The Movie Forums Top 100 Comedies Countdown

I wasn't sure Galaxy Quest was even going to make the list, so to see it place this high is a pleasant surprise. When I first saw it, I just thought it was okay (though better than expected because I dislike Tim Allen), but I rewatched it a few years later and appreciated it a lot more. After Alan Rickman passed, my room mate wanted to watch it because he hadn't seen it before, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. It was #16 on my list.

Coincidentally, I also had Shaun of the Dead on my ballot, and it was also right next to Galaxy Quest at #15.

Seen: 56/88

My List: 11
02. The Princess Bride (1987) - #16
04. Evil Dead II (1987) - #93
06. Brazil (1985) - #47
07. The Great Dictator (1940) - #50
11. His Girl Friday (1940) - #25
14. Clerks (1994) - #64
15. Shaun of the Dead (2004) - #15
16. Galaxy Quest (1999) - #14
17. What We Do in the Shadows (2014) - #30
21. Tropic Thunder (2008) - #58
22. Arsenic & Old Lace (1944) - #27

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I personally feel Hot Fuzz is funnier than Shaun of the Dead, not that I don't like the latter. But now I don't think Hot Fuzz will make it.


I was pretty late to Galaxy Quest. In fact watched it only after seeing it being talked about on this forum. And, yes, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Shaun of the Dead was #14 on my ballot. My favorite horror comedy and one of my five favorite zombie films. Haven't seen Galaxy Quest yet.

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1. It Happened One Night (#35)
2.
3. The Graduate (#27)
4. To Be or Not To Be (#86)
5.
6. Harold and Maude (#45)
7.
8.
9.
10. Being John Malkovich (#44)
11.
12.Sherlock, Jr. (#56)
13.
14. Shaun of the Dead (#15)
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. The Apartment (#29)
23.
24.
25. The Great Dictator (#50)

Hot Fuzz is definitely out now.

Yeah, I expect it will show up in the 101-120 list.

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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

I didn't dislike either of todays entries nor did I think all that much of them. However, unlike some other movies, I'd be interested in giving these another try.

I'm now wondering if we're actually going to have a good enough idea of what made the top 10 when we get there. With that context, I wonder if being told the near misses once we start them won't give away which expected locks got snubbed (for want of a better term).

This happened.

I had Shaun of the Dead on my list at #12. Great movie and I don't even like zombie films. Very happy and surprised to see both Office Space and Galaxy Quest make it this high on the list. Another couple from 1999 that are great films and both have a big well-deserved following. Easy comedy rewatches. Also I second the recommendation on the Galaxy Quest documentary for all nerdy fans. I liked it. The Naked Gun is perhaps the best of the late 80s/early 90s spoof flicks. I'm not so sure it's better than Airplane but hey I did meet Leslie Nielsen once. A bit of a surprise of the lack of Woody Allen pictures huh. I guess that's what happens when you make 250 films over your career - the vote gets split. Annie Hall is great, though. Top tier Woody. And The Princess Bride is good but it has more of a love from other Mofoers than this guy. I don't really care for it on rewatches and that seems to be a prerequisite for fans.

4. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
5. Being John Malkovich (1999)
7. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
8. Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
9. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
10. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988)
11. Superbad (2007)
12. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
13. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
14. Playtime (1967)
15. Dazed and Confused (1993)
17. What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
18. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
19. Trading Places (1983)
23. Animal House (1978)
24. Singin' in the Rain (1952)

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"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

One can only hope.

Had I seen Shaun of the Dead before I submitted my ballot, or would have found a place in it. Hilarious movie, as is Galaxy Quest, which I rewatches a heads or so ago and it holds up quite nicely.

I really like, maybe low-key love both of these films.
Yet neither made my list.
And I was surprised GQ was as high as it is though, again, not mad about it as it is a wonderful little movie.
I had a feeling Shaun was gonna be top-20.

Shaun of the Dead isn't surprising, Galaxy Quest kinda is. Neither are really my cup of tea, but it's been a good while since I've seen either.

