hollywood travel comedy movies

• The Best New Comedies of Recent Years
• Great & Brilliant Comedy Movies
• Smart Movies About Stupid People
• College Comedies
• Sports Comedies
• 26 Silly Movies That Still Make Us Laugh So Har...
• The Very Best Comedy Sequels
• The Funniest Movies Ever Made
• Movies with Next Level Meta Humor
• 16 R-Rated Comedies That Were More Successful T...
• The All-Time Best Comedy Movies
• History's Greatest Romantic Comedies
• New Comedy Movies Of 2024, Ranked By Fans
• 18 Comedies About Serious Subjects, Ranked
• 20 Hilarious Parody Movies, Ranked By Pure Comedy

The Funniest Road Trip Comedy Movies

There's something about the open road that continues to inspire hilarious comedies year after year. The best road trip movies are about the mishap-filled journey as much as the funny destination. This is a list of the top movies about road trips including everything from The Blues Brothers to Little Miss Sunshine to Borat . If you're planning on going on your own adventure, you might be interested in the best 2018 songs perfect for your road trip playlist .

What films will you find on this list of the best road trip movies? Dumb and Dumber  continues to make audiences laugh. Whether Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) are traveling by dog-car, scooter or Hawaiian Tropic bus, the result is pure hilarity. Vacation – starring Chevy Chase – is another classic road trip comedy.  Tommy Boy finds the dynamic duo of Chris Farley and David Spade traveling across the country on a mission to save the family business. Other good films featured on this best road trip movies list include Planes, Trains and Automobiles , Road Trip , and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle .

Which road trip movie do you think is the funniest? Give your favorites a thumbs up and please add any good films that are missing.

Tommy Boy presents Chris Farley in his prime as Thomas "Tommy" Callahan III, an incompetent heir to his late father's auto parts business, who embarks on a wild sales trip with straight-laced colleague Richard Hayden (David Spade). The unlikely duo's misadventures and epic mishaps make for a riotous road trip full of quotable lines and uproarious scenes that have solidified this film as a beloved comedy classic.

• # 216 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 28 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 142 of 379 on The Best Movies Of The 1990s

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Planes, Trains and Automobiles delivers side-splitting humor with Steve Martin as Neal Page, an uptight advertising executive desperate to get home for Thanksgiving, and John Candy as Del Griffith, a chatty shower curtain ring salesman. The duo finds themselves stuck together on an outrageously chaotic journey filled with canceled flights, rental car disasters, and unlikely sleeping arrangements—a must-watch for fans of laugh-out-loud road trip comedies.

• # 225 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 12 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 82 of 279 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime

Dumb and Dumber

Dumb and Dumber showcases the hysterical journey of two dimwitted pals, Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels), who embark on an epic cross-country trek to return a briefcase full of money to its rightful owner. With endless slapstick comedy and unforgettable one-liners, this classic film is sure to leave viewers in stitches as they witness these lovable fools face one ludicrous obstacle after another.

• Dig Deeper... Behind-The-Scenes Stories From 'Dumb And Dumber'
• And Deeper... 'Dumb And Dumber' Is Far Darker And Creepier Than You Remember
• # 196 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Vacation follows the Griswold family—led by bumbling patriarch Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase)—as they embark on a disastrous yet hysterical drive from Chicago to California's Walley World theme park. Featuring memorable comedic moments like Aunt Edna's untimely demise and Christie Brinkley's flirtatious Ferrari Girl character, this 1983 comedy remains an iconic piece of Americana that guarantees laughter from start to finish.

• # 161 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 9 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 59 of 279 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime

We're the Millers

In We're the Millers , a small-time drug dealer (Jason Sudeikis) recruits a stripper (Jennifer Aniston), a runaway teen (Emma Roberts), and their naive neighbor (Will Poulter) to pose as his wholesome family in order to smuggle drugs across the Mexican border. Hilarity ensues as this ragtag bunch of misfits navigates their way through a series of hilarious road trip mishaps, all while trying to maintain their fake-family façade.

• # 318 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 77 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
• # 37 of 89 on The Most Rewatchable Comedy Movies

The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers features John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Jake and Elwood Blues, two brothers who reunite their blues band in order to save the orphanage they grew up in. This 1980 musical comedy is packed with high-speed car chases, legendary cameos by artists such as Aretha Franklin and James Brown, and unforgettable tunes that will leave you singing "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love" long after the credits roll.

• # 31 of 204 on Musical Movies With The Best Songs
• # 174 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 37 of 156 on The Best Ensemble Movies Of All Time

Kingpin introduces us to Roy Munson (Woody Harrelson), a washed-up former pro bowler with a prosthetic hand who teams up with Amish bowling prodigy Ishmael Boorg (Randy Quaid) in hopes of winning a million-dollar tournament. This Farrelly brothers' comedy strikes the perfect balance between slapstick humor and heartwarming moments as Roy and Ishmael navigate their way through an absurd series of events, all while trying to avoid the vengeful wrath of pro bowler Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray).

• # 201 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 51 of 206 on The Best Sports Movies Ever Made
• # 58 of 168 on The Best '90s Comedy Movies, Ranked

In Road Trip , college student Josh Parker (Breckin Meyer) accidentally mails his long-distance girlfriend Tiffany Henderson (Rachel Blanchard) a videotape meant for another girl. With his motley crew of friends in tow—including Seann William Scott as the raucous E.L.—Josh embarks on a madcap journey to retrieve the tape before it's too late, encountering zany situations and uproarious mishaps that make for a hilarious cinematic ride.

• # 531 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 323 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
• # 9 of 71 on The 70 Best College Movies

David Spade's lovable loser embarks on a quest to find his long-lost parents, encountering a slew of eccentric characters along the way. This offbeat road comedy celebrates the power of resilience and self-discovery in the face of adversity.

• # 507 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 34 of 113 on The Best Movies Of 2001
• # 223 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle follows best friends Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) on their quest for late-night munchies—specifically those delicious sliders from White Castle. Along the way, they encounter eccentric characters like Neil Patrick Harris playing a drug-addled version of himself, resulting in gut-busting hilarity that has made this stoner comedy a cult favorite.

• # 340 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 172 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
• # 34 of 99 on The Best Movies Of 2004, Ranked

Midnight Run

Midnight Run stars Robert De Niro as Jack Walsh, a bounty hunter tasked with bringing accountant Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas (Charles Grodin) back to Los Angeles after he embezzled millions from the mob. As they traverse the country avoiding mobsters and the FBI alike, their comedic banter makes for an entertaining ride rife with unexpected twists and turns, elevating this action-comedy into an absolute must-watch.

• # 355 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 236 of 399 on The Best Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
• # 21 of 122 on The Best Movies Of 1988

A modern-day twist on the classic madcap chase film, this comedy features an ensemble cast, including John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson, competing in a wild race to find a hidden fortune. Hilarity ensues as each character encounters outrageous obstacles and colorful opponents along their frantic journey.

• # 568 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 35 of 113 on The Best Movies Of 2001
• # 364 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time

Pee-wee's Big Adventure

Paul Reubens brings his iconic character to life in this whimsical adventure across America in search of his stolen bicycle. Pee-wee's innocent charm and imaginative spirit make this road trip comedy a timeless classic.

• Dig Deeper... 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure' Is A Weirdly Traumatizing Classic
• # 302 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 189 of 279 on 'Old' Movies Every Young Person Needs To Watch In Their Lifetime

Mr. Bean's Holiday

Rowan Atkinson's beloved character embarks on a trip to the French Riviera, where he inadvertently creates chaos at every turn. The film combines slapstick humor with picturesque European settings, making for a light-hearted, visually appealing road trip adventure.

• # 428 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 310 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
• # 31 of 102 on The Best British Comedy Movies

Robert Downey Jr .'s uptight architect and Zach Galifianakis' eccentric aspiring actor form an unlikely duo in this raucous journey across America. The film keeps viewers laughing while showcasing the transformative power of friendship and personal growth during unexpected detours.

• # 537 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time
• # 58 of 88 on The 85+ Best Stoner Comedies Ever
• # 5 of 32 on Blockbusters With No Cultural Impact Whatsoever, Ranked

Robin Williams stars as a well-intentioned father who takes his family on a disastrous RV trip, leading to a series of comedic mishaps and unexpected encounters. The film showcases Williams's comedic genius while reminding us of the importance of family connection amidst the chaos.

• # 25 of 50 on The Best Movies About Men Raising Kids
• # 10 of 26 on The Funniest Movies About Parenting
• # 25 of 77 on The Best Father's Day Movies

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

This classic 1963 comedy is undoubtedly a memorable road trip comedy, featuring a star-studded cast racing to find buried treasure. From roadside mishaps to comedic misunderstandings, this film set the standard for the chaos and hilarity that characterize the best road trip comedies.

• # 666 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 71 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 29 of 167 on The Greatest '60s Movies, Ranked

Four middle-aged friends, played by Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy, hit the open road on motorcycles, seeking adventure and escape from their mundane lives. The film's blend of slapstick comedy and heartfelt moments make it a fun and relatable portrayal of friendship and rediscovering one's passion.

• # 145 of 190 on The Best Movies For Men
• # 54 of 139 on The Best Movies Of 2007
• # 266 of 630 on The 600+ Funniest Movies Of All Time

Little Miss Sunshine

This heartwarming and quirky indie film follows a dysfunctional family as they travel together in a rickety VW bus to support their young daughter in a beauty pageant. With complex characters and emotional depth, this comedy proves that even the most unconventional journeys can lead to profound personal growth and familial bonds.

• # 678 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 53 of 156 on The Best Ensemble Movies Of All Time
• # 387 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

When a family attempts to recreate a memorable road trip from their childhood, hilarity ensues in this reboot of the classic comedy. Ed Helms and Christina Applegate's pitch-perfect performances keep audiences laughing through every twist and turn.

• # 10 of 13 on 13 Times Movies Used CGI For Absolutely No Good Reason
• # 57 of 66 on The 65 Best Slapstick Comedies
• # 94 of 129 on The Best R-Rated Comedies

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Sacha Baron Cohen's mockumentary-style comedy follows the unforgettable character Borat as he travels across America to learn about its culture. The film is both shocking and hilarious, as Cohen's outrageous antics expose cultural divides and challenge societal norms.

• Dig Deeper... Behind-The-Scenes Stories From The Set Of 'Borat'
• And Deeper... The 31 Best Movies Like 'Borat', Ranked By Fans
• # 172 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films

This raunchy comedy follows a group of friends on a cross-country journey to lose their virginity, resulting in outrageous escapades and hilarious misadventures. The film masterfully combines crude humor with genuine heart, making it a memorable addition to the road trip genre.

• # 21 of 22 on The Most Important 'Firsts' In Film History
• # 23 of 25 on The Greatest Band Cameos In Movie History
• # 256 of 284 on The 250+ Best Teenage Movies Of All Time

The Bucket List

Despite its somber premise, this film starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman is surprisingly uplifting, as two terminally ill men embark on a road trip to complete their bucket list. Through laughter and shared experiences, the film reminds us of the importance of living life to the fullest and cherishing the connections we make along the way.

• # 25 of 30 on 30 Words And Phrases You Might Not Realize Originated From A Movie Or TV Show
• # 43 of 90 on The 85+ Most Inspirational Movies Of All Time
• # 41 of 139 on The Best Movies Of 2007

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

Kevin Smith's iconic slacker characters hit the road in this irreverent comedy, on a mission to sabotage the Hollywood adaptation of their comic book alter egos. The film delivers non-stop laughs and clever pop culture references, making it a must-see for fans of Smith's unique brand of humor.

• # 605 of 772 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
• # 417 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 30 of 113 on The Best Movies Of 2001

Identity Thief

Melissa McCarthy shines as a brazen con artist, leading Jason Bateman's character on a wild chase to clear his name. The film cleverly balances slapstick humor with heartfelt moments, illustrating the unlikely relationships that can develop on the road.

• # 40 of 57 on The 50+ Best Movies About Con Artists
• # 47 of 64 on The Funniest Crime Parodies and Spoof Movies, Ranked
• # 46 of 66 on Great Movies About Male-Female Friendships

Wine connoisseurs and comedy lovers alike will appreciate this critically acclaimed film about two friends on a wine-tasting road trip through California. The film's sharp wit, engaging characters, and beautiful scenery create a humorous yet introspective journey of self-discovery.

• # 469 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 196 of 675 on The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
• # 38 of 99 on The Best Movies Of 2004, Ranked

College Road Trip

Martin Lawrence and Raven-Symoné star in this family-friendly comedy about a father-daughter duo road-tripping to visit colleges. The film is a lighthearted reminder of the challenges and joys of letting go and embracing life's transitions.

• # 264 of 468 on The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked
• # 101 of 117 on The Funniest Black Movies Ever Made
• # 17 of 23 on The Funniest Movies About College

This classic road trip comedy set during the Great Depression pairs a charming con man with a precocious young girl, played by real-life father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O'Neal. Their adventures and evolving bond create a touching and timeless story filled with humor and heart.

• # 185 of 675 on The Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
• # 85 of 199 on The Best Movies Of The '70s, Ranked
• # 3 of 12 on 12 Projects That Were Just Excuses For Actors To Work With Their Kids

Bad Grandpa

Johnny Knoxville brings his signature outrageous stunts and pranks to this hidden camera comedy, playing an elderly man on a road trip with his young grandson. The film pushes the boundaries of taste while showcasing the undeniable bond between the two characters.

Are We There Yet

Ice Cube stars in this family comedy as a man attempting to win over his girlfriend's children by driving them across the country to visit their mother. The film offers a humorous take on the challenges of blended families and the unexpected bonds that can form on the road.

• # 510 of 702 on The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
• # 163 of 468 on The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked
• # 54 of 117 on The Funniest Black Movies Ever Made
• Entertainment
• Watchworthy
• Comedy Movies

Lists that rank the best, most hilarious films that will make you laugh so hard, you'll wake up the whole neighborhood.

The 16 Best Comedy Movies to Inspire Travel

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Read my full disclosure  here .

In these crazy quarantine times, I’ve been watching a ton of movies! I mean what else to do since I’m not traveling? Since the news is so heavy, and life at home can be hard, we have been leaning towards comedic, lighthearted, fun movies to escape the weight of our everyday quarantine lives. So, I decided to share with you all a list of my favorite comedy movies that inspire travel.

Normally, our family does not watch too much TV.  We do have cable, and in normal life, we go old school by taking DVDs out from the library.  But since the stay at home orders, we bought a subscription to Disney+ , and now have a Netflix password thanks to my friend. We also have finally started using Amazon Prime for streaming!

With our increased access to movies,  we have been watching a mix of new movies ( Onward and Trolls World Tour), new to the kids’ movies ( Gremlins , Troop Beverly Hills and Star Wars ) and mixing in some of our favorites listed below!

Comedy Movies to Inspire Travel

I have seen every single one of these ( some multiple times ). As you can see, I like off the beaten path movies, and I hope you find something new both to enjoy at home, and to inspire your next trip!

My favorite travel inspiring comedy movies – in alphabetical order

This 2002 surfer girl movie was filmed on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, with the hotel scenes shot at the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa, which is now the Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina . I love the feel good, girl power aspect of this story, plus the gorgeous Hawaii scenery. Blue Crush is more drama than comedy, there are some funny one-liners here and this movie is pretty light and up lifting. Perfect for quarantine!

KEEP READING: HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO HAWAII

Couples Retreat – Bora Bora

I just watched Couple Retreat the other night – it seems to be in E!’s regular rotation! This movie follows four couples heading to an all-inclusive resort to have fun, and participate in couples’ therapy! This movie is totally hilarious and I do love that Vince Vaughn. If you have not been to Tahiti/Bora Bora, this movie will make you want to jump on a plane ASAP.

Hubby and I went to Moorea and Bora Bora for our honeymoon in 2007, and the over water bungalow we stayed in was almost the same as what you see Vince Vaughn’s character in! This movie was filmed at the St. Regis in Bora Bora , we stayed at the Bora Bora Pearl .

Worth noting – There is no all-inclusive resort in Tahiti (as they say in the movie). Part of the premise of this movie is that the couples are staying at the fictional Eden West, the couples therapy resort, where the sister property, Eden East, is the party resort. However, there are no party resorts in Tahiti!

Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Oahu, Hawaii

I am literally planning to go to Hawaii next year, to stay at the Turtle Bay Resort , just because of this film! Well, also because its hubby’s sabbatical year and the last time he had one, we did Maui and The Big Island . I have been to Oahu – twice, but not the north shore where Turtle Bay is located.

Anyway, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a hilarious rom com which begins with the breakup of lead character, Kristen Bell and Jason Segal.  To try to get his now ex, Sarah Marshall, out of his mind, Segal’s character decides to take a solo trip to Hawaii. Where who does he run into? Bell with her new boyfriend, played by Russell Brand. As pathetic as this sounds, this is a romantic comedy and romance, comedy and beautiful Hawaiian scenery ensues!

KEEP READING: HOW TO VISIT HAWAII ON A BUDGET

Hangover 1, 2, 3 – Las Vegas and Thailand

The Hangover is a HILARIOUS movie with great Vegas scenes. We always watch this movie (and Vegas Vacation see below) before a Las Vegas trip!

The trilogy continues in Hangover Part II when the “wolf pack” travels to Thailand for Stu’s wedding, which you know does NOT go seamlessly! But beautiful Thailand scenery – the hotel part was filmed at the Phulay Bay Ritz Carlton in Krabi, and the more I learn about Thailand, the more interested I am in visiting!

The finale in the three-movie saga, The Hangover Part III sees the guys travel down to a fabulous villa in Mexico and then return back to Las Vegas! The scene at the penthouse at Caesar’s Palace is great!

Hunkering down with Stu, Doug, Alan and Phil would be a great way to pass time this quarantine and have some great wanderlust-inducing laughs!

Home Alone 2 – Lost in New York – New York

Technically a Christmas movie, my kids can (and do) watch Home Alone movies all year! Home Alone 1 and 3 (yes there is a third installment, minus Macaulay Caulkin) take place, well at home, but in the second movie in this trilogy, we find Kevin McAllister lost in New York City . He stays at the The Plaza Hotel , and this film shows iconic New York locations like Central Park and the top of the Twin Towers.

My kids also love the Donald Trump cameo – you can’t get more iconic early 90s New York than that!

Hotel Transylvania 3:  Summer Vacation  – Cruise Vacation

This is another family favorite! The third installment in the Hotel Transylvania franchise takes Drac, Mavis, Johnny and the fam on a fabulous cruise vacation ! They travel on a ship called the Legacy, to the lost island of Atlantis! Of course, in true Hotel Transylvania fashion, there is monster/human strife and hilarious Drac scenes! I love Johnny and Mavis – she is like me, always trying to plan fun things for her extended family. Your kids will love this one (even if you haven’t seen the other Hotel Transylvania movies) and will definitely inspire your next cruise vacation .

KEEP READING:  NORWEGIAN GETAWAY TIPS AND TRICKS

My Father the Hero – Bahamas

My Father the Hero is a 1994 film features a very young Katherine Heigl, on vacation with her father, Gerard Depardieu. To prove to a crush she is old and mature ( she is really 14 ) she pretends she is vacationing with her much older boyfriend as opposed to her dad! Yeah, that does sound a little creepy, but of course it all ends happy where this charade strengthens the child/parent bond between them, and the story is just fun.

Of course, the real star here is the fabulous resort they are staying at. Filmed in the Bahamas , at the Paradise Island Resort, which is now the Ocean Club . In fact, some of the hotel amenities needed for the film, were built just for this movie on the Ocean Club property.

KEEP READING: SWIMMING WITH PIGS IN EXUMA, BAHAMAS

Once Upon a Crime – Italy and Monaco

I remember this was one of the first movies I saw in the theatre without my parents. And my young, wander lusting, self just LOVED this film!

Once Upon a Crime is a 1992 mystery movie has a long list of famous cast members. The story revolves around returning a lost dog found in Rome, to her very rich owner in Monaco. Of course, hilarious things ensue along the way!

KEEP READING: THREE DAYS IN MILAN

Sideways – Santa Barbara Wine Country

This is one of hubby and I’s all-time favorite movies. We actually own the DVD and in 2017 took a California road trip planned around a stop at the Hitching Post. Yes, the Hitching Post II is a real restaurant in Buellton, California!

The movie Sideways taps to two of our favorite past-times, travel and wine tasting ! This film is the tale of two men, on a bachelor-party trip to the wine country of Santa Barbara, California. One friend Miles, is total neurotic and very into wine, while the other, Jack, is so painfully laid back. This movie is well-written, witty, and will have you planning your next wine adventure ASAP!

KEEP READING: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SANTA CRUZ CALIFORNIA

Summer Rental – Family Beach Vacation

Summer Rental was a childhood favorite, although thinking back this movie is pretty inappropriate for younger children, but it’s so funny! This movie was released in 1985, before PG-13 ratings, so be warned of its PG rating.

This movie is the story of a family, who needs a break from the everyday. So, they decide to rent a beach house in Florida. I didn’t realize this was filmed in St. Pete Beach ( you know I love visiting Clearwater Beach and the Alden Suites in this area). Of course, nothing goes as expected, but this movie always made me want to do a summer beach rental !

KEEP READING:  VISIT THE CLEARWATER AQUARIUM

The Great Outdoors – Family Cabin Trip

The Great Outdoors is another movie starring John Candy! In this one, John Candy is on a rustic cabin vacation with his family (shot in Wisconsin) and in crashes his wife’s sister, and her family, headed by patriarch Dan Ackroyd. With these two actors, you know hilarity will ensue and this film will make you want to book a summer camping trip!

National Lampoon’s Vacation – Road Trip and Theme Park

National Lampoon’s Vacation is the ultimate travel comedy! This 1983 classic stars Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, the dad ready to hit the road to Wally World. The family takes on a Chicago to California road trip , heading to a fictional theme park with a beloved moose mascot. This movie is raunchy, hilarious and will inspire you to travel across the US!

We did love the 2015 reboot, also named Vacation , but if you have not seen the original, stop reading this and go watch!

KEEP READING: TIPS FOR DRIVING FROM NEW YORK TO FLORIDA

National Lampoon’s European Vacation – London, Paris and Rome

The second film in the franchise rejoins the Griswold family – complete with different actors playing children Rusty and Audrey. In this film, the Griswold family wins a game show, with a grand prize of a fabulous European vacation ! The Griswold’s visit London, Germany, Paris and Rome. The movie was shot in these famous cities and this is a hilarious look at an American family’s adventure in Europe!

KEEP READING: THE BEST COOKING CLASS IN MILAN

Vegas Vacation – Las Vegas

Vegas Vacation is the fourth installment in the Griswold saga (the third being Christmas Vacation). In this movie, the family – again with different actors playing Rusty and Audrey – head to fabulous Las Vegas so Clark and Ellen can renew their wedding vows.

The movie was shot on location at The Mirage Hotel and Casino , and will have you lusting after a Vegas Vacation of your own! We always watch this movie before a Las Vegas trip.

I hope these movies keep your quarantine fun and will inspire your next vacation! What are your favorite comedy movies that inspire travel? What are you watching during this stay at home season?

Looking to book your next trip? Then reach out to me, I am a full-service travel planner. I do know the one good thing to come out of travel cancellations in the Spring of 2020 is folks will be more apt to use a travel planner going forward!

Follow Momma To Go on social media!     Twitter ,   Facebook ,  Pinterest,  and   Instagram

Please share:

Related posts:

Related Posts

Things to do in venice with kids, icon of the seas review: is the new royal caribbean ship worth the hype, sandals grande st. lucian review, 26 comments to “the 16 best comedy movies to inspire travel”.

test, test test

That moment when you realize you haven’t seen half of the movies! Guess I know what I’ll be doing this weekend!

Hotel Transylvania and Home Alone are by far my favorite but I’m really curious to watch The Hangover! I never know the references people are talking about.

