The Movie Forums Top 100 Comedies Countdown

Great! Looking forward to it - thanks (and to listers) - I reserve the right to weigh in on it later in this thread once I get to it.

Please do!

This is the first appearance of Tropic Thunder or Spaceballs on any of the MoFo Lists.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

62. The In-Laws (1979)
61. It’s Such a Beautiful Day
60. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
59. What's Up Doc?
58. Tropic Thunder
57. Space Balls

First, a moment on The In-Laws (1979). I am proud it made it this high in the list - it's my #1(!) There is a little recency bias in terms of when I watched it, I'll concede, but this is simply the funniest movie I've ever seen and I'd argue ever made. Assuming most haven't seen it, here's the set up: a young, brilliant Alan Arkin is a dentist whose son is about to get married. Arkin has yet to meet either of the prospective bride's parents. The father turns out to be Peter Falk - arguably never better - a dad with a vague job who turns out to be a CIA Agent/spy that, through a series of comical events following a surprise visit to Arkin's office, ends up in an intense spy adventure with the beleaguered, confused, stressed out Arkin. The comic chemistry between these two is unparalleled. It's staggering that they only worked together this single time. I won't spoil specifics, but you absolutely owe yourself the pleasure of watching this film. The comedy might not be for everyone, I suppose, as there are some very silly parts, but my god I love it.

I thought we had two films here I hadn't seen, but after looking it up, I realized I did see It's Such a Beautiful Day, in fact I saw it at a screening with Hertzfeldt, an incredible night. I don't remember it very well, to be honest, since I saw it so long ago, so a rewatch is in order. I am glad Hertzfeldt is getting recognized, and I'd put in a positive word for his amazing short "Rejected" right here.

The rest: I've never seen "What's Up Doc?" I'm always bummed when I look it up and realize there's no Bugs Bunny. Will watch!

Tropic Thunder and Spaceballs (one word) are hilarious films though it's difficult to imagine either (especially Tropic Thunder) being made today. They deserve their place but neither made my list. Fast Times is fine. I've always enjoyed it but find it a little overrated.

Here's my list so far, strangely with #1 and #2 gone (but not that surprising to me, though i'm still baffled Step Brothers went so so low)

1. The In-Laws (1979)
2. Step Brothers (2008)
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. Best in Show (2000)
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.

As I said earlier in this thread, I think Mel Brooks' movie spoofs lost their magical bite starting with Spaceballs and dribbling out through the subsequent Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Dracula: Dead & Loving It because he no longer knew and loved the subjects he was spoofing. Even the zero budget short "Hardware Wars" (1978) at least understood what made the original Star Wars (1977) tick and what pieces were ripe for making fun of. A few of Brooks' gags work here and there, but it just doesn't come together and compared to his earlier triumphs is just hollow. Compared to a smart Sci-Fi spoof that truly loves and understands its material, like Galaxy Quest, it clearly isn't in the same comic universe. I was seventeen when Spaceballs was released and already way too old for what essentially plays best to nine-year-olds.





As for Tropic Thunder it is funny, deserves to be in the mix for the top twenty five comedies of its decade, but for me is nowhere near the best of the best. Robert Downey Jr.'s Oscar-nominated performance and Tom Cruise's gleeful insanity notwithstanding.

Spaceballs was my 10. Was super fun and funny for me and I only watched it for the first time for this.

Tropic Thunder I honestly didn't care for. Someday I'll probably watch again, but I'm not hopeful anything will change.

I haven't seen Tropic Thunder since it came out. I remember enjoying it, but since I haven't revisited it, and barely remember it, I didn't consider it.

Spaceballs, on the other hand, is a comedy I frequently go to when I want to laugh. I saw it for the first time when I was a kid and loved all the Star Wars spoofs. Now that I'm older, I find myself enjoying more the meta aspects, but I still think it's a riot. It was my #3.


Seen: 29/44

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Haven't seen this set of films either.

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Spaceballs is good fun! Although it's been a while it's still personal top 100 for sure. Glad to see it made the list.

Went to see Tropic Thunder when it came out and the entire audience laughed their as5es off. Don't know what else a Comedy should do besides that. Based on that particular theatre experience I'd say Tropic Thunder is an extremely fun and successful Comedy. And that's not even an opinion but an objective observation.