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"Well, at least your intentions behind the UTTERLY DEVASTATING FAULTS IN YOUR LOGIC are good." - Captain Steel

Shaun of the Dead was on my shortlist but I just couldn't be bothered. Like others have said it is a horror spoof that understands horror movies well enough to actually kinda be one. As other have also said, others have done it better (Return of the Living Dead, which actually also manages to be legitimately frightening, as well as one of the bleakest comedies this side of Dr Strangelove). It's a very good movie, regardless of it being a runner up. Comedy, pathos, action, violence, horror. Great stuff.


For me it's absurd that Galaxy Quest is this high but that shouldn't take away from the fact that it knows what it is and succeeds really well at it. I only saw it for the first time recently and was taken aback not only that I didn't hate it but that I was almost impressed by it. It never really leaves its spoof lane, and I generally prefer my movies to be interesting on multiple levels, but it also is under no mandate to be anything other than what it is. It's pretty damn good. But, for my money, shouldn't have cracked the top 50

Seriously! Shaun of the Dead and Galaxy Quest. Don't get me wrong I like both of them but ...just no.

So clearly no Revenge of the Nerds or Slapshot. I would complain if not for the fact that I'm the idiot that completely forgot about them too.


I'll just pretend everyone of you just forgot as well.


Also, it is depressing to me how far out of favor something like Arthur has become. Because that has clearly fallen into the abject neglect pile as well, and Dudley Moore's corpse can only shrink even further from the horror of his total shut out in this countdown. Clearly more people need to be watching that...or maybe not. I don't trust any of you anymore

Arthur (1981) is so damn good. It was on my short list (no Dudley Moore joke intended) but I ultimately left it off. Already had too many '80s titles. Moore was rightly Oscar nominated as Best Actor, a strong year where he competed against Paul Newman (Absence of Malice), Burt Lancaster (Atlantic City), Warren Beatty (Reds), and they all lost to Henry Fonda's swansong in On Golden Pond. If you were of my generation Arthur was an absolute cable mainstay for about three years, and a welcome mainstay at that. I have that entire movie memorized. It is easily the apex of Dudley's film career and endlessly full of both laugh-out-loud humor and heartfelt pathos.

That Moore's film career kind of petered out by the end of the decade, including a laughless sequel, coupled with the really dreadful 2011 remake starring Russell Brand and maybe even some cultural shifting about attitudes toward alchoholism, the original Arthur has been lost in time a bit. It is a wonderful, very funny movie with a magnificent central performance. Whether it makes such countdowns or not.


"You must have hated this moose."

I don't think anybody was thinking Galaxy Quest was gonna make it. It's a cute parody of the Star Trek series, but I kind of wish a better director could have steered this one. The film tries to simultaneously send up the series and its genre while at the same time embracing it. There are its benefits: Alan Rickman is charming and Sigourney Weaver once again proves she can do comedy.

Shaun of the Dead was number 10. It's the zombie apocalypse (although our lead Shaun (Simon Pegg) doesn't seem to realize it) and Shaun would rather use the opportunity to gather his family and his ex-girlfriend over to the Winchester to have a pint and cool things over. But his plan doesn't go according to plan. The bar isn't as safe as he was planning. And his plans to be smooth and save the day don't work. But armed with some bad records and an ability to improvise, he's determined to save those he loves and cares about.

My List:

1. His Girl Friday
3. Bringing Up Baby
9. Clue
10. Shaun of the Dead
11. Anchorman
12. Office Space
13. The Naked Gun
14. Caddyshack
15. Arsenic and Old Lace
16. A Fish Called Wanda
20. The Jerk
22. National Lampoon's Animal House
23. What We Do in the Shadows
24. It Happened One Night

HM: Trading Places, Happy Gilmore, Clueless, Mean Girls

Arthur was actually on my long list, but never found time to revisit it for the countdown. I loved Dudley Moore growing up and I have to attribute at least some of my comedic sensibilities to this movie alone.


Looking back, I imagine it would feel very dated in handling alcoholism compared to today's social norms. Oh, and that soundtrack!