Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Best Comedies of the Decade, So Far



Next up on my weekly list of the Decade's Best Films, So Far (in all different genres) is Ashley Doherty with her picks for the Best Comedies since 2010. As my fiance and personal guest to almost every screening I receive with the Philadelphia Film Society, Ashley has seen more than her fair share of films. Therefore, I have given her the task of picking the best comedies that this latest decade has to offer. Here are Ashley's picks for the funniest films since 2010:



With all of this genre labeling and categorizing movies, the comedy pool included some films that, in my opinion, could have landed in the drama section as well. However, given what I was told to work with, here are my favorite comedies of the last three and one-third year.



Crazy Stupid Love was hilarious, heartfelt and an all-around complete film. Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling combine for a unique on-screen relationship that may not have worked out as well with a different group of actors. Combining an excellent cast with a hysterical script (which even has a shocking twist that I never saw coming!), Crazy Stupid Love is a fantastic comedy with a very high re-watch factor.




While I was forced to categorize last year's Academy Award Nominee, Silver Linings Playbook, as a comedy, I personal view the movie as more of a drama. That being said, I couldn't exclude Silver Linings Playbook from this list because it's such a great movie. The lighthearted balance between Bradley Cooper's character's mental illness and the craziness that ensues between him and his love interest, Academy Award Winner Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook is a rare, outside-the-box romantic comedy gem.




Cedar Rapids is a quirky little comedy that caught me off guard and came out of nowhere. With tempered expectations, I was thrilled to discover an onslaught of outrageous one-liners and constant jokes. While the leading man is rarely the funniest character in a comedy, star Ed Helms allows John C. Reilly to take charge and deliver a hysterical middle-aged comedy that gets better every time you watch it. It's a lesser-known title, so I suggest seeing Cedar Rapids once or twice and make sure you pay close attention to Reilly's character. He never misses!




Another pleasant surprise that I ran into during the 2011 Philadelphia Film Festival was the hockey comedy, Goon, starring American Pie's own Seann William Scott (aka Stiffler). Scott packs on the pounds and muscle mass to star as a lovable meat-head bouncer who finds his niche in the world as an inspirational hockey goon. Scott isn't the only source of laughs either. His cast of misfit teammates are sure to make you laugh, so pay close attention to them all. Despite writer and co-star Jay Baruchel's annoying on-screen presence, Goon still manages to stand out as one of the great comedies of the decade.




In 2011, the hit comedy Bridesmaids swept across the nation and generated a loyal fan-base of both women and men. What was being sold to the general public as the female's version of The Hangover, Bridesmaids managed to traverse the gender barrier thanks in large part to a solid lead performance by Kristen Wiig. Proving she could clearly carry a film on her own, the comedy was elevated even higher by a stellar screenplay, a likable love interest (Chris O'Dowd is completely underrated) and the off-the-wall Oscar-Nominated performance given by Melissa McCarthy. Although the comedy's running time was a little too long for my full approval, Bridesmaids was still a hilarious effort worthy of making my list.


Honorable Mentions: 
Easy A 
The Muppets 
SevenPsychopaths

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