SOXTALK'S TOP 50 FUNNIEST MOVIES

[Texsox]

The first Clerks was SOOOO much better than the first. Its not even close.

 

I can't believe I've never seen it. Based on your recomendation, it's on its way from netflix

[southsider2k5]

I can't believe I've never seen it. Based on your recomendation, it's on its way from netflix

 

Its the first movie out of ones like Dogma, Chasing Amy, Jay and Silent Bob, Mallrats etc. It opened the door for all of those movies.

[FlaSoxxJim]

For the record, since I'll be exposed anyway, Dr. Strangelove was #1 on my list.

 

Strangelove was good enough for 3rd on my list

 

Is Dr Strangelove seriously the "funniest" movie you've ever seen or is it just the best movie you've ever seen that's categorized as a comedy?

 

I'm also guilty of tweaking the question, as my list is what I consider to be my 20 favorite comedies and not necessarily the 20 most laugh-out-loud movies.

 

The first Clerks was SOOOO much better than the first. Its not even close.

 

That's very true, but I thought there was some great dialog in Clerks 2 as well. There were also a lot of twisted true-life biographical inclusions by Kevin Smith, most notably the story about Jason Mewes arrest while driving with a deployed airbag.

[jackie hayes]

I never seen Clerks but I seen Clerks 2(go figure) and thought it was one of the worst movies I ever seen so I cant watch the first now.

No, you should see it. I love Clerks, but coming out of 2, the first thing I said was, I don't think it would be possible to make this movie worse.

 

Clerks is just a completely different movie. See it, see it, see it.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Clerks was in my top 10 for sure...top 5 if I recall correctly (probably not).

 

I saw Mallrats first and liked it. Then I had to see Clerks and absolutely luved it. All of his other movies have been pretty crappy...

[southsidehawkeye]

No, you should see it. I love Clerks, but coming out of 2, the first thing I said was, I don't think it would be possible to make this movie worse.

 

Clerks is just a completely different movie. See it, see it, see it.

 

 

 

I second that, Clerks is a great, great movie. The second just doesn't do the first and justice at all. See the first, you wont be sorry.

[shipps]

I will definetly check out Clerks 1 just because you guys seem pretty convinced about it.I just dont think I will like it cause I find it hard to get past the acting,they sound as if they were reading there lines off of a paper from what I remember.

[knightni]

Mrs. Robinson, if you don't mind my saying so, this conversation is getting a little strange.

 

25. (tie) The Graduate (1967)

 

 

(4 of 23 lists - 53 points - highest ranking #7 BigEdWalsh)

 

The Graduate is a 1967 comedy/drama/romance directed by Mike Nichols, based on the novel of the same name by Charles Webb, who wrote the piece shortly after graduating from Williams College. The screenplay is by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry. The film tells the story of Ben Braddock (played by Dustin Hoffman), a recent college graduate with no well-defined aim in life, who is seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) and then falls in love with her daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross).

 

The film explores the life of 21-year-old Ben Braddock shortly after earning his bachelor's degree from an unnamed college in the Northeast. The school is widely believed to be Williams College, Webb's Alma Mater (in the opening sequence of the movie, Dustin Hoffman, playing Benjamin Braddock, is wearing a Williams College tie).

 

The movie begins at a party celebrating his graduation at his parents' house in Pasadena, a suburb of Los Angeles. Benjamin is visibly uncomfortable at the party attended by his parents' friends. He remains aloof while his parents deliver accolades and neighborhood friends ask him about his future plans. Benjamin escapes from each person who comes to congratulate him, exposing his seeming embarrassment at all the honors he had won at college. Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father's business partner, asks Benjamin to drive her home, which he reluctantly does. We never learn Mrs. Robinson's first name (or, indeed, the first names of any of Benjamin's and Elaine's parents) during the course of the film (in the novel, we are told that the initial of Mrs. Robinson's first name is G).

 

Arriving at her home, she pleads for him to come inside, saying that she doesn't like to enter a dark house. Once inside, she forces a drink on him, and later exposes herself to him offering to have an affair with him. This scene, known as the "Mrs. Robinson, you are trying to seduce me" scene, as said by Benjamin, is said to be one of the most iconic scenes in the film. Initially flustered, he is immediately shocked by her advances and flees. A few days later he calls her and their affair begins.