I love the first one. Its on E! all the time. I have not seen the 2nd or 3rd ones in a while. Might be time for a three night movie marathon!

What a great line up! I’m surprised at how many of these I’ve actually seen!

I’ve seen a lot of these, but there are are a few I haven’t and need to check out. Great suggestions!

I need to re-watch some. Maybe w the kids, maybe without. You have to be careful of the PG ratings from the 90s, before PG-13 was a thing!

Such a great list of movies here! Vacation will forever be on my top 10!

Kileen cute & little

totally a classic! And I didnt mind the reboot – thought it was funny too!

This is such a great list of movies, some of them I haven’t seen so I’ll put them on my to watch list xx

This is such a fun list! I love Sideways and some of the others here. However, there are some ones that I still need to check out!!

Sideways has been a favorite for some time! Hubby and I love wine, and California. I need to find the pics of us at the Hitching Post II

Sideways is such a great movie! I’ll have to give it a rewatch soon.

So many great choices! I need to watch more John Candy movies with my kids, those are some of the best!

I know, right! He is such a legend!

Oh my…I love so many of these movies! The Hangover, The Great Outdoors, and Home Alone are my faves! Thanks for sharing this fun and unique post!

I know! Travel or not, these are great movies to add to your quarantine watch list!

I chuckled at the memories of all these movies, they are all lovely movies and my most recent favourite one is Hotel Transylvania. Also, yes it will inspire my next cruise vacation. Thanks for sharing.

We love all the hotel transylvanias!

OMG I forgot how awesome some of these movies are!! We love Couples Retreat, The Hangover, and Home Alone…and can’t we all use a laugh right now. Great roundup- saving for later!!

Home Alone is a Christmas movie IMO, but my kids can watch it anytime. Plus in the quarantine times, who cares!

I too forgot how amazing these movies are. I keep forgetting about Sideways, putting that on my watch list for the weekend.

we love that one! we got that dvd from a garage sale!

Such a great list of travel comedies! These are some of my favorite movies.

me too! I have seen all of these – some many times!

I haven’t watched half of these movies. Thanks for sharing. I have some good options to watch during quarantine! 🙂

Do it! These all are highly recommended by yours truly! 🙂

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Privacy Overview

STAY IN TOUCH!

Subscribe via email to receive a message when new posts are published, and to receive great travel deals right to your inbox.

LOOKING TO PLAN YOUR NEXT GETAWAY?

Click the button below to get started on planning your next amazing vacation!

No spam, promise!

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Movie Nights at Home

- Snacks & Ideas for Families, Friends & Couples

70+ Funny Family Vacation & Travel Comedy Movies

Family vacation movies are hilarious because they’re relatable! Get ready to laugh with these comedy travel movies family movie night! With 74 to choose from, you can find something you all will like!

Family vacations are tried and true traditions. But who needs to go on a trip when you can watch a movie instead? The next time your family is itching for a vacation, turn on one of these fun comedy travel movies!

Everyone in the family will love the hilarious hijinks found in each of these comedy travel movies, but keep in mind some of these family vacation movies are rated PG-13 or R.

The Best Family Comedy Travel Movies

When it comes to finding fun family movies, it doesn’t get much better than a classic vacation story. From vacations gone awry to cute family connections, there are so many amazing stories that come with a family trip.

Check out these funny family travel movies to take a trip during your next movie night at home.

Robin William’s RV has to be one of the best family road trip movies! It’s about an overworked man decides to take his family on a last-minute RV trip to Colorado, hoping they won’t discover that he’s actually going there for a business meeting.

This 2-ingredient dirt cake is a great dessert to pair with this movie too!

2. Guilt Trip

Rated PG-13

After an inventor makes a quick stop at his mom’s house before heading out on a once-in-a-lifetime voyage, the vacation turns into an unexpected mother-son road trip.

This is one of my favorite travel movies because both main characters are so hilarious!

3. Hotel Transylvania

Take a trip to Hotel Transylvania, where monsters can enjoy some time away and no humans are allowed.

4. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

After spending summers together as kids, four friends go their separate ways for a few months, but a magical pair of pants keeps them connected during each of their trips.

Another one of our favorite movies with great views is Mamma Mia! Don’t forget to check out 17 Best Movies About Greece to Watch Tonight.

5. Toy Story 4

Before Bonnie starts kindergarten, her mom and dad take her and her favorite toys on a road trip in the family RV. But when one of the toys gets lost, it’s up to Woody and the gang to save him.

You can also grab  Free Disney Movie Coloring Pages & Printables for the Kids!

After casting a magic spell, two brothers have the chance to spend the day with their late dad. But after a mishap, they must go on a quest to find a gem to finish the spell before time runs out.

7. Diary of A Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul

Take a trip with your favorite book family – the Heffleys – as they head out on a road trip for their grandma’s 90th birthday party.

8. The Great Outdoors

This has to be one of the best, classic comedy travel movies!

When a fun-loving Chicago dad takes his family on a relaxing vacation at a lakeside resort, things take a turn for the worse when his in-laws show up unannounced.

You could also make it a big movie night outside. Here’s What You Need to Host an Outdoor Movie Night!

9. National Lampoon’s Vacation

Chevy Chase pretty much invented the best family vacation movies!

While this road trip comedy isn’t a great option for families with young children, your teens are sure to have a blast watching the Griswolds head out on a cross country comic adventure to Wally World – only the best amusement park!

10. Are We There Yet?

While dating a divorced mother, a playboy bachelor must take her kids on a comic road trip to Canada to visit her at work.

11. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

While on a family Christmas vacation, a young boy gets accidentally left alone in New York City.

You also have to have Kevin Mcallister’s massive ice cream sundae with it!

12. College Road Trip

A teenager and her dad travel around the country looking for the perfect college for her in this family-friendly travel movie.

13. Johnson Family Vacation

A family man takes his wife and teenage children on a road trip across the country to a family reunion.

14. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

A group of unlikely friends must travel the jungle and complete dangerous challenges after they get sucked into a video game.

15. Spiderman Far From Home

While this is a little different pick to include in our comedy travel movies, it’s a great option for Marvel fans!

During a school trip to Europe, Peter Parker must battle a new villain and save his friends from danger.

16. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

An ordinary man must find the courage to turn his vibrant fantasy life into reality to discover his destiny when his job at Life Magazine is going to be dissolved. 

Ben Stiller is incredible in this movie, and we really love the beautiful scenery and different areas in this movie too!

17. Journey to the Center of the Earth

Three adventurers travel to a new realm beneath the Earth’s surface, where they go on a voyage to find hidden treasure.

18. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

The sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth finds a teen and his stepfather on an epic adventure to find a lost island.

Moana must set sail on an adventure to save her people from the mighty demigod Maui. 

We also have Moana-themed recipes and activities for a family movie night you may like!

20. Alvin and the Chipmunks Road Chip  

Alvin, Simon, and Theodore hit the road to Miami to save their family, all while singing and dancing along the way.

21. Paddington

During a trip to London, a talking bear must avoid a museum taxidermist and becomes a member of the family.

22. National Treasure

On a hunt for the Nights Templar treasure, a historian works his way through historical monuments around the country to uncover clues.

23. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

When a group of pets’ owners leave and never return, the friends must work together to travel across the country to find them.

24. Jungle Cruise

While on the hunt for an ancient tree with healing abilities, a doctor joins forces with a boat captain to battle supernatural forces and dangerous enemies.

25. Cheaper by the Dozen 2

After they go on a family trip to a remote resort, this family of 12 must pit themselves against another family to see who can have the best vacation.

Each of one of these great travel movies can transport you to another place and most of them are also funny!

During a visit to an out-of-the-way beach, a family begins to rapidly age. They must work together to find a way out if they ever hope to return home.

27. Murder Mystery

A New York cop and his wife take a European vacation to rekindle their marriage and soon find themselves in the middle of a murder plot in this travel comedy.

28. The Addams Family 2

After noticing just how much their children have grown up, Gomez and Morticia pack the entire family into their haunted camper to take a trip they’ll never forget.

29. A Goofy Movie

When Goofy plans a fishing trip for him and his son, he hopes for some father-son bonding time. But things quickly go awry, resulting in a goofy cross-country adventure.

30. It Takes 2

While on vacation at summer camp, an orphaned tomboy and wealthy heiress meet and discover they’re twins who were separated at birth. The two quickly devise a plan to bring their single parents together so they can be sisters again.

31. Roman Holiday

Exhausted from her overwhelming schedule, a European princess takes off on an adventure through Rome on her own. After falling asleep on a park bench, she’s rescued by an American reporter hoping to cash in on a big story. But after enjoying the city together, the pair find love instead.

32. The Parent Trap (1998)

After growing up on separate coasts, a pair of twins meet for the first time during a trip to summer camp. While together, they devise a plan to reunite their parents so they can be a family again.

33. Unchartered

A seasoned treasure hunter teams up with a street-smart teen to uncover the location of a lost city of gold. The pair must work together to decipher a set of clues before another more ruthless treasure hunter can get his hands on the treasure.

A mermaid boy discovers he has legs when he reaches land, sparking an epic journey above the water filled with pasta, boat races, and friendship.

35. Finding Nemo

After a young clownfish is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and transported to an aquarium in a dentist’s office, it’s up to his cautious father and forgetful friend to save him.

36. Finding Dory

Forgetful fish Dory is living happily in the reef with her friend Nemo when she suddenly remembers a family she left behind. The memories spark a journey across the ocean to find the fish’s lost family.

37. The Muppet Movie

Kermit the Frog decides to take a chance on Hollywood and packs up his belongings to go on a cross-country road trip to California. Along the way he meets his Muppet friends, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and others.

A retired balloon salesman decides to leave his old life behind by attaching hundreds of balloons to his home. When the house takes flight, he finds he has a stowaway – a young Wilderness Explorer and his dog. 

39. Madagascar

A group of zoo animals, including a lion, giraffe, hippo, and zebra, grow tired of living life in captivity. After devising a plan, the group make their escape from the zoo to explore the real world. But they get more than they bargain for when they wind up in the jungle.

40. The Croods

When their cave home is destroyed, a prehistoric family must set out on a journey together to find a new home and avoid extinction.

41. Mr. Bean’s Holiday

When he wins a trip to France, Mr. Bean faces a series of misunderstandings that leads him to accidentally separate a boy from his father. The two must work together to reunite the family.

While on his way to his next big race, race car Lightning McQueen takes a detour and gets stranded in a roadside town off the beaten path. With the help of his new friends, he gets back on the road and learns that sometimes it’s better to slow down and enjoy the ride.

43. The Loud House Movie

When the Louds discover they have family living in Scotland, the large family unit takes a trip across the ocean to learn more about their heritage. The group soon finds out they’re descendants of royalty, making them wonder whether they want to leave their old life behind.

44. Little Miss Sunshine

A dysfunctional family hits the road in their run-down VW van to get their daughter to California to take part in the Little Miss Sunshine Contest. 

45. Finding Ohana

When a pair of Brooklyn siblings take a summer trip to Oahu, they uncover a journal leading them to a long-lost treasure. The ensuing adventure helps them connect with new friends and their Hawaiian heritage while in pursuit of the gold.

46. The Way Way Back

When an awkward teen is forced to spend his summer on a beach vacation with his mom and her boyfriend, he immediately looks for a way out. After scoring a job at a nearby water park, he finds the family he’s been searching for.

47. We’re the Millers

This hilarious film is one that earns it’s R rating, but it’s definitely a great family vacation movie.

After attempting to help a teen, a small-time drug dealer is robbed of his stash and his cash. To pay back his supplier, he agrees to transport the latest shipment of pot across the Mexican border. He enlists the help of his neighbor and two wayward teens to act as a family on vacation in order to safely make the deal in this teen-friendly comedy.

48. What About Bob

Right before heading out on his family vacation, a psychiatrist takes on a new patient suffering from paralyzing neediness and phobias. After his appointment, the patient follows his new doctor to the family’s country house and invites himself on their trip, annoying the doctor and charming the rest of the family in the process.

49. Weekend at Bernie’s

Two salesmen are invited to spend a weekend at their boss’s beach house. But when they arrive, they soon discover they’re the fall guys for a fraud plan gone wrong, resulting in their boss’s death. Instead of reporting the murder, the pair decide to make the most of their weekend and enjoy their time at the beach with their dead boss in tow.

50. Strange World

A family of explorers find themselves in an uncharted land filled with strange creatures. In order to survive, they must work together with their rag-tag team, including a three-legged dog and a mischievous blob.

51. Ticket to Paradise

A divorced couple take a trip to Bali to celebrate their daughter’s wedding. But as they work together to sabotage the nuptials and stop their daughter from making the same mistake they did, the couple starts to rekindle old feelings for each other.

52. Frozen II

Sisters Ana and Elsa must travel together with their sidekicks Sven and Olaf to the enchanted forest to uncover hidden family secrets that could save their beloved Arrendelle.

53. Gulliver’s Travels

While on assignment in the Bermuda Triangle, a newspaper mailroom clerk is transported to a magical land filled with tiny people. The island people use his large size to their advantage to defeat their enemy and save their land.

54. The Wizard of Oz

After a tornado rips through her Kansas home, Dorothy is transported on a trip to a magical land. In order to make her way back home, she must work with her new friends to find the wizard and escape the wicked witch.

55. The Lizzie McGuire Movie

LIzzie McGuire enjoys a class trip to Rome over summer break where she meets an Italian singer that looks and acts just like her. Lizzie agrees to step in for the musical sensation at her next concert, but when things go awry, she must rely on her own talents to keep the show going. 

56. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

In a race against the Nazis, an adventurous archeologist seeks out an ancient religious relic. He must travel across dangerous terrain and battle countless foes to keep the Ark out of the wrong hands.

57. Into the Wild

After graduating from college, a young man gives all his money to charity, rids himself of his possessions, and hitchhikes to the Alaskan wilderness in this coming of age story.

58. The Beach

Hoping to disconnect from the stresses of the modern world, a young American backpacker travels to Thailand looking for an adventure. When he’s given a map to a mysterious secluded beach, he jumps at the chance to enjoy life off the grid in what he believes is an island paradise.

An Army Ranger and a service dog named Lulu take a road trip down the Pacific coast in hopes of making it to a fellow soldier’s funeral on time. After driving him crazy most of the trip, the soldier soon begins to bond with his fury companion.

60. Chasing Liberty

While on a trip to Prague, the daughter of the President of the United States eludes her Secret Service detail. While out and about in the city, she meets a handsome boy who whisks her away on a tour of Europe.

61. The Fundamentals of Caring

A disabled teen sets out on a road trip with her caregiver where they bond over shared tragedy while searching for unique landmarks along the way.

62. Night at the Museum Secret of the Tomb

After learning that his museum friends have been shipped to the Smithsonian Institution, a former museum security guard is forced to take a trip abroad to protect his historic pals from four of history’s greatest villains who have come to life to take over the museum.

63. The Bucket List

Two terminally ill men decide to leave their hospital room against doctor’s wishes in order to embark on a trip to check everything off their bucket list before their time is up.

Best Family Vacation Movies

If you’re looking for more family vacation movies or just funny movies about traveling, we have you covered!

The best part? Most of these comedy travel movies are on Amazon Prime so that you can stream them easily! 

64. Blended

After a disastrous blind date, a divorced mom and widowed dad find themselves at the same South African resort with their families. When both families are forced to share the same suite, the two start to develop an undeniable connection.

65. Just Go With It

A plastic surgeon devises a plan to pretend to be married in order to enjoy commitment-free relationships. But after meeting his dream girl at a party, he enlists his assistant to act as his soon-to-be-ex to show her he’s available.

66. Dirty Dancing

While on a summer trip to the Catskills with her parents, a young woman falls in love with her rebellious dance instructor.

67. National Lampoon’s European Vacation

When he wins an all expenses paid European vacation on a game show, Clark Griswold packs up his family and heads overseas. But the family encounters one mishap after another as they travel through England, Germany, and Italy.

68. National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation

The Griswold family is off on another trip – this time to Las Vegas. But when the family vacation turns into one mishap after another, the group decides to go their separate ways and enjoy Vegas on their own. Trouble quickly ensues and the Griswolds must come together as a family to make it out of Vegas on top.

69. Captain Ron

After learning he has inherited a yacht, a mild mannered dad brings his family to the Caribbean for a beach vacation. When they arrive, they discover the yacht is in bad shape and hire free-spirited Captain Ron to sail the family back to Miami on the ship.

70. Mad Families

Three families from very different backgrounds are forced to share the same campsite over Fourth of July weekend in this vacation comedy.

71. Grown Ups

When their former basketball coach dies, a group of childhood friends reunite at a 4th of July celebration to remember their coach and reminisce about the fun they had as kids.

72. The Mitchells vs. the Machines

A family’s road trip vacation gets interrupted when electronic devices around the world take on a life of their own. With the help of two friendly robots, the family is forced to fight against the evil devices to save themselves and save the world.

73. Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation

Mr. Hobbs dreams of a trip to the beach alone with his wife. But when his wife insists on a family trip to a beach house he grudgingly agrees. The entire family comes together at a run-down cottage, bringing all their problems along with them. In order to enjoy his trip, Hobbs must help each family member overcome their issues one by one.

74. Summer Rental

After losing a plane, a stressed-out air traffic controller is forced to take a break from work. So, he books a week at a plush resort for his family. They soon find out their resort leaves a lot to be desired, and the trip only goes downhill from there.

We hope this list of best vacation and comedy travel movies helped you find something to watch with your best friend or family members!

If you love these comedy travel movies, you may also like:

• 25 Fun Family Movie Night Dinner Ideas
• 195+ Best Family Movie Night Ideas to Watch With Your Kids
• 25 Best Comedy Movies for Tweens (10-14 Year Olds Approved)
• 50 Movies to Watch With Your Dad

Love Disney? Check out  35+ Easy Disney Movie Night Dinner & Dessert Ideas.

Shop Our Shop

Latest Blog Posts

10 Funniest Time Travel Comedy Movies

The concept of fictional characters traveling to the past or the future has been explored many times, sometimes in a very humorous manner.

Time travel is one of the most commonly used concepts in sci-fi movies and while plots revolving around it are interesting on their own, sprinkling comedy into the proceedings is guaranteed to boost the quality. Movie lovers have thus gotten used to being treated to time travel comedies every single year

RELATED: 10 Comedy Movies That Changed The Game

Among the numerous options in the category, a few are more recommendable because they have a higher laugh-per-minute quotient than the others. This is because they have talented casts full of comedic actors as well as decent jokes and gags that stick to the mind long after the events come to a conclusion.

10 Historical Figures Pour Into The Present In Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Keanu Reeves might have earned his seat on the table of the coolest action stars but he has been in a number of amazing comedies too. One of those is Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure where two teenagers struggling to pass their history assignment go back in time to actually interact with the figures they are researching on.

For history buffs, the movie is a blast as it features comical depictions of Napoleon Bonaparte, Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, Socrates, and Ludwig van Beethoven. As respected as these figures are, the movie treats them as caricatures by thrusting them into all sorts of awkward situations once they are transported to modern times.

9 Fortunes Change For A Group Of Friends In Hot Tub Time Machine

There have been many creative ways to travel back in time and in Hot Tub Time Machine , it all happens via a hot tub at a resort. The comedy begins with the cliché plot of friends going on a vacation on an island but soon find themselves in 1986 after deciding to relax in a tub.

RELATED: 10 Movie Actors Who Are Great In Both Comedies And Dramas

Throughout the film, the likable cast that includes naturally funny actors like Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson gives audiences every reason to smile. However, it's the numerous interesting scenarios that pop up in the new time period that make the movie exciting. One of those involves one of the friends failing to transform back into his younger self because he was born after 1986.

8 There Is A Major Culture Clash In Black Knight

Among the numerous underrated comedies of the 2000s is Black Knight , where Jamal, a theme park employee accidentally gets transported back in time to 1328 England. There, the citizens hold him in high regard until they realize he isn’t who he says he is.

Starring Martin Lawrence at his peak, the movie is packed with endless visual gags, mostly stemming from Jamal trying to incorporate modern practices into medieval society. The verbal exchanges are hilarious too and so are the costume differences since he insists on wearing his jeans and shirt at all times.

7 Back To The Future Has One Of The Greatest Movie Characters

A movie where a teenager threatens his own existence by preventing his parents from falling in love is definitely one that’s guaranteed to delight and Back To The Future doesn’t disappoint. Much of the credit goes to Emmett "Doc" Brown who has gone on to be considered one of the greatest ever movie characters .

Doc's physical appearance and actions are main the reservoirs of humor. There's always the threat of something going wrong too, even when a problem has been solved, hence creating endless anxiety. Additionally, the movie proves itself superior to other sci-fi and comedy offerings by focusing more on storytelling rather than visual spectacle.

6 A Teenager's Wish Comes True In 13 Going On 30

The limitations that come with being young can be frustrating, that’s why 13-year-old Jenna keeps wishing she was an adult in 13 Going On 30. Interestingly, his wishes come true when she wakes up to find out that she is not only 30 years old but has also been transported from 1987 to 2004.

RELATED: 10 Funniest Female-Led Comedies Of Today

13 Over 30 is hoisted by strong performances by Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, and Andy Serkis, but it’s the former who shines the most as her character tries to make sense of what's happening. As expected, most things go wrong for the adult Jenna and while her experiences are funny, they also serve as cautionary moments for those dreaming of better lives than the ones they have.

5 In Click, An Architect Can Remote-Control His Life

Life would be interesting if one could fast-forward or rewind their lives and that’s the idea Click explores to humorous effect. In it, an architect named Michael can skip or go back to events he desires the most.

While this seems like a good option to have, the movie goes the classic things-go-wrong route when the remote start operating by itself after learning he only desires success. It thus fast forwards him to a promotion and then a decade later when he has become boss, making him miss out on important family events. The quest to discard the remote and reverse time then starts.

4 The Adam Project Blends Action & Laughs

To many fans, The Adam Project is one of the most satisfying movies of 2022 because of the healthy friendship between the younger and older versions of Ryan Reynolds; character, Adam. In it, a dystopian fighter pilot from 2050 meets a child version of himself after he crash-lands in 2022.

As is the case with most Ryan Reynolds movies, there are plenty of goofy moments that make every single scene enjoyable. These are blended with incredible action sequences as well as aerial dogfights. The villain is more laughable than threatening too, hence the quest to defeat him becomes more of a fiesta than a dark journey.

3 Everyone Is Dumb In Idiocracy

A high IQ is highly beneficial in the real world but not so much in the society depicted in Idiocracy . Events in the comedy revolve around a U.S. Army librarian named Joe who finds himself in the year 2505 after participating in a hibernation experiment. Since technology has advanced so much, people don't need to be smart to survive.

RELATED: 10 Hilarious Comedies Ruined By One Single Scene

As weird as the society is, Joe's value increases because he is literally the one-eyed man in a village of blind people. The President thus gives him the task of solving most of society's problems, resulting in a fun-filled tale that also covers themes such as commercialism, overpopulation, dysgenics, and corporatocracy.

2 A Woman Rewinds The Same Date Night In Meet Cute

Among the more recent offerings in the genre is Meet Cute , where a solution is given to a boring life. Since Sheila's life has become meaningless, she decides to relive the same night multiple times using a time machine.

The movie has its plot weakness, but luckily it has strong witty leads in Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson, who easily cover up any cracks. Numerous strong jokes are exchanged too but what audiences will find more intriguing is how the time travel device plays on social media by enabling the lovebirds to delete and edit sections of their lives.

1 When We First Met Emphasizes On Perfection

Similar to Meet Cute, the Netflix film, When We First Met also focuses on the same date night. However, while the night in the previous film is perfect enough to be revisited again and again, this one is so blemished that the and keeps trying to correct it.

The movie thus provides commentary on modern-day dating and the desperation to impress. Watching the man mess up is funny but watching him go back in time multiple times is inspiring as it highlights the importance of resilience and dedication in everyday life.

