Who needs a laugh?

Yesterday was one of those days.  That you’d like to forget.  Bad news on a couple of fronts.  The type of day that makes you want to lose yourself in something funny at the end of the day to take your mind off of things.

When I was younger and wanted to watch a film comedy, I turned to movies like, “Animal House”, “Young Frankenstein” or, “Caddyshack”, and who could argue, they did make you laugh.  Or even an older film like, “Some Like it Hot”.  As I’ve grown older, here’s a few of the movies to put on your must-see list, whether you’ve already see them or not.

“The Birdcage”.  A Mike Nichols film.  One of the few true comedies, and unforgettable performances by Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest.  If you’re homophobic, get over it.  Never fails to improve your mood.  Hank Azaria almost steals the movie.

“My Cousin Vinny”.  Another pure comedy.  No matter how many times you hear it, “Two yoots” is still funny.

“Arthur”.  The original, with Dudley Moore.  One of the finest comedic performances of all time.  And John Gielgud’s performance  is also unforgettable.  “Don’t you hate Perry’s wife” may be the most understated and missed laugh line of all time.  Had to be ad-libbed.

“The Big Lebowski”.  Previously blogged about so I won’t repeat it.  Watch it.  Laugh.  Simple process.

“State and Main”.  A David Mamet film.  Not pie in your face humor.  Almost no one in the film laughs the entire movie.  Subtle.  But well written and classic performances by William H Macy, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alec Baldwin and many others.  A wonderful farce of the film industry.

“Mrs. Doubtfire”.  I’m sure you’ve all seen it, several times probably.  But another pure comedy, with bits of drama sprinkled in.  How Robin Williams did not win the Oscar is beyond my understanding.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox”.  Okay, I admit it.  I love everything Wes Anderson does.  We recently saw, “Isle of Dogs” and it blew us away.  “Fox” may be his funniest film.  Stop action, not animation.  If you’re a, “I can’t waste my time with kids movies” person, you’ll never know what you are missing.  Whoever came up with the concept of inserting, “cuss” for “F***” is a genius.

“The Life of Brian”.  Okay, for any religious people who bought into the hype, relax.  It’s a movie.  Not a documentary.  Even if you were never a fan of Monty Python fan there’s no way this film doesn’t make you laugh.  And if you’re a heathen like me, even better.

“High Fidelity”.  A masterpiece.  John Cusack at his struggling best.  Jack Black in his best role.  Killer soundtrack.  Even a cameo by Bruce Springsteen.  If you love music, a double bonus.

“The Guard”.  By the same director who just did, “Three Billboards…”  Brendan Gleeson is brilliant, as he is in everything, this time as a beaten Irish cop, or, Guard”, abusing drugs, entertaining ladies of the night, and standing up for what is right.  A dark comedy, with funny homocidic criminals, brilliantly written and a cast of understated actors you’ve seen in a lot of films.  If you see it and like it, then try, “In Bruges” as well.

“Nobody’s Fool”.  Another film I’ve already blogged about.  Paul Newman, Jessica Tandy, Bruce Willis and Melanie Griffith.  If this movie doesn’t make you laugh and feel better after a bad day, you’ve had a really, really bad day.

“Mother”.  Albert Brooks has made a lot of funny movies, maybe none more so than, “Lost in America”.  You must see that also,  The, “Nest Egg” speech in the camper will make you pee your pants.  However, for some reason, “Mother” resonates with me, as overall, as a funnier film.  The pairing of Brooks and Reynolds was a stroke of genius.  She actually carries the movie.  Another Oscar worthy performance.

“Postcards from the Edge”.  Another Mike Nichols Film.  Yes, Nichols directed the brilliant, “The Graduate”, but this film, written by Carrie Fischer, and based on her life, is classic comedy.  Meryl Streep is at the top of her game, yet  Shirley MacLaine steals every scene she is in.  This is a movie a lot of people, for one reason or another, hasn’t seen.  See it.  End of advice.

“Galaxy Quest”.  The only thing funnier, at the time, would have been to have the original, “Star Trek” cast play themselves in this type of movie.  Although Tim Allen is the lead, the movie is carried by Sigourney Weaver, Sam Rockwell, Alan Rickman and Tony Shaloub.

“Little Miss Sunshine”.  A quirky comedy with dramatic overtures, even a death.  But the writing is so truthful and the performances so real, well, you just have to see it.  Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear, Paul Dano, Steve Carrell and Alan Arkin, who won an Oscar for his role, make you laugh by being real people.  Abigail Breslin gives one of the finest child-acting performances in quite some time.  In the same ballpark, try “Juno”.  Even if you’re older, like me.  A movie about younger people that makes older people laugh.  Ellen Page and Michael Cera make a very topical and serious situation very funny and heart warming.

“Home for the Holidays”.  We are always amazed by the number of people who haven’t seen this film.  It plays on our TV every Thanksgiving Eve.  Directed by Jodie Foster, it is a holiday movie that once you watch it, will do for you at Thanksgiving, what, “A Christmas Story” has done for so many people at Christmas.    Starring Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr., but Anne Bancroft and Charles Durning are both unforgettable.  Watch it.  Laugh.  Eat turkey.  Loosen your belt, “You little ingrates”.

“Small Time Crooks”.  Woody Allen, love him or hate him, has made a ton of funny movies.  Oscar winners.  But this one, made when he was a bit older and far from being his finest, makes me laugh about the same every time I see it.  Perhaps it is the pairing with Tracy Ullman.  The two of them were made to work together.  And just a chance to see the brilliant Elaine May in action.  Unforgettable.

“When Harry Met Sally”.  Let’s end with a classic.  Could have been made in 1935 or 1955 or 1975.  Would still be funny.  Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fischer and Bruno Kirby.  My wife and I still quote the older couples who break in every few scene, talking about how they met, etc…  “Watch her washing the clothes…she look pretty good to me”.  And no one knows our inside joke whenever we say, “Kolikio”.  “I ran into her at Eddie Kolikio’s funeral”…

I know, I know, I’ve left a ton off.  More for another day, another blog.  Watch.  Laugh.  Lay your troubles aside for a few hours.  They’re going to be there tomorrow.