 

Benjamin is clearly uncomfortable with sexuality, but he is drawn into the affair with the older, but still attractive, Mrs. Robinson. Their affair appears to last most of the summer. All of their scenes pass in a musically-backed montage, showing the endless pass of time. One scene is edited so that it appears Benjamin is walking directly from his parents' dining room into the hotel room he shares with Mrs. Robinson. This seems to accent the separation of him and his parents, though they still live under the same roof.

 

Meanwhile Benjamin is hounded by his father to select a graduate school to attend. Benjamin, clearly not interested in pursuing his studies, shrugs off his father's wishes and spends his time lounging and sleeping with Mrs. Robinson. His affair may serve as an escape from his lack of direction or ambition, and his fear and anxiety of his impending future. Mr. Robinson, unaware of his wife's budding affair, encourages Benjamin to call on his daughter, Elaine. Benjamin's parents also repeatedly encourage him to date her. During one liaison, Mrs. Robinson forces a promise from Ben to never date Elaine. Whether out of fear of Mrs. Robinson, or sensing that getting involved with the daughter of his lover could be disastrous, he tries to avoid it. However, because of the three parents' persistent intervention, he is essentially forced to date her. Therefore, he tries to ensure his date with her will be a disaster so she would not want to pursue a relationship with him. He drives recklessly, practically ignoring Elaine, and then takes her to a strip club where she is openly humiliated and silently begins to cry.

 

After she storms out of the establishment, he is overcome with guilt and pursues her, apologizes, and then kisses her. What follows is a relationship with the younger Robinson, exactly what Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson were trying to avoid.

 

From here, Benjamin's life falls apart. His affair is discovered and, although he follows Elaine to the University of California, Berkeley, where she is a student, he is barred from seeing Elaine any further. She proceeds to become engaged to another man; one her parents find acceptable. However, Benjamin, believing (with some justification) that she loves him, refuses to give up hope, despite warnings and threats of arrest from Mr. Robinson.

 

In the famous conclusion of the film, Benjamin undertakes a desperate drive across a distance of many miles to somehow head off Elaine's wedding. He is forced to stop for directions, his car runs out of gas, and he is ultimately forced to run the final few blocks. He arrives just as the bride and groom are about to kiss, and stands looking down at the couple from an upper window. He fears for a moment that he is too late, but begins pounding on the glass anyway screaming "Elaine! Elaine!". This does not garner much response at first, but when Elaine gives the return cry "Ben!", mayhem ensues.

 

After a violent struggle with Elaine's parents and wedding guests (Ben armed only with a large cross), Ben and Elaine escape on a public bus. The escaping couple sits smiling at the back of the bus, the other passengers stare at them in mute disbelief. The movie closes with a shot toward the back window of the bus focused on Ben and Elaine's smiles. As the soundtrack fades into Simon and Garfunkel, Ben's smile fades to an enigmatic, neutral, somewhat uncomfortable expression as he gazes forward into the bus. As Elaine looks at Ben's expression, she takes on a similar gaze.

 

. . .

 

The original screenplay had the movie opening with Benjamin delivering a valedictory speech at his college commencement. The ceremony is outdoors and Benjamin is using notes on sheets of paper to aid his speech. Having rhetorically asked what the point of college was he begins to explain the reasons are obvious. At that point a gust of wind blows his note sheets off the podium leaving Benjamin unable to explain what it was all about. He is left stammering at the podium "it's because, it's because..." only to awaken from his dream to find the jetliner he is riding in is about to land. This foreshadowing was not included in the movie and the opening scenes show Benjamin on the airplane as it lands, then standing on the moving walkway in the airport terminal looking lost and forlorn. However, the idea was used for the opening of the film Reality Bites (1994).

 

Warren Beatty was originally offered the title role of Benjamin Braddock, but he turned it down, due to the filming of Bonnie and Clyde. Robert Redford tested for the part, but he and director Mike Nichols decided they needed someone who appeared more uncomfortable with his sexuality. Burt Ward was also offered the role of Benjamin, only to decline because he chose to renew his contract with the Batman television series, subsequently becoming typecast as Robin the Boy Wonder; he has openly regretted turning down the part. Charles Grodin also tested for the role.