NEXT: 10 Good Comedies That Would Have Been Better As Dramas

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Sweepstakes
• Culture + Design
• TV + Movies

34 Movies That Will Make You Want to Get Off the Couch and See the World

From "The Holiday" to "Romancing the Stone" to "Eat Pray Love," these travel movies will inspire some serious wanderlust.

There's nothing like an epic on-screen adventure to get you acquainted with some place new and dreaming up an enviable vacation itinerary. For me (and basically all my childhood friends), this first happened following a viewing of Disney's "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" back in 2003, when Hilary Duff's character traveled to Rome to live out every teen's parent-free European fantasy. Though I've graduated to more mature travel movies over the last 18 years, one thing hasn't changed: films with gorgeous backdrops give me an unruly case of wanderlust.

From classics like "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Roman Holiday" to modern masterpieces such as "Wild" and "Crazy Rich Asians," travel films tend to ignite a longing for freedom and excitement. Maybe it's the sight of beaches on your screen triggering a phenomenon known as Blue Mind , or maybe watching a couple of pals take to the open road for a life changing road trip just makes you want to feel unconfined. Whatever it is, sometimes a travel film is all you need to provoke that feeling. That's why we've rounded up, in no particular order, 34 of the best travel movies that inspire wanderlust. Maybe they'll be cause for a change of scenery — or maybe they'll incite the adventure of a lifetime.

'Thelma & Louise' (1991)

Widely regarded as one of the best road trip movies of all time, this buddy film follows best friends Thelma (Geena Davis) and Louise (Susan Sarandon) as they drive through the American Southwest after Louise kills a man in Arkansas.

'The Holiday' (2006)

A Hollywood movie trailer producer (Cameron Diaz) and a London reporter (Kate Winslet) decide to switch homes for a few weeks after finding out their respective boyfriends have been cheating on them. The results offer enough glamor shots of Los Angeles and cozy footage of England's countryside to make you want to pack up and head to either city immediately.

'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018)

Though this movie revolves around the conflict between New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and her boyfriend's wealthy family, "Crazy Rich Asians" could pass as a tourism film for Singapore . If the Southeast Asian country wasn't on your bucket list before, this film's dazzling shots of Singapore, specifically the acclaimed Marina Bay Sands Hotel , may convince you.

'Wild' (2014)

Based on a true story, "Wild" sees Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) hike more than a thousand miles from California to Washington on the Pacific Crest Trail following her divorce and the death of her mother. On her journey, Cheryl treks through the Mojave Desert , the Sierra Nevada, and Mount Hood National Forest while reflecting on her life.

'Eat Pray Love' (2010)

After her divorce, Elizabeth (Julia Roberts) sets off to explore the world with hopes of finding herself in the process. Elizabeth's inspiring and uplifting journey takes her — and viewers — to Italy , India , and Indonesia where she discovers the pleasure of nourishment, prayer, and romance.

'La La Land' (2016)

Admittedly, this musical doesn't feature much traveling (save for a brief road trip to Mia's hometown in Nevada), but the dreamy, oversaturated shots of Los Angeles in nearly every scene are enough to make anyone want to book a flight to the City of Angels.

'Before Sunrise' (1995)

Two strangers meet aboard a train from Budapest. Jesse (Ethan Hawke) is hoping to catch a flight home to the United States while Céline (Julie Delpy) is en route to Paris . Instead of sticking to their plans, the two disembark in Vienna and spend the entire night exploring the city and falling in love. A viewing of this movie will leave you longing for an epic adventure in the picturesque Austrian capital .

'National Lampoon’s Vacation' (1983)

National Lampoon 's classic comedy series is now six films strong, but it was 1983's "Vacation" that started it all. Unlike the franchise's most famous film, "Christmas Vacation," the original movie sees the Griswolds actually hit the road for a trip to Walley World, an amusement park several states away. After you watch Chevy Chase's hilarious hijinks unfold in this film, let sequels "European Vacation" and "Vegas Vacation" inspire further travels.

'The Darjeeling Limited' (2007)

After the death of their father, three estranged brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman) decide to hop aboard a train in India called The Darjeeling Limited to reconnect and experience spiritual self-discovery. Viewers catch glimpses of the Indian countryside, Hindu temples, and eventually the Himalayas — but not without a few jokes along the way.

'Up' (2009)

Arguably the most heart-wrenching animated film of all time, "Up" earns a spot on our list thanks to adorably grumpy widower Carl Fredricksen's determination to fulfill his own wanderlust. With the help of thousands of balloons and a young sidekick named Russell, Carl and his house soar across the world on an incredible journey that culminates at Paradise Falls (based on Angel Falls in Venezuela).

'Raiders of the Lost Ark' (1981)

"Raiders" kicks off the iconic Indiana Jones series with a quest to find the fabled Ark of the Covenant. On his journey, Indy (Harrison Ford) makes stops in Nepal , Egypt , and the Aegean Sea , and, of course, famously runs from a giant rolling boulder in a temple in Peru . Follow up this film with its sequels, "Temple of Doom" (1984), "Last Crusade" (1989), and "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (2008), to see Indy travel to Jordan , the Amazon jungle, and beyond.

'Mamma Mia!' (2008)

Few movies offer the kind of gorgeously colorful beach imagery "Mamma Mia!" and its 2018 sequel, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" provide. If you haven't seen the films, you likely know them as "the movies with all the ABBA songs." But if you have seen them, you know they're actually about three men who travel to the impossibly beautiful, albeit fictional, Greek island of Kalokairi, each believing they're the father of a young bride-to-be.

'Nomadland' (2020)

After losing her job in the town of Empire, Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) decides to sell her belongings, buy a van, and drive across the country working odd jobs. Fern travels through deserts, small towns, and nomad communes where she works, makes new friends, and learns about life. If you've ever fantasized about dropping everything and taking to the open road, "Nomadland" will probably either convince or deter you.

'Romancing the Stone' (1984)

When New York City-based romance novelist Joan Wilder's sister is kidnapped in Cartagena , Joan (Kathleen Turner) ends up on a rescue-mission-turned-treasure-hunt with adventure-seeking Jack T. Colton (Michael Douglas). Don't be surprised if a viewing of this movie makes you want to trade in your annual beach vacation for a wild ride through the Colombian jungle .

'Paris, Je T’aime' (2006)

Paris, Je T'aime is different from the other films on this list in that it's not one film — it's 18 short films that all feature Paris as a central theme. Because the project is made up of 18 different stories in 18 different arrondissements around the city, viewers get a true, unfiltered sense of Paris, and may even find themselves inspired to visit lesser-known locales in the City of Light.

'The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (1994)

If you've ever longed to take a laughter-fueled road trip with your best friends, this film is worth a watch. In the flick, pals Tick (Hugo Weaving), Adam (Guy Pearce), and Bernadette (Terence Stamp) head out on a cross-country road trip through the Australian outback to perform their successful drag act in a new town. The trio takes up residence in an oversized tour bus called Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in this fun, ahead-of-its-time dramedy.

'RV' (2006)

While plenty of road trip movies have been made over the years, "RV" might be the only one that takes place in, well, an RV . Though the main characters in this movie face more bad luck than fun, family bonding, the film does feature generous desert , mountain , and wilderness scenery, as well as an all-star cast (Robin Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Cheryl Hines, and Josh Hutcherson are just a few that appear).

'Point Break' (2015)

Yes, we're talking about the "Point Break" remake rather than the original film from 1991, but hear us out: the imagery in this movie inspires some serious wanderlust. The story takes viewers to several of the wildest places on Earth (Mexico's Cave of Swallows, Venezuela's Angel Falls, etc.) and though the plot is slightly different from the original (think eco-terrorism rather than bank robberies), it is quiet possibly the most visually stimulating travel movie ever made.

'Girls Trip' (2017)

When was the last time you took a trip with just your core group of girlfriends? A quick watch of this comedy will have you planning your next gal pal getaway faster than you can say "PTO." In the film, a group of friends (Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, Regina Hall, and Jada Pinkett Smith) head to New Orleans , but you'll be ready to travel anywhere with your best buds after watching "Girls Trip" — even if it's just to the next town over.

'The Way' (2010)

After his son is killed walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route to Galicia, Spain, Tom Avery (Martin Sheen) sets out on the trail himself to retrieve his son's body. Along the way, Tom meets several other travelers who are walking the trail in hopes of changing their own lives for one reason or another. This inspiring film may just persuade you to make the famed pilgrimage yourself, or to book a similarly reflective trip.

'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' (2005)

If you were a teen or pre-teen in 2005, you have likely seen this movie and its 2008 sequel, and can attest that both inspire major wanderlust. The first film follows best friends Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby (who share a magical pair of jeans that fits them all perfectly) as they spend a summer in different parts of the world. Lena (Alexis Bledel) travels to Santorini, Greece , which makes for some seriously dreamy backdrops. In the sequel, the whole gang heads to Greece, but not before Bridget (Blake Lively) spends some time in Turkey .

'Up in the Air' (2009)

This George Clooney-led comedy-drama makes business travel and airports look glamorous — hospitable, even. Boasting just as many cityscape shots as it does plane scenes, "Up in the Air" will have you longing to be in the skies, jet setting off to some place new. Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga also star in this critically-acclaimed film about a man who lives out of a suitcase.

'Around the World in 80 Days' (1956)

If this classic adventure film doesn't inspire daydreams of traveling somewhere new, we're not sure what will. In 1872, Englishman Phileas Fogg makes a bet with several members of his gentleman's club that he can travel around the globe in just 80 days. On his journey, he and sidekick Jean Passepartout bring viewers along as they travel by gas balloon to France , Spain , Italy , India, Hong Kong , the United States , and more.

'Home Alone 2: Lost in New York' (1992)

The Home Alone movies usually fall under the comedy or holiday categories, but if you think about it, the second installment in the series is totally a travel movie. The film does a fantastic job of showing off the glamorous side of New York City , the place young Kevin McCallister accidentally ends up while the rest of his family vacations in Florida. From shots of the Rockefeller Christmas tree to the Manhattan skyline , this film is sure to inspire a trip to the Big Apple.

'Under the Tuscan Sun' (2003)

You won't find shots of northern Italy as serene as the ones in this feel-good film about independence, love, and friendship. After losing everything in her divorce, American writer Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) suddenly finds herself beginning a new life in the small Tuscan town of Cortona. And if you're anything like us, Googling "Tuscan villas for sale" will become a regular part of your life after watching this film.

'Angels & Demons' (2009)

Though "Angels & Demons" is classified as a thriller, it'll definitely make you want to head to Rome and dig up some history, both figuratively and literally. Based on the Dan Brown novel of the same name, the story follows Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) as he discovers secrets of the Vatican and faces off against the supposed Illuminati. If you're a fan, check out other Dan Brown adventure travel films, "The Da Vinci Code" (2006) and "Inferno" (2016).

'Easy Rider' (1969)

Our list features travel by plane, train , RV, and even hot air balloon , but "Easy Rider" is the only movie that follows a journey via motorcycle. In the film, drug smugglers Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) ride from Los Angeles to New Orleans in hopes of reveling at Mardi Gras to celebrate their latest score. On their journey, they stop in several small towns, make a few friends, and unsuccessfully try to evade trouble.

'Out of Africa' (1985)

If Africa doesn't currently have a spot on your bucket list, this film might make you rethink that. Meryl Streep and Robert Redford star in this true story about Karen Blixen, a Danish woman who moves to Nairobi with her new husband, and builds a life there despite their many marital issues. "Out of Africa" features sweeping panoramic shots of Nairobi in nearly every scene, leaving it no wonder the drama won seven Academy Awards, including one for Best Cinematography.

'Johnson Family Vacation' (2004)

This family comedy starring Cedric the Entertainer, Vanessa Williams, and Solange Knowles follows the mildly dysfunctional Johnsons as they road trip to their family reunion in Missouri. On the drive, the family hilariously encounters just about every road trip cliché, from picking up a problematic hitchhiker to running out of gas, before making it to the reunion and performing a musical number to nab the coveted Family of the Year trophy.

'Midnight in Paris' (2011)

Set in present-day Paris , this Oscar-winning film is typically a favorite among art and literature lovers. At midnight each night, screenwriter Gil (Owen Wilson) is transported back in time through different eras of Paris, where he befriends Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Pablo Picasso, and even strikes up a romance with a 1920s woman named Adriana. The film offers plenty of inspiration for a culturally rich trip to France.

'The Parent Trap' (1998)

"The Parent Trap" is another film that may not immediately stand out as a travel flick, but once you take into account the film's many settings ( London , San Francisco, Napa Valley , and the northeastern U.S.), it's easy to see that this family classic has been a travel film all along. Plus, the main characters spend lots of time on planes, boats, and camping trips throughout the movie.

'The Talented Mr. Ripley' (1999)

Carefully spliced between disturbing revelations and suspenseful plot twists are luxurious shots of Italian beaches in this Matt Damon-led film. When Tom Ripley (Damon) is paid to travel to Italy and bring Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) back to the States by Dickie's father, Tom ends up befriending — and later becoming obsessed with — Dickie. Despite the plot quickly darkening, viewers are treated to bright, colorful scenes in Rome and glamorous seaside villages .

'Roman Holiday' (1953)

Romance? Check. Stunning visuals of Rome ? Check. Audrey Hepburn? Check. This classic travel comedy lands at the top of many movie buffs' all-time favorite lists, and for good reason. Bored with her mundane life as a European princess while on a trip to Rome, Ann (Hepburn) ditches her duties and hits the town with journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck). The two take viewers on a tour of the Eternal City and fall in love in the process.

'Pee-wee’s Big Adventure' (1985)

Before you roll your eyes, take a moment to acknowledge that this film essentially sends happy-go-lucky Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) on the great American road trip in search of his stolen bicycle. In this comedy for adults and children alike, Pee-wee stops at the Alamo, the Cabazon Dinosaur park in California , and Hollywood . Traveling by car, truck, and train, Pee-wee befriends a biker gang, competes in a rodeo, and of course, famously dances to "Tequila" before his journey is through.

Hillary Maglin is a digital editor who splits most of her time between New York City and Pittsburgh. You can find her on Instagram @hillarymaglin , where her DMs are always open to discuss travel gear, wine bars, and Taylor Swift's latest record.

The 45 Best Comedy Films of All Time

Because it’s always time for a good laugh.

Here, we're offering a smorgasbord of comedic fare , ranging from those lowbrow cult classics everyone can quote to the more elevated riots whose wit, commentary, and wise cracks just get better with subsequent viewings. Hopefully, your favorites are represented, but if not, keep checking back, as we'll be sure to update our list as more originals become viewing essentials and viral newbies assume their rightful spots in forever fandom.

His Girl Friday (1940)

The banter, quips, and quick wits volleying back and forth between the leads in Howard Hawks's 1940 film no doubt set this classic atop the primo fast-talking, screwball comedies akin to the '30s and '40s. Starring Carey Grant and Rosalind Russell as Walter and Hildy, the story bounces around a Chicago newsroom with Walter persuading his ex-wife, Hildy, to scoop one last story with him before she gets remarried. Antics, action, and an affable romance story are in store.

Everything Everywhere All at Once

A toque raccoon. Butt plug warfare. Googly eyes galore. Michelle Yeoh is the ultimate ass-kicker, navigating infinite realities, family dysfunction, and financial turmoil with nary a hair out of place. A sublime indie action comedy from the directing pair known affectionately as The Daniels, EEAAO is silly chaos you want to get lost in. Rather than learning more here, just hit play and enjoy the ride.

Ghostbusters

Who you gonna call for a laugh? Pete, Ray, Egon, and Winston! Ivan Reitman’s 1984 classic never gets old and keeps getting funnier. The tale you know: Four parapsychologists come face to slimy face with Manhattan’s motley crew of spectral beings. But the legacy you may not: Not only is this near-perfect comedy a fun watch, but it also set a new standard for visual wizardry on the big screen.

House Party

It’s the movie that introduced a generation to sticky prophylactic syndrome ( n., the unfortunate effect of never getting laid). Kid ‘n Play star in this raucous ’90s teen comedy with an incredibly apt title. Unaware of the wild night that awaits them, the two dodge parents, unleash freestyle beats, and score, or try to score, with the hottest girls in school at the mother of all house parties.

Polite Society

An instant classic, Nida Manzoor’s debut feature is a martial arts romp that belongs to Ria Khan and her mission to keep her sister from surrendering to marriage. Enlisting the help of her besties, she concocts the ultimate kicker: a wedding heist. Razor-sharp wit and the same joy on display in Manzoor’s We Are Lady Parts result in a cinematic delight you’ll want to watch again and again.

The U.K.’s LGBTQ community and fed-up miners unite in this true-story gem from Matthew Warchus. A joy from start to finish, the LOL comedy chronicles the National Union of Mineworkers strike in the summer of 1984. But a boring history lesson this is not. Equipped with a toe-tapping soundtrack and humor as hilarious as it is heartwarming, Pride is a balm that stands tall in the pantheon of comedies.

Some Like It Hot

In 1959, Billy Wilder recruited Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe for a screwball riot that would become one of the best comedies of all time. Hiding out from the mob, the two men take cover in a traveling all-female jazz band called the Syncopators, donning wigs, stockings, lipstick, and all. Elevated with zippy dialogue, madcap adventure, and sexual tension, Some Like It Hot checks all the boxes.

Welcome to the male brain, specifically the dominant hemisphere that controls the hormonal response. Writers Seth Rogen and Even Goldberg borrowed from their own high school experience to pen Superbad, an unfiltered, seminal bromance about two best friends (Jonah Hill, Michael Cera) who embark a nightlong odyssey involving cops, girls, and Goldslick. Unlike its title, it’s actually supergood.

The Banshees of Inisherin

The pinnacle of pitch-black comedies from writer/director Martin McDonagh, Banshees stars Colin Ferrell and Brendan Gleeson as Pádraic and Colm, former best friends whose escalating grudge leads to amputations, dead animals, and even more extreme consequences. Dark, yes, but trust us, the tragic journey these two Irish lads are on is paved with comedic gold.

Triangle of Sadness

Swedish extraordinaire Ruben Östlund rarely misses. Force Majeure, The Square, Searching for Ingmar Bergman: all aces in the hole. His latest, a gonzo comedy that boards a luxury yacht before shipwrecking on an island, exposing the hypocrisies of the rich and beautiful, and leaving hierarchy dynamics to drown in the Mediterranean, is rich with deadpan, satire, and even slapstick.

White Men Can’t Jump

Need to brush up on your trash talk? The imaginative insults hurled in this 1992 classic starring acting pals Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson are almost as killer as their stellar pick-and-rolls. The two play Sidney and Billy, ballers who dunk on each other and then team up for a local tourney with a cash prize. Swishin’ and dishin’ from opening credits to close, this one’s a buddy comedy that still slams today.

It Happened One Night (1934)

Another stellar screwball comedy courtesy of Old Hollywood, It Happened One Night is also one of the genre's earliest road trip comedies. Riding shotgun with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, this Frank Capra classic cleaned up at the 1935 Oscars, winning the Big Five categories (the first film to do so). And it's easy to see why: Spoiled rich girl and cynical news chaser fall in love between pit stops from Florida to New York. It's simple yet elevated with buoyant dialogue and electric chemistry—a winning formula.

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

As its title implies, there is much ado about nothing in Kenneth Branagh's ode to Shakespeare, and yet the genius comedy of errors is everything. Equipped with an all-star cast, including Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, and Keanu Reeves, the story explores the ripple effects of one of life's inconvenient truths: rumors. And might we offer a shout-out to one of the Bard's silliest characters ever created: Dogberry, the bumbling "self-satisfied night constable" brilliantly embodied by Michael Keaton.

Airplane! (1980)

Filmmakers whose slapstick took flight with 1980's Airplane! , Jim Abrahams and brothers David and Jerry Zucker (a.k.a. ZAZ) left their mark on the decades bookmarking the turn of the century. From Airplane!, a goofy good time at 30,000 feet starring Leslie Neilson, and the Naked Guns to BASEketball and the Scary Movies, the triumvirate manage to offend, impress, and soil britches all while becoming a national treasure recognized by Library of Congress’s National Film Registry .

Beetlejuice (1988)

Tim Burton's gateway horror classic about a recently deceased couple trying to scare away the eccentric family inhabiting their home is packed with laughs. And it keeps getting funnier every single time we see it. Not only do we have the perfectly pitched Catherine O'Hara leading dinner guests and possessed shrimp through a round of the Banana Boat song, but we have a brilliant Michael Keaton outdoing himself with every single scene-stealing appearance he makes as the titular bioexorcist.

Dumb and Dumber (1994)

In the '90s, the comedy genre saw a seismic shift in its side-splitting landscape with the emergence of a certain over-the-top, zany comic by the name of Jim Carrey. He had Ace Ventura, Fletcher Reede, the Cable Guy, but more beloved than all is Lloyd Christmas—for us, anyway. Paired with comedy Farrelly gold behind the camera and Jeff Daniels's equally dim-witted sidekick in front of it, Dumb and Dumber became the lowbrow comedy everyone from the playground to the country club was quoting.

Booksmart (2019)

Inspired by some of the best teen comedies of the '80s and '90s—those that helped shape a generation, like Say Anything and The Breakfast Club —Olivia Wilde also tapped into Training Day and The Big Lebowski for her directorial debut. That said, Booksmart is entirely its own female-dominated animal. Tweaked for modern audiences and injected with representation that doesn't feel forced, the buddy comedy stars Kaitlyn Devers and Beanie Feldstein as a pair of always-do-wells trying to ne'er-do-well the night before they graduate.

Girls Trip (2017)

Behold, the breakout role that put Tiffany Haddish on speed dial in Hollywood. Girls Trip, also starring Jada Pinkett Smith, Regina Hall, and Queen Latifah, launched the comedian's career, and after one screening of the boisterous comedy about a group of best friends who get wild at an annual festival in New Orleans, it's easy to see why. She's pee-your-pants hilarious. Of course, Haddish isn't the only draw. The script, direction, and production all worked in harmony to make Girls Trip the first Black-made movie to break $100 million at the box office.

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

Kevin Kwan's glitzy nuptials novel got the big-screen treatment in 2018, and, believe it or not, the Jon M. Chu–helmed film marked the very first time an all-Asian American cast headlined a mainstream Hollywood romantic comedy. Led by Henry Golding and Constance Wu, who play a couple heading to Singapore for a wedding, this crowd-pleaser is brimming with surprises befitting of the genre, as well as so many solid one-liners and endless displays of gorgeous designer lewks.

Obvious Child (2014)

Marcel the Shell's Jenny Slate steps behind the mic for a little stand-up as Donna, a 20-something self-deprecating comic who gets dumped by her boyfriend and then impregnated by a one-night stand, all in time for Valentine's Day. But unlike the unplanned-pregnancy comedies of the previous decade (see: Juno, Knocked Up, Saved! ), this 2014 Sundance favorite from Gillian Robespierre offers an authentic, warm-hearted abortion story that finds the funny in life's curveballs.

DeAnna Janes is a freelance writer and editor for a number of sites, including Harper’s BAZAAR, Tasting Table, Fast Company and Brit + Co, and is a passionate supporter of animal causes, copy savant, movie dork and reckless connoisseur of all holidays. A native Texan living in NYC since 2005, Janes has a degree in journalism from Texas A&M and  got her start in media at US Weekly before moving on to O Magazine, and eventually becoming the entertainment editor of the once-loved, now-shuttered DailyCandy. She’s based on the Upper West Side.

Film, TV & Theatre

It All Started With Sue Bird

See Lady Gaga in the “Joker: Folie à Deux” Trailer

The 48 Best Shows on Hulu

Why Pop Culture Keeps Falling for the “Gay Liar”

How “Mary & George” Makes Jacobean Fashion Sexy

Logan Lerman Doesn’t Really Think About Fame

What We Know About A Complete Unkown

Chloë Sevigny on Being a Generational Muse

Everything to Know About Beetlejuice 2

The 20 Best Easter Movies for the Whole Family

Julio Torres & Tilda Swinton: The Duo We Deserve

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

The 90 Best Comedies of the 21st Century, from ‘Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World’ to ‘Jackass Forever’

Wilson chapman.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Show more sharing options
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Print This Page
• Share on WhatsApp

[Editor’s note: This list was originally published in 2017. It has since been updated many times.]

