10 Must-Watch Comedy Movies, Ranked

Some of the most iconic films of all time have been comedies. From early examples like Charlie Chaplin‘s The Gold Rush to more recent successes like Greta Gerwig‘s Barbie, the genre has been a reliable source of classics for well over a century now, cementing it as a favorite in the hearts of many moviegoers.

However, while there are plenty of great comedies out there, not every one is an absolute must-watch. Some comedies stand above their contemporaries either for impacting the film industry as a whole, or just for being some of the best examples of their genre. These are 10 examples of must-watch comedy movies.

10

‘Shaun of the Dead’ (2004)

Directed by Edgar Wright

In 2004, director Edgar Wright and co-stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost kicked off the iconic Cornetto Trilogy with Shaun of the Dead, a comedic take on zombie films in which the titular Shaun (Pegg) works with his best friend Ed (Frost) and a number of other friends and acquaintances in order to make their way to the Winchester, a pub where they hope to wait out the apocalypse. In the years since, the film has maintained a reputation as one of the best horror comedies of all time.

This is largely due to the fact that Pegg and Frost have great comedic chemistry, with the script throwing them into some incredibly creative and amusing situations, with highlights including a scene where they dig through a collection of vinyl records, searching for albums that Shaun is okay with being tossed at a zombie, and another where Shaun and his group of survivors attempts to shuffle through a crowd of the undead by acting as them. In all honesty, every entry in the Cornetto Trilogy is a must-watch for different reasons, but Shaun of the Dead is still the most essential of the three.

9

‘Chasing Amy’ (1997)

Directed by Kevin Smith

Throughout the ’90s, director Kevin Smith helmed a number of vulgar, yet heartfelt comedies that won him a considerable cult following. However, while Clerks is a hallmark of independent ’90s cinema, and Dogma is now viewed as a comedy classic, it’s 1997’s Chasing Amy that stands as Smith’s must-watch film. The movie focuses on Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck), a comic book artist who falls in love with Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), a lesbian, all while his homophobic best friend, Banky Edwards (Jason Lee), struggles with his own feelings towards Holden.

Chasing Amy was extremely divisive when it was originally released, and it continues to be so today, but that’s also part of what makes it memorable. Some view it as an offensive depiction of certain LGBTQ stereotypes that were dominant in the ’90s, while others view it as an exploration of sexual fluidity that was incredibly ahead of its time. In the years since its release, not everything in the film has aged perfectly, but it is still worth a watch because of its unique subject matter. Smith treats each of his characters as complicated human beings who are dealing with a number of social and societal pressures in their own ways, while giving them dialogue that is, again, often dated, but also frequently funny. It certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but Chasing Amy is an interesting film that deserves to be acknowledged and discussed.

8

‘Palm Springs’ (2020)

Directed by Max Barbakow

Palm Springs is a romantic comedy centered on Sarah (Cristin Milioti) and Nyles (Andy Samberg), two wedding attendees who find themselves repeatedly reliving the same day together. Released while many people were confined to their homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film became a critical hit, partly due to how effectively its time loop narrative struck an emotional chord with its socially isolated audience, but also simply because it’s a great movie.

A large part of what makes Palm Springs stick out from other time loop stories is its willingness to explore the darker aspects of the concept. Nyles starts the film having already been in the loop for an indeterminate amount of time, and the effect that it has had on his mental state is put on full display, as is Sarah’s slow spiral into her own variety of madness. However, while the film is unafraid of peeking into the darker parts of its protagonists’ psyches, it is also incredibly funny, anchored by great performances from Samberg, Milioti and J. K. Simmons. Palm Springs‘ ability to masterfully walk the line between meaningful and hilarious makes it a comedy worthy of a spot on anyone’s watch list.

7

‘Blazing Saddles’ (1974)

Directed by Mel Brooks

For decades now, filmmaker Mel Brooks has been one of the most beloved names in comedy for his role in creating all-time greats like Young Frankenstein and Spaceballs. However, while plenty of his films are fondly remembered, none are as essential as 1974’s Blazing Saddles, a western comedy in which Bart (Cleavon Little), a Black man, becomes the sheriff of a small, racist town, and attempts to tame it with the help of outlaw Jim the Waco Kid (Gene Wilder).

Blazing Saddles stands out because of just how effectively it showcases the various strengths of Brooks’ career. The film is stuffed to the brim with quick, witty lines of dialogue, absurd sight gags and over-the-top antics, ensuring that if one joke doesn’t hit, one that does is never far behind. Granted, parts of the film haven’t aged perfectly, and some viewers may be shocked by its use of language, but Mel Brooks’ prominence within the comedy world, combined with the movie’s high quality, make Blazing Saddles an absolute must-watch.

6

‘Airplane!’ (1980)

Directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker

Parody has always been prominent in the comedy zeitgeist, but few parody movies are as beloved as Airplane! Released in 1980, Airplane! poked fun at the Airport movies, a series of disaster films released in the ’70s, while even more directly lampooning the 1957 film Zero Hour! In the 35 years since the film’s original release, it has continued to be widely held as one of the definitive examples of what a parody movie should be.

Much of Airplane!‘s success as a comedy boils down to the fact that each and every actor plays their dialogue entirely straight. No joke is obviously played for laughs, making the film funnier as a result, as it makes the absurdity feel more organic and less forced than it otherwise would. Leslie Nielsen’s performance is especially strong, with the actor espousing lines like “don’t call me Shirley” with perfect deadpan delivery that earns a laugh on every rewatch. In recent years, parody films have been incredibly hit-or-miss, but that shouldn’t dissuade viewers from giving Airplane! a chance, as it continues to be one of the funniest comedies ever made.

