Best Recent Comedy Movies

[reggieM]

Are there any?

Actually, I think they’re probably all in the children’s section. Willy Wonka … lots of animations.

But how about adult-audience with live actors?

90% of what I’ve tried is raunch com. To varying degrees from very bad to horrendous.

Kevin James with Paul Blart Mall Cop was kind of cute. He is so fat in the second one it was hard to laugh - but it was clean and some good humor also. Not great but ok. He brought his Catholic friend Eduardo on also.

 

[Joe_5859]

In general, the films Kevin James are in tend towards the less raunchy, which I appreciate.

I always look at the rating. If the movie is a comedy and is rated R, I know it won’t be worth watching. If it’s PG, it’s generally pretty safe. If it’s PG-13, it depends.

I liked “Kicking & Screaming” with Will Ferrell (though that’s more than 10 years old now). “Elf” was pretty good, too. More recently, I liked “Pixels”. That has a bit more innuendo than the others, but isn’t super bad.

 

[meltzerboy]

Are there any?

Actually, I think they’re probably all in the children’s section. Willy Wonka … lots of animations.

But how about adult-audience with live actors?

90% of what I’ve tried is raunch com. To varying degrees from very bad to horrendous.

Kevin James with Paul Blart Mall Cop was kind of cute. He is so fat in the second one it was hard to laugh - but it was clean and some good humor also. Not great but ok. He brought his Catholic friend Eduardo on also.

Are there good decent movies in ANY genre nowadays? I’m tempted to say probably not. Even the raunchy ones today are not as good as the older raunchy films LOL. I do believe the arts in general have declined.

 

[reggieM]

I liked “Kicking & Screaming” with Will Ferrell (though that’s more than 10 years old now). “Elf” was pretty good, too. More recently, I liked “Pixels”. That has a bit more innuendo than the others, but isn’t super bad.

I liked those two also - thanks!
Also, Bewitched with Will Ferrell I thought was funny and good.
Haven’t seen Pixels so I appreciate the suggestion!

 

[reggieM]

Are there good decent movies in ANY genre nowadays? I’m tempted to say probably not. Even the raunchy ones today are not as good as the older raunchy films LOL. I do believe the arts in general have declined.

I think there has been a drop-off in acting talent, perhaps. Certainly at the comedy level. Guys like Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn - are all still the biggest names. There are some younger actors but they don’t seem to have the ability to connect with audiences yet (or ever?). Seth Rogen does a lot of comedies now. Jonah Hill. They’re also about as raunchy as it gets, but anyway …

 

[randomuser]

“The Big Sick” is very funny. Serious subject matter, based on a true story. Ray Romano from “Everybody Loves Raymond,” will likely get a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.

Also, “Baby Driver,” while not comedy per se, has a LOT of very funny moments.

 

[reggieM]

Are there good decent movies in ANY genre nowadays? I’m tempted to say probably not. Even the raunchy ones today are not as good as the older raunchy films LOL. I do believe the arts in general have declined.

I would tend to agree with both - the problem in all genres, and also across the board in the arts. Maybe the one exception for me would be in music - depending on the genre.
But serious movies seem dull. There are a lot of marvel comics put on the screen - nice special effects but not much by way of drama or feeling, in my opinion.

 

[reggieM]

“The Big Sick” is very funny. Serious subject matter, based on a true story. Ray Romano from “Everybody Loves Raymond,” will likely get a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.

Also, “Baby Driver,” while not comedy per se, has a LOT of very funny moments.

Thanks! Yes, I want to see the Big Sick. I like Ray Romano from tv.
Had not heard of the other. I appreciate the suggestion!

I thought Daddy’s Home with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlburg had some funny moments. Not totally family-friendly, but not that bad relatively speaking.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

Are there good decent movies in ANY genre nowadays? I’m tempted to say probably not.

Every generation says this when they get to a certain age and every generation is wrong. There are plenty of good movies coming out today. There’s plenty of garbage to sift through, too, but that’s always been the case.

I tend to think people who think art was so much better thirty years ago are looking back with rose colored glasses. Yeah, you think movies in the 70s were great because you remember the Godfather, Star Wars, and Jaws. You forget all the cheesy, mediocre movies and remember the ones that stood out.

 

[M-Dent]

Every generation says this when they get to a certain age and every generation is wrong. There are plenty of good movies coming out today. There’s plenty of garbage to sift through, too, but that’s always been the case.

I tend to think people who think art was so much better thirty years ago are looking back with rose colored glasses. Yeah, you think movies in the 70s were great because you remember the Godfather, Star Wars, and Jaws. You forget all the cheesy, mediocre movies and remember the ones that stood out.

But then again, Jesus chose to live and breath in a generation past over this one. So it may be contemporary things aren’t any better.

 

[reggieM]

Every generation says this when they get to a certain age and every generation is wrong. There are plenty of good movies coming out today. There’s plenty of garbage to sift through, too, but that’s always been the case.

I tend to think people who think art was so much better thirty years ago are looking back with rose colored glasses. Yeah, you think movies in the 70s were great because you remember the Godfather, Star Wars, and Jaws. You forget all the cheesy, mediocre movies and remember the ones that stood out.