The pandemic may be in the rearview for the U.S. federal government, but the specter of war, a tortured economy, and human rights issues across the globe have occupied the minds of many instead. So, in desperate need of some humor, we thought it was more important than ever to give our Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century list, originally published in 2017, yet another rethink. Since the list was originally published, we’ve expanded it to 90 entries, including titles released since then that deserved including and other titles we somehow overlooked the first time. (Here’s lookin’ at you, “Spy,” and welcome to the ranks, “Catherine Called Birdy”).

As IndieWire has evolved, so has this list, and it will continue to do so as long as Hollywood keeps making films that make us laugh. What else can you do?

With editorial contributions from Christian Zilko, Alison Foreman, Christian Blauvelt, Samantha Bergeson, David Ehrlich, Kate Erbland, Leonardo Adrian Garcia, Eric Kohn, Ryan Lattanzio, Michael Nordine, Chris O’Falt, Zack Sharf, and Anne Thompson.

90. “Sick of Myself” (2023)

89. “Bottoms” (2023)

A watershed moment of representation for ugly, untalented gays, Emma Seligman’s “Bottoms” feels like a miracle in 2023: an honest to god mainstream teen sex comedy, centering on lesbians, with the boldness and confidence to make those lesbians terrible people. Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott star as Josie and PJ, two unpopular high school seniors who desperately lust after unattainable cheerleader hotties Isabel (Havana Rose Liu) and Brittany (Kaia Gerber). After a misunderstanding causes the entire school to think the two spent the summer fighting other girls to the death in juvie, the pair parlay their sudden notoriety into starting a “female self-defense class” (glorified fight club) in the hopes of getting closer to the objects of their desire. 

88. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” (2023)

A lot of blockbusters nowadays have the same sense of humor: pop culture references, endless quipping, and self-aware dialogue that’s less funny than it is aggravating. So it’s a delight to watch “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” and see an action movie that knows how to actually have fun. Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley’s followup to “Game Night” isn’t the immediate classic that that film was, but it’s a balm in a sea of dour superhero flicks, letting its talented ensemble (Chris Pine as a perfectly bumbling bard, Michelle Rodriguez as a memorably gruff barbarian, Justice Smith and Sophia Ellis in plum supporting roles, and Hugh Grant in the type of smarmy villain role he can play in his sleep) score just as many laughs as asses they kick. But what makes the movie sing is how it adapts not the actual Dungeons and Dragons tabletop role-playing game, but the experience of playing it with a group of friends. It’s an often goofy, chaotic experience, and “Honor Among Thieves” knows the best way to honor the game is to not take it so seriously. —WC

87. “Scream VI” (2023)

86. “Ratatouille” (2007)

Pixar films are often very funny, but “Ratatouille” deserves its flowers for how much its premise has become a meme in itself; no other film from Disney can boast the fact that it was the subject of a multi-part joke in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Culinary-minded rodent Remy’s (voiced by Patton Oswalt) quest to become a great chef through controlling restaurant busboy Alfredo’s (Lou Romano) actions via hair pulley system is the movie’s window into a colorful and hilarious version of Paris, with a bickering rat colony, a short-tempered restaurateur (Ian Holm), and an adorable rom-com between Alfredo and rôtisseur Collette (Janeane Garofalo) and some excellent physical comedy (watching Remy puppeteer Alfredo’s never gets old). Like most Pixar films, there’s a lot of depth to the script, about the nature of art and elitism, but if you’re going to watch a movie from the company just to laugh, this is the one to go with. —WC

85. “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” (2019)

84. “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” (2022)

Sometimes all you need is two polar opposites to make a comedy work. Very nearly a two-hander, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” focuses on the temporary but meaningful bond between Nancy (Emma Thompson, luminous), a buttoned-up widow, and Leo (Daryl McCormick), a male sex worker she hires over the course of a few weeks. The contrast between the rigid Nancy, desperate for the great experience in bed she’s never quite managed to receive, and the forthright, charming Leo makes for bluntly, wonderfully amusing banter as they bicker and discuss their shared histories with their sexuality. It’s a frequently cringe-inducing film, but light and sweet, and earnest in its quietly radical exploration of one woman’s attempts to get in touch with herself. —WC

83. “Good Boys” (2019)

82. “Bend It Like Beckham” (2003)

The David Beckham references — from the title to a winking inclusion of the man himself during the film’s final feel-good moments — might feel a bit outdated, but Gurinder Chadha’s winning rom-com remains as warm and uplifting as it was when Becks was scoring goals at Old Trafford. The warm-hearted film goes beyond the pitch as it delves into the plight of Punjabi Sikhs in England and other issues of the day — all while maintaining a loose spirit that keeps it firmly in the comedic realm.

Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley, both in star-making roles, make for great teammates and even better castmates, keeping things fleet of foot even as they and their director ensure that “Bend It Like Beckham” is never a mere trifle. Chadha, who grew up in London as part of the Indian diaspora, finds both pain and beauty in her heroine’s attempt to please her traditional parents while forging her own dual identity, a wonderful balancing act between tones that never robs the film of its charm. —KE

81. “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018)

Jon M. Chu’s big screen adaptation of the material, a groundbreaking studio film that is entirely populated by Asian-American performers (the first of its kind at the time since “The Joy Luck Club,” 25 years prior), is a loving take on Kwan’s books, bundled up in a wildly entertaining package. It’s the chemistry among the cast that gives the film its comedic power, be it the back-and-forth zaniness between Constance Wu and Awkwafina or the delightful menace that Michelle Yeoh wraps every line of dialogue. Smiling through every scene is the baseline viewing experience for “Crazy Rich Asians,” which means the cast has you right in the palm of their hands when it’s time to land a joke. As far as contemporary romantic-comedies, “Crazy Rich Asians” is the most irresistible. —ZS

80. “Bad Luck Banging or Looney Porn” (2021)

79. “Chicken Run” (2000)

Aardman Animations’ first feature-length film does plenty to remind viewers of the delirious charms of the stop-motion animation realm and the wacky minds behind it. A feather-rustling, egg-shaking, weirdly very human adventure film, Peter Lord and Nick Park’s comedy follows a group of farmed chickens on the run after they realize — uh, what now? — that they’re about to be turned into meat pies.

It’s a classic story, gussied up with more bird-brained humor than you can shake a chicken coop at, and with all the warmth and love that always runs through Aardman’s work. Care about chickens? How can you not after watching this zippy little slice of feel-good family action. (Apologies to anyone who had to answer some massive questions about the ethics of eating animals after showing this to the young ‘uns, but hey, comedy can be teachable too.) As of last June, a long-rumored sequel seemed to finally be readying to hustle its feathers onto the big screen, thanks to Netflix and Aardman’s continuing production pact.  —KE

78. “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” (2010)

77. “Wild Tales” (2014)

Damian Szifron’s Argentine ode to the messiness of life bears the quicksilver changes in tone that define the best work of Bong Joon Ho. But this fearless, riveting collection of six Spanish-language short films underlines something else: the precision needed to do comedy well — to have kinesthetic mastery over your audience’s nervous systems — is the exact same as that needed to do suspense and horror. One short, about a road rage incident that spirals out of control toward such extremity that laughter is only end-response, particularly captures that. As does the very first installment, “Pasternak,” in which everyone aboard a flight discovers that they know the same person. White-knuckle terror and punchlines can be one and the same. And the final short, a wedding that spirals into accusations and infidelities while the reception guests are still partying, takes cringe comedy to its absolute limit.

76. “Bad Grandpa” (2013)

Johnny Knoxville’s prosthetic immersion into playing naughty grandpa Irving Zisman was so impressive that makeup artist Stephen Prouty earned an Oscar nomination at the 86th Academy Awards. This typically raunchy “Jackass” spinoff entry directed by Jeff Tremaine follows Irving and his impressionable grandson (Jackson Nicoll) on a cross-country road trip that pairs them with society’s sleaziest and most unexpecting. Cameos from “Jackass” behind-the-scenes alum Spike Jonze and even Catherine Keener (though left on the cutting room floor) make for another hilarious experience that pushes the edges of good and bad taste. — RL

75. “World’s Greatest Dad” (2009)

74. “Kung Fu Hustle” (2004)

The worldwide success of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” paved the way for a flurry of wuxia movies in the early aughts (what a time to be alive!), and while most of them offered high-flying displays of the martial artistry that has sustained the genre for so many decades, few were as spirited as Stephen Chow’s “Kung Fu Hustle,” and none were as funny. Wielding big laughs and cartoonishly bad CG with the precision of a katana — or at least a giant axe — Chow’s period extravaganza re-envisioned 1940s Shanghai as part Shaw brothers and part “Looney Tunes,” the filmmaker starring alongside Lam Chi-chung as a pair of petty crooks who dream of joining the violent gang that runs their town with an iron touch.

73. “Spy” (2015)

After her breakout “Bridesmaids” turn, Melissa McCarthy has had hit or miss luck with comedy films, providing her undeniable talent to unworthy projects like “The Happytime Murders” and “Life of the Party.” But she and her “Bridesmaids” director Paul Feig scored another winner in 2015 when they re-teamed for “Spy,” an action comedy casting McCarthy against type as a doormat CIA operative. A top-of-her-class graduate, McCarthy’s character Susan Cooper has been confined to a desk job for years thanks to her passive nature, working as a backup for her crush Bradley Fine (Jude Law). But when Fine gets murdered on the job, she decides to step onto the field to track down nukes dealer Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne). McCarthy is an utter delight as Susan, and her journey to becoming a confident, badass action hero makes for a rewarding, surprisingly moving character arc. The only bad thing about “Spy” is it somehow hasn’t gotten a sequel yet. —WC

72. “The Climb” (2019)

71. “Klown” (2010)

There may be better raunchy sex comedies, and there may be better parenting comedies, but no film in recent memory combines the two as well as “Klown.” The Danish blockbuster tells the story of an utter doofus who, upon learning that his girlfriend is pregnant, takes a 12-year-old boy on a very adult “boys trip” in a ham-fisted attempt to convince his girlfriend (and himself) that he is capable of being a father. Mikkel Nørgaard extracts a million funny scenarios from that simple premise, with plenty of help from his excellent stars Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen, resulting in some of the best cringe comedy produced on either side of the Atlantic this century. — CZ

70. “Bachelorette” (2012)

69. “The 40-Year-Old Version”

Radha Blank won the Directing Award in the U.S. Dramatic section of Sundance 2020 and no wonder: here was a comedy shot in black-and-white that expressed something vividly, vibrantly new. Blank stars as a version of herself who’s a playwright, but hasn’t had one of her plays produced in a very long time. She’s maybe cherishing that 30 Under 30 award a little too much, the further she gets from having received it. “I just want to be an artist!” she sobs at one point. Yet that’s hard to do when she’s under pressure to write “a Harriet Tubman musical” — something Blank’s been asked to do in real life — and told by one middle aged white male producer that her work is “inauthentic… I asked myself, did a Black person write this?” So Radha ends up cutting a rap mixtape under the name Radhamus Prime, and finds a new creative release. Blank delivered one of the definitive “laugh, or otherwise you’ll cry” comedies of the 21st century. —CB

68. “Everybody Wants Some!!” (2016)

67. “Sorry to Bother You” (2018)

Potentially the strangest comedy on this list, Boots Riley’s directorial debut “Sorry to Bother You” is, in its director’s words, an “absurdist dark comedy with aspects of magical realism and science fiction inspired by the world of telemarketing.” And yet, that really only scratches the surface of what this movie’s about. Filled with an incredibly talented cast led by Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson, the film centers around Stanfield’s Cash, a young black telemarketer who adopts a white accent to succeed at his job. This is before the film becomes a parable of corporate greed, a biting commentary on income inequality and modern-day slavery, and a wild absurdist romp along the boulevard of genetic manipulation.

In the end, however, what makes this film so special is Riley’s uniquely singular vision: It’s no exaggeration to state that there is no other movie quite like “Sorry to Bother You.” And a huge trigger warning for potential first-time viewers: Armie Hammer is in this film. But also, knowing what we know now, he is perfectly cast in this film. —LAG

66. “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” (2020)

65. “May December” (2023)

A heartbreakingly sincere piece of high camp that teases real human drama from the stuff of tabloid sensationalism, Todd Haynes’ delicious “May December” continues the director’s tradition of making films that rely upon the self-awareness that seems to elude their characters — especially the ones played by Julianne Moore.

Written by Samy Burch, “May December” is a catty-as-fuck dark comedy that deepens Haynes’ longstanding obsession with performance while poking fun at the kind of actresses he clearly loves so much. The director’s tonal playfulness has sometimes been overshadowed by the unerring consistency of his emotional textures, but here, in the funniest and least “stylized” of his films, it’s easier than ever to appreciate his genius for using artifice as a vehicle for truth. —DE

64. “Paddington 2” (2018)

And yet, for a movie with such an ursa major star at its center, “Paddington 2” is really brought to life by its supporting cast. Brendan Gleeson as prison cook Knuckles McGinty? Iconic. Julie Walters as the distrusting Mrs. Bird? A legend. Hell, Richard Ayoade is only onscreen for about 15 seconds, but he still manages to serve up some pure comic gold. Nevertheless, it should go without saying that no one in this or any other film is able to outshine Hugh Grant’s majestic performance as the villainous Phoenix Buchanan, a washed-up actor whose conviction to do anything for a captive audience is ultimately what elevates “Paddington 2” into the pantheon of great comedies. —DE

63. “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence” (2014)

And the vignettes just keep coming: one sequence in a beer hall featuring endlessly repeated variants of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is comedy by repetition that’ll leave you breathless with laughter. Why is “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” being sung in a Gothenburg beer hall? Don’t ask why. Just open yourself to Andersson’s inimitable wavelength. —CB

62. “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (2008)

61. “Bad Trip” (2021)

Directed by Kitao Sakurai, from a script Sakurai co-wrote with Dan Curry and star Eric André, “Bad Trip” is a hidden camera film best likened to “Bad Grandpa”: another wildly inappropriate road trip comedy, also appearing on this list. The straight-to-streaming Netflix original follows Chris (André) and his best friend Bud (Lil Rel Howery) on a misguided mission to reunite Chris with his high school crush, Maria (Michaela Conlin). Having “borrowed” a relative’s car to travel across the country, the pair are pursued by Trina (Tiffany Haddish): Bud’s unhinged sister who happens to be a criminal newly escaped from prison.

As with the “Jackass” franchise, “Bad Trip” works because of the elaborate behind-the-scenes preparation put in place to achieve such high-risk stunts. From André getting butt-naked in front of customers at a car wash to one truly shudder-inducing encounter with a so-called “gorilla” at a petting zoo, the antics endured by the bystanders of “Bad Trip” demand to be seen. —AF

60. “Frances Ha” (2013)

Noah Baumbach’s movie, co-written by and starring Gerwig, was arguably the first film to unleash her true power onto the world. And it’s a Pandora’s Box that nobody’s been able to close since. Her performance is remarkable in that she brings so much joy to a character that frankly has no reason to be happy. Her loyalty to her friends is so strong, and her passion for dance (even if she’s just an apprentice) so infectious that it’s impossible to look away. At the same time, the film’s craftsmanship and commentary are impeccably smart, never shying away from the real problems staring Frances down. The combination proves fatal: We fully understand why Frances shouldn’t be making these choices, but we can’t help but support her. This pattern culminates with Frances taking a spontaneous trip to Paris as her life collapses around her; it’s a funny-but-heartbreaking attempt to mimic the success of her friends for a day. But as her life deteriorates, her joie de vivre still finds a way to shine through. — CZ

59. “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001)

58. “The LEGO Movie” (2014)

IndieWire called 2014 ’ s “ The Lego Movie ” “ review proof, ” in part due to its unavoidably positive attitude and, let ’ s be real, adorable animation. Emmett (voiced by Chris Pratt) is happy as an anonymous construction worker in Lego City whose monotonous occupation is met every day with a smile. However , after meeting Wildstyle (Elizabeth Banks), Emmett ’ s world is turned upside down in a quest to save Lego City from its evil President Business (Will Ferrell). The tongue-in-cheek humor makes “ The Lego Movie ” oddly more geared towards adults than tots, and Emmett ’ s existential quest for purpose is relatable in a darker way. As the IndieWire review included, “ Emmett never thinks outside the box: He IS the box, and his ordinariness runs deep. ” The “ clever and funny ” film reminds viewers to break every mold with a smile. — SB

57. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014)

56. “Booksmart” (2019)

The best possible modern mashup of “Superbad” and “Bridesmaids” and innumerable other comedies about the glory and grossness of close friendship, Olivia Wilde’s feature directorial debut isn’t just an ode to smart girls, bad high school experiences, and one last night of debauchery, it’s also just damn funny. Initially inspired by a decade-old Black List script (which leaned a bit more heavily into the romantic possibilities of a couple of overachievers going nuts during the waning days of high school), screenwriter Katie Silberman’s take on the material puts a fresh twist on a classic setup. Best friends forever, Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) have spent their high school years hitting the books and shrugging off any and all social gatherings (aside, of course, from sleepovers with each other and the necessary political protest), all in hopes of putting all their energies towards getting top grades. It’s all panned out as they planned.

55. “Palm Springs” (2020)

“Groundhog Day” meets “Plus One” in “Palm Springs,” where Cristin Milioti and Andy Samberg are trapped in a time-loop rom-com that feeds our existential dread while also paralleling the quest to find a partner to waste away with. Max Barbakow’s film made history at 2020 Sundance, and aptly premiered during a year where quarantine made the twist of “Palm Springs” feel like a prophecy. “Imagine being stuck in a perpetually static purgatory where meaningful change can only be seen through the eyes of the sad bastard suffering alongside you,” IndieWire’s David Ehrlich wrote in his review. “Imagine being surrounded by a million strangers in a world of limitless possibilities, and winding up with the same one every night because of one fateful choice that seemed like a good idea a million years ago. Imagine…being married.” In fact, “Palm Springs” centers around the events of one wedding that takes place over and over again, like a reverse “Melancholia.” — SB

54. “Bodies Bodies Bodies” (2022)

53. “Barbie” (2023)

Greta Gerwig’s zeitgeist-changing smash hit opens, of course, with an homage to Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey.” A dazzling sunrise stretches over a barren desert, populated exclusively with sad-eyed Dust Bowl-era girls and their unblinking baby dolls, as Helen Mirren (!!) narrates us through what life was like pre-Barbie. It wasn’t just boring (though it was certainly boring), but it was limited (oh, was it limited). For so many little girls, dolls were only ever baby dolls, which meant that their playtime could only ever revolve around motherhood, servitude, and no fun whatsoever.

But just as Kubrick’s apes eventually met by an alien monolith that utterly changed their world and worldview, Gerwig’s little girls are about to be descended upon by a world-altering and brain-breaking new entity: a giant, one might even say monolithic, Barbie doll, in the form of a smiling Margot Robbie, kitted out like the very first Barbie doll ever made. And thus spake Barbie. That’s where Gerwig’s funny, feminist, and wildly original “Barbie” begins. It will only get bigger, weirder, smarter, and better from there.

52. “Support the Girls” (2018)

In yet another reminder of how amazing an actress she is, Regina Hall plays the general manager of a Hooters-like breastaurant called Double Whammies in Andrew Bujalski’s “Support the Girls,” an earnest ensemble comedy about working-class women supporting one another while avoiding lecherous men, a rival chain (ManCave), and trappings of late-stage capitalism. A film that unfurls at its own pace and rewards multiple viewings, the real treat of “Support the Girls” is watching the aforementioned ensemble (most notably Hall’s Lisa, Haley Lu Richardson’s Maci, and Shayna McHayle’s Danyelle) navigating both the service industry and their own lives. —LAG

5. “One Cut of the Dead” (2017)

50. “21 Jump Street” (2012)

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum resurrect the 1980s TV series “21 Jump Street” for the present day. The young cop duo go undercover as high school students to infiltrate a drug ring, á la “Never Been Kissed” but with guns and badges. Tatum and Hill’s hilarious chemistry as rival police officers turned best friends, now undercover as faux brothers, carries the film, along with standout performances by Ice-T as their boss, and Brie Larson and Dave Franco as the teens in question. Never mind the questionable love triangles between the cops and the high schoolers; “21 Jump Street” is a wild good time. — SB

49. “Barbershop” (2002)

48. “Adaptation” (2002)

The ultimate in “don’t try this at home” screenwriting, Charlie Kaufman’s deliriously self-reflexive twist on Susan Orlean’s “The Orchid Thief” is so clever and bittersweet that it can be easy to forget how funny it is; between two Nicolas Cages, a homicidal Meryl Streep, and a quick look at the birth of the universe, the hilarity of something like Donald Kaufman’s pitch for “The 3” (“it’s like a battle between motors and horses”) tends to be engulfed by the anxiety that surrounds it on all sides. But much like the film’s dual protagonists, the despair in “Adaptation” is twinned with hilarity, and director Spike Jonze pushes those polarized energies toward each other until they erupt into an unhinged third act that giddily embraces all the things that Kaufman was laboring so hard to avoid. Few movies have ever found such exciting ways to have their cake and eat it too, and even fewer have been able to wring so many laughs from how bad they would’ve been if everything hadn’t gone wrong. —DE

47. “Sideways” (2004)

46. “Catherine Called Birdy” (2022)

Lena Dunham’s work tends to polarize audiences, but it’s hard to think of many comedies more universally appealing than “Catherine Called Birdy.” Based on the 1994 children’s novel by Karen Cushman, Dunham’s film stars “The Last of Us” breakout Bella Ramsey as the titular Birdy: a 14 year-old girl from a noble family in Lincolnshire who must resist her father Lord Rollo’s (Andrew Scott) attempts to marry her off for financial security. The resulting farce and coming-of-age journey is suitably bawdy and heartwarming, and Dunham proves sufficiently capable of bending her 21st century voice (of a generation!) to the 13th century, immersing the characters in the social mores of the time in a way that never feels inauthentic or false. Boosted by sharp turns from Ramsey, Scott, and Billie Piper as Birdy’s mother Lady Aislinn, it’s the sort of smart family comedy that’s been out of theaters for too long. — WC

45. “Greener Grass” (2019)

IFC Midnight snatched up “Greener Grass” out of Sundance 2019: it’s the definition of a midnight movie. Two housewives are best pals in a suburban neighborhood where everyone wears pastels and engages in vicious one-upsmanship  — until one decides, according to what you’ll find is a logic unique unto “Greener Grass,” to give her baby to the other as a gift. Then another child suddenly turns into a dog. It’s a satire of keeping up with Joneses unlike anything else. Well, maybe not quite. Love all that stuff with Kyle MacLachlan as Dougie and Jim Belushi as the gangster in “Twin Peaks: The Return”? Imagine an entire movie of that. As singular and stylish a movie as that sounds, “Greener Grass” is, above all, funny. It’s the hardest this writer has ever laughed at Sundance. —CB

44. “Dear White People” (2014)

43. “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” (2005)

It’s always Christmas in Shane Black’s films, and our favorite present to unwrap during the holiday season is watching Robert Downey Jr. as a gruff thief named Harry Lockhart, who mistakenly auditions for a film while on the run from the cops. “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” cemented the return of RDJ in 2005, three years before “Iron Man” hit theaters and gave a jolt to his career. A noir meets black comedy, “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” also stars Michelle Monaghan as Harry’s childhood sweetheart Harmony Lane, and Val Kilmer plays the private investigator hired to track down Harry. Fun fact: The film is named after Pauline Kael’s 1968 collection of film reviews, so yes, all those cinephile Easter eggs are very much so intentional. “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” parodies not only action films but SoCal-set neo-noir flicks, with Harry finding out that not everyone in Los Angeles gets their Hollywood ending. — SB

42. “In the Loop” (2009)

41. “The Banshees of Inisherin” (2022)

Martin McDonagh’s re-team with his “In Bruges” stars — Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson — is an even bleaker affair, tackling a story of decayed friendship and societal malaise against the backdrop of Ireland’s civil war in 1923. Farrell gives the performance of his career as Pádraic: a simple-minded member of a tight-knit island community whose world is destroyed when his best friend Colm (Gleeson) suddenly and abruptly chooses to end their friendship. Pádraic’s quest to get his friend back is as funny as it is tragic, thanks to brilliant performances from the two leads along with Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan in the supporting cast. Mostly though, “Banshees” resonates because its premise is simply and painfully relatable. Anyone who’s ever lost a friend, through their own fault or not, will be able to see themselves in the tale.  —WC

40. “Jackass Forever” (2021)

39. “School of Rock” (2003)

No one has been able to harness Jack Black’s manic energy quite like Richard Linklater, whose first collaboration with the musically inclined actor resulted in this definitive performance. Sweet, funny and catchy as hell, this earworm of a movie has inspired actual schools of rock to open up across the country and teach impressionable children the power of the riff. That’s good news, as some of the most important lessons — like remembering to get the led out — aren’t found on normal curricula. —MN

38. “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” (2016)

37. “Step Brothers” (2008)

Arriving in theaters less than a year after “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox” story, “Step Brothers” further cemented John C. Reilly as one of the most underrated comedic talents in Hollywood. Reilly holds his own against comedic veteran Will Ferrell in this story of dueling middle-aged step brothers. But it’s not a competition. Ferrell and Reilly are a match made in comedy heaven, their juvenile sparring made all the more funny by just how seriously they commit to the immaturity of their characters. Ferrell and Reilly play arrested development without a wink so that you can’t help but fall in love with their aspirational and dumb-witted characters Brennan and Dale.

