Cinema is a mirror by which we often see ourselves.
Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Do we love comedies because we see our silliest selves reflected on-screen? Having a laugh about life's absurdities helps us not take things too seriously. The best comedy movies often exploit the line between comedy and tragedy; they deliver thought-provoking stories. This article studies four types of comedic fare, and what makes these films so great.
Different Types of Comedy Films:
- Slapstick - physical, non-verbal comedy
- Romantic comedies (romcoms)
- Black comedies as social commentary,
- All-around best comedies
🏆The Best Comedies Ever Made
The global cinematic legacy stretches more than 100 years, which gives us a long list of titles to choose from. Among its numbers, we count some of the best animated films of all time. Across the board, these titles remain the best comedy films of all time.
Some Like it Hot - 1959
In 1929 Chicago, life is tough and crime is rampant. Two out-of-work musicians witness a gangland killing; they must run for their lives.
It's not easy to run while toting a saxophone and a double bass, so our friends decide to hide in plain sight. But then, Sugar comes along to spice things up, and things go hilariously wrong.
💻Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, Google, YouTube
🍅Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
🍿 Audience Rating: 94%
This comedy was light-years ahead of its time in challenging social norms. Snappy dialogue and witty repartee complement the visual absurdities. All of that drives the hilarious narrative arc to a gut-busting finale.
The Full Monty - 1997
This lad wants to see his son but he lacks the funds to pay his child support. His mates lost their jobs when the mills closed down, and they need money, too.
The sight of women rushing to a dancing spectacle delivers an idea for a money-making enterprise. Critics say Monty is one of the best British films ever.
💻Where to watch: YouTube, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
🍅Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
🍿Audience Rating: 79%
Funny moments litter this film, but its dark undertones threaten to drown them out. Still, it's a refreshing twist on the 'do what you must' theme, and a great show of male solidarity.
Dr Strangelove 1964
At the height of the Cold War, a rabid US general orders a pre-emptive strike against the enemy. The president finds out and enlists his cabinet to defuse the situation.
Various misfortunes ensue as the highest ranks of government bungle every attempt to stop the bombing.
💻Where to watch: Amazon, Google, YouTube, Rakuten
🍅Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
🍿 Audience Rating: 94%
The humour is subtle and blatant, in turn. Peter Sellers plays his three roles exquisitely. Stanley Kubrick keeps things just serious enough to make the irony laughable.
More Comedy Titles to Watch
| 🏆Film Title | 📆Year | 🎬Producer | 🤼Cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Producers | 1967 | Mel Brooks | Zero Mostel Gene Wilder Dick Shawn |
| The Castle | 1997 | Rob Sitch | Michael Caton Anne Tenney Stephen Curry |
| Rat Race | 2001 | Jerry Zucker | Rowan Atkinson John Cleese Whoopi Goldberg and many others |
| School of Rock | 2003 | Richard Linklater | Jack Black Joan Cusack Mike White |
| In Bruges | 2008 | Martin McDonagh | Colin Farrell Brendan Gleeson Ralph Fiennes |
💘The Best Romantic Comedy Films
The excellent comedy films in this genre often get a bad rap, but romantic comedies aren't all bad. Like all movies, including the best thriller films, romcoms follow a template. Narrative complexity makes these picks exciting; they wrap their romance in layers of depth to reflect how hard it is to find love in these times.
Materialists - 2025
Today, people's biggest concern is financial security. Does this urgent need outweigh the pure romance ideal? And what about social positioning: being wealthy and well-regarded increases one's chances at love - or does it? Those are the themes this controversial movie on everyone's comedy films must watch list.
💻Where to watch: AppleTV, Rakuten, Canal, Amazon, YouTube
🍅 Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
🍿Audience Rating: 66%
Materialists is not a comedy romp in the purest sense, although it features plenty of comedy elements. However, it comes with many classic romcom tropes, while discussing today's most important social and romantic issues.
Heart Eyes - 2025
For those who love classic romance tales, mixing anything else in is sacrilege. Still, horror fans need romance too, which makes this title one of the best comedy movies of the year (for them). After all, it's nobody's fault that somebody hates Valentine's Day so much that they must spill blood to celebrate properly. Besides, isn't tracking a serial killer while avoiding getting killed a great time to fall in love?
💻Where to watch: AppleTV, Sky, Prime, Netflix
🍅Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
🍿 Audience Rating: 76%
Heart Eyes has a bit of everything for everyone, even if it splashes the gore a bit too heavily, at times. If you can get past the laughter and the blood, there's a profound narrative driving this story.
Worth the Wait - 2025
If you prefer your romance along traditional lines and with familiar faces, add this title to your comedy films must-watch list. It asks and answers the question of what happens when things fall apart in the most unique, refreshing way. Through its four stories, we learn one of life's most important lessons.
💻Where to watch: Prime Video
🍅Rotten Tomatoes: too new!
🍿 Audience reviews: overwhelmingly positive!
This film is so fresh that it doesn't yet have enough ratings to post. Still, if the early reviews (and our own opinion of it) are worth anything, you'll want this film at the top of your watchlist.
