THE GREATEST COMEDIES OF ALL TIME - Adam Witt
by movieguysla | created - 09 Jun 2015 | updated - 09 Jun 2015 | PublicMovie Guy Adam Witt from TheMovieGuys.net lists his top comedies, by year, since 1972.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. We're the Millers (2013)
R | 110 min | Comedy, Crime
A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.
Director: Rawson Marshall Thurber | Stars: Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, Ed Helms
Votes: 485,872 | Gross: $150.39M
2. 21 Jump Street (2012)
R | 109 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.
Directors: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller | Stars: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Brie Larson
Votes: 598,235 | Gross: $138.45M
3. Horrible Bosses (2011)
R | 98 min | Comedy, Crime
Three friends conspire to murder their awful bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness.
Director: Seth Gordon | Stars: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Steve Wiebe
Votes: 469,587 | Gross: $117.54M
4. The Other Guys (2010)
PG-13 | 107 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
Two mismatched New York City detectives seize an opportunity to step up like the city's top cops, whom they idolize, only things don't quite go as planned.
Director: Adam McKay | Stars: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Derek Jeter, Eva Mendes
Votes: 288,231 | Gross: $119.22M
5. Black Dynamite (2009)
R | 84 min | Action, Comedy
Black Dynamite is the greatest African-American action star of the 1970s. When his only brother is killed by The Man, it's up to him to find justice.
Director: Scott Sanders | Stars: Michael Jai White, Arsenio Hall, Tommy Davidson, Phyllis Applegate
Votes: 51,804 | Gross: $0.23M
6. Tropic Thunder (2008)
R | 107 min | Action, Comedy, War
Through a series of freak occurrences, a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.
Director: Ben Stiller | Stars: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Kahn
Votes: 447,808 | Gross: $110.52M
7. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
R | 96 min | Comedy, Music
Singer Dewey Cox overcomes adversity to become a musical legend.
Director: Jake Kasdan | Stars: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, David Krumholtz, Nat Faxon
Votes: 77,219 | Gross: $18.32M
8. Borat (2006)
R | 84 min | Comedy
Kazakh TV talking head Borat is dispatched to the United States to report on the greatest country in the world.
Director: Larry Charles | Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Luenell, Chester
Votes: 441,770 | Gross: $128.51M
9. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
R | 116 min | Comedy, Romance
Goaded by his buddies, a nerdy guy who's never "done the deed" only finds the pressure mounting when he meets a single mother.
Director: Judd Apatow | Stars: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco
Votes: 466,742 | Gross: $109.45M
10. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
PG-13 | 94 min | Comedy
In the 1970s, an anchorman's stint as San Diego's top-rated newsreader is challenged when an ambitious newswoman becomes his co-anchor.
Director: Adam McKay | Stars: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd
Votes: 378,419 | Gross: $85.29M
Much like I would say the horror genre desperately needed “Scream”, comedy desperately needed Judd Apatow, night and day before and after.
11. Bad Santa (2003)
R | 92 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve. But they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid.
Director: Terry Zwigoff | Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham, John Ritter
Votes: 155,147 | Gross: $60.06M
12. Jackass: The Movie (2002)
R | 85 min | Documentary, Action, Comedy
Johnny Knoxville and his band of maniacs perform a variety of stunts and gross-out gags on the big screen for the first time.
Director: Jeff Tremaine | Stars: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Chris Pontius, Steve-O
Votes: 102,219 | Gross: $64.26M
13. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
R | 104 min | Comedy
The comic "Bluntman and Chronic" is based on real-life stoners Jay and Silent Bob, so when they get no profit from a big-screen adaptation, they set out to wreck the movie.
Director: Kevin Smith | Stars: Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Amy Noble, Harley Quinn Smith
Votes: 161,016 | Gross: $30.09M
14. Best in Show (2000)
PG-13 | 90 min | Comedy
A behind-the-scenes look into the highly competitive and cut-throat world of dog shows through the eyes of a group of ruthless dog owners.