36. “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014)

In many ways, Viago, Vladislav, Deacon, and Petyr are just like any other assortment of wacky roommates: they bicker about chores, enjoy nights out on the town with each other, attempt to turn unsuspecting victims into vampires, and do battle with a roving werewolf gang. Pardon? That’s, of course, the great joy of Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s painfully funny mockumentary: it approaches its seemingly silly idea – vampires! who are kind of dumb and very self-involved! – with total seriousness.

Both a delightful twist on the mockumentary format – why not use a genre literally beholden to being  fake to playing around with classic legends in need of some light ribbing? – and a master class in spiky comedic acting, “What We Do in the Shadows” is genius on every level. Hell, this is a film that makes a joke about someone’s interests including “being cool” feel both deeply silly and incredibly relatable. Vampires: they’re just like us, but Waititi and Clement’s comedic chops are cut from an entirely different cloth. —KE

35. “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil” (2010)

34. “Lady Bird” (2017)

Greta Gerwig’s feature directing debut earned Oscar nominations for her writing and directing, and Irish actress Saoirse Ronan scored her third Oscar nod as Christine “Lady Bird” Macpherson, a culture-vulture eager to escape her Sacramento Catholic School. When scouting local colleges, her frustrated mother (Laurie Metcalf) drives the teenager so crazy she jumps out of the moving car. Tracy Letts is Lady Bird’s sad and adoring father, while Lucas Hedges and Timothee Chalamet are her challenging romantic entanglements.

It’s the best mother-daughter relationship comedy since “Terms of Endearment,” but the emotional depth that drives the movie forward is never too far away from a well-earned laugh. Gerwig’s sense of comic timing is impeccable, from the memorable car-jumping sequence of its opening moments all the way through the rousing finale. — AT

33. “The Lego Batman Movie” (2017)

“The LEGO Batman Movie” deploys Will Arnett’s guttural voice to skewer the self-seriousness that has always threatened to overwhelm the Caped Crusader. As the meme goes: Men will really watch “Jerry Maguire” alone in the theater above their Batcave and cackle at the most dramatic parts before they go to therapy. This Bruce Wayne laughs at the idea of loving another person because, deep down, he knows that he’d be too afraid of losing them. Lucky for him the Joker appreciates the beauty of their hate-hate relationship, and when Batman tells his arch-nemesis that he means nothing to him, it kickstarts a gripping adventure of personal growth that results in our nine-abbed hero learning that life is best when it’s shared.

32. “Game Night” (2018)

A friendly couples game night goes horribly wrong as a real murder mystery unfolds in front of spouses Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams) and their friends, played by Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris, and Kylie Bunbury. It all starts when Max’s older brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) unexpectedly crashes their monthly game, and nosey cop neighbor Gary (Jesse Plemons) starts to clue in that a real crime may be afoot. “ ‘Game Night’ is refreshingly self-aware,” IndieWire’s Steve Greene wrote in his review. “For this group of characters with diverging comic sensibilities, there are certainly enough laughs here to work as glue to keep the whole stretched-out bits from falling apart.” — SB

31. “The Big Sick” (2017)

30. “Blockers” (2018)

29. “Neighbors” (2014)

Like his master teacher Judd Apatow on “Freaks and Geeks,” “Knocked Up,” “Superbad” and “Pineapple Express,” Seth Rogen is a multitasker: he writes, acts, produces and directs. He and partner Evan Goldberg developed and produced “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” director Nicholas Stoller’s raunchy, R-rated “Neighbors,” a well-constructed contemporary slapstick comedy costarring Rogen and “Bridesmaids” star Rose Byrne as hip young parents with an adorable baby. They’ve never been funnier. When a raucous fraternity house dominated by well-muscled ringleader Zac Efron move in next door, the neighbors initially seek to get along, but are soon engaged in all-out war. —AT

28. “Burn After Reading” (2008)

Never underestimate the ability of Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, Tilda Swinton, John Malkovich and George Clooney to play adorably bumbling imbeciles. This precisely crafted Coen brothers Working Title caper comedy is built on people misreading other people. It’s one huge nihilistic cosmic misunderstanding: outrageously unexpected, shocking, and LOL hilarious. —AT

27. “Obvious Child” (2014)

26. “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” (2000)

Packed with corn-pone humor and catchy southern roots music, this rollicking Coen brothers 1930s adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” follows a gang of escaped dimwit prisoners led by pomaded charmer Everett McGill (George Clooney), who tries to get back his wife (“Raising Arizona” star Holly Hunter) by singing her into submission. T-Bone Burnett’s best-selling soundtrack won the Grammy for album of the year and cinematographer Roger Deakins nabbed an Oscar nomination for his pioneering digital alterations to this Working Title film’s color palette. But as always, helping Clooney, Hunter, Tim Blake Nelson, John Turturro and John Goodman earn this meandering fable’s countless laughs was the main goal. —AT

25. “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (2005)

24. “Idiocracy” (2006)

With the burgeoning rise of conspiracy theorists and science deniers, as time passes Mike Judge’s satire “Idiocracy” is becoming less a high-concept comedy and more a roadmap to a potential future for the United States of America. It’s the prescience of its central conceit — that when the most “average” guy (Luke Wilson) in 2005 is sent 500 years in the future he ends up being identified as the smartest person alive thanks to corporate conglomerates brainwashing the masses — which has allowed “Idiocracy” to remain in the pop cultural lexicon (and even begin to sneak its way into news headlines). But this prescience shouldn’t be mistaken for perfection, because for all the societal ills it has predicted (pride in ignorance, corporatocracy) the film also has a penchant for punching down. Great satire should always aim to not only hold a mirror up to society, but also “comfort the afflicted while afflicting the comfortable,” and while it strays from the latter often “Idiocracy” never wavers in its funhouse reflection of America. —LAG

23. “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004)

22. “In Bruges” (2008)

Irish directors bring out the best in fellow countryman Colin Farrell. Playwright-director Martin McDonagh, made his film feature directing debut with this anarchic black comedy (and earned an Oscar nomination for his screenplay), handing Farrell his richest comedy role to date as a soulful hitman. Farrell’s Ray is sweetly violent as he hangs out in dullsville Belgium with his partner Ken (Brendan Gleeson), making mischief and mayhem while seeking an ounce of redemption. —AT

21. “Girls Trip” (2017)

Those pure laughs are more than enough to sustain a comedy so crystalline that it was a classic the minute it hit screens, as “Girls Trip” nails laugh after laugh even amidst — and oftentimes because of — dramatic issues that wouldn’t be out of place in a Lifetime movie. As the film’s central ladies make their way through all the glory that New Orleans’ Essence Fest has to offer, including run-ins with a slew of big talents in a seemingly never-ending parade of cameos (Diddy makes off with the best one, predictably bolstered by Haddish’s involvement) and at least one wildly ill-conceived adventure fueled by absinthe, “Girls Trip” keeps the momentum whirling ever onward into the next big comedic set piece. Even as it all ends with a heartwarming reveal, that doesn’t dilute its more raucous sensibilities; it only makes it more clear why Lee and his ladies should turn “Girls Trip” into a franchise that can spawn more uproarious vacations. —KE

20. “Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World” (2023)

19. “Superbad” (2007)

Michael Cera may not actually be the fastest kid alive, but the aughts’ most hilarious movie about teenagers being teenagers was a runaway success all the same. And it wasn’t just McLovin that made it so: Cera and Jonah Hill’s bromance was as genuinely sweet as it was startlingly accurate to the way teens spoke and behaved back then. (As someone who was 19 at the time, I’m more qualified to comment on this than I should probably admit.) —MN

18. “Team America: World Police” (2004)

17. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

It’s tough going picking out the best gag in David Wain’s cult comedy classic, mostly because this wacky summer camp send-up doesn’t take its foot off the gas for even a minute. From an incredible twist on the timing implications of the montage, the lead up to the world’s worst (or best?) talent show, to a running joke involving the fraught background of no less than Christopher Meloni as the camp’s haunted cook, every joke lands with resounding comedic precision.

16. “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” (2007)

On its face, a simple parody of the musical biopic genre made famous by the Academy Awards bait of “Ray” and “Walk the Line,” Jake Kasdan’s “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” elevates past lesser parody films thanks to the bravura performance of John C. Really as the title character. But the real star of the show here is the amazing soundtrack composed for the film by Dan Bern and Mike Viola (among others) that satirizes rock-and-roll from its salad days to the present day. Songs like “Walk Hard,” “Royal Jelly,” and “Beautiful Ride” aren’t simply ringers for insertion into the catalogues of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and Glen Campbell, respectively, they’re also great songs that can be enjoyed free of their referential context. In fact, perhaps the music therein allows “Walk Hard” to sit on the very same shelf as the films it parodies, and well above some: (cough cough) “Bohemian Rhapsody” (cough cough). —LAG

15. “The Lobster” (2015)

14. “Hot Fuzz”

Edgar Wright exploded into the geek consciousness with 2004 zombie flick “Shaun of the Dead,” but he showed he was a talent who would endure with his buddy cop comedy. Since the Keystone Cops, the genre had been built around bumbling, inept lawmen, so Wright’s choice for “Hot Fuzz” made it ingenious: Simon Pegg’s officer is extremely competent. Competent to the point of being threatening to his Metropolitan Police superiors (a meta hierarchy of Martin Freeman, Steve Coogan, and Bill Nighy), the Londoner is banished to a Gloucestershire backwater. Good thing because a spate of killings befalls the town and Pegg has to inspire his new country copper colleagues (Nick Frost, Olivia Colman, Paddy Considine et al) to solve the crime.

13. “MacGruber” (2010)

Will Forte’s running “Saturday Night Live” spoof of “MacGyver” landed him a parody film and even a Peacock spin-off series — and there’s no mystery why. Forte’s ongoing collaboration with writer-director Jorma Taccone, along with Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe, proves to be the perfect balance of wide-eyed, heartfelt slapstick humor, with a mystery to boot. “This was probably one of my worst pitches ever,” Forte joked during the 2020 SXSW presentation, about first pitching “SNL” showrunner Lorne Michaels on the parody. “I think it went something like, ‘MacGruber, who diffuses bombs only using pieces of shit and pubic hair.’ And I just got the worst groan… so the fact that we’re sitting here is remarkable.” — SB

12. “Mean Girls” (2004)

Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls” script is effortlessly funny, but what makes the film truly timeless has more to do with the actors’ ability to find the human grace notes amid the absurd high school hijinks (Kälteen Bars, anyone?) and instant-classic one-liners (“That’s so fetch”). It’s a high school comedy with broad genre humor and specific insight into teenage anxieties, and for that it stands the test of time. —ZS

11. “Four Lions” (2010)

10. “Elf” (2003)

The early Aughts were as much a celebration of raunch in comedy as the ‘80s, so what a delight that one of the very best laughers of this new century should not just be family-friendly, but so very sweet. Or as Will Ferrell’s Buddy, a human who crawled into Santa’s bag as a baby and was raised as an elf at the North Pole, might put it: it’s as sweet as “an entire roll of Toll House cookie dough!” Buddy leaves the North Pole, which looks like a Rankin-Bass stop-motion special come to life, to seek out his New Yorker father (James Caan), who’s very much on Santa’s naughty list.

The result is a fish out of water comedy that sparkles like tinsel. It’s quotable like the best comedies — “You sit on a throne of lies,” Buddy tells a department store Santa he knows is an impostor — but its story is structured as an epic journey with such emotion (not to mention worldbuilding) that you can see how its director Jon Favreau would be teed up to direct the blockbusters he has in its wake. —CB

9. “The Death of Stalin” (2017)

Yet Iannucci never sugarcoats the nature of the villains he takes on as his protagonists; if anything, the bleak finale provides a cogent reminder that even the nuttiest leaders are more than just punchlines when real lives are at stake. Still, while the movie contains remarkable period detail, “The Death of Stalin” has more in common with the Marx brothers than anything about the period in which it’s set: It’s “Duck Soup” with dictators. — EK

8. “Along Came Polly” (2004)

“Along Came Polly” wasn’t especially popular upon release, and the movie remains divisive among typical rom-com lovers for its gross-out humor. Still, to reduce this complex and original comedy to its most lowbrow moments (true, the basketball scene is horrifying ) is to miss out on its oceans of brilliant writing and mid-aughts charm. Conversely, to appreciate it for what it is — an out-of-the-box romance that gave us Ben Stiller salsa dancing and Jennifer Aniston playing an even more hapless Rachel Greene-type, now with a newfound sense of cool — is to be truly happy. Happy as a hippo. —AF

7. “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004)

There are stretches of “Anchorman” (a wild pool party, for instance) where the jokes land a mile a minute and don’t stop for second, and there are set pieces so inane (the panda pregnancy) that it’s hard not to marvel at McKay and his crew for committing so straightforward to the lunacy of it all. That’s what makes “Anchorman” a great comedy: An ensemble-wide commitment to the tone.  —ZS

6. “Force Majeure” (2013)

5. “Bridesmaids” (2011)

What a treat:  Girls  can be naughty, too. Early reviews of Paul Feig’s box office smash focused on the down and dirty nature of the film, using terms like “rude and crude” and “exuberantly raunchy” and “not afraid to mix women with potty humor” to express the full scope of the film’s apparent depravity. But while “Bridesmaids” unleashed some eye-popping scatological humor (from women! of all people! my goodness!) on the mostly unsuspecting masses, it also didn’t shy away from something much messier and far funnier: real human emotion.

That might not sound  funny , but it’s something better: it’s true, and so much of comedy is rooted in mining authenticity and honesty and still finding something to laugh about in the process. The “Bridesmaids” crew make that all look easy.  —KE

4. “Shaun of the Dead” (2004)

This acerbic action comedy introduced a winning combo: sparring buddies Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and master of style Edgar Wright, who dreamed up the script with Pegg. He plays a sad sack who turns out to be more brave and adept at slaying the walking dead than he ever would have thought. And he gets the girl. More Working Title collaborations followed, but the first time out was the charm: mash up a witty British romance and a zombie gorefest, and hilarity ensues.  —AT

3. “Best in Show” (2000)

2. “Borat” (2006)

If “Bruno” and “The Dictator” taught us anything, it’s that “Borat” was truly lightning in a bottle. Sacha Baron Cohen’s feature-length social experiment pissed off nearly as many people as it delighted, which surely pleased the fearless provocateur (even if Pamela Anderson seemed pretty bewildered by the whole experience). Plus, when’s the last time a comedy was credited with bringing back a comeback as hilariously lame as “…not!”, let alone increasing tourism to Kazakhstan?  —MN

1. “Toni Erdmann” (2016)

For a movie so light on its feet, it has more than a little to say about globalization and its discontents. Ines typifies a white collar mindset where everything, to use the business jargon, has become so “frictionless” that even her massage — which she walks out of for being too soft — is also without meaning. Ade delivered a 21st century comedy of capitalism, a worthy heir to “The Apartment” and “Playtime,” one that shows how humor is lifeblood, the key ingredient to facing our lives and getting through our day. “Toni Erdmann” isn’t just full of some all-time raucous laughter. It’s a film about why we need laughter. That makes it not just the best 21st century comedy, but the most 21st century comedy. —CB

Most Popular

You may also like.

• Tickets & Showtimes
• Trending on RT

150 Essential Comedy Movies To Watch Now

Coming to America turns 35!

What makes a comedy a classic? Something that floats on the changing tides of time and taste, remaining relevant – and hilarious? It probably takes more than a football to the groin or a juiced-up fart on the audio track. (Though we’re not not saying those can sometimes be the pinnacle of professional-grade jokes.) We don’t have the answer, but with our Essential list assembling 150 of the best comedies ever made, we’re getting closer to laugh-out-loud enlightenment than humanly thought possible. We’re melting minds, splitting sides, and slapping knees here.

To that end, we’ve included all forms of the comedy movie. From slapstick ( Dumb & Dumber, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ) to silent ( The General , Modern Times ). Rom-coms ( Moonstruck , Annie Hall ) to screwball ( It Happened One Night , Bringing Up Baby ). Parody ( Airplane! , Scary Movie ) to postmodern ( Monty Python and the Holy Grail , Galaxy Quest ). These 150 movies will take you to college ( Animal House ), past some fan favorites  ( Step Brothers , Super Troopers ),  and all around the globe ( Kung Fu Hustle , Amelie ).

There’s no minimum review count for this list. We opened it up to movies of yesteryear, which typically don’t get as many reviews as their modern comedy rivals. Many of these inducted films have high Tomatometer scores and are Certified Fresh, but the Tomatometer was not our only guide. Some comedies that stand the test of time did not necessarily pass the critical test on release, and we’re honoring those here. These are not the  best-reviewed  comedy films ever released, but they are the  essential  comedies, movies that broke the Laugh-O-Meter – we’ll totally trademark that soon, so dibs – shaped the genre, molded generations, and which audiences return to time and again, to lift the spirits.

And with our most recent updates, we’ve added the latest and greatest in new funny movies ( Booksmart , Blockers , Game Night ), and some more comedy classics that have definitely earned their place in the pantheon of guffaws ( Four Weddings and a Funeral , Harold & Maude ).

Ready to whip out your funny bone and bash it violently on the nearest flat surface? Then you’re ready for our list of the best comedy movies ever: Rotten Tomatoes’ 150 Essential Comedies! — Alex Vo

21 Jump Street (2012) 85%

The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005) 85%

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) 90%

Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) 47%

Adam's Rib (1949) 96%

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) 94%

Airplane! (1980) 97%

All About My Mother (1999) 98%

American Pie (1999) 61%

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) 66%

Annie Hall (1977) 97%

The Apartment (1960) 94%

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) 86%

Arthur (1981) 86%

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) 73%

The Bank Dick (1940) 100%

Barbershop (2002) 82%

Beetlejuice (1988) 86%

Being There (1979) 95%

Best in Show (2000) 93%

Beverly Hills Cop (1984) 82%

Big (1988) 98%

The Big Lebowski (1998) 80%

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) 82%

The Birdcage (1996) 84%

Blazing Saddles (1974) 89%

Blockers (2018) 84%

The Blues Brothers (1980) 72%

Booksmart (2019) 96%

Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) 91%

Bridesmaids (2011) 90%

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) 80%

Bringing Up Baby (1938) 97%

Broadcast News (1987) 98%

In Bruges (2008) 85%

Burn After Reading (2008) 78%

Caddyshack (1980) 72%

City Lights (1931) 95%

City Slickers (1991) 89%

Clerks (1994) 90%

Clue (1985) 71%

Clueless (1995) 81%

Coming to America (1988) 73%

Crazy Rich Asians (2018) 91%

Dazed and Confused (1993) 93%

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) 89%

Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) 98%

Duck Soup (1933) 91%

Dumb & Dumber (1994) 68%

Elf (2003) 86%

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) 78%

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) 82%

The First Wives Club (1996) 50%

A Fish Called Wanda (1988) 96%

Four Lions (2009) 83%

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) 92%

Friday (1995) 76%

Galaxy Quest (1999) 90%

Game Night (2018) 85%

The General (1926) 92%

Ghostbusters (1984) 95%

Girls Trip (2017) 91%

Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) 90%

The Graduate (1967) 86%

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) 92%

The Great Dictator (1940) 92%

Groundhog Day (1993) 94%

The Hangover (2009) 79%

Happy Gilmore (1996) 62%

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) 75%

Harold and Maude (1971) 86%

Heathers (1989) 95%

His Girl Friday (1940) 99%

Hot Fuzz (2007) 91%

Hot Rod (2007) 39%

Pages: 1 2 Next

Related News

52 Best Soccer Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer

Ghostbusters Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

How to Watch Ghostbusters Movies In Order

More All-Time Lists

All 96 Best Picture Winners, Ranked by Tomatometer

Golden Globes Best Picture Winners by Tomatometer

200 Best Horror Movies of All Time

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

TV Premiere Dates 2024

April 18, 2024

Hulu’s Under the Bridge : Riley Keough, Lily Gladstone on Respecting Reena Virk’s Memory

Renewed and Cancelled TV Shows 2024

Video Game TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer

Top Headlines

• Video Game TV Shows Ranked by Tomatometer –
• MGM: 100 Years, 100 Essential Movies –
• 25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming –
• 30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming –
• Nicolas Cage Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer –
• Best Horror Movies of 2024 Ranked – New Scary Movies to Watch –

More From Forbes

The 25 best comedy movies of all time.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Four friends at cinema together.

Writing a definitive list of the best comedy films ever made is hard. Not only has the genre been around since the late 1800s, but there are many types of comedy movies : rom-coms , screwballs, slapsticks. But sometimes, you just need a good laugh. So, what makes something a “best comedy movie?” The easy answer is that it has to be funny. However, it’s more than that. Great comedy movies stand the test of time. Comedy, as a genre, has a reputation for aging poorly to the point that many critics ask, can comedy age well? Many comedies pull off this feat and become classics. These classics come with endlessly quotable lines, iconic scenes, and jokes that we want to watch again and again.

Funniest Movies (25-11)

Comedy is subjective, but some movies are just funny … full stop. A great comedy can be rewatched, quoted and revisited. While you won’t find the highest-grossing comedy movie on this list (it’s 2023’s Barbie , if you are wondering,) you will find box office titans and even a couple of commercial flops that achieved cult status after the fact.

This full list includes films from the 1930s to 2010s, and directors such as Mel Brooks, Adam McKay, John Huges and Stanely Kubrick. While complying a best comedies list, it is essential to look at subgenres. Comedies on this list include satires, mockumentaries, dark humor, rom-coms, teen comedies and even a musical comedy. There are so many types of comedy; all can be done well in the right hands.

25. My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Ralph Macchio sits with Mitchell Whitfield and Joe Pesci in a scene from the film "My Cousin Vinny."