 

Natalie Wood tested but was turned down for the role of Elaine. Sally Field was strongly considered for the part, but the role was given to Katharine Ross instead. Ross' screen test with Grodin is a special feature on the Laserdisc release, although Grodin's lines were overdubbed at his request.

 

When work on the adaptation of the book began back in late 1962, Marilyn Monroe was slated to play Mrs. Robinson. Patricia Neal was the first choice of the producers, but she turned the role down because she had not yet fully recovered from a stroke. Actress and singer Doris Day was also approached to play Mrs. Robinson, but passed on the offer.

 

 

 

[knightni]

She's the village bicycle! Everybody's had a ride.

 

25. (tie) Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

 

 

(6 of 23 lists - 53 points - highest ranking #4 ChiSox_Sonix)

 

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, released in 1997, is the first film of the Austin Powers series. The film was directed by Jay Roach and written by Mike Myers who also stars in the title role. Myers also plays Dr. Evil, Austin Powers' arch-enemy. The movie co-stars Elizabeth Hurley as Vanessa Kensington, Robert Wagner as Number Two, Seth Green as Scott Evil, and Michael York as Basil Exposition. There are cameos by Will Ferrell, Carrie Fisher, Tom Arnold, Rob Lowe, Christian Slater, Neil Mullarkey, and Burt Bacharach, and an uncredited cameo by MADtv star Michael McDonald, among many others.

 

The year is 1967. Dentally challenged British gentleman spy Austin Powers and his nemesis Dr. Evil have faced each other many times during the decade. As Dr. Evil's henchmen have failed to dispose of Austin, he makes his own assassination attempt at a nightclub in London, England. Austin foils the attempt and Dr. Evil escapes in a space rocket disguised as a Bob's Big Boy statue, where he places himself in a cryogenic freezing chamber to return sometime in the future. In return, Austin volunteers to have himself placed in cryostasis in case his services are needed in the future.

 

Dr. Evil returns thirty years later in 1997 with new evil plans for world domination and reunites with his associates, Number Two and Frau Farbissina. During Dr. Evil’s absence, Number Two has developed "Virtucon", the legitimate face of Dr. Evil's empire, into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, but Dr. Evil prefers to either (a) blackmail the British Royal Family, the wealthiest landowners in the world, by fabricating an extramarital affair involving Prince Charles which would lead to divorce or (B) use several industrial lasers to punch holes in the ozone layer and cause an increase in risks of skin cancer. Yet they are both rejected by Number Two as already having occurred. Frustrated, he decides to "do what [they] always do: hijack some nuclear weapons and hold the world hostage." It is only after Dr. Evil suggests a ransom of $1 million that he learns of Virtucon's revenues, and raises the demand to $100 billion.

 

Having learned of the return of Dr. Evil, the British Ministry of Defence unfreezes Powers. To help him adjust to the 1990s, he is teamed with Vanessa Kensington, the daughter of his 1960s sidekick Mrs. Kensington. After being reunited with his previous belongings, which include a "Swedish-made penis-enlarger pump," Austin and Vanessa jet to Las Vegas in search of Dr. Evil. However, Austin's free love credo from the 1960s does not go down well with Vanessa, who continues to resist his advances.

 

Meanwhile, Dr. Evil learns that during his absence his associates have artificially created his son, Scott, using his frozen semen. Now a Generation Y teenager, Scott resents his father's absence, and they attend a "fathers and sons" group therapy session.

 

Posing as a married couple, Austin and Vanessa check into a hotel and are put on the trail of Number Two. They use the alias' of Richie and Oprah Cunningham. During their time in Las Vegas, Vanessa gradually warms to Austin's charms, but he refuses to take advantage of her while she is intoxicated. Over a game of blackjack, Austin meets Number Two's buxom "Italian confidential private secretary," Alotta f**ina. Under instructions from the British Secret Service, Austin breaks into Alotta's penthouse apartment in search of plans for Dr. Evil's "Project Vulcan". After learning that Project Vulcan involves driving a nuclear warhead into the Earth’s molten core to trigger massive volcanic eruptions, Austin is discovered by Alotta and he watches her strip naked through the door to her bedroom. She walks out wearing nothing but a very small bathrobe, which she takes off and walks into a hot tub. Austin follows her in there, where she learns his true identity and seduces him into having sex with her. Meanwhile, Dr. Evil learns that Austin Powers is after him, but his entourage have identified Austin's libido as his weakness and created a group of fembots: beautiful, blonde female androids equipped with automatic guns concealed in their breasts. Dr. Evil tests his new weapons on his own guards and they perform flawlessly, getting the guards to lower their guns with their looks and then killing them with their breast guns.