Director: Christopher Guest | Stars: Fred Willard, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Jennifer Coolidge
Votes: 66,917 | Gross: $18.72M
15. Rushmore (1998)
R | 93 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A teenager at Rushmore Academy falls for a much older teacher and befriends a middle-aged industrialist. Later, he finds out that his love interest and his friend are having an affair, which prompts him to begin a vendetta.
Director: Wes Anderson | Stars: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Seymour Cassel
Votes: 197,908 | Gross: $17.11M
16. The Big Lebowski (1998)
R | 117 min | Comedy, Crime
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen | Stars: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi
Votes: 859,967 | Gross: $17.50M
17. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
PG-13 | 89 min | Adventure, Comedy
A world-class playboy and part-time secret agent from the 1960s emerges after thirty years in a cryogenic state to battle with his nemesis Dr. Evil.
Director: Jay Roach | Stars: Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York, Mimi Rogers
Votes: 257,028 | Gross: $53.88M
18. The Cable Guy (1996)
PG-13 | 96 min | Comedy, Drama, Thriller
A designer makes a grievious mistake when he rejects the friendship of a borderline cable guy.
Director: Ben Stiller | Stars: Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, Jack Black
Votes: 178,019 | Gross: $60.24M
19. Mallrats (1995)
R | 94 min | Comedy, Romance
Both dumped by their girlfriends, two best friends seek refuge in the local mall.
Director: Kevin Smith | Stars: Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Jason Lee, Claire Forlani
Votes: 128,829 | Gross: $2.12M
20. Clerks (1994)
R | 92 min | Comedy
A day in the lives of two convenience clerks named Dante and Randal as they annoy customers, discuss movies, and play hockey on the store roof.
Director: Kevin Smith | Stars: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonauer
Votes: 232,286 | Gross: $3.15M
21. Groundhog Day (1993)
PG | 101 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A narcissistic, self-centered weatherman finds himself in a time loop on Groundhog Day.
Director: Harold Ramis | Stars: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky
Votes: 684,758 | Gross: $70.91M
22. Brain Donors (1992)
PG | 80 min | Comedy
Three manic idiots; a lawyer, cab driver and a handyman team up to run a ballet company to fulfill the will of a millionaire. Stooge-like antics result as the trio try to outwit the rich widow.
Director: Dennis Dugan | Stars: John Turturro, Bob Nelson, Mel Smith, Nancy Marchand
Votes: 4,671 | Gross: $0.92M
23. Hot Shots! (1991)
PG-13 | 85 min | Action, Comedy
A parody of Top Gun (1986) in which a talented but unstable fighter pilot must overcome the ghosts of his father and save a mission sabotaged by greedy weapons manufacturers.
Director: Jim Abrahams | Stars: Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges
Votes: 116,562 | Gross: $69.47M
24. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
PG-13 | 106 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
The Gremlins are back, and this time, they've taken control of a New York City media mogul's high-tech skyscraper.
Directors: Joe Dante, Chuck Jones | Stars: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Howie Mandel, Tony Randall
Votes: 112,789 | Gross: $41.48M
25. Christmas Vacation (1989)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy
The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik | Stars: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki
Votes: 220,080 | Gross: $71.32M
26. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)
PG-13 | 85 min | Comedy, Crime
Incompetent police Detective Frank Drebin must foil an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.
Director: David Zucker | Stars: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, O.J. Simpson, Ricardo Montalban
Votes: 184,781 | Gross: $78.76M
Special Mention - "Midnight Run".
27. Raising Arizona (1987)
PG-13 | 94 min | Comedy, Crime
When a childless couple--an ex-con and an ex-cop--decide to help themselves to one of another family's quintuplets, their lives become more complicated than they anticipated.
Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen | Stars: Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, Trey Wilson, John Goodman
Votes: 150,278 | Gross: $22.85M
Special Mention - "Planes, Trains & Automobiles".
28. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
PG-13 | 103 min | Comedy
A popular high school student, admired by his peers, decides to take a day off from school and goes to extreme lengths to pull it off, to the chagrin of his Dean, who'll do anything to stop him.
Director: John Hughes | Stars: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones
Votes: 386,257 | Gross: $70.14M
29. Fletch (1985)
PG | 98 min | Comedy, Crime, Mystery
While working undercover wisecracking newspaper reporter Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher is offered a large sum by a millionaire with a terminal disease to kill him. Intrigued, Fletch decides to unearth the full story behind the offer.