This film taught an entire generation about the features of the Chevy Bel Air. The whole movie is exceptionally quotable and has a devoted fan base, partially thanks to the powerhouse performances of Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei. Tomei’s performance even earned her an Oscar nom for Best Supporting Actress.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

While the film only garnered 2.5 stars from Roger Eber t in 1992, the movie now boasts an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes from both fans and critics. The story follows an inexperienced lawyer, the titular Vinny, as he tries to free two Brooklyn college students falsely accused of murder in Alabama. The film became a classic through DVD and VHS rentals, which almost adds to the perfect 1990s nature of this now classic comedy. Currently, My Cousin Vinny is available to rent on Amazon Prime, Youtube, Apple TV and Google Play… if you can’t find a Blockbuster.

24. Step Brothers (2008)

The bro-comedy dominated the 2000s. While Judd Apatow and Adam Sandler flicks grounded this subgenre in the mid-2000s, buddy comedies are nothing new and have been popular with audiences since names like Laurel and Hardy were on marquees. Step Brothers feels like a classic buddy comedy.

In the film, directed by Adam McKay, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly play adult step-brothers forced to live together as their aging parents remarry. The wackiness of the premise is part of what makes Step Brothers a laugh-out-loud comedy. The film received mixed reviews on its initial run but has garnered a cult classic status in subsequent years. A lot of that status has to do with the powerhouse performances that this movie boasts, not only from the leads but also Richard Jenkins, who plays Reilly’s father. It is currently streaming for free on the Roku Channel.

23. The Big Sick (2017)

The Big Sick is a rom-com, a com-com and a profoundly human film. The BFI credited the movie for refreshing the rom-com genre. The film stars Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan and was directed by Michael Showalter.

The semi-autobiographical film follows the early romance between Nanjiani and his wife, Emily V. Gordon, as she battles adult-onset Still’s Disease. Gordon and Nanjiani wrote the screenplay together. While the movie received good reviews , it also drew criticism for its depiction of Desi women. Something that Nanjiani has since apologized for. The film is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime.

22. The Addams Family (1991)

Anjelica Huston is kissed by Raul Julia in a scene from the film "The Addams Family."

Many family comedies are created based on existing intellectual property, and many fail to capture the feeling of the source material while still standing on their own as a film. The Addams Family impressively does both. Based on the comics and TV show of the same name, The Addams Family does cartoonish well.

This film is remembered for its powerhouse performances from the late Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci and Christopher Lloyd. The story follows the Addams Family as a conman infiltrates their house, posing as patriarch Gomez Addams’ long-lost brother Fester. The film walks the line between dark, sexy, goofy and silly. The New York Times said of the movie in 1991, “Making his directorial debut, the excellent cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld … gives the film a visual wit to match its screenplay's ghoulish gags.” The film is currently streaming on Netflix, AMC+ and Paramount+.

21. Best In Show ( 2000 )

There aren’t many true auteur comedy filmmakers, but Christopher Guest is one of them. His movies have a definite style with their often mockumentary approach, purposeful awkwardness, familiar casts, and notably improvisational style. Improv is hard to pull off, but Best In Show does it well.

Best In Show follows five dogs and their people competing in a Philadelphia dog show. The ensemble cast includes Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Parker Posey, Fred Willard, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Coolidge and many others. Best In Show is currently available for purchase to stream on Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV and YouTube.

20. Singing In The Rain (1952)

Musical comedies sometimes aren’t regarded as “real comedies” as they have to walk the line between two genres. However, Gene Kelly and Stanely Donen’s Singing In The Rain excels at both. The movie stars Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds and follows actors as Hollywood moved from silent films to “talkies.”

The AFI ranked the movie highly on its list of best films. O’Connor received a Golden Globe for his work on the film, and the film received a WGA award as well. The movie fulfills on the promise to “make ‘em laugh” but also features breathtaking dance sequences from Kelley and Cyd Charisse. It is currently streaming on Max.

19. The Birdcage (1996)

Robin Williams and Nathan Lane sitting under an umbrella in a scene from the film "The Birdcage."

The Birdcage both feels dated and extremely timely. Based on the French film and play, La Cage Aux Folles, The Birdcage stars Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as gay parents who own a South Beach Drag club. They are forced to play it straight when William’s son brings home the daughter of a far-right senator.

The film broke boundaries when it came to gay representation but, unfortunately, features a prominent character in brownface. Hank Azaria plays a gay Guatemalan housemaid. While Azaria has apologized for other instances of brownface, including voicing Apu on The Simpsons after the release of the documentary The Problem with Apu, he has not reflected on his role in The Birdcage . While the film isn’t perfect, The Birdcage shows not only queer parenting but the importance of standing up to right-wing politics to the queer community, making it important in the history of queer cinema. It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

18. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is more than just quotable; it has been part of several generations’ teen experiences. And that makes sense because "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Director John Hughes captures something magic in the idealized day off.

The film follows the titular Ferris (Matthew Brodrick), his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and his girlfriend, Sloane (Mia Sara), as they skip school to explore Chicago. The film sits at a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and is currently available for streaming through a subscription to Paramount+ or on Pluto TV.

17. Polyester (1981)

There are dirty comedies, and then there are John Waters movies. While some of his more well-known films have a weight to them, Polyester is lighter and more comedic. Longtime collaborator Divine shines as a housewife with a great sense of smell and an unfaithful husband. She is then wooed by Tab Hunter’s Todd Tomorrow.

Polyester oscillates between goofy, melodramatic and disgusting. The film was released in “ Odorama ,” a scratch-and-sniff card that encouraged moviegoers to smell ten odors from the movie. It was intentionally ridiculous and fed into the pulp nature of the film. While reminiscent of the 1960s Smell-O-Vision and AromaRama, Odorama encouraged moviegoers to smell things like dirty shoes and skunk. The film is currently on Amazon Prime, though you will have to find a special screening to get your hands on an Odorama card.

16. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Actor Jon Heder rides a horse in the movie "Napoleon Dynamite."

Napoleon Dynamite is hard to describe, but it took America by storm upon its release. While it garnered mixed to even poor reviews, such as 1.5 stars from Ebert, it persisted as a cultural phenomenon . It has even been chosen to be rescreened at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

The film, directed by Jared Hess and starring John Heder, tells a coming-of-age story of an awkward teenager in small-town Idaho. The film was made on a shoestring budget and without many established actors, but that is part of the charm of Napoleon Dynamite . The film has almost a cinema verité quality as it captures the realness of teenage life. Napoleon Dynamite is currently streaming on Max.

15. How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)

This screwball comedy stars Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall as O.G. gold diggers. The performances in How to Marry a Millionaire are what really cement it as a classic. Monroe shows off the sharpness in her comedy and persona, while Bacall balances raw sex appeal and comic timing.

While How to Marry a Millionaire is late for a screwball comedy as a genre, it still isn’t afraid to relish in some of its zanier moments, like how Monroe blindly stumbles as she refuses to wear her glasses because “men are not attentive to girls who wear glasses.” It is available to rent through YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Google Play.

14. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

While many movies attempt the difficult “tragicomedy” genre, Little Miss Sunshine excels in it. The film follows an impoverished, dysfunctional family as they road trip to a children’s beauty pageant with their young daughter.

Little Miss Sunshine features iconic performances from all of its principal cast: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin. The film premiered at Sundance and started a small distribution bidding war. It went on to be nominated for 4 Academy Awards (and won 2.) The film holds a 91% amongst audiences and critics on Rotten Tomatoes and is currently streaming on Hulu.

13. Clueless (1995)

Teen comedies sometimes get a bad rap. However, some names stand out in the genre of teen comedies based on classic literature: 10 Things I Hate About You, She’s the Man and, of course, Clueless .

Loosely based on Jane Austen’s Emma, Clueless is endlessly quotable from “As if.” to “You’re a virgin who can’t drive.” to “Oh my god. I am totally bugging.” The movie, directed by Amy Heckerling, stars Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy and Paul Rudd. In 1995, The Washington Post praised the film for the “precision of its observations and sharpness of its one-liners.” And over 20 years later, it still packs the same punch. It is currently available to stream on Paramount+ or on Pluto TV.

12. It Happened One Night (1934)

Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in a scene from "It Happened One Night."

Few comedies have won Best Picture, and It Happened One Night did much more than that. The film was the first to win Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Directed by Frank Capra and starring Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable, It Happened One Night is a pure old Hollywood classic.

The story follows a newspaperman as he tries to help a young heiress connect with her scheming fiance. Yes, the plot feels very 1930s at times, but the influence of this film on the modern rom-com is undeniable . You can almost see tropes develop in real time watching it. While the enemies-to-lovers trope can be seen everywhere, from Pride and Prejudice to a Hallmark Christmas movie, It Happened One Night gets it right and pairs it with snappy writing that holds up 90 years later. The film is currently available for free on YouTube and is a must-watch for any rom-com lover. It is currently streaming for free on YouTube and Tubi.

11. This is Spinal Tap (1984)

Rob Reiner’s directorial debut, This is Spinal Tap , really goes up to 11. This rock mockumentary has a huge cult following and for a good reason. The Criterion Collection has called it in “the ranks of the greatest comedies ever made.” The film stars Christopher Guest and Michael McKean as aging rockers on their American comeback tour.

Part of what makes This is Spinal Tap great is the music. The parody songs in this movie are both funny and earworms. The New York Times said, “There's an in-joke quality to the film, one that will make it all the more hilarious to anyone at all knowledgeable about either the esthetic or the business aspects of pop music. However, you need not have heard a band like Spinal Tap to find its story highly amusing.” It is available to rent on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play and Apple TV.

10 Best Comedies Of All Time

The top ten movies on this list aren’t only great comedies. They are films that have influenced the genre. Even people who have never seen these films know a joke from them or have seen a movie that takes direct inspiration from them.

Ranking these movies comes down to splitting hairs. They all deliver laughs, contain iconic lines and scenes, and, maybe more importantly, are endlessly rewatchable. These films feel not only witty but often inventive. While later movies have ripped off these films, they still feel fresh, often many years later (the oldest in this section is from 1941.)

10. Bridesmaids (2011)

It’s rare that self-professed chick flicks get nominated for the Oscars. Bridesmaids earned two nominations for Best Supporting Actress Melissa McCarthy and Best Original Screenplay for Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo. Directed by Paul Feig, Bridesmaids boasts several comedy powerhouse performances from Wiig, McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Jon Hamm and Wendi McLendon-Covey.

The film follows Wiig’s Annie as she becomes the maid of honor for Rudolph’s Lillian. Bridesmaids certainly wasn’t the first all-female lead comedy. Still, it has been noted as an important film in the genre of female-lead mainstream comedies, which some have called “the Bridesmaids effect.” Outside of its influence, it's just a hilarious movie from “Help me, I’m poor” to “I did slightly overcommit to the whole dog thing.” The movie is currently streaming on Peacock.

9. Office Space (1999)

Jennifer Aniston and Mike Judge in "Office Space."

Before The Office became a millennial favorite, there was Office Space . Directed by Mike Judge and starring Ron Livingston and Jennifer Aniston, Office Space walks the line between cult comedy and cultural juggernaut.

The film captures the humdrum of 90s office life while still being hilariously wacky as a group of underappreciated office workers try to take down their greedy boss. Ebert said of the film, "’Office Space’ is a comic cry of rage against the nightmare of modern office life. It has many of the same complaints as ‘Dilbert’ and the movie ‘ Clockwatchers ’ and, for that matter, the works of Kafka and the Book of Job.” Office Space is currently available to stream on Max.

8. Airplane! (1980)

Airplane! is one of those movies that everyone has surely heard a quote from … “and don't call me Shirley.” Starring Leslie Nielson, this farce parodies the disaster film, specifically Zero Hour ( 1953).

The film earned the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Comedy and nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and for the BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay. While not all parts of the movie have aged well , especially regarding race, it’s still remembered as a comedy classic for its goofy approach to parody. It is currently streaming on Showtime.

7. Sullivan’s Travels (1941)

Actress Veronica Lakeand Joel McCrea in a scene from the movie "Sullivan's Travels."

This 1941 Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake comedy is often called a “ masterpiece .” It has been added to the Library of Congress , with the review, “Preston Sturges’s ‘ Sullivan’s Travels ’ remains one of the great American film satires of Hollywood.”

The titular Sullivan is a Hollywood director known for light comedies. He decides it's time to make something more important and ventures out into the real world, looking for inspiration for his film, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” a film about suffering. While the film has a definite heart and message, dialogue and jokes come fast in this movie. Sullivan’s Travels is a must-watch for classic movie and comedy fans alike. It is available to rent on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play and Apple TV.

6. Coming to America (1988)

“But where in New York can one find a woman with grace, elegance, taste and culture? A woman suitable for a king … Queens.” Coming to America is full of iconic lines. Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall and James Earl Jones shine in this classic directed by John Landis.

Coming To America captures something real about the 1980s , Queens and the immigrant experience while still being a wacky comedy about an African prince coming to New York to find a wife. While many reviews weren’t glowing in 1988, Coming To America has remained popular, even prompting a sequel, Coming 2 America , in 2021. It is available to rent on Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play and Apple TV.

5. The Jerk (1979)

Steve Martin talks with Bill Macy in a scene from the film "The Jerk."

The Jerk is directed by Carl Reiner and is Steve Martin’s first starring role. While not every joke has stood the test of time, The Jerk still delivers solid laughs over 40 years later, often thanks to Martin’s impeccable comedic timing.

The Jerk follows Martin’s character Navin through his rise to riches, and his subsequent fall. While the film is often crass and possibly even dumb on purpose, many jokes have a wit and elevation that balances the comedy. The film is often found on lists of best comedies and was even a favorite of director Stanley Kubrick . It is currently available to stream on Netflix.

4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the second film by the iconic British comedy troupe Monty Python. This movie is so quotable that it has almost transcended the original script to seep into the collective consciousness. Who doesn’t say to themselves, “Tis but a scratch” occasionally?

This movie stars Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin and is a parody of Arthurian times. The film follows Chappan’s King Arthur as he and his squire search for the Holy Grail. While it received mixed reviews on its initial release, its cult following and memory are impressive. A musical based on the film, Spamalot , was adapted for the stage in 2005 and was revived for Broadway in 2023. Currently, the movie is available to stream on Netflix.

3. Friday (1995)

Not much happens in the movie Friday , but it doesn’t matter. The film still packs in the laughs. F. Gary Gray directs with iconic performances from Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. This movie is endlessly quotable from “Damnnnn!” to “Bye Felicia.” and has reached almost a meme status through reaction gifs.

Friday inspired two sequels: Next Friday and Friday After Next . All three movies have garnered cult status. However, Friday was both commercially successful and praised in 1995. The film had a modest budget, a music video director, one lead who had never done a comedy and only 20 days to shoot, but against it all, the film is remembered as a comedy classic. It is currently available on Max and Tubi.

2. Dr Strangelove (1964)

Among his several roles, Peter Sellers (right) portrayed a NATO representative and Sterling Hayden, ... [+] a mad general, in Stanley Kubrick's satire on nuclear brinksmanship, "Dr. Strangelove."

Dr Strangelove is maybe the darkest comedy on this list, but when you are making a satire featuring nazi scientists and nuclear annihilation, that tends to happen. This film was directed by Stanely Kubrick and stars Peter Sellers in three roles: a British officer, the American President, and the titular doctor, a former nazi and nuclear war expert.

The film follows a situation where an American general plans to drop a nuclear bomb on the Soviet Union. We promise it’s funnier than it sounds. The film is a frequent addition not only to best comedy lists but also to film lists in general, including AFI’s Best American Films list. It is currently free to watch on YouTube.

1. Young Frankenstein (1974)

Actors Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman and Teri Garr in a scene from the movie 'Young ... [+] Frankenstein', 1974. (Photo by Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection/Getty Images)

No list of best comedies is complete without Mel Brooks. If this list had more space, it could have easily included several Brooks films, including Blazing Saddles, History of the World Part 1., and The Producers. There is a reason why so many of his movies have become comedy classics.

Young Frankenstein mixes comedy, horror and parody perfectly. The film features iconic performances, especially from Gene Wilder, who co-wrote the screenplay with Brooks. The movie parodies the story of Frankenstein but does it with both zaniness and wit. Young Frankenstein currently boasts a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes . It is currently available to stream through a DirecTV subscription.

Bottom Line

Comedy is subjective, but genuinely great comedies can connect to broad audiences and remain funny watch after watch, year after year. From modern classics to familiar faves, you can’t go wrong with the comedies on this list.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Screen Rant

5 best (& 5 worst) time travel comedies.

From Groundhog Day to Hot Tub Time Machine, Hollywood loves using time travel for comedy film fodder. Which of these movies succeed and which fail?

Time travel isn't just for heady science fiction features. Characters jumping back and forth through the years or stuck in loops can be prime comedic material, too — at least when done right. From oddball slapsticks to rom-coms to fantasy epics, adding a bit of time travel into the mix is guaranteed to stir up trouble.

RELATED:  10 Excellent (But Disastrous) Time Travel Movies To Help You Through Quarantine

H.G. Wells popularized the concept of time travel in his 1897 novella  The Time Machine . Little did Wells know his technological invention would be used decades later to make audiences laugh on the big screen. The best time travel comedies veer from formulaic plots and characterizations to tell unique stories, while the worst rely too heavily upon predictable, cornball genre tropes.

Best: Groundhog Day (1993)

Technically a time loop comedy,  Groundhog Day follows Phil Connor, a cynical TV weatherman played by Bill Murray, who finds himself reliving the titular day over and over again. Murray is hilarious in the role. Andie MacDowell and Chris Elliott make for excellent co-stars in the film, which is directed by Harold Ramis.

Groundhog Day 's influence persists into the present; series like Netflix's  Russian Doll  are clearly indebted to this comedy classic.

Worst: About Time (2013)

Despite its unique premise and genuine acting from Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams,  About Time is a decidedly bland rom-com. Gleeson plays Tim, a man with the ability to time travel, who uses it to his advantage romantically.

Tim falls for McAdams' character Mary, but happenstance keeps them from forming a lasting bond. In order to fix this, Tim keeps going back to his past to improve his chances of being united with Mary once and for all in the future.

Best: Back To The Future (1985)

Back to the Future may be the most iconic time travel movie ever. Robert Zemeckis blends science fiction, comedy, and action flawlessly in this tale of a high schooler who goes back in time from 1985 to 1955 in his friend Doc Brown's time-traveling DeLorean.

RELATED:  The 10 Best Time Travel Movies According to Rotten Tomatoes

Michael J. Fox plays protagonist Marty McFly, and Christopher Lloyd co-stars as the mad scientist, Doc Brown. Without this film and its sequels, pop culture would be woefully behind in hoverboard technology and deprived of sayings like, "Great Scott!"

Worst: 13 Going On 30 (2004)

Innocent and wholesome,  13 Going on 30 is a time travel comedy about Jenna Rink, 13-year-old girl who wishes she were 30 on her birthday. Jenna Rink wakes up the next morning in a strange New York City apartment to find her wish came true.

Jennifer Garner  plays Jenna at 30, basically portraying a tween trapped in a woman's body. While feelgood vibes abound in the movie, the laughs are few and far between.

Best: Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Directed by  Jurassic World 's Colin Trevorrow,  Safety Not Guaranteed   is an offbeat, entertaining independent comedy. Mark Duplass plays Kenneth Calloway, a Seattle man who posts a classified ad seeking a time-traveling companion.

RELATED:  5 Best (& 5 Worst) Sci-Fi Time Travel Movies, According To IMDb

Three local magazine employees played by  Aubrey Plaza , Jake Johnson, and Karan Soni decide to investigate the ad. They soon realize that contrary to their original assumption, it may not actually be a hoax after all.

Worst: Click (2006)

One of Adam Sandler's worst comedies ,  C l ick uses a magical remote control as its time-traveling device. Sandler plays an overworked architect named Michael who meets the Angel of Death (whose name is Morty) in a Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

Played by Christopher Walken, Morty gives Michael a universal remote control that allows him to flash forward through bad or boring moments in his life as they happen. Kate Beckinsale co-stars as Michael's wife Donna, whose husband takes his newfound power too far.

Best: Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

Many time travel comedies have tried to capitalize on  Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure , a screwball story about two teenage slackers who travel back through time in order to gather historical figures for a high school presentation. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves play the titular duo, who are guided by none other than George Carlin.

RELATED:  10 Time Travel Movies That Are Not Sci-Fi (According To IMDb) 

This comedy manages to combine low-brow culture and high-brow ideas to hysterical ends. What other movie contains references to Greek philosophy and  the music of Van Halen?

Worst: Austin Powers In Goldmember (2002)

Despite being extremely popular when they were released, Jay Roach's  Austin Powers movies have not aged well.  Goldmember , the third in the spy comedies starring Mike Myers , features a time travel plot so silly not even Beyoncé can save it.

Dr. Evil, Powers's arch-nemesis who is also played by Myers, plots to go back in time to 1975 in order to bring about the end of the world. Powers follows Dr. Evil to the disco era, where a lot of inane jokes and situational comedy ensues.

Best: Time Bandits (1981)

Part of Terry Gilliam's genre-defying "Trilogy of Imagination,"  Time Bandits joins 1985's  Brazil and 1988's  The Adventures of Baron Munchausen to form an epic fantasy narrative. In  Time Bandits , a young boy named Kevin joins a group of dwarves using a special map that helps them track down holes in the fabric of time.

Kevin's six dwarves use the map to steal treasure from different historical eras. Along the way, they encounter Napoleon, Robin Hood and King Agamemnon – the latter of whom is played by Sean Connery.

Worst: Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

John Cusack, Rob Corddry, and Craig Robinson co-star as three vacationing friends who are sent back in time after a night of heavy drinking in a hot tub. The friends suddenly find themselves in 1986, where disaster meets them around every corner as they try to figure out how to get back to the present.

While  Hot Tub Time Machine is definitely a step above much of the toxic comedies of the time, the film still revels in homophobia and misogyny for cheap laughs. Even with its time travel narrative and talented cast, Hot Tub Time Machine  lacks sustainability.

NEXT:  10 Underrated Time Travel Movies

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

The 23 best time travel movies of all time

From Back to the Future to Looper to Palm Springs, the time travel narrative traverses the film spectrum. Here are EW’s picks for 23 of the best. 

Despite time travel being considered more of a science fiction trope, there is something positively enchanting about the idea of being able to go back to another time or forward into the future, even if just for a moment. While this list deals with a mix of films, some of which consider the hazards of time travel (mostly through time loops), for the most part, these films see time travel as a net positive. Time travel is also a sphere that is mostly occupied by television, thanks to shows like Doctor Who , Quantum Leap , and Lost , even though the number of time travel movies has shot up over the past two decades or so.

Unfortunately, the earliest this list goes is 1962; while there are some time travel movies from the Old Hollywood days, they lack a lot of the imagination and thoughtfulness about the nature of time that the movies on this list bring. This list is a mix of straight dramas, killer action, rollicking comedies, and heartfelt romance — and sometimes, all of those elements exist in a single movie. This list is unranked, and mostly grouped together according to each movie's particular "genre" of time travel: conventional time machines, time loops, magical circumstances, and missions to save the past and the future at the same time. These are 23 of the best time travel movies of all time.

La Jetée (1962)

Kicking off an unranked list of time-travel movies chronologically seems like a good place to start, actually. La Jetée is also probably the most experimental of the films on this list. A French Left Bank short film set in a post-nuclear apocalypse future told through narration and photographs, this is not the first time-travel film by any means, but its impact on the time-travel movies that came after, like 1995's 12 Monkeys , cannot be understated.

A young prisoner (Davos Hanich) is forced to undergo torturous experiments to induce time travel by using impactful memories — and unlike those who came before him, he succeeds, but he ends up discovering a time loop in the process. This is an incredibly stylish telling of what is now a familiar type of story, but in 1962, it was absolutely revolutionary. Honestly, because of its unique technical and visual elements, it still is.

