Good comedy flicks

[praxis1966]

So here's the thing, lately, the films Netflix has been recommending to me have me figuring I'm some kinda violent, melancholic lunatic judging by my taste preferences... In an effort to remedy that, I need some recs for decent comedies from the community here.

The criteria are as follows:

1) While I'd prefer some kind of leftist overtone, it's not an absolute necessity.

2) I have a certain predilection for gallows humor, so dark comedies are preferable but not a must.

3) I love a dry wit.

4) All that being said, there are only three absolutes: Absolutely no slapstick, Ben Stiller, or Jim Carey films will be considered (even though I have to begrudgingly admit Eternal Sunshine and Greenberg were kinda OK).

[Rooster]

Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Whisky Galore

The Day the Clown Cried

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

a good newish film that meets your criteria is four lions by chris morris.

[Rooster]

Hmm... I'm just gonna list films that had comedy elements but might not be strictly comedies:

Brazil, Naked Lunch, Being John Malkovich and uh.... shit what was it... The Acid House? I think the first three are pretty good films. Acid House is a collection of short films by uh.... the same guy who wrote Trainspotting. I'll try to add to this but my brain just decided to close down for the night. Oh, Stroszek is called a dark comedy. It's probably the bleakest comedy I've ever seen though.

[praxis1966]

Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Seen it. One of my all time favorites, in fact.


Whisky Galore

Queued.


The Day the Clown Cried

I've heard of this one, but I have no idea how to get hold of it.


a good newish film that meets your criteria is four lions by chris morris.

I'd been considering that one, actually. Definitely gonna get it now. While we're at it, have you seen The Infidel (Appignanesi, 2010)? Seems to me that's in the same vein, but I've seen neither. Anyhow, Four Lions queued as well.

[Rooster]

[QUOTE=praxis1966;2085857
I've heard of this one, but I have no idea how to get hold of it.[/QUOTE]

Wait... shit. I have no idea why I wrote that. That film was never released. You can only view it if you're in with the big holiday crowd.

[praxis1966]

You can only view it if you're in with the big holiday crowd.

In the words of Bob Dylan, it ain't me, babe, lulz...

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

I'd been considering that one, actually. Definitely gonna get it now. While we're at it, have you seen The Infidel (Appignanesi, 2010)? Seems to me that's in the same vein, but I've seen neither. Anyhow, Four Lions queued as well.

I haven't, I was talked against it by a friend. The thing with Four Lions is that it challenges all areas of the terrorist debate and really flips off all sides concerned (the media, the police, politicians, Islam and terrorists themselves). If you've seen Brass Eye or other things by Chris Morris then you'll probably know what to expect. Its really dark and cynical but very honest too. From what I've been told about The Infidel, I wouldn't imagine that its on that kind of level of intellect, but it might be worth checking out nonetheless.

[Ballyfornia]

Napoleon dynamite!!

[praxis1966]

I haven't, I was talked against it by a friend. The thing with Four Lions is that it challenges all areas of the terrorist debate and really flips off all sides concerned (the media, the police, politicians, Islam and terrorists themselves). If you've seen Brass Eye or other things by Chris Morris then you'll probably know what to expect. Its really dark and cynical but very honest too. From what I've been told about The Infidel, I wouldn't imagine that its on that kind of level of intellect, but it might be worth checking out nonetheless.

Right on. I've seen a few episodes of The IT Crowd but that's about it. I'm actually really looking forward to it now based on your description.

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

Right on. I've seen a few episodes of The IT Crowd but that's about it. I'm actually really looking forward to it now based on your description.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I'd say its very different to the IT Crowd - much less accessible in comparison, but far more culturally relevant. I also forgot to mention that it was hilarious. Let me know what you think.

[x359594]

...The Day the Clown Cried

Outside of Jerry Lewis's private screening room, where in the world did you see this?

[Manic Impressive]

Children of The Revolution
http://www.megavideo.com/?d=5XLTZNHG

[x359594]

To Be or Not To Be, Trouble in Paradise, Ninotchka all by Ernst Lubitsch.

Twentieth Century, Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday and Monkey Business (not the Marx Brothers picture) all by Howard Hawks.

Duck Soup, Ruggeles of Red Gap and The Awful Truth all by Leo MCarey.

Modern Times, The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux and A King in New York all by Charles Chaplin.

It's a Gift, The Man on the Flying Trapeze, and The Bank Dick all with W.C. Fields.

The Saddest Music in the World, Sissy Boy Slap Party, The Heart of the World, Cowards Bend the Knee and Twilight of the Ice Nymphs by Guy Maddin.

(Since slapstick is excluded I left out Keaton, the rest of Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd and many other greats.)

[praxis1966]

For the record, I'm queuing all these... Distributing them around the list so I can watch at least one a week.