 

The British Secret Service discover that Virtucon conducts tourist tours of its headquarters, and this is considered an ideal opportunity for Austin and Vanessa to infiltrate. After bamboozling a security guard to gain entrance to the restricted area, Austin and Vanessa are apprehended by Dr. Evil's henchman, Random Task.

 

Dr. Evil presents his ultimatum to the United Nations (here represented by diplomats seated around a table with stereotypical international figures such as matadors and sumo wrestlers surrounding them) and they concede to his demands. However, he is so evil that he decides to keep the ransom but still destroy the world. Austin and Vanessa are then placed in "an easily escapable situation involving an overly elaborate and exotic death" from which they escape, and Vanessa is sent for help.

 

While Project Vulcan is put into operation, Austin tries to find Dr. Evil but stumbles upon the fembot assassins in fuzzy, see-through lingerie. They seduce him by performing cartwheels, jumping on his shoulders, and eventually knocking him out with a pink gas that "came out of their jubblies" as Austin later explained. Austin lies in bed with the fembots, and tries to snap out of it by thinking of manly things, but the fembots continue to rub their hands over his body, and he keeps caving in, but snaps out of it and eventually overcomes them with the use of his "mojo" in a sex-charged striptease.

 

Led by Vanessa, British forces raid the underground lair, and at the last moment Austin stops the doomsday device. Austin confronts Dr. Evil and is joined by Vanessa, who is being held hostage by Alotta f**ina. They are interrupted by Number Two, who resents Dr. Evil's illegitimate plans after he has been so successful in the conventional business world and wishes to make a deal with Austin. Before he can, Dr. Evil (apparently) kills Number Two and seizes his opportunity to initiate the self-destruct mechanism and, once again, escape in his cryogenic freezing chamber inside the "Big Boy" spaceship. Austin and Vanessa escape in Austin’s conveniently parked Jaguar while the underground lair is destroyed in a nuclear explosion.

 

Austin and Vanessa are later married, but during their honeymoon Austin is attacked by Dr. Evil's henchman, Random Task. Defeated in conventional combat, Austin subdues the assassin through the use of his "Swedish-made penis pump", allowing Vanessa to knock him out with a glass bottle to the head. In a romantic moment Austin and Vanessa adjourn to their balcony to observe the stars. Noticing a rather bright star, Austin pulls out a telescope to discover that it is in fact Dr. Evil's cryogenic chamber in which Dr. Evil vows to "get" Austin Powers.

 

. . .

 

* Austin Powers’ flamboyant fashion sense shows strong similarities to the TV character Jason King, while his copious chest hair is a homage to the Sean Connery-acted version of James Bond and his glasses are owed to Harry Palmer. His main outfit also resembles one worn by George Lazenby in the 1969 James Bond Film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. The fact that he is woken up after years of being frozen to fight his enemy again is a parody of the premise of Adam Adamant Lives!.

* Dr. Evil is a spoof of James Bond's nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and his voice is based on Saturday Night Live creator/EP Lorne Michaels (Mike Myers' former boss on SNL).[citation needed]

* Number Two is a spoof of the James Bond villain Emilio Largo who is number two in Blofeld's criminal organization SPECTRE.

* Random Task is a spoof of Oddjob from Goldfinger.

* Alotta f**ina is a spoof of Pussy Galore from Goldfinger (in some versions broadcast on American commercial television, the name Alotta f**ina is changed to Alotta Cleavaga).

* Frau Farbissina is a spoof of Rosa Klebb, the villain from From Russia with Love, and Frau Blücher from Young Frankenstein.[1]

* Mr. Bigglesworth (Dr. Evil's cat) is a parody of Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld's white Persian, although it becomes hairless due to the cryostasis.

* Mrs. Kensington and her daughter Vanessa Kensington are both spoofs of Emma Peel from the 1960s television series The Avengers.