Staying on topic, friend …
“plenty of good movies” - that’s what I was looking for. Comedy genre.
Your suggestions?

… I don’t think the movies of the 70s were great at all. In fact, I can’t stand most of them, even the so-called “classics”, but that’s aside from the point. Looking for comedies here, of recent vintage.

 

[edwest2]

I would tend to agree with both - the problem in all genres, and also across the board in the arts. Maybe the one exception for me would be in music - depending on the genre.
But serious movies seem dull. There are a lot of marvel comics put on the screen - nice special effects but not much by way of drama or feeling, in my opinion.

Pushing the envelope (of what people find acceptable) is the problem. Once you get to a certain point, it loses the ‘maybe it’s art’ label to this is junk. Bad Moms, Bad Teacher, Bad Every Profession/Job you can think of?

Ed

Bad Santa. sheeesh

 

[M-Dent]

Staying on topic, friend …“plenty of good movies” - that’s what I was looking for. Comedy genre.

The suggestion of “Elf” was good - but that was 2003. The closer you get to 2017 the more you realize current comedy s*.

 

[randomuser]

The suggestion of “Elf” was good - but that was 2003. The closer you get to 2017 the more you realize current comedy s*.

Not really. Most mainstream comedy is absolutely dreadful. “Baywatch” remake, anyone? “The House”? By that criteria, you’re correct.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

Staying on topic, friend …
“plenty of good movies” - that’s what I was looking for. Comedy genre.
Your suggestions?

… I don’t think the movies of the 70s were great at all. In fact, I can’t stand most of them, even the so-called “classics”, but that’s aside from the point. Looking for comedies here, of recent vintage.

Sorry. I just get sick of some of the gray hairs (no offense to any senior folks, I hope to be one myself someday) endlessly carping about how everything was better when they were young. It’s something that older folks have done since, oh, the dawn of time, yet no one ever has the self awareness to recognize the impulse.

As far as good comedy movies, I thought the Big Sick was good. It’s not strictly a comedy, though. More of a comedy/drama/romance type thing. Hunt for the Wilderpeople was also very funny in parts, although again, not a straight up comedy. For more traditional comedies, I heard The Nice Guys and Everybody Wants Some! were both funny, although I haven’t seen them yet.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

My Blind Brother was also really good, I thought.

If you want to avoid the beer and fart joke style of comedy, I’d suggest looking for smaller budget, indie type movies.

 

[reggieM]

The suggestion of “Elf” was good - but that was 2003. The closer you get to 2017 the more you realize current comedy s*.

It’s hard to believe it’s that old.
I’ve watched it 10 times or more - and still laugh every time.

 

[reggieM]

Pushing the envelope (of what people find acceptable) is the problem. Once you get to a certain point, it loses the ‘maybe it’s art’ label to this is junk. Bad Moms, Bad Teacher, Bad Every Profession/Job you can think of?

Ed

Bad Santa. sheeesh

Agreed - it’s supposed to be shocking and that makes people laugh but by now it’s very boring.

It’s too bad because even in the worst of the bunch there is a funny scene or two. Filtering out the bad/unfunny parts would reduce most of these movies to about 15 minutes.

 

[reggieM]

I wonder if the good comedy has moved to tv series now? Maybe it’s not worth it to do movies.
I’ve heard nothing but bad about The House.

I caught Masterminds – … that was sort of ok. I guess Zach Galifianakis is a rising comedy star. He was ok. I like Kristen Wiig also.

Also, Hot Pursuit with Reese Witherspoon. Jim Gaffigan makes a cameo which was funny (although mocking conservative Christianity). Again, a few funny parts, lots of stupidness. Unnecessary crassness, but I guess relatively mild compared to … the worst of it.

 

[reggieM]

Sorry. I just get sick of some of the gray hairs (no offense to any senior folks, I hope to be one myself someday) endlessly carping about how everything was better when they were young. It’s something that older folks have done since, oh, the dawn of time, yet no one ever has the self awareness to recognize the impulse.

As far as good comedy movies, I thought the Big Sick was good. It’s not strictly a comedy, though. More of a comedy/drama/romance type thing. Hunt for the Wilderpeople was also very funny in parts, although again, not a straight up comedy. For more traditional comedies, I heard The Nice Guys and Everybody Wants Some! were both funny, although I haven’t seen them yet.

Thanks for those suggestions!
I haven’t seen any of those.

Yes, I know what you mean about too much praise of the good old days. I do like movies of the 30s, 40s and 50s - and I’m young enough that it’s not nostalgia (they’re new to me). But each generation has its good and bad art work. True.

There’s a new trend with people who search for the worst movies - and that becomes a comedy experience in itself. Years ago it was Plan 9 from Outer Space. Now it’s things like Road House and many others. There are lots of bad-movie aficionados now.
Maybe because there are so few good comedies people get a laugh from bad movies? Or perhaps movies are so technically excellent, it’s more fun to watch the bad stuff where nothing fits right and it it’s fun to point out all the foolishness,etc. ??

Then there are some movies that make fun of bad ones.
Will Ferrell - Casa De Mi Padre. I thought that was very funny.
Hot Fuzz is another one. Not family-friendly, but very funny overall. Making fun of 1980s style action movies.