Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Cheeseboy's Top 10 (plus 1) Movies That Made Me Laugh

As a self-appointed "funny guy",  I quite fond of funny movies.  As I ready myself to watch what I feel will become one of my favorite funny movies (Sleepwalk With Me), I started contemplating my favorite movies that made me laugh.  

Perhaps you have never heard of some of these movies?  Perhaps you have.  Perhaps you are wondering what the meaning of all of this is or the meaning of life.  Perhaps you are wondering where the best place for wafles is at 3:00 in the morning.  I'll get to all these questions, but first you may want to read this list.  You may also want to write some of these titles down so you may Netflix them or whatever the kids are doing nowadays.

11. Just Friends (2005) - Staring Ryan Reynolds and Amy Smart.

Reynolds singing "I Swear" at the beginning in a fat suit is one of my all time favorite movie moments. So very many other funny moments though.

BEST LINE - Chris: [writing in her yearbook] Dear Jamie, When we're together, I feel like we're not in high school, but in our own little Chris and Jamie world. Whether we're watching 'Party of Five' or practicing our cheers, I feel like I can just be myself. Jamie, we've been friends for a really long time, but I want to be more than that. Hoping to be your boyfriend... Sincerely, Chris Brander. BFF! 

10. The Jerk (1979) - Staring Steve Martin and Burnadette Peters

Steve Martin is my comic hero.  This is the first of two of his movies on my list, I watched this movie for the first time when I was 12 and I will never forget that day. (My cat also died that day.)  This was the original "Dumb and Dumber" and was better than that movie in every way. Perhaps it should have just been called "Dumb".

BEST LINE - Navin R. Johnson: I know we've only known each other four weeks and three days, but to me it seems like nine weeks and five days. The first day seemed like a week and the second day seemed like five days. And the third day seemed like a week again and the fourth day seemed like eight days. And the fifth day you went to see your mother and that seemed just like a day, and then you came back and later on the sixth day, in the evening, when we saw each other, that started seeming like two days, so in the evening it seemed like two days spilling over into the next day and that started seeming like four days, so at the end of the sixth day on into the seventh day, it seemed like a total of five days. And the sixth day seemed like a week and a half. I have it written down, but I can show it to you tomorrow if you want to see it. 

9. American Movie (1999) - Directed by Chris Smith

This was the perfect documentary in every way.  It follows the life of a couple Wisconsin losers without jobs, trying to make a horror movie on a budget of zero.  The dorks prove to be very endearing and by the end you are cheering for them to succeed.  In the middle there are so many laughs to be had.

BEST LINE - Do you think this is a little cathartic for you? - - Uh, very cathartic, Mark! - - Do you know what cathartic means? - - No.

8. Bridesmaids (2011) - Staring Kristin Wiig and Melissa McCarthy

A chick flick, I know.  Crude, I know.  I had to put a Judd Apatow movie on here though because he followed me on Twitter for about 6 months and I feel I owe it to him.  Honestly though, by the time I finished the movie I feel as though I had been hit in the gut with two giant fists of comedy furry.

BEST LINE - Annie: You read my diary? 
Brynn: At first I did not know it was your diary, I thought it was a very sad handwritten book. 

7. Office Space (1999) - Staring Ron Livingston and Jennifer Anniston 

Too bad Anniston's career was all downhill after this one.  This is one of those movies I just have to stop and watch when it comes on cable.  It has such great deadpan, but what makes it truly appealing is that just about everyone can relate to it.  A little crude but if you are worried about that, watch the TV version.  It's probably on right now.

BEST LINE - Samir: No one in this country can ever pronounce my name right. It's not that hard: Na-ghee-na-na-jar. Nagheenanajar. 
Michael Bolton: Yeah, well, at least your name isn't Michael Bolton. 
Samir: You know, there's nothing wrong with that name. 
Michael Bolton: There *was* nothing wrong with it... until I was about twelve years old and that no-talent clown became famous and started winning Grammys. 
Samir: Hmm... well, why don't you just go by Mike instead of Michael? 
Michael Bolton: No way! Why should I change? He's the one who sucks. 

6. Napolean Dynamite (2004) - Staring Jon Heder and Efren Ramirez 

I know, I know, you can't live in Utah or Idaho without either loving or hating this movie.  Put me in the love category, although I don't go around driving everyone crazy quoting it all the time.  Except for now.

BEST LINE - Napoleon Dynamite: Do the chickens have large talons?