* The characters of Commander Gilmour and General Borchevsky were named after Doug Gilmour and Nicolai Borchevsky, two former players from Myers’ favorite National Hockey League team, his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

Mike Myers has stated that he was inspired to create the character after hearing the song “The Look of Love” on the radio.

 

“Soul Bossa Nova” - Austin Powers' theme - was composed by Quincy Jones, the man who produced Michael Jackson's Thriller album and Will Smith's TV show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

[Kalapse]

The Graduate; another movie that isn't laugh out loud funny but is a good film that happens to be categorized as a comedy.

[knightni]

Don't drive angry. Do not drive angry.

 

23. Groundhog Day (1993)

 

 

(6 of 23 lists - 54 points - highest ranking #4 knightni, TheBlackSox8)

 

Groundhog Day is a 1993 comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. It was written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis and based on a story by Rubin.

 

In the film, Murray plays Phil Connors, an egocentric Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event (February 2) in Punxsutawney, finds himself repeating the same day over and over again. After indulging in all manner of hedonistic pursuits, he begins to reexamine his life and priorities.

 

TV meteorologist Phil Connors, his producer Rita, and cameraman Larry from the fictional Pittsburgh television station WPBH-TV9 travel to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania (which, in real life, as in the movie, holds a major celebration for Groundhog Day) to cover the annual festivities with Punxsutawney Phil.

 

After the celebration concludes, a blizzard develops that Connors had predicted would miss them, closing the roads and shutting down long-distance phone service, forcing the team to return to Punxsutawney. Connors awakens the next morning, however, to find it is again February 2, and his day unfolds in exactly the same way. He is aware of the repetition, but everyone else seems to be living February 2 exactly the same way and for the first time. This recursion repeats the following morning as well, over and over again. For Connors, Groundhog Day begins each morning at 6:00 A.M., with his waking up to the same song, Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe", on his alarm clock radio, but with his memories of the "previous" day intact, trapped in a seemingly endless "time loop" to repeat the same day in the same small town.

 

After briefly trying to rationalize his situation, and then thinking he is insane, Connors takes advantage of learning the day's events and the information he is able to gather about the town's inhabitants, and that his actions have no long-term consequences. He revels in this situation for a time: seducing beautiful women, stealing money, even driving drunk and experiencing a police chase. However, his attempts to seduce his producer, Rita, are met with repeated failure. He begins to tire of, and then dread, his existence, starting the day by smashing the alarm clock and professing the inanity of Groundhog Day as a holiday in his newscast. In a vain attempt to break the cycle, he kidnaps Phil the Groundhog. After a police pursuit, Connors drives a stolen truck into a quarry, causing both man and rodent to die in a fiery explosion; but the loop does not stop. He commits suicide several more times — he electrocutes himself, lets a truck hit him on the road, and jumps from a tall building (other attempts are alluded to) — but mere death cannot stop the day from repeating. After he dies, he simply wakes up listening to Sonny & Cher in the same bed again.

 

He initially tries to seduce Rita by learning as much as he can on a daily basis. This fails consistently. However, he is able to befriend her in a more sincere fashion. He tells her of his circumstances - how he is reliving the day over and over again - and manages to convince her with his extensive knowledge of events to come, the lives of the Punxsutawney townspeople, and Rita herself.

 

He opens his heart to Rita, and her advice helps him to gradually find a goal for his trapped life: as a benefactor to others. He cannot, in a single day, bring others to fulfill his needs but he can achieve self-improvement by educating himself on a daily basis. After seeing an elderly homeless man die, Phil vows that no one will die on "his" day and performs many heroic services each and every day, including performing the Heimlich Maneuver on a choking man and saving a little boy who falls from a tree. He however becomes despondent for being unable to save the homeless man, despite trying to get him medical care. A hospital nurse tries to console him when he wishes to learn the cause of the man's death, saying "it was just his time."