Watch La Jetée on Criterion Channel

Time After Time (1979)

Nicholas Meyer is behind not one, but two brilliant time-travel movies that made this list. For this particular film, he not only wrote the screenplay but also made his directorial debut. The tale of two 19th-century former friends, H.G. Wells ( Malcolm McDowell , unusually wide-eyed and adorable) and John Leslie Stevenson a.k.a. Jack the Ripper ( David Warner , never more menacing yet charming), as they chase each other through 1979 San Francisco thanks to Wells' time machine, Time After Time doesn't spend too much time on the science of time travel, and it's better for it.

This is, in essence, a romantic thriller, as Wells falls for quirky bank clerk Amy ( Mary Steenburgen , delightfully independent) while in search of his old friend turned enemy. It has chase scenes, interrogation sequences, gory murder (courtesy of Jack), and a delightful sense of humor as Wells learns to navigate the future. He thought it would be a utopia; instead, he finds a world in sore need of his idealism, kindness, and dedication to justice.

Where to rent or buy Time After Time

The Back to the Future trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990)

While it's true that the first Back to the Future movie is probably one of the greatest time-travel movies of all time, with its two sequels living in its shadows, all three are essential to understanding the character of Marty McFly ( Michael J. Fox ). The Back to the Future trilogy is an '80s version of a bildungsroman about a teenager who has to learn that there's much more to life than being, well, a teenager. The first film, confidently directed by Robert Zemeckis , is imbued with so much humor and heart, it's all too easy to get sucked into a plot that should be convoluted, but that works so awfully well.

Back to the Future Part II evokes a bit less feeling than the original, and it's significantly grittier, but it's still " another fantastic voyage " as EW's Ira Robbins wrote, flinging Marty and Doc Brown ( Christopher Lloyd ) into a slightly prescient future version of 2015. Back to the Future Part III , meanwhile, restores the heart, but its story is slighter as it wraps up Marty's saga, sending Doc off on a brand new adventure all his own. While the first Back to the Future movie is required viewing for any time travel enthusiast, stick around for the rest of the trilogy, too: Even if this franchise's view of time travel is riddled with potential paradoxes, they are entertaining paradoxes nonetheless.

Watch the Back to the Future trilogy on Tubi

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

"Be excellent to each other" is the reigning philosophy of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure , the adventurous, fun-loving, stoner time-travel comedy that spawned a franchise, including a third installment released in 2020. Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves absolutely triumph in the roles of lackadaisical teenagers Bill and Ted, respectively, as they journey through time to bring back legends in order to pass their history class.

If the film seems silly, that's because it is meant to be. Whereas the Back to the Future franchise intended to craft a legend, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure kicks off the journey with George Carlin as the duo's time travel guide and mentor, Rufus, who intends to enlighten the pair on their mission and destiny. In any other film, the two budding legends, with their free-wheeling ideals and misadventures, would bring down the fabric of time and space itself. However, Excellent Adventure is not a time-travel film that forces you to think too hard about its premise; instead, it invites you to just kick back and have a good time.

Watch Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure on Amazon Prime Video

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

Meet the Robinsons received mixed reviews when it first debuted, but of the 3-D animated movies that came out of Disney Animation in the 2000s, it's probably the most imaginative and outstanding of the bunch. Following a young orphan as he goes on a fantastic voyage into the future with another young boy who is a time traveler (kind of), Robinsons is stylish to a point and is filled with heart. It's probably also the most kid-friendly entry on this list, but its good-natured humor and complicated emotional palette will appeal to adults, too.

It also fits neatly into a more classic genre of time travel, with time machines, eccentric inventors, and kids looking to make an impact — not just on their time, but on the time they find themselves in, be it the near future or the distant past.

Watch Meet the Robinsons on Disney+

Run Lola Run (1998)

This is, in many ways, the time loop movie; debuting in 1998 to rave reviews, Run Lola Run , a German experimental thriller, is one you will not be able to shake, long after you've finished a viewing (or even a second, to catch what you missed the first time). The protagonist, Lola (Franka Potente, in a punishingly physical performance), is forced to relive a scenario, again and again, involving saving her boyfriend Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) from certain death.

Potente's performance alone is worth the watch, and of the films on this list, Run Lola Run is actually one of the shorter ones, using its 80-minute runtime to its full advantage. The other time loop movies on this list are also worthy viewing experiences in a lot of ways, but for a pure shot of adrenaline, you can't miss the film EW deemed "a masterful pop piece, humming with raw romance, youth, and energy." If you're interested in more of director Tom Tykwer 's work, he also codirected 2012's Cloud Atlas with the Wachowskis , which, while not a pure time-travel movie, certainly plays with the intertwined nature of time and memory.

Where to rent or buy Run Lola Run

Source Code (2011)

Duncan Jones made a splash with his 2009 feature directorial debut Moon , a moody, philosophical insight into possible lunar labor practices in the future. He followed that thoughtful film up with Source Code , which, while not a movie that could always be described as "thoughtful," could certainly be described as moody. Hitchcockian in a sense, Source Code follows the misadventures of a U.S. Army pilot ( Jake Gyllenhaal ), as he attempts to stop a terrorist attack on a Chicago commuter train — repeatedly.

Source Code does have something to say about the commodification of bodies and minds in the service of the so-called "greater good"; while Gyllenhaal's Captain Stevens' services are no doubt helpful, are they necessary, the film asks. Is it really a good idea to force someone to relive an incredibly stressful idea, over and over again? The movie has its funny moments, even in the thick of all the intense chase scenes through the train; EW noted back in 2012, "The director finds moments of humor in unlikely corners of that train of fools." Indeed. If you enjoyed a film like The Commuter (2018), but thought it could use a time loop and the potential of alternate realities, Source Code is your next mandatory viewing.

Watch Source Code on Showtime

Looper (2012)

Before Rian Johnson introduced us to Benoit Blanc or journeyed to a galaxy far, far, away , he made the tangled time-travel film fittingly called Looper . Starring Bruce Willis , Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a younger Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt , Looper tells the tale of a contract killer sent after his next target: himself. This is a complicated film, and it is imperfect in a lot of ways, but its brutal appraisal of a possible dystopian future, and the efforts one man takes to prevent that future, are worth the amount of head-scratching you might find yourself doing throughout.

That Johnson likes his narratives to be impenetrable Gordian knots that only his designated protagonist can solve can perhaps be frustrating to the audience. However, if there's one thing that the Knives Out franchise seems to have reinforced, it's that not trying to unpack the mysteries of his work might work to your advantage as a viewer, because Johnson will probably have someone explain what just happened by the end, anyway. Like most of his films, Looper has a social conscience lurking within it as well. As EW's Lisa Schwarzbaum noted , "It's time to wipe the drops from our eyes or else get stuck in a loop, an endless cycle, a rut" about Looper 's core tenet back in 2012. It's a worthy takeaway from a film obsessed with self-fulfilling prophecies people find themselves within.

Watch Looper on Freevee

Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

Time loop movies need some incredible editing in order to really succeed, and Doug Liman 's enthralling Edge of Tomorrow certainly does so on that point. While Tom Cruise is the lead as a cowardly lion–turned–near-super soldier, all eyes are on Emily Blunt as Rita Vrataski, who rules this movie as one of the few heroes this dystopian, post-alien invasion world actually has left. While the quest Cruise and Blunt go on may be a bit convoluted, the film is so incredibly entertaining because it's so sharply cut, keeping up the pace even as we see similar things over and over and over again.

A tip of the hat must, of course, go to the action, which is as compelling as you would expect from a mega-star who seems determined these days to do all of his own stunts. In an era of often depressing science fiction, Edge of Tomorrow , as EW's Chris Nashawaty mentioned , is a fun, "deliciously subversive kind of blockbuster" to immerse your senses in for two hours, if nothing else.

Watch Edge of Tomorrow on Max

Interstellar (2014)

While this film might technically be considered more of a space opera than a time-travel movie, there's no reason it can't be both. Christopher Nolan 's Interstellar is a dazzling portrait not just of space travel, but of the love between a father and daughter that stretches over the thin fabric of both time and space. Matthew McConaughey as the astronaut father has never been so serious, but acclaim needs to go to Jessica Chastain and Anne Hathaway as Nolan's strongest women characters to date.

Interstellar varies between being almost too tense to stand, and, at other points, utterly relaxed. As a cinematic experience, it feels all-encompassing, using every possible outstanding special effect to draw its viewers in before the script hits them with emotional truth. While Nolan can certainly be considered " cold and clinical " as EW noted, his space-journeying meditation on the intersection between love and time is anything but.

Watch Interstellar on Paramount+

Palm Springs (2020)

Releasing a time loop movie during a global pandemic where life felt increasingly repetitive and bizarre was certainly a strategy for Hulu and Neon with Palm Springs , but it paid off. While the film was certainly developed long before COVID-19, the scenario of two wedding guests trying to escape the situational loop they've found themselves definitely resonated at the time, and it still does. Palm Springs may seem serious from the above description, but it is actually a fun sci-fi-tinged tale that is largely driven by the comedic skills of leads Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti .

EW noted that the movie avoids " true discomfort comedy ," and honestly, it's all the better for it. If Palm Springs had been angrier, it wouldn't hit home so hard, and it also wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. Instead, it's an often sweet rom-com that doesn't take itself or its completely made-up time loop physics too seriously. It was a Sundance darling for a reason, never quite letting up on the wild ride it takes its characters or its viewers on over the course of its 90 minutes.

Watch Palm Springs on Hulu

Somewhere in Time (1980)

Somewhere in Time might employ one of the strangest methods of time travel of all the movies on this list: time travel by hypnosis, of all things. (And self-induced hypnosis, for that matter.) Time travel on such shaky ground can't possibly hold up, and it somewhat doesn't, in the end. Science fiction great Richard Matheson adapted his own novel into a lackadaisical screenplay for this film, starring Christopher Reeve in a perfectly tragic role as the young man who gives his all for a woman (Jane Seymour) he can never really have.

In many ways, Somewhere in Time feels like a curio of the era from which it came, serving as a time capsule of how stories were told in the late-'70s and early-'80s. That is actually not a mark against it; this is a film that is just a peak tragic romance in a lot of ways; special nods must also go to Christopher Plummer as the young woman's cynical mentor, who seems to possess a certain foresight about the impossibility of Reeve's character. If you want a time-travel movie that is beautifully romantic, from its iconic score to its grand cinematography, you shouldn't stray from Somewhere in Time .

Watch Somewhere in Time on Tubi

Peggy Sue Got Married (1986)

The tale of a grown, about-to-be-divorced woman forced to relive her high school days and her courtship with a dorky-cool musician, Peggy Sue Got Married might be one of Francis Ford Coppola 's most small-scale movies, but it decidedly has the most soul of his catalog of mostly epics. Peggy Sue ( Kathleen Turner , in an Oscar-nominated performance) just wants to leave Charlie (Nicolas Cage) behind, but her time-traveling coma dream conspires against her to force her to reconsider. (It forces Charlie to become a better person, too.)

The film combines the cynicism of a rightfully embittered '80s housewife with the unbridled idealism of a '60s teenager to make one heck of a sincere cinematic concoction. That the film starts at a high school reunion could mean it becomes awkward very quickly, but instead, it's completely joyful. Whether Peggy Sue Got Married started a tradition of "person has some sort of crisis and subsequently ends up in another time" movies is unclear, but it does have a rather clear descendant in one of our next entries.

Where to rent or buy Peggy Sue Got Married

Kate & Leopold (2001)

Doesn't everyone want a young Hugh Jackman from the 19th century to fall out of the sky and into their lives? Leopold (Jackman) is a foppish and geeky, if not perfect, gentleman who quickly has Kate ( Meg Ryan ) falling for him despite her modern understanding of the world. That so many time-travel movies somehow end up in romantic territory is an interesting phenomenon, but one that does make sense. There is something appealing about falling for someone whose time is not your own.

Kate & Leopold is decidedly not a perfect film, although it is the first of director James Mangold 's and Jackman's collaborations (see 2017's Logan for the much grittier future fruits of their labor). It's fluffy, it's light, and it creates a paradox without even really acknowledging it. Someone looked at the Meg Ryan comedies of the '80s and '90s and asked, "But what if we made them science fiction?" It works in spite of itself, with Jackman's physical comedy as he plays " a doll of a boyfriend " and Ryan's sardonic tone carrying the day.

Watch Kate & Leopold on Paramount+

13 Going on 30 (2004)

When a 13-year-old girl is crushed after being tricked at her own birthday party, she makes a wish to be "30, flirty, and thriving," quickly waking up the next day to find herself just that, in the body of Jennifer Garner . Instead of traveling back to the past à la the protagonist of Peggy Sue Got Married , Jenna (Garner, Christa B. Allen) ends up in a potential future, where she is all the things she wished for, but definitely not as happy as she thought she would be.

The 2004 rom-com is a magical time travel tale — there's literally "magic wishing dust" — but that doesn't take away from the hilarity that comes with a 13-year-old trying to navigate an adult woman's life. Of course, in the end, Jenna learns her lesson — it's okay to just be young, for a little bit longer — but the journey she goes on as she discovers not just herself but also her true love ( Mark Ruffalo ) is worth all the silliness in the end.

Watch 13 Going on 30 on Max

Mirai (2018)

This lovely little gem directed by Japanese animation visionary Mamoru Hosoda tells the story of a little boy who unhappily gets a baby sister and ends up learning a lot of lessons about the past and the future. Kun (Moka Kamishiraishi) gets a chance to meet not only the grown, future version of his sister Mirai (Haru Kuroki) but also members of his family at different points in their lives. Mirai is a delightfully imaginative film with some gorgeous animation that contains some " mind-boggling visuals " as EW's Christian Holub pointed out.

It is also a genuinely heartwarming tearjerker; while all ends well for little Kun, the meditations this film offers on the nature of family bonds over the course of multiple generations might just leave you in a state of reflection on your own ties that bind. While many time-travel movies tell their stories from the perspective of youth, few unveil them through the eyes of a rambunctious preschooler, and gaining that perspective, in this case, allows for a truly precious journey.

Where to rent or buy Mirai

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

If you know anything about Star Trek , you know the fourth film is "the one with the whales," but if you don't know anything about the franchise, you probably also know that this one is "the one with the whales." Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home often gets acclaim as the funny Star Trek movie, but it brings a lot more than just comedy. The original crew of the Enterprise fling themselves back in time to save humpback whales in the past in order to save the future from a strange probe that threatens Earth...and will stop, but only if it hears some natural whalesong.

The crew finds themselves in 1986 San Francisco, so it's great that Time After Time's Nicholas Meyer returned to the franchise not as director (he helmed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ), but as a screenwriter. Watching these characters from a literal utopia navigate a world not designed for them creates not only dynamic humor but great tension as well. As they almost always do, the Enterprise team breaks all the rules in order to save the future as well as the whales. Or, as EW noted in a tribute to the film: "It has heart, and passion — Save the Whales! — and a tremendous sense of fun."

Watch Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home on Max

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

Star Trek: First Contact doesn't particularly feel as much like a Star Trek movie as Voyage Home does, and EW, in fact, says it harnessed "a sleek, confident style fully independent of its predecessors." As a Trekkie, this may not be the most complimentary way of looking at it, but as a film fan, however, it might be the highest honor someone could bestow upon a movie within this franchise. Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) turns from a peace-loving diplomat to a Borg-slaying action star while the rest of his crew tries to get the inventor of the Warp Drive (the technology upon which the future relies) to stop drinking so much and actually invent the thing. James Cromwell, as the inventor, Zefram Cochrane, serves as the comedic relief for a remarkably serious and often scary film.

The Borg, '90s Star Trek 's biggest villain, are the main antagonists here, and they do provide some chilling action, even if the introduction that they can easily time travel would really wreck things for some future Trek series. Stewart manages the transition from his mild-mannered diplomat to traumatized warrior well, turning in one of his most ferocious performances. Star Trek: First Contact also gives us a look at a post-apocalyptic world in the midst of a recovery, and in that respect, it makes it both a thoughtful entry in the Trek canon and a time travel action-thriller with a brain.

Watch Star Trek: First Contact on Max

The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

What would a best time-travel films list be without including at least one of the Terminator movies? While an often brutal franchise with diminishing returns after James Cameron 's first two installments, the misadventures of an evil cyborg-turned-good (played to physical perfection by Arnold Schwarzenegger ) in a consistently dangerous world are always thrilling and entertaining.

Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor, mother of the future's savior (and much, much more), is also due an acknowledgment; while the films are remembered for Schwarzenegger's portrayal of the T-800, Hamilton is the heart of this franchise a great deal of the time, as she refuses to die or let her son face the same fate, either. The first two Terminator films are so much more than "scary robots take over the world, everybody dies" – they're action-packed, bloody thrillers with startling narratives, pioneering visual effects, and, of course, time travel as the catalyst.

Watch The Terminator on Max

Where to rent or buy Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

"Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke...I have only done this once before. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED": This is part of the joke classified ad from which this movie was inspired. You might inspire a more risky movie from the tone of the ad, but what you get is a light comedy that served as the first leading film role for Aubrey Plaza . This Colin Trevorrow -directed film isn't so much about time travel as it is about the cultural assumptions that surround the concept, and those who think it might be possible.

In that sense, it's a meta-narrative on nearly every time travel story which has come before it, and quite possibly, that will come after it. EW called it " a fable of 'redemption' "; redemption, and the acts of salvaging something, anything, for the benefit of the future, is a regular time travel theme, from all those time machines to all those time loops. Safety Not Guaranteed manages to explore these themes with a lot of irony and a splash of heart.

Where to rent or buy Safety Not Guaranteed

Related content:

• The Terminator movies, ranked
• Back to the Future cast: Where are they now?
• Let's talk about the plot of Interstellar

Related Articles

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Entertainment

Sydney Sweeney Responds to Producer Who Said She ‘Can’t Act’: ‘How Sad’ and ‘Shameful’

"To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms. Baum’s character,” a representative for the actress shared with PEOPLE

Jamie McCarthy/Getty

Sydney Sweeney responded to veteran Hollywood producer Carol Baum's comments about her appearance and filmography. 

Baum, whose credits include Father of the Bride and Buffy the Vampire Slayer , made critical comments about Sweeney during a discussion with The New York Times film critic Janet Maslin in Pleasantville, New York.

“How sad that a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman," a representative for Sweeney, 26, said in a statement to PEOPLE. "If that’s what she’s learned in her decades in the industry and feels is appropriate to teach to her students, that’s shameful. To unjustly disparage a fellow female producer speaks volumes about Ms. Baum’s character.”

Sweeney recently produced and starred in the box office hit Anyone But You and the horror film Immaculate .

George Pimentel/WireImage

Baum’s comments discussed the actress’ recent romantic comedy hit .

“There’s an actress who everybody loves now: Sydney Sweeney. I don’t get Sydney Sweeney. I was watching on the plane Sydney Sweeney’s movie [ Anyone but You ] because I wanted to watch it. I wanted to know who she is and why everybody’s talking about her. I watched this unwatchable movie — sorry to people who love this … romantic comedy where they hate each other,” said Baum, according to the Daily Mail .

Baum, who is also a University of Southern California adjunct professor, said she spoke about Sweeney with her class.

“I said to my class, ‘Explain this girl to me. She’s not pretty, she can’t act. Why is she so hot?’ Nobody had an answer,” said Baum. “But then the question was asked, ‘Well, if you could get your movie made because she was in it, would you do it?’... That’s a very hard question to answer because we all want to get the movie made and who walks away from a green light? Nobody I know. Your job is to get the movie made.”

Don Arnold/WireImage

Baum reportedly told TMZ that she regrets her original comments and explained that she doesn't typically speak negatively about an actor like that. 

A representative for Baum did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for more information on Wednesday.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Anyone But You will be available to stream on Netflix beginning April 23. Audiences can rent or buy Immaculate on Prime Video, AppleTV+ and VUDU.

Related Articles

Review: Long before Bond, ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ kicked off British covert ops

• Show more sharing options
• Copy Link URL Copied!

Guy Ritchie’s latest, the cumbersomely titled “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” is at once his “Inglourious Basterds” and his “Dunkirk.” With his adaptation of the 2016 nonfiction book “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops” by historian and war reporter Damien Lewis, Ritchie borrows Quentin Tarantino’s winking postmodern retro style to pay homage to real-life British war heroes with the same reverence that Christopher Nolan paid to the heroes of Dunkirk.

The prolific Ritchie started out with cheeky crime comedies ( “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” “Snatch” ) and has dabbled in historical bombast ( “King Arthur,” “Sherlock”), Disney remakes (“Aladdin”), contemporary thrillers ( “Wrath of Man,” “The Covenant”) and, to diminishing returns, more recent crime comedies (“The Gentlemen,” “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre” ). But he finds a nice groove with this entertaining World War II not-quite-comedy. There’s a glee in the Nazi killing and an exceptionally dry humor that is English through and through, but Ritchie strikes a tone that rides the line between self-serious and self-consciously humorous.

If Tarantino uses a stylistic pastiche of 1960s and ’70s exploitation films and spaghetti westerns in order to rewrite history to his own liking, Ritchie borrows Tarantino’s approach to perform a kind of pulpy myth-making and celebrate a group of undersung real-life war heroes (who may have inspired Ian Fleming’s James Bond). The score by Christian Benstead is all Ennio Morricone -style whistles and guitars.

Though it is not named as such in the film, which is heavily imagined and fictionalized with the addition of a few new characters, the script, which is by Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Arash Amel and Ritchie, essentially follows the 1942 special-operations mission known as “Operation Postmaster.” Concerned about the interference of German U-boats throttling England’s ability to receive supplies, Winston Churchill ( Rory Kinnear in the stiffest makeup job seen in some time) gives the go-ahead for Brigadier Gubbins’ “M” to hire the right man to target an Italian freighter loaded with U-boat supplies. Cripple the U-boats, open the channel.

The right man for the job is the incarcerated Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill), and he assembles his team of expert rapscallions, including Danish warrior Anders Lessen (Alan Ritchson), explosives expert Freddy Alvarez (Henry Golding) and Irish sailor Henry Hayes (Hero Fiennes Tiffin). On the way to the Spanish island of Fernando Po, off the coast of equatorial Africa, they’ll have to make a stop to pick up Geoffrey Appleyard (Alex Pettyfer), imprisoned as a POW in a Nazi outpost on La Palma, in the Canary Islands.

Their liaisons on the ground in Fernando Po are the British secret agents Heron (Babs Olusanmokun) and Marjorie Stewart (Eiza González) a half-Jewish actor and singer trained in the spycraft of seduction, whose target is a sadistic, high-powered Nazi named Luhr (Til Schweiger). They also have an ally in the Eton-educated “Prince of Fernando Po” Kambili Kalu (Danny Sapani) and his private militia.

While Ritchie structures the film around tense conversations and bursts of violence, “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” is a bit languidly paced in between and isn’t that suspenseful. In an opening sequence, we see our ad-hoc special forces team dispatch a group of German sailors with a bit of amateurish theater and a dose of their signature firepower. No one breaks a sweat, no one raises their voices, they never run out of ammo and even in extreme situations there’s time for droll Britishisms, smarmy jokes and homoerotic ribbing.

Ritchie positions these heroes as highly capable and utterly untouchable warriors, mowing down Nazis without ruffling their mustache hairs (hot tip: don’t Google these guys if you want to keep the good times rolling). It’s all a part of the fantasy he spins through style and reference. This isn’t an authentic representation of World War II, it’s an imagining of what this story would be like told in a ’70s exploitation flick. It’s the kind of movie that would star Rick Dalton, the character played by Leonardo DiCaprio in “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.” González isn’t miscast as English spy Marjorie Stewart because she’s playing the kind of actress who would play Stewart opposite Dalton.