More Romcoms to Feast On
These classic romcoms have stood the test of time. Why not cuddle up to your sweetie and enjoy one?
| 🏆Film Title | 📆Year | 🎬Producer | 🤼Cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pretty Woman | 1990 | Garry Marshall | Richard Gere Julia Roberts Ralph Bellamy Jason Alexander |
| My Sassy Girl | 2001 | Kwak Jae-young | Cha Tae-hyun Jun Ji-hyun In-mun Kim |
| The Holiday | 2006 | Nancy Meyers | Cameron Diaz Kate Winslet Jude Law Jack Black |
| The Beauty Inside | 2015 | Baek Jong-yul | Han Hyo-joo |
| Summer of 69 | 2025 | Jillian Bell | Chloe Fineman Sam Morelos Matt Cornett |
| The Wedding Banquet | 2025 | Andrew Ahn | Bowen Yang Lily Gladstone Kelly Marie Tran |
😋The Best Slapstick Comedy Movies
Slapstick is a brand of physical comedy that stretches into exaggeration. Even the best science fiction movie franchise includes slapstick. Tatooine's burping frog is a running gag, and JarJar Bink's screen time is full of slapstick.
Today, slapstick is mostly passé, though "Johnny English Strikes Again" (2018) verges into this realm. Thus, we reach far back into cinematic history for the best comedy films in this style.
The General - 1926
A railroad engineer meets the love of his life, but she refuses him unless he enlists to fight in the war. He tries to enlist, but the recruiter 'tells' him he's more valuable as an engineer.
Considering his actions as a refusal to fight, his love turns her back on him. But then, he wins the war almost single-handedly.
💻Where to watch: Wikipedia
🍅Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
🍿 Audience rating: 8.1/10
The story is only okay but the physical comedy exceeds expectations. Buster Keaton is the master of slapstick, and this film is one of his best. Ironically, it cost him his studio independence, because it revolved around a sensitive topic.
Life of Brian - 1979
A child is born at the same time, and in the same place as Jesus of Nazareth, only in the manger next door.
This parallel 'Messiah' encounters many absurdities in his attempts to figure out why everyone says he's so special.
💻Where to watch: Netflix, ITVX
🍅Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
🍿 Audience Rating: 8/10
Monty Python deliver slapstick comedy and non-sequiturs like nobody's business. The Pythons reveal, frame upon frame, the absurdity of celebrity culture. Their point is as relevant today as it was when they made this film.
More Slapstick Comedy Titles to Enjoy
| 🏆Film Title | 📆Year | 🎬Producer | 🤼Cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Chances | 1925 | Buster Keaton | Buster Keaton Ruth Dwyer |
| Monty Python and the Holy Grail | 1975 | Terry Gilliam Terry Jones | Graham Chapman John Cleese Terry Gilliam Eric Idle Terry Jones Michael Palin |
| Airplane! Airplane II | 1980 1982 | Jim Abrahams David Zucker Jerry Zucker | Robert Hays Julie Hagerty |
| National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation | 1989 | Jeremiah S. Chechik | Chevy Chase Beverly D'Angelo Randy Quaid |
| Home Alone | 1990 | Chris Columbus | Macaulay Culkin Joe Pesci Daniel Stern |
🎭The Best Black Comedy Movies
We appreciate the dark irony of our society through black comedies. These films give us relatable political and social commentary, often starting the conversations we should have.
Critics felt lukewarm about it, giving only average ratings. Audience commentary took a warmer tone, as often happens - even to the best films ever made. We won't rehash that title; it's gotten plenty of publicity. Instead, we examine titles that speak of today's turmoils.
Going in Style - 2017
Though a bit old to be in the running for the best films in the past five years, this film still hits. In fact, it hits even harder now than it did when it was released.
Three retirees, friends for life, feel the pinch of the current economic conditions. At first, they find various ways to manage on their limited funds.
An attempt at petty theft goes hilariously awry, but a news story gives them a new idea. A threat to their pensions enrages the trio, so they decide to get what's owed them.
💻Where to watch: Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube
🍅 Rotten Tomatoes: 47%
🍿Audience rating: 8.5/10
This story hits close to home in these times, but in the most hilarious way. The supermarket getaway scene will make you pause and rewind just to laugh all over again!
One of Them Days - 2025
If the previous selection strikes a chord, this title thumps you over the head.
When an unscrupulous boyfriend steals the rent money, these best friends scramble to gather up the cash before they get evicted.
As one of the best comedy films of the year, it gets right in your face with its zaniness. Though it tries to make light of the situation, viewers can't help but notice how close to home it hits - literally.
💻Where to watch: Prime, YouTube
🍅Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
🍿Audience rating: 90%
It's a bit painful to watch, especially for those whose housing situation is insecure. Sometimes, it feels like it's trying too hard to be funny but the well-matched lead actresses do this theme justice.
More Black Comedy Movies for Your Watchlist
| 🏆Film Title | 📆Year | 🎬Producer | 🤼Cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Hero | 1983 | Bill Forsyth | Burt Lancaster Peter Riegert Fulton Mackay |
| Withnail and I | 1987 | Bruce Robinson | Paul McGann Richard E. Grant Richard Griffiths |
| Weekend at Bernie’s | 1989 | Ted Kotcheff | Andrew McCarthy Jonathan Silverman Catherine Mary Stewart |
| In the Loop | 2009 | Armando Iannucci | Peter Capaldi Tom Hollander Gina McKee |
| Emilia Perez | 2024 | Jacques Audiard | Zoe Saldaña Karla Sofía Gascón Selena Gomez |
Which type of comedy do you prefer?
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