Director: Michael Ritchie | Stars: Chevy Chase, Joe Don Baker, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Richard Libertini
Votes: 57,851 | Gross: $50.61M
Special Mention - "The Breakfast Club", "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", "Clue" & "Real Genius".
30. Ghostbusters (1984)
PG | 105 min | Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Three parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.
Director: Ivan Reitman | Stars: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis
Votes: 449,673 | Gross: $238.63M
31. Strange Brew (1983)
PG | 90 min | Comedy, Crime, Sci-Fi
Canada's most famous hosers, Bob and Doug McKenzie, get jobs at the Elsinore Brewery, only to learn that something is rotten with the state of it.
Directors: Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas | Stars: Rick Moranis, Dave Thomas, Max von Sydow, Paul Dooley
Votes: 18,657
32. 48 Hrs. (1982)
R | 96 min | Action, Comedy, Crime
A hard-nosed cop reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal temporarily paroled to him in order to track down a killer.
Director: Walter Hill | Stars: Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, Annette O'Toole, Frank McRae
Votes: 85,218 | Gross: $78.87M
33. Stripes (1981)
R | 106 min | Comedy, War
Two friends who are dissatisfied with their jobs decide to join the army for a bit of fun.
Director: Ivan Reitman | Stars: Bill Murray, John Candy, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates
Votes: 79,963 | Gross: $85.30M
34. Airplane! (1980)
PG | 88 min | Comedy
After the crew becomes sick with food poisoning, a neurotic ex-fighter pilot must safely land a commercial airplane full of passengers.
Directors: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker | Stars: Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Votes: 260,928 | Gross: $83.40M
Funniest movie ever made.
35. The Jerk (1979)
R | 94 min | Comedy
A simpleminded, sheltered country boy suddenly decides to leave his family home to experience life in the big city, where his naivete is both his best friend and his worst enemy.
Director: Carl Reiner | Stars: Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Catlin Adams, Mabel King
Votes: 64,179 | Gross: $73.69M
36. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
R | 109 min | Comedy
At a 1962 college, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi Fraternity, but those troublemakers have other plans for him.
Director: John Landis | Stars: John Belushi, Karen Allen, Tom Hulce, Stephen Furst
Votes: 129,282
37. The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)
R | 83 min | Comedy
The daily programming of a fictional local TV channel presented as a series of highly irreverent skits.
Director: John Landis | Stars: Evan C. Kim, Bong Soo Han, Bill Bixby, George Lazenby
Votes: 20,255
38. The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
PG | 103 min | Comedy, Crime
After escaping from an insane asylum, the bonkers Charles Dreyfus sends 26 assassins on the trail of the forever bumbling Inspector Clouseau.
Director: Blake Edwards | Stars: Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Lesley-Anne Down, Burt Kwouk
Votes: 31,990 | Gross: $33.83M
39. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
PG | 91 min | Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles.
Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones | Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam
Votes: 570,018 | Gross: $1.23M
40. Female Trouble (1974)
NC-17 | 89 min | Comedy, Crime
A spoiled schoolgirl runs away from home, gets pregnant while hitch-hiking, and ends up as a fashion model for a pair of beauticians who like to photograph women committing crimes.
Director: John Waters | Stars: Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole
Votes: 10,455
41. American Graffiti (1973)
PG | 110 min | Comedy, Drama
A group of teenagers in California's central valley spend one final night after their 1962 high school graduation cruising the strip with their buddies before they pursue their varying goals.
Director: George Lucas | Stars: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith
Votes: 98,100 | Gross: $115.00M
42. Pink Flamingos (1972)
NC-17 | 93 min | Comedy, Crime
Notorious Baltimore criminal and underground figure Divine goes up against a sleazy married couple who make a passionate attempt to humiliate her and seize her tabloid-given title as "The Filthiest Person Alive".
Director: John Waters | Stars: Divine, David Lochary, Mary Vivian Pearce, Mink Stole
Votes: 27,886 | Gross: $0.18M
Tell Your Friends