After reading some replies here I believe some countdown participants are actually Flaming Dragon henchmen.



Tropic Thunder is my #22.



Seen 28/44
Ballot 3/25

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It's Such as Beautiful Day - Saw this last year for the first time in one of the HoF's and when it popped up as one of my watches a fellow MoFo'er told me I was forbidden to dislike this so, of course, I couldn't wait to crap all over it. It started, I saw the animation and began to think "this is gonna be a brutal review. Excellent!" Unfortunately, Bill's story got to me. It's a f'n brilliant movie so, no crapping all over it. Oh well. It ended up being one of the top 2-3 movies I watched last year and have now seen it 3X. Never considered it for this countdown because, while it has some moments that are funny, it's not a comedy.

Tropic Thunder - Took a while to warm up to this. Ben Stiller is good when he's the guy the comedy is bouncing off of. When he tries to be funny he fails and for that, he's the weakest character in Tropic Thunder. I don't think Jack Black is funny either but Jack Black tied to a tree trying to score some heroin as he's going through withdrawals...hilarious. RDJ and Cruise are both fantastic and the OTT violence is great. Always get a kick out of that. Was also in my original 48 but never top 25.
Spaceballs - This has one or two good jokes but I'll be damned if I can remember them. Not interested in finding out what they are either.

I still think this is a brilliant scene

Didn’t care for Tropic Thunder much.

Space Balls was the last good film directed by Brooks, and even then It was apparent he was beginning a down hill surge.

I have a lot of nostalgia for Spaceballs. Was one of the first movies I ever saw alone with friends when I was about 9 (I believe the first was Walk Like a Man with Howie Mandel, which I will only hope doesn't make the list) and I sort of loved it. But I also sort of knew it wasn't that good. And it isn't. But it's still the last flash of anything left in Brooks when it came to his movies, so that is something.


Tropic Thunder has to be alright since it wasn't completely ruined by Jack Black, who is like a tumor on comedy. Arguably the least funny person whose ever made it. I remember some of the gags working, and being mildly entertained by the rest of it. But it really doesn't have much to make it stand out, outside of RDJs and Tom Cruises performance (a rare example of Cruises acting that doesn't make me cringe)

Tropic Thunder had it's moments, but Ben Stiller comedies are usually a miss for me.

Spaceballs is mildly amusing up to a point. And that point is usually when it devolves into "grab the schwartz" jokes and Pizza the Hut body horror. In terms of Star Wars parodies, I think Blue Harvest was better.

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I really should watch Fast Times again as I've not seen it in over 25 years. I remember liking it when I was about 10 (obviously) but less so in my early 20's, but still liking it. I don't really know what I'd think of it now.
The last three have been awful. Genuinely awful.

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Now you sound like me.

Heh. Mom took me to see Spaceballs when i was maybe 11 or so. We kept hearing promos on the radio saying how side-splitting hilarious it was. We were both very disappointed. Even at that age I remember saying if the adverts hadn't built it up so much that I might have laughed more, expecting less.

I may have seen it start to finish a handful of times since its release, but nothing stands out aside from Rick Moranis' Dark Helmet and Candy's over energetic Barf.

"Moi'chen-dizing"

We might have chased that with Roxanne, or something else to cleanse the palate.

At least I can take solace in the fact that a better, funnier sci-fi comedy named Howard the Duck beat this one in the rankings. *cough* Right, everyone? ...right?

The Inlaws--saw it when it first came out--All I remember is "Serpentine! Serpentine!"-- I liked it alot--didn't vote for it.
Its Such a Beautiful Day--never have seen it--sounds like I should
Fast Times at Ridgemont High--saw it when it first came out--loved it--have seen it a number of times--"Mr. Haaaand"--didn't vote for it.
What's Up Doc--have seen it a number of times--love Kenneth Mars and Madelyn "Eunice" Kahn, They are hilarious.--didn't vote for it.
Tropic Thunder--have never seen it
Spaceballs--have never seen it.--After Silent Movie and High Anxiety I was done with Mel Brooks.

I love Space Balls. It was my #20.
I enjoy Tropic Thunder, but it did not make my top 25.

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