5. Troll 2 (1990) - Staring Michael Stephenson and George Hardy

If you have seen this movie, you know exactly why it is in my top 10.  It has been dubbed "The Best Worst Movie of All Time" and it is truly horrific in every way.  It's not even about Trolls, nor does it reference Troll 1.  It was not meant to be a comedy, but it has amazing comedic value.

When I was a teenager, my friends and I must have watched this movie 45 times.  Each time, we laughed as though it was the first.  If you haven't seen this, you just have to.  There is no way to describe it.

BEST LINE: Joshua: A double-decker bologna sandwich! 
Creedence: Aaahhh! Think about the cholesterol! Think about... THE TOXINS...! 

4. The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997) - Staring Bill Murray and Peter Gallagher

I could have put just about any Bill Murray movie on this list but this is my absolute favorite.  No one plays the buffoon like Bill and he plays it to perfection.  The whole plot just makes me giggle.  The ending had me in laughter tears.  Yes, laughter tears, it's a thing.

BEST LINE: Wallace: She told me about the letters. 
Gilbert Embleton: Letters? What letters? 
Wallace: The letters. She told me about them. I know all about the letters. How do you think I know? She told me. That's how I found out. 

3. The Other Guys (2010) - Staring Will Farrell and Mark Wahlberg 

The newest movie on the list, I can not get enough of it.  Like Office Space, it seems to be on every day and I find myself watching it over and over again.  In fact, it's on right now.  I better hurry and finish this so I can watch it.

BEST LINE: Allen Gamble: At age 11, I audited my parents. Believe me, there were some discrepancies, and I was grounded. 


2. Bowfinger (1999) - Staring Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy

This movie is brilliantly funny and brilliantly written and brilliantly well lit as to highlight the actors faces.  My favorite Steve Martin movie, but the very best part is when they force Eddie Murphy cross the crowded highway.  I am laughing right now thinking about it.  I am laughing out loud.  I am LOLing, but OUT LOUD! 

BEST LINE: Robert K. Bowfinger: Would you be willing to cut your hair? 
Jiff Ramsey: Well, yeah, but it would probably be better if someone else did it. I've had a few... accidents.

1. Waiting For Guffman (1997) - Staring Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy

In my opinion, the very best Christopher Guest movie and the movie that made me laugh more than any other movie in existence.  Probably the best movie ever made by anyone.  

BEST LINE: Corky St. Clair: Here's the Remains of the Day lunchbox. Kids don't like eating at school, but if they have a Remains of the Day lunchbox they're a lot happier. 

11 comments:

Lourie said...

I love The Jerk!!! And Steve Martin.... well where do I start with the list or quotes. I did see a picture on pinterest/9Gag one of those... it was a "painting" of his Jerk family. So funny...if I find it, I will link it to your FB page.

Keetha Broyles said...


Have you seen the commercials on TV thar are "take offs" of Office Space?

We loved the line/lines in The Jerk: All I need is this. All I need is this and this. All I need is this, this, and this. All I need is this, this, this, and this" and so on!

Anonymous said...

My #1 favorite is "The Jerk". I think I have seen it 20 times and still laugh like crazy.

JustLinda said...

I'll confess that there are a few of those I haven't seen.

And a few more to ask if you've seen -- have you ever watched A Fish Called Wanda? Hilarious.

I remember laughing really hard at There's Something About Mary, too, but then feeling embarrassed that I found it so funny - totally inappropriate. But you have Bridesmaids on your list, so....

Heff said...

"Spinal Tap" and "The Man With Two Brains" didn't make the list ? I'm SHOCKED.

mCat said...

I am pathetic. I have only seen 3 or 4 of the movies listed.

I fell asleep during Bridesmaids. Clearly, I am UNfunny!

Queing up again!

Pedaling said...

I've only seen 2 of these....mainly because i rarely find a comedy very funny--steve carrel and will farrell always make me laugh, though. i am going to make a point to check a few of these out.

Unknown said...

I'm kind of saddened that The Jerk and Office Space were both beaten by Napoleon Dynamite, but I can't argue too much with this list...

Kathy Lowrey said...

CLEARLY these were posted in no particular order because The Jerk is HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!
I always re enact the phone book scene when a new book is published and delivered to my house!

sinika said...

Can't wait to try some of these I haven't seen yet... We happened upon Best Friends one night and laughed our heads off- so I love that it's on your list- I think it's underrated.

Mary said...

I thought I was the only person that LOVED "Just Friends." My favorite line (which I use in everyday conversation) is "Am I being Punked? Ashton?!?" This movie was actually on my Christmas list!