 

Though the film does not specify the number of repetitions, there is enough time for Connors to learn many complex skills, such as how to play jazz piano, speak French, sculpt ice, and memorize the life story of almost everyone in town. He also masters the art of flipping playing cards into an upturned hat, which he offhandedly suggests takes six months. According to author Rubin, his intent in the original script was for the time-frame to be ambiguous, but longer than a single lifetime. The studio objected to this, asking that it be reduced to two weeks. Director Ramis tried to leave the time-frame ambiguous, but intended it to be about ten years.[1]

 

Eventually, Connors enhances his own human understanding which, in return, makes him an appreciated and beloved man in the town. Finally, after professing a true love to Rita, one which she is able to accept, he wakes up on February 3 — again to "I Got You Babe", though alert viewers will note at a different point in the song. It is a new day, with Rita beside him on the bed. Phil suggests to Rita that they live in Punxsutawney, though he suggests (in an improvised line) "We'll rent to start." The closing song is "Almost Like Being in Love" from Brigadoon, a musical which also dealt with a village trapped in time.

 

. . .

 

In 2006, Groundhog Day was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." It is listed as the 181st most popular movie at the Internet Movie Database as of Groundhog Day, 2008.

 

This film is number 32 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".

 

In Total Film's 1990s special issue, Groundhog Day was deemed the best film of 1993.

 

In 2000, readers of Total Film magazine voted it the seventh greatest comedy film of all time.

 

The Writers Guild of America ranked the screenplay #27 on their list of 101 Greatest Screenplays ever written.

 

On the DVD, 'Harold Ramis (I)' states that the original idea was for him to live February 2nd for about 10,000 years. Later he says that Phil probably lived the same day for about 10 years.

 

 

 

[knightni]

Franks and Beans! Franks and Beans!

 

22. There's Something About Mary (1998)

 

 

(5 of 23 lists - 57 points - highest ranking #1 ChiSox_Sonix)

 

There's Something About Mary is an American film released in 1998, directed by the Farrelly brothers Bobby and Peter. Starring Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon, it is a combination of romantic comedy and gross-out film.

 

An awkward and shy high-schooler, Ted lands a prom date with his dream girl Mary, just to have it cut short by a painfully humiliating zipper accident. Thirteen years later he's still in love — maybe even obsessed — with her. On the advice of his best friend Don, he hires sleazy private detective Pat Healy to track her down. Healy finds that she is an orthopedic surgeon living in Miami but falls in love with the irresistible Mary as well. Healy resorts to lying, cheating,stalking and druging the dog to win Mary but is exposed by Mary's architect friend Tucker. Tucker, however, turns out to be a fraud himself, who is also in love with Mary and drives potential rivals- including a man named Brett who she almost married- away by slander.

 

Ted (aided by Don) drives down to Florida and seems to have won Mary's love when an anonymous letter exposes his being less than honest about his link to Healy. While Ted confronts Healy and Tucker, Mary is confronted by Don, who turns out to be her former boyfriend Woogie, who "got weird on her" in high school. Having found out that Tucker also lied about Mary's former love interest, football player Brett Favre, Ted decides that Mary should be with him, as he was the only one who did not resort to deceit to win Mary. After reuniting Brett and Mary, Ted leaves tearfully but Mary however chases after him, preferring him to Brett. The film concludes with the two engaging in a kiss.

 

. . .

 

The film was placed 27th in the American Film Institute's 100 Years, 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (see the 100 Years Series), a list of the 100 funniest movies of the 20th century.

 

In 2000, readers of Total Film magazine voted it the 4th greatest comedy film of all time.

 

The most notorious scene features Stiller's character masturbating and losing track of his semen. Diaz's character notices it clinging to his ear, mistakes it for extra hair gel, and spreads it in her own hair. The "hair gel" scene spread by word of mouth, and later ads for the movie capitalized on its notoriety.

 

Spencer's Gifts sold bottles of "There's Something About Mary" Hair Gel.

[knightni]

Those aren't pillows!

 

21. (tie) Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987)

 

 

(5 of 23 lists - 58 points - highest ranking #1 daa84)

 

Planes, Trains & Automobiles is an American comedy movie produced by Paramount Pictures in 1987. It was written and directed by John Hughes and stars Steve Martin and John Candy. Laila Robins co-stars and the film features cameos by Michael McKean, Kevin Bacon, Lyman Ward and William Windom. The movie also features Ben Stein, Larry Hankin, Edie McClurg, Dylan Baker, Bill Erwin and Matthew Lawrence.

 

Steve Martin plays the tightly wound Neal Page, a bundle-of-nerves advertising executive. John Candy portrays the innocent, but always skewered, Del Griffith (Director of sales, American Light and Fixture, shower curtain ring division), a shower curtain ring salesman who seems to live in a world governed by a different set of rules from those governing Neal Page's marketing life.