5

‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ (2008)

Directed by Nicholas Stoller

Throughout the 2000s, comedy was largely defined by Judd Apatow, the man who directed iconic hits like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, while also producing beloved films like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and Superbad. But, the best of Apatow’s 2000s projects was Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a romantic comedy starring Jason Segel as Peter Bretter, a man who visits Hawaii alone to recover from an unexpected breakup.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall‘s defining trait is its excellent cast. Segel, who also wrote the film, is an exceedingly charismatic lead, maximizing the awkward charm he’d become known for on sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother in a very endearing way. The supporting cast is great too, featuring talented comedic performers like Kristen Bell, Paul Rudd and Bill Hader in memorable roles that earn plenty of laughs. It wasn’t as popular as some of the other projects that Apatow produced at the time, but Forgetting Sarah Marshall stands as the best example of the comedic style that his films popularized, cementing it as a must-watch comedy.

4

‘Sherlock Jr.’ (1924)

Directed by Buster Keaton

For much of the silent era, two of cinema’s biggest stars were Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. The filmmakers were masters of drawing laughter from audiences despite the limitations of the medium at the time, ensuring that many of their movies are remembered as some of the best silent films ever produced. However, while many of their films are worth looking back on, the best of the bunch is Keaton’s Sherlock Jr., a 1924 film in which a young projectionist (Keaton) who aspires to be a detective falls asleep and dreams of solving a case from his personal life.

Sherlock Jr. is a spectacular showcase of the techniques that filmmakers experimented with to create hilarious silent comedies. Optical illusions are used to great effect, clever sight gags are found in abundance and Keaton was an exceedingly gifted performer. The film also features some stellar stunt work, including a scene in which Keaton runs along the top of a moving train, before having a ton of water dumped upon his head (a scene which broke the star’s neck, unbeknownst to him). For those who haven’t yet delved into the silent era of filmmaking, there are few better places to start than Sherlock Jr.

3

‘The Breakfast Club’ (1985)

Directed by John Hughes

Similarly to Judd Apatow in the 2000s, John Hughes played a significant role in the creation of some of the most iconic comedies of the ’80s, including Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but the filmmaker’s most beloved project by far is 1985’s The Breakfast Club. Starring Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Ally Sheedy as five wildly different high school students who unexpectedly connect over the course of a day in detention, the film became a staple of ’80s teen cinema that is still widely loved today.

In terms of legacy, Hughes’ writing is The Breakfast Club‘s greatest asset. Each character starts as a typical high school archetype, but is gradually given more depth, eventually developing into fully-fleshed-out people, each dealing with their own pressures, partly as a result of the stereotypes placed upon them by others. It’s an incredibly relatable film for any high school student, and the fact that each character is written so authentically makes it stand out even today. It may not be the funniest comedy ever made, but The Breakfast Club‘s continued relevance makes it a movie that everyone should see at least once.

2

‘Bridesmaids’ (2011)

Directed by Paul Feig

Saturday Night Live has given rise to a number of notable comediennes over the years, including Gilda Radner in the ’70s, Tina Fey in the 2000s and, more recently, Kate McKinnon, but from 2005 to 2012, Kristen Wiig proved to be a standout member of the cast, performing as memorable characters like Target Lady and Judy Grimes. Shortly before ending her tenure at SNL, Wiig partnered with Annie Mumolo to write Bridesmaids, a hilarious comedy directed by Paul Feig that shined a spotlight on a number of talented women working in comedy at the time.

The cast is a huge part of what makes Bridesmaids such a beloved film. Wiig stars alongside Maya Rudolph, with the two being able to display plenty of the fantastic comedic chemistry that they established by working together on SNL. Melissa McCarthy is also notable for delivering one of the best performances of her career as Megan Price, a role which earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards. Additionally, Wiig and Mumolo’s script is incredibly strong, giving the entire cast plenty of great material to work with throughout. Upon its initial release, Bridesmaids quickly gained a reputation as one of the funniest comedies of the 2010s, but in the 14 years since, it has become clear that it’s also one of the best comedies of all time.

1

‘Ghostbusters’ (1984)

Directed by Ivan Reitman

1984’s Ghostbusters combined many of the most iconic names in ’80s comedy, including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, to create what is, to this day, almost unanimously agreed upon as being one of the best comedy films of all time. Starring Murray, Aykroyd and Ramis as three scientists who open a ghost-hunting business before eventually hiring another Ghostbuster, played by Ernie Hudson, the film made a huge impression on audiences, not just because of its great performances and script, but also because of its impressive special effects.

The scene that best encapsulates the appeal of Ghostbusters comes near the end, when Gozer (Slavitza Jovan and Paddi Edwards) manifests the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man based off of one of the Ghostbusters’ thoughts. There’s a lot of fun, quotable banter between the group as they determine that it was Ray (Aykroyd) who thought of the Marshmallow Man, but Stay Puft himself is also a visual spectacle that makes the film far more memorable. The fact that the movie manages to be both a hilarious, well-written comedy and a showcase of some great special effects work (for its time), solidifies Ghostbusters as the number one must-watch comedy.

NEXT: The 10 Best Comedy Movies of the Last 25 Years, Ranked