This all started when I realized most of the comedies I've bought on DVD recently (made post 2000) were from 2004, then I thought about another of my favorites Dumb and Dumber, then back to Ghostbusters and from there the movies just kept getting added. Before I get crucified, I'm not saying only the greatest comedies have been released in those years, I realize it is leaving out a lot of the best and I know how touchy people can be when it comes to funny movies. For example, this leaves out some of the all-timers like Caddyshack, Animal House, Airplane, etc (see I recognized them so I know what I'm talking about), but it does include a few of the all-timers Blazing Saddles, Spinal Tap, Ghostbusters, Dr. Strangelove.
Also I'm doing quality control from top to bottom, movies 1-20 type stuff, the best team not the best playmakers you know, these years have for some reason produced the most solid range of comedies ever made. Some are even considered the best overall movies of their respective years or of all-time, but another characteristic is that they span a lot of different senses of humor, races, sex, ages at the time, and generations over the last century. You have hugely, high grossing popular movies, cult favorites, oscar winners, slap stick, dark, and many that launched famous careers and series.
First you got to look at the AFI 100 years 100 laugh which I know you can only take so far since it's a ton of old people and only goes to 2000, but years ending in "4" have 3 movies in the top 10, 9 in the top 50, and 14 overall in the top 100 which leads all years. Since it is all based on opinion maybe after you see the list below you'll think more of the movies should be in top 100 from these years, but it's a moot point. AFI is considered by many to know what they are talking about and they keep a good record of every movie every made so they got that going for them.
Some of these movies I haven't heard of or seen but I added to the list if they got a good rating, had a famous comedic actor of the time, or I've heard discussed amongst aficionados. I put an AFI next to ones I didn't hear of but were on their list. There is a lot more from the 80's on since that's what I'm most familiar with and as a kid you find everything fucking funny most of the time.
Check this out:
2004
Sideways
Team America
Anchorman
Napoleon Dynamite
Dodgeball
Shaun of the Dead
Harold and Kumar
Starsky and Hutch
Kung Fu Hustle
Without a Paddle
Spongebob (fuck you, I thought it was good, probably the funniest movie for kids that year or ever)
I Heart Huckabees (kind of out there but I know some people that thought it was funny and it filled that niche nicely, some of the behind the scenes antics turned out to be funnier)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (considered a comedy?)
The Ladykillers (see description of Hudsucker below)
Saved! (made a big splash on the indie scene, but haven't seen it)
Meet the Fockers (looking at strictly box office here)
Girl Next Door
Hands down this has to be the strongest year of the 2000's, no arguments I could see debates for the other decades but this one is not up for questioning. Each year this decade maybe had 1 or 2 worth talking about or even watching but this year almost every comedy released was able to find their niche audience and succeed on some level.
1994
Ace Ventura
Dumb and Dumber
PCU
Clerks (not my cup of tea, but pretty landmark film of the 90's)
The Ref
Blankman (haven't seen it since the 90's so I may be a little foggy on the quality)
Cabin Boy
Clifford
The Mask
The Chase
Little Giants/Rascals (hey I was a kid)
Four Weddings and a Funeral (bumbling british humor I think, romantic comedy)
Hudsucker Proxy (not the coen bros best, coen bros nonetheless and still a serviceable movie with great performances)
Airheads (vastly underrated, if you don't think so see it only for its opening sequence)
Forrest Gump (I'm iffy on this one, there were funny moments but you also had AIDS, Vietnam, people constantly dying/getting shot, but that scene when Forrest meets Lt. Dan on the dock, come on. Plus I think the comedy scenes made it the hit it was)
Naked Gun 33 1/3 (had its moments, end of a great franchise, last movie for OJ)
The Santa Claus (good for families, can't argue with Box Office and spawned 2 high grossing sequels)
1984
Ghostbusters
Spinal Tap
Revenge of the Nerds
Beverly Hills Cop (oh just the highest grossing rated R movie for like 20 years)
Top Secret (often overlooked since they had to follow up Airplane)
Sixteen Candles (chicks love it)
Police Academy (started an 8 part franchise which became a joke in of itself)
Bachelor Party
Splash
The Killing Fields (just kidding, ROFL, but seriously it is a powerful movie)
Muppets Take Manhatten
Cheech and Chong Corsican Brothers (meh, but don't you have to include a Cheech and Chong somewhere?)
1974
Blazing Saddles
Young Frankenstein
The Longest Yard
Swept Away
1964
Dr. Strangelove
A Shot in the Dark
A Hard Days Night
Viva Las Vegas
McHale's Navy
Robin and the 7 Hoods
Kiss Me Stupid
1954
Sabrina
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
It Should Happen to You
Casanova's Big Night
1944
Arsenic and Old Lace (from the AFI list never sawr it but friends are recommending it hardcore)
The Miracle at Morgan's Creek (AFI)
Cover Girl
Casanova Brown
Princess and the Pirate
Pin Up Girl
Nothing But Trouble
1934
The Thin Man (same thing AFI)
It's a Gift (AFI)
It Happened One Night
Little Miss Marker
Babes in Toyland
The Gay Divorcee (teeheehee, they thought gay meant happy, right?)
You're Telling Me
1924
Sherlock Jr. (AFI)
The Navigator (AFI)
Girl Shy
Leap Year
The Cigarette Girl from Moscow
One thing I really wanted to do was include Billy Madison in 1994 since it was so close, but got to be strict. However I think if you expanded it to years on either side (ie 93-95) it would expand the quality greatly vs any other group of 3 years. By the way that late 1994-early 1995 had Dumb and Dumber, Billy Madison, Tommy Boy, Friday and to a lesser extent Major Payne. Generation Y would never be the same again.
I don't really have a definitive answer for the reasoning behind this. I posed it as an open ended question instead of a theory to it. But why could it be? Do we realize how stupid the previous decade was and think this decade is the best by this year only to be disappointed down the last 5 years and it just starts all over again. Someone call a sociologist.
Am I missing any movies? Let me know. Look out 2014!
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