 

The movie follows the story of Neal Page as he tries to return to his family for Thanksgiving in Chicago after being on a business trip in New York. The journey is doomed from the outset, with Del Griffith interfering by snatching the taxi cab that Page had hailed for himself. The two inevitably pair up later and begin an absurdly error-prone adventure to help Page to get back to his home. Their flight from JFK Airport to O'Hare is diverted to Wichita due to a blizzard in Chicago, which ends up dissipating only a few hours after touchdown in Kansas. When every mode of transport fails them, what should have been a 1 hour and 45 minute New York-to-Chicago flight turns into a three-day wild goose chase, punctuated by Neal's occasional declarations to no one in particular that, "You're messing with the wrong guy!".

 

As is expected in circumstances like these, Neal frequently blows up at Del, blaming him for much of their misfortunes, though mere fate is more at fault. Del in turn regards Neal as pretentious and uptight, while Del is less afraid to be himself. After much heated arguments between the two men, a bond between them forms, and Neal finally manages to overcome his self-centeredness and both men pull together to finally make their way home.

 

Under the assumption that Del has a wife and family of his own (he frequently mentions his wife Marie and puts a framed picture of her on his various motel nightstands), Neal is taken aback when he later sees Del alone in an empty L train station, after they finally make it back to Chicago. Del tells Neal that he is in fact homeless, and that his beloved Marie actually passed away eight years ago. The bond between the two men strengthens further when Neal invites him into his home for the holidays.

 

. . .

 

In 2000, readers of Total Film magazine voted it the 10th greatest comedy film of all time.

 

The film is rated R by the MPAA for a scene including a substantial amount of strong language. In that scene, Steve Martin goes on a tirade against a car rental agent (Edie McClurg) and says the "F-word" 19 times in just over a minute.

 

When stuck in Wichita, Ben Stein, the agent at the ticket counter, announces a flight cancellation. In the background on the reader board the destination is listed as "NOWHERE".

 

[knightni]

That's all I have time for today.

 

More tomorrow. (or maybe late tonight)

 

 

[Controlled Chaos]

I'll be like the Iron Chef of pounding Vag.

 

35. Superbad (2007)

 

I'm watching this right now...and I can't believe I forgot to put this on my list. f***in hilarious

Edited April 22, 2008 by Controlled Chaos

[Cowch]

I'm watching this right now...and I can't believe I forgot to put this on my list. f***in hilarious

Super Bad is a good movie for guys. My girlfriend HATES it.

[Controlled Chaos]

Super Bad is a good movie for guys. My girlfriend HATES it.

oh yeah..pretty much a guy flick

[Felix]

"Groundhog Day" and "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles", two great movies.

 

Thinking of Bill Murray (Groundhog Day), another great underrated comedy is definitely "What About Bob?" One of my favorites.

[Texsox]

Damn, I forgot Pt&A it should have been on my list. Hell I only mentioned like 7

[shipps]

Thinking of Bill Murray (Groundhog Day), another great underrated comedy is definitely "What About Bob?" One of my favorites.

"What about Bob?" is on my list, I dont remember on how high I rated it."Im sailing!Iam really sailing!Im a sailor!"

[ChWRoCk2]

I didn't even know I put Spaceballs #2.

 

 

Seems kind of high, little too high, I must have had some really not so funny movies listed below or something.

 

 

Meh

[santo=dorf]

Spaceballs sucked. I didn't jump in on the action, but did anybody list a movie that was so bad it was one of the funniest movies they ever seen? (Plan 9 from outer space?)

[FlaSoxxJim]

Spaceballs sucked. I didn't jump in on the action, but did anybody list a movie that was so bad it was one of the funniest movies they ever seen? (Plan 9 from outer space?)

 

No, but I was very tempted. There are a number of films like that for me. Maybe another list is in order. . .

[Milkman delivers]

Spaceballs sucked. I didn't jump in on the action, but did anybody list a movie that was so bad it was one of the funniest movies they ever seen? (Plan 9 from outer space?)

 

YOU suck!

[jackie hayes]

YOU suck!

Suck!...Suck!...Suck!!...Suck!!...Suck!!...