Even if the heavy stylization leaves the film feeling a bit arch, there’s a real affection that comes through in Ritchie’s homage to these early special-forces soldiers, making them larger-than-life cinema heroes and letting the audience in on the fun. You’re only left wanting more time with this team. Who knows, maybe Ritchie will rewrite history to his liking if there’s another installment of ungentlemanly warfare.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare'

Rating: R, for strong violence throughout and some language Running time: 2 hours Playing: In wide release Friday, April 19

More to Read

Review: ‘Civil War’ shows an America long past unraveling, which makes it necessary

April 11, 2024

Review: ‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners,’ where Liam Neeson once again has his vengeance

March 30, 2024

Theo James and Kaya Scodelario discuss ‘The Gentlemen’ and keeping up with Guy Ritchie

March 7, 2024

Only good movies

Get the Indie Focus newsletter, Mark Olsen's weekly guide to the world of cinema.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

Sydney Sweeney’s team fires back at producer who said ‘she’s not pretty’ and ‘can’t act’

‘Civil War’: What you need to know about A24’s dystopian action movie

Review: In the well-researched ‘We Grown Now,’ a family hangs tough in Chicago’s projects

April 18, 2024

David Fincher talks us through the off-screen torture of making ‘Seven’

THE 10 BEST Moscow Movie Theatres

Movie theatres in moscow.

• Game & Entertainment Centres
• Room Escape Games
• Movie Theatres
• Paint & Pottery Studios
• Sports Complexes
• Playgrounds
• Bowling Alleys
• Shooting Ranges
• Comedy Clubs
• Scavenger Hunts
• Horse Tracks
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
• Garden Ring
• District North-Eastern (SVAO)
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Kids
• Good for Couples
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Big Groups
• Adventurous
• Hidden Gems
• Honeymoon spot
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Cinema Secret

2. Cinema Pioner

3. Illusion Cinema

4. GUM Movie Theater

5. Cinema Karo Sky 17

6. Center of Documentary Cinema

7. Cinema Star Erevan Plaza Movie Theater

8. Moscow Cinema

10. 35mm Cinema Hall

11. Cinema Kosmos

12. Panorama cinema

14. Kinosfera IMAX

15. Pyat Zvezd

16. Vremena Goda

17. Rolan Cinema

18. Garage Screen summer cinema

19. KinoNoch

21. Loft Cinema

22. Cinema Pobeda

23. Lyuksor

24. Cinema Formula Kino Europe

25. Baltika

26. Cinema Oktyabr

27. Pyat Zvezd

28. Anti Cinema Kino Khauz

29. Cinema Gorizont

30. Mirazh Cinema

What travellers are saying.

• Anti Cinema Moya Kvartira
• Fifth Dimension 5D Cinema-Attraction
• MovieCafe NewTone
• Antokinoteatr FelicitaTime
• Cinema Secret
• GUM Movie Theater
• Cinema Star Erevan Plaza Movie Theater
• Moscow Cinema
• Cinema Pioner
• Illusion Cinema
• Center of Documentary Cinema

NYU's Black List-Inspired Purple List Reveals 2024 Picks (Exclusive)

New York University has revealed its 2024 picks for its Black List-inspired Purple List of the best production-ready screenplays from Tisch School of the Arts graduate film students and recent alumni.

The four screenplays, selected via a blind reading process by industry insiders, are Blue Comedy by Vincent Lee Accettola, Little Phnom Penh by Chheangkea, Rubber Hut by Hanna Gary Organschi and Satoshi by Sara Crow and David Rafailedes.

Blue Comedy follows a celebrity comedian who recently came out of the closet who returns to the Boston stand-up scene to mentor a straight comedian for whom he's developed feelings. Little Phnom Penh explores a Cambodian woman's personal desires and changing family roles over two decades and between the U.S. and Cambodia after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime. Rubber Hut centers around a former ex-Pam Am stewardess who opens a drive-thru condom shop in her Italian Catholic town in 1992 Rhode Island, making her both a target of backlash and a hero. Satoshi is the "the potentially true story" of the founder of Bitcoin.

Prominent filmmakers whose work was included on past editions of the Purple List, now in its 13th year, include Chloé Zhao ( Nomadland, Eternals ), Judas and the Black Messiah ‘s Shaka King, Cathy Yan ( Succession, Dead Pigs, Birds of Prey ), Desiree Akhavan ( Appropriate Behavior, The Miseducation of Cameron Post ) and The Starling Girl 's Laurel Parmet.

Sixteen scripts from past editions of the list, founded by alumni Ashim Bhalla and Shandor Garrison and faculty member John Tintori, have gone into production.

This year's winners were selected by a panel of producers, agents, managers, screenwriters, directors, cinematographers and editors representing organizations like WME, UTA, Verve, Paradigm, Gersh, Searchlight, Anonymous Content, Sony Pictures Classics, Roadside Attractions, Cinetic Media and The Sundance Institute.

More information about each of this year's screenplays, provided by the Purple List team, follows.

BLUE COMEDY by Vincent Lee Accettola – DRAMATIC COMEDY 

A recently uncloseted celebrity comedian returns to the Boston stand-up scene to mentor an aspiring straight comic for whom he's hastily developed feelings.

LITTLE PHNOM PENH by Chheangkea – DRAMA 

Spanning two ever-changing decades and continents following the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, a Cambodian woman in Phnom Penh grapples with her own deep personal desires and her evolving familial roles as a hopeful daughter, a watchful wife, and eventually, a single mother in America.

RUBBER HUT by Hanna Gray Organschi – COMEDIC DRAMA 

Rhode Island, 1992. An entrepreneurial ex-Pan Am stewardess opens a drive-thru condom shop in her Italian Catholic town. Overnight, Emanuella DelVecchio becomes the local lightning rod, a radical hero to the neighborhood teens and an unlikely threat to her tight-knit community.

SATOSHI by Sara Crow & David Rafailedes – COMEDY 

The potentially true story of a teenage anime-obsessed hacktivist who, after losing her scholarship to Stanford, returns home to Arizona to become the mysterious inventor of a new digital currency called Bitcoin.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

• NYU's Black List-Inspired Purple List Reveals 2023 Picks (Exclusive)
• Taylor Swift to Receive Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree at NYU

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

From Anna Karenina to evil mutants: 10 Hollywood movies filmed in Russia

"Onegin" by Martha Fiennes, starring Ralph Fiennes. Made in GB/USA, 1999.

To attract foreign filmmakers to the Russian capital and facilitate international film production, the Moscow city government has set up a special agency, the Cinema Commission. American and European movies, however, have been filmed in Moscow and in other Russian cities during the past few decades.

The streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg have witnessed Arnold Schwarzenegger as a dutiful Soviet policeman and Pierce Brosnan as a reckless tank driver. Bruce Willis and Tom Cruise have both saved the world while immersed in Russian settings.

One of the most recent major films shot in Russia is BBC’s adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace , which was broadcast in early 2016. Some parts of the TV series were filmed in Russia’s second city, St. Petersburg. Here is a list of 10 other famous western movies with scenes shot in Russia.

1. Red Heat, 1988

As one of the first Hollywood movies where the Soviets were not portrayed in a negative light, the action involves Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a Soviet police officer who is chasing Russian criminals heading to the U.S. This was the time of perestroika , which now seems a time of unbelievably warm East-West relations. Nevertheless, at that time filmmakers still could not get permission to shoot on Red Square, hence they pretended to be making a home video with Schwarzenegger in police uniform.

2. The Russian House, 1990

Producers of The Russian House, a spy movie that starred Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer, did not have problems shooting it in Moscow and Leningrad. The movie soon followed Red Heat , and it was the second and last major Hollywood film shot in the USSR. This was also Sean Connery’s second visit to the Soviet Union. Twenty years earlier he played in The Red Tent , the last movie by famous Soviet director, Mikhail Kalatozov.

3. Police Academy: Mission to Moscow, 1994

The last, and seventh, part of the American comedy police saga ends with this episode in Russia. It was filmed in autumn 1993 when an armed uprising broke out in Moscow, with troops loyal to President Boris Yeltsin shelling Parliament. These events forced the film’s shooting to be cut short. By the way, one can see the damaged Parliament building in the film.

4. Golden Eye, 1995

The first movie in the Bond series with Pierce Brosnan as 007 has a remarkable chase scene along the streets of St. Petersburg. Bond, driving a stolen T-55 tank, is after his main enemy who ends up in an armored train.

5. Anna Karenina, 1997

This American drama based on Leo Tolstoy’s famous novel starred Sophie Marceau and was shot in Russia. The movie was partly produced by Mel Gibson’s company and mainly filmed in St. Petersburg. Some scenes were also done at locations in Moscow; for example, one scene was shot at the Novodevichy monastery, the beautiful medieval Moscow architectural ensemble.

Read more: Six Incarnations of Anna Karenina

6. Onegin, 1999

This adaptation of the classic Russian novel written by Alexander Pushkin was filmed in St. Petersburg. The movie got mixed reviews although many might recall eye-catching performances by Ralph Fiennes as Onegin and Liv Tyler as Tatyana, especially the ice skating scene with both characters on the Neva River.

7. The Bourne Supremacy, 2004

The end of the second part of the Bourne series was filmed in Moscow, as well as its famous car chase. Matt Damon completely destroyed a Russian taxi, in which he tried to escape from his adversaries, and in the process of which he damaged many other cars and wreaked havoc across the city center. Two stuntmen received the Taurus World Stunt Award in 2005 for this scene.

8. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, 2011

Although much of the movie’s actions take place in the Russian capital, most Moscow scenes were in fact filmed in Prague. For example, the scene where terrorists blow up the Kremlin while Tom Cruise desperately runs away from Red Square was not shot in the Russian capital. To give a sense of authenticity, the filmmakers made several wide shots of Moscow’s city center.

9. Resident Evil: Retribution, 2012

The idea to film this part of the futuristic horror saga in Russia was proposed by actress Milla Jovovich, and it was eventually shot in Russia’s Far East, on Kamchatka, and in Moscow. According to media, filming in Red Square lasted several hours and was closed to the public. In the movie, Jovovich battles viscious mutants near the Kremlin, and then enters the subway by sliding down the escalator.

10. A Good Day to Die Hard, 2013

Just as with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, most scenes in this film were made in Budapest, even though the movie is set in Russia. According to Bruce Willis, however, the scenes of famous Moscow skyscrapers were shot in the Russian capital, and in one of them a helicopter ruthlessly shells the Moscow State University building with machine guns and missiles.

Read more: 11 epic fails in Hollywood movies that are related to Russia

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.

• Copy from this list
• Report this list

50 best comedy movies of all time

• Movies or TV
• IMDb Rating
• In Theaters
• Release Year

1. The Hangover (2009)

R | 100 min | Comedy

Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas, with no memory of the previous night and the bachelor missing. They make their way around the city in order to find their friend before his wedding.

Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Zach Galifianakis , Bradley Cooper , Justin Bartha , Ed Helms

Votes: 844,657 | Gross: $277.32M

2. The Dictator (2012)

R | 83 min | Comedy

The heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

Director: Larry Charles | Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen , Anna Faris , John C. Reilly , Ben Kingsley

Votes: 334,326 | Gross: $59.65M

3. Ted (2012)

R | 106 min | Comedy

John Bennett, a man whose childhood wish of bringing his teddy bear to life came true, now must decide between keeping the relationship with the bear, Ted or his girlfriend, Lori.

Director: Seth MacFarlane | Stars: Mark Wahlberg , Mila Kunis , Seth MacFarlane , Joel McHale

Votes: 656,152 | Gross: $218.82M

4. Horrible Bosses (2011)

R | 98 min | Comedy, Crime

Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.

Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Jason Bateman , Charlie Day , Jason Sudeikis , Steve Wiebe

Votes: 469,438 | Gross: $117.54M

5. Vacation (I) (2015)

R | 99 min | Adventure, Comedy

Rusty Griswold takes his own family on a road trip to "Walley World" in order to spice things up with his wife and reconnect with his sons.

Directors: John Francis Daley , Jonathan Goldstein | Stars: Ed Helms , Christina Applegate , Skyler Gisondo , Steele Stebbins

Votes: 121,528 | Gross: $58.88M

6. The Brothers Grimsby (2016)

R | 83 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

A new assignment forces a top spy to team up with his football hooligan brother.

Director: Louis Leterrier | Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen , Mark Strong , Rebel Wilson , Freddie Crowder

Votes: 111,190 | Gross: $6.86M

7. The Hangover Part II (2011)

R | 102 min | Comedy

Two years after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu's wedding. Stu's plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry.

Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Bradley Cooper , Zach Galifianakis , Ed Helms , Justin Bartha

Votes: 533,960 | Gross: $254.46M

8. We're the Millers (2013)

R | 110 min | Comedy, Crime

A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.

Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber | Stars: Jason Sudeikis , Jennifer Aniston , Emma Roberts , Ed Helms

Votes: 485,595 | Gross: $150.39M

9. Ted 2 (2015)

R | 115 min | Comedy

Newlywed couple Ted and Tami-Lynn want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.

Director: Seth MacFarlane | Stars: Mark Wahlberg , Seth MacFarlane , Amanda Seyfried , Jessica Barth

Votes: 233,381 | Gross: $81.48M

10. 21 Jump Street (2012)

R | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.

Directors: Phil Lord , Christopher Miller | Stars: Jonah Hill , Channing Tatum , Ice Cube , Brie Larson

Votes: 597,835 | Gross: $138.45M

11. Dumb and Dumber (1994)

PG-13 | 107 min | Comedy

After a woman leaves a briefcase at the airport terminal, a dumb limo driver and his dumber friend set out on a hilarious cross-country road trip to Aspen to return it.

Directors: Peter Farrelly , Bobby Farrelly | Stars: Jim Carrey , Jeff Daniels , Lauren Holly , Mike Starr

Votes: 411,509 | Gross: $127.18M

12. This Is the End (2013)

R | 107 min | Comedy, Fantasy

Six Los Angeles celebrities are stuck in James Franco's house after a series of devastating events just destroyed the city. Inside, the group not only have to face the apocalypse, but themselves.

Directors: Evan Goldberg , Seth Rogen | Stars: James Franco , Jonah Hill , Seth Rogen , Jay Baruchel

Votes: 434,588 | Gross: $101.47M

13. The Hangover Part III (2013)

R | 100 min | Comedy, Crime

When one of their own is kidnapped by an angry gangster, the Wolf Pack must track down Mr. Chow, who has escaped from prison and is on the run.

Votes: 335,041 | Gross: $112.20M

14. Dumb and Dumber To (2014)

PG-13 | 109 min | Comedy

20 years since their first adventure, Lloyd and Harry go on a road trip to find Harry's newly discovered daughter, who was given up for adoption.

Directors: Bobby Farrelly , Peter Farrelly | Stars: Jim Carrey , Jeff Daniels , Rob Riggle , Laurie Holden

Votes: 145,023 | Gross: $86.21M

15. The Change-Up (2011)

R | 112 min | Comedy, Fantasy

Dave is a married man with three kids and a loving wife, and Mitch is a single man who is at the prime of his sexual life. One fateful night while Mitch and Dave are peeing in a fountain, lightning strikes and they switch bodies.

Director: David Dobkin | Stars: Jason Bateman , Ryan Reynolds , Olivia Wilde , Leslie Mann

Votes: 195,417 | Gross: $37.24M

16. The Interview (II) (2014)

R | 112 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

Dave Skylark and his producer Aaron Rapaport run the celebrity tabloid show "Skylark Tonight". When they land an interview with a surprise fan, North Korean dictator Jong-Un Kim , they are recruited by the CIA to assassinate him.

Directors: Evan Goldberg , Seth Rogen | Stars: James Franco , Seth Rogen , Randall Park , Lizzy Caplan

Votes: 354,313 | Gross: $6.11M

17. Ocean's Eight (2018)

PG-13 | 110 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

Debbie Ocean gathers an all-female crew to attempt an impossible heist at New York City's annual Met Gala.

Director: Gary Ross | Stars: Sandra Bullock , Cate Blanchett , Anne Hathaway , Mindy Kaling

Votes: 241,645 | Gross: $140.22M

18. Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)

R | 108 min | Comedy, Crime

Dale, Kurt and Nick decide to start their own business but things don't go as planned because of a slick investor, prompting the trio to pull off a harebrained and misguided kidnapping scheme.

Director: Sean Anders | Stars: Jason Bateman , Jason Sudeikis , Charlie Day , Jennifer Aniston

Votes: 184,684 | Gross: $54.45M

19. Why Him? (2016)

R | 111 min | Comedy

A holiday gathering threatens to go off the rails when Ned Fleming realizes that his daughter's Silicon Valley millionaire boyfriend is about to pop the question.

Director: John Hamburg | Stars: Zoey Deutch , James Franco , Tangie Ambrose , Cedric The Entertainer

Votes: 123,572 | Gross: $60.32M

20. Tag (I) (2018)

R | 100 min | Action, Comedy

A small group of former classmates organize an elaborate, annual game of tag that requires some to travel all over the country.

Director: Jeff Tomsic | Stars: Jeremy Renner , Ed Helms , Jake Johnson , Jon Hamm

Votes: 146,609 | Gross: $54.55M

21. Good Boys (2019)

R | 90 min | Adventure, Comedy

Three 6th-grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party.

Director: Gene Stupnitsky | Stars: Jacob Tremblay , Keith L. Williams , Brady Noon , Molly Gordon

Votes: 81,701 | Gross: $83.14M

22. Game Night (I) (2018)

R | 100 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy

A group of friends who meet regularly for game nights find themselves entangled in a real-life mystery when the shady brother of one of them is seemingly kidnapped by dangerous gangsters.

Directors: John Francis Daley , Jonathan Goldstein | Stars: Jason Bateman , Rachel McAdams , Kyle Chandler , Sharon Horgan

Votes: 255,384 | Gross: $69.18M

23. The Nice Guys (2016)

R | 116 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

In 1970s Los Angeles, a mismatched pair of private eyes investigate a missing girl and the mysterious death of a porn star.

Director: Shane Black | Stars: Russell Crowe , Ryan Gosling , Angourie Rice , Matt Bomer

Votes: 372,543 | Gross: $36.26M

24. The Other Guys (2010)

PG-13 | 107 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

Two mismatched New York City detectives seize an opportunity to step up like the city's top cops, whom they idolize, only things don't quite go as planned.

Director: Adam McKay | Stars: Will Ferrell , Mark Wahlberg , Derek Jeter , Eva Mendes

Votes: 288,064 | Gross: $119.22M

25. A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)

R | 116 min | Comedy, Western

As a cowardly farmer begins to fall for the mysterious new woman in town, he must put his newly found courage to the test when her husband, a notorious gun-slinger, announces his arrival.

Director: Seth MacFarlane | Stars: Seth MacFarlane , Charlize Theron , Liam Neeson , Amanda Seyfried

Votes: 198,385 | Gross: $43.14M

26. Blended (2014)

PG-13 | 117 min | Comedy, Romance

After a bad blind date, a man and woman find themselves stuck together at a resort for families, where their attraction grows as their respective kids benefit from the burgeoning relationship.

Director: Frank Coraci | Stars: Adam Sandler , Drew Barrymore , Wendi McLendon-Covey , Kevin Nealon

Votes: 143,900 | Gross: $46.29M

27. Let's Be Cops (2014)

R | 104 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

Two struggling pals dress as police officers for a costume party and become neighborhood sensations. But when these newly-minted "heroes" get tangled in a real life web of mobsters and dirty detectives, they must put their fake badges on the line.

Director: Luke Greenfield | Stars: Jake Johnson , Damon Wayans Jr. , Rob Riggle , Nina Dobrev

Votes: 139,863 | Gross: $82.39M

28. Grown Ups (I) (2010)

PG-13 | 102 min | Comedy

After their high school basketball coach passes away, five good friends and former teammates reunite for a Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Director: Dennis Dugan | Stars: Adam Sandler , Salma Hayek , Kevin James , Chris Rock

Votes: 275,911 | Gross: $162.00M

29. Blockers (2018)

R | 102 min | Comedy, Drama

Three parents try to stop their daughters from losing their virginity on prom night.

Director: Kay Cannon | Stars: Leslie Mann , John Cena , Ike Barinholtz , Kathryn Newton

Votes: 85,827 | Gross: $60.31M

30. Fist Fight (2017)

R | 91 min | Comedy

When one school teacher unwittingly causes another teacher's dismissal, he is challenged to an after-school fight.

Director: Richie Keen | Stars: Ice Cube , Charlie Day , Tracy Morgan , Christina Hendricks

Votes: 45,598 | Gross: $32.19M

31. Pineapple Express (2008)

R | 111 min | Action, Comedy, Crime

A process server and his marijuana dealer wind up on the run from hitmen and a corrupt police officer after he witnesses his dealer's boss murder a competitor while trying to serve papers on him.

Director: David Gordon Green | Stars: Seth Rogen , James Franco , Gary Cole , Danny McBride

Votes: 357,149 | Gross: $87.34M

32. Grown Ups 2 (2013)

PG-13 | 101 min | Comedy

After moving his family back to his hometown to be with his friends and their kids, Lenny finds out that between old bullies, new bullies, schizo bus drivers, drunk cops on skis, and four hundred costumed party crashers sometimes crazy follows you.

Director: Dennis Dugan | Stars: Adam Sandler , Kevin James , Chris Rock , David Spade

Votes: 169,197 | Gross: $133.67M

33. The Hustle (I) (2019)

PG-13 | 93 min | Comedy, Crime

Two con women - one low rent and the other high class - team up to take down the men who have wronged them.

Director: Chris Addison | Stars: Anne Hathaway , Rebel Wilson , Alex Sharp , Tim Blake Nelson

Votes: 65,517 | Gross: $35.42M

34. Baywatch (2017)

Devoted lifeguard Mitch Buchannon butts heads with a brash new recruit, as they uncover a criminal plot that threatens the future of the bay.

Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Dwayne Johnson , Zac Efron , Alexandra Daddario , Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Votes: 201,919 | Gross: $58.06M

35. Borat (2006)

R | 84 min | Comedy

Kazakh TV talking head Borat is dispatched to the United States to report on the greatest country in the world.

Director: Larry Charles | Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen , Ken Davitian , Luenell , Chester

Votes: 441,458 | Gross: $128.51M

36. Masterminds (2015)

PG-13 | 95 min | Biography, Comedy, Crime

A guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history. Based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery.

Director: Jared Hess | Stars: Zach Galifianakis , Owen Wilson , Kristen Wiig , Ross Kimball

Votes: 59,319 | Gross: $17.37M

37. Night School (2018)

PG-13 | 111 min | Comedy

A group of high school dropouts is forced to attend night school in hopes that they will pass the GED exam to finish high school.

Director: Malcolm D. Lee | Stars: Kevin Hart , Tiffany Haddish , Rob Riggle , Romany Malco

Votes: 44,321 | Gross: $77.34M

List Activity

Tell your friends, other lists by parsaparsarazavi.

Recently Viewed

site categories

Apple nabs taffy brodesser-akner’s ‘fleishman is in trouble’ followup ‘long island compromise’ for series development, new ‘scary movie’ in the works under jonathan glickman’s miramax & neal h. moritz – cinemacon.

By Anthony D'Alessandro

Anthony D'Alessandro

Editorial Director/Box Office Editor

More Stories By Anthony

• Blumhouse & Platinum Dune’s Fast-Paced Thriller ‘Drop’ Sets Violett Beane & Jacob Robinson
• Paramount’s ‘Aang Avatar’ Animated Pic With Dave Bautista Pushed To Early 2026
• ‘Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Still On Track For $54M+ U.S. Opening – Box Office Update

The Miramax label at Paramount under new boss Jonathan Glickman is getting back into the Scary Movie business with a new movie that will go into production this year for theatrical release in 2025.

This news was made official before Paramount’s CinemaCon presentation this AM.

Dimension Films, a former genre label of Miramax, originally released the Scary Movie comedies during the early aughts grossing north of $896M through five movies.

Must Read Stories

Q1 revenue & earnings beat street; streamer to stop reporting subs numbers.

WB Lands ‘Keeper Of The Lost Cities’ Rights; Emma Watts Producing Potential Tentpole

‘kingdom of the planet of the apes’ stalking $54m u.s. bow next month, scraps brad pitt starrer ‘the movie critic’ as his final pic.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.