Expert: Barbara L. Baker - 5/31/2005

Question
hi babara! i know you have seen so much of the comedy movies,can you recommend what are the recent comedy movies that you think is real funny?

Answer
Dear Kelyn:

It is true I've seen a lot of comedies, but, ironically, not as many of the most recent comedies as I would have liked (due to some things going on in my personal life).  Of those I have seen, most I think are just moderately funny, as opposed to hysterical.

The response to comedy is really personal, so what I found only mildly funny you might find really funny (or vice versa, what I think is pretty funny might leave you scratching your head in confusion).  So I'm going to provide a list of recent comedies I enjoyed that cross the spectrum of comic types:

1.  The funniest recent films I've seen were animated--

"The Incredibles"
"Shrek 2" (which I thought was hilarious)

2.  There were only a few recent stupid slapstick comedies that I thought had funny moments (not consistently funny):

"Anchorman"
"Barbershop"
"Dodgeball"
"Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle"

I haven't yet seen "Napoleon Dynamite" but my students in my spring comedy film class recommended it, for what that is worth.  And I'd like to see "Meet the Fockers" based on the reviews I've read.

3. A couple of mildly funny romantic comedies:

"How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"
"50 First Dates"

4. Some satires that I thought had funny moments:

"Mean Girls" (showed this to my comedy class, and they generally liked it)
"Saved!" (showed this to my film appreciation class, and most of them really liked it)
"Bad Santa" (I saw the R rated version, not the unrated one)
"Team America:  World Police" (But only if you are a fan of "South Park," as this film, by the same guys, aims to offend everyone and succeeds.  It also deserves its R rating).

5.  More complex comedies & satires:

"Bend it Like Beckham" (a British film)
"The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"
"Adaptation"
"Lost in Translation"

I've shown each of these to various film classes, with mixed results.  The first one probably was enjoyed the most, although many liked the second and third as well (both from scripts by Charlie Kaufman, who writes very convulted narratives). The last one requires, I think, more experience in life.  I really liked "Lost in Translation," but most of my students thought it was boring and confusing.  However, I'm middle-aged, have taught abroad twice, and travelled extensively to other places, and I think that does make a difference. I really could relate to Bill Murray's character in the film.

I still am working my way through films from 2003 and 2004 (via rentals), and have yet to see many films from 2005. So this isn't a very extensive list, but maybe it will give you some ideas.