funny movie nowadays.
 
If you didn't like Zoolander, these might be a miss as well:
Dodgeball
Old School
Drowning Mona (greatly under-rated)
Oh brother, where art thou (if you like George CLooney)
Welcome to Collingwood (again, clooney does crime caper)
Wet Hot American Summer (just good stupid fun)

hope that gives you something
 
It gives me something to avoid, yes. :)

Welcome to Colinwood - I might give that one a go, once, because it has Sam Rockwell and George Clooney in it.

Cheers
 
Martin said:
And not just nowadays either
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A very good point, when I think about the films that used to make me laugh it was more because I was younger & hadn't matured yet or acquired a more discerning taste. I look forward to seeing what some people can come up with though, as I'm sure there are quite a few gems I just can't think of right now.
 
How about:
Pretty much any Monty Python movie
Dr. Strangelove
The Big Lebowski (Pretty much any Coen movie really)
This is Spinal Tap.
Night on Earth.
Down by Law.
Delicatessen.
Henry Fool.
Bad Boy bubby.
Braindead.
Bad Taste.
La vita e Bella
Amelie.
Wag the dog.
State and Main.

Just to mention a few.

Too many comedies repeat the old "college movie" jokes that were worn out in the 80's. Too many comedies have crap actors and crap dialogue and really only tries to be funny by placing the lead actor in a embarrasing situation, preferably with his pants down.
 
I'm amused by movies such as Happiness, Welcome to the Dollhouse, Storytelling, Buffalo '66, Drop Dead Gorgeous and Series 7.

When it comes to comedy movies my taste seems to be geared towards the American productions.
 
Martin said:
It gives me something to avoid, yes. :)

Welcome to Colinwood - I might give that one a go, once, because it has Sam Rockwell and George Clooney in it.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Ha! yeah, try collingwood and maybe drawning mona. I like Big Leboski quite a bit as well. And amelie and Wag the dog.
 
Stewart said:
Lars von Trier's The Idiots is a great comedy.
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I didnt really like that one. In my opinion its the weakest of the Dogme movies. I prefer "Mifune's last song" and "festen".

His TV-series "The kingdom" was great though.
 
Zolipara said:
His TV-series "The kingdom" was great though.
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The first series was great although the second series has, to this date, never been released in English. :( And, with the Swedish doctor dying off, it doesn't look like a third series will be made, let alone released in English. :mad:
 
movies I have laughed at (that were intended as comedies):

The Man Who Knew Too Little
Spinal Tap
House of Yes
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
anything with WC Fields (a particular taste)
The Thin Man movies with William Powell and Myrna Loy
The Pink Panther movies with Peter Sellers
the Ladykillers and the Lavendar Hill Mob (originals with Alec Guinness)
Johnny Stecchino

I'm sure there are more . . .
 
I'm another person that doesn't find many of the movies intended as comedy to be funny or enjoyable. I don't like slapstick.

I can't make any recommendations.
 
As to why most comedies suck, I think you can't write a comedy by committee. Put a bunch of Hollywood writers around a table and ask them to be funny, and they'll end up with a load of toilet and fart jokes.

Most of the movies that are genuinely funny were written by one writer (Woody Allen has great moments in Annie Hall) or by the comedy team that plays in them. Bad comedies are aimed at 12 year old boys.

Actors who understand comedy but don't get good comic scripts:
Chris Walken
Gene Hackman
Hugh Laurie
Arnold Schwartzenneger (yes)


I think these guys could do a great zombie movie together.
 
novella said:
movies I have laughed at (that were intended as comedies):

The Man Who Knew Too Little
Spinal Tap
House of Yes
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
anything with WC Fields (a particular taste)
The Thin Man movies with William Powell and Myrna Loy
The Pink Panther movies with Peter Sellers
the Ladykillers and the Lavendar Hill Mob (originals with Alec Guinness)
Johnny Stecchino

I'm sure there are more . . .
Click to expand...


so your 2000th post. over here in movies.

congratulations!!! :D hope to see 2000 more.

jenn

back to the thread......
 
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