(Since slapstick is excluded I left out Keaton, the rest of Chaplin, Laurel and Hardy, Harold Lloyd and many other greats.)

Yeah, I know it sounds shitty but I just don't get the appeal. Just ain't my bag. As an aside, I was actually thinking of you when I wrote the OP. I was remembering your point in the 'Controversial Film' thread about a poor definition of what was meant by 'controversial.' I figured it was better to be as specific as possible.

[Jimmie Higgins]

Comedy has got to be the worst Hollywood genre - when I look at the movies they offer on netflix under comedy I want to cry. Because of that I usually watch action movies and bad horror for laughs.

Have you seen "Zardoz"? If not, get drunk and watch it. It's with Sean Connery and his sweatery body-hair and it's not supposed to be funny. "Toll 2" is a more infamous so-bad-it's-funny movie.

"Polyester" and "Female Trouble" are some of my favorite John Waters movies.

I loved the shows "Spaced" and "Look Around You" but I don't think you can stream them from Netflix.

Sometimes older movies can be entertaining even if their humor tends to be more slapstick and dated: I like the sharp dialogue of early screwball comedies and preston sturgess movies. If you haven't seen "Sullivan's Travels" I highly recommend it - but don't expect to ROFL.

[Tim Finnegan]

Perrier's Bounty is a pretty good comedy/crime thriller with some nice dark humour.


I loved the shows "Spaced" and "Look Around You" but I don't think you can stream them from Netflix.
You can get Spaced on the Channel 4 Youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/show/spaced), though, although I'm not sure if it works outside the UK. Check out Brass Eye (http://www.youtube.com/show/brasseye) while you're there, too. Pitch-perfect media satire.

[Jimmie Higgins]

Modern Times, The Great Dictator, Monsieur Verdoux and A King in New York all by Charles Chaplin.But not City Lights? Too sentimental or too played out?:lol:


Check out Brass Eye (http://www.youtube.com/show/brasseye) while you're there, too. Pitch-perfect media satire.Will do, thanks.

[Rooster]

More: Withnail & I, About Schmidt, The King of Comedy and, this one is pretty good, Buffalo 66. Actually, Buffalo 66 is very good.


Outside of Jerry Lewis's private screening room, where in the world did you see this?

I actually have no idea why I wrote that. I must have been reading about it before hand.

[Rooster]

Oh and pretty much anything by Jim Jarmusch, particularly Dead Man and Coffee & Cigarettes.

[Jimmie Higgins]

I was trying to remember the last thing I saw in a theater and really laughed at. The only movies I can remember where I laughed my ass off were the Grudge 2 and the last 10 minutes of "There Will Be Blood".

Also I recommend "the Host" and "Mother" which are funny and dry. The Host is a family drama wearing a monster-movie suit.

[Jimmie Higgins]

Oh and pretty much anything by Jim Jarmusch, particularly Dead Man and Coffee & Cigarettes.

Oh and people should see the show "Fishing with John" - specifically the Willam DeFoe (sp?) episode.

[Rooster]

Oh oh oh and you can try Sweet and Lowdown by Woody Allen. It's like a movie based on the famous guitar player Django Reinhardt. If I remember, it's pretty funny and grim at the same time.

[praxis1966]

Perrier's Bounty is a pretty good comedy/crime thriller with some nice dark humour.

Queued.


You can get Spaced on the Channel 4 Youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/show/spaced), though, although I'm not sure if it works outside the UK. Check out Brass Eye (http://www.youtube.com/show/brasseye) while you're there, too. Pitch-perfect media satire.

Bogarted Brass Eye already. Will be sure to watch it soon. I'll check out Spaced as well.


More: Withnail & I, About Schmidt, The King of Comedy and, this one is pretty good, Buffalo 66. Actually, Buffalo 66 is very good.

Seen all those except About Schmidt which I queued. Buffalo 66 I actually rather liked despite the fact that Vincent Gallo is a huge d-bag.


Oh and pretty much anything by Jim Jarmusch, particularly Dead Man and Coffee & Cigarettes.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've seen just about everything Jarmusch has done including those two. As I write this, I've become keenly aware that this is an exercise along the lines of "What Christmas gift do you get for the guy who has everything?"


Comedy has got to be the worst Hollywood genre - when I look at the movies they offer on netflix under comedy I want to cry.

Word. The only thing that Netflix seems to see fit to recommend me from the genre is stand-up, probably because I've given so many one star reviews to 'narrative' comedies. Hence, the cry for help, lulz...

EDIT: I'll go ahead and take it as a compliment that of the six people who've responded, three are from Britain. I've always felt like my sense of humor was more in line with folks on the other side of the pond and this to me just proves it.

[Rooster]

I just got reminded of a TV show from the UK from years ago called Monkey Dust. It'll probably be hard to track down every episode though as I think series 3 was pulled and never released on DVD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcnWjQSlzgc