Comedy

Let's talk comedy tonight, which seems to be enough of an enigmatic genre to constantly be overlooked. There is a lot of art in making people laugh, but there is also a lot of non-art. I tend to think that people (and Oscar voters alike) would be able to discern what is comedy and what is bullshit, but not often people do. That's why Meet the Spartans was tops at the box office this weekend. Why Meet the Spartans was even made. So let's get to the comedies that I think fall into the opposite category of actually funny movies--movies that made me laugh.

This is not to say that I don't exclusively enjoy good comedic films. One of my favorite comedies is Dodgeball, for instance, which probably falls into the same category as Meet the Spartans: kind of funny, sophomoric and not much substance. Not much art in the film making itself. But there were some damn good funny movies that came out this year, so let's get down to bidniss.

4) Aquateen Hungerforce Colon Movie Film For Theaters -- Here's a prime example of that shit-humor film-making. I'm such a big fan of the show, though, that this movie couldn't help but make me laugh. It's surprising that the non-sequitur style that their humor has was able to play out for a full 90 minutes or so. It somehow didn't get stale, and it kept me entertained for far longer than I expected from a fifteen minute TV show.

3) Juno -- this movie was just downright cute. I liked that it didn't play to some of the Hollywood stereotypes of dickish parents who Juno has to hide her pregnancy from or that the guy who got her pregnant skips town and stops talking to her. She openly acknowledges the mistake and is willing to go through with it and to give this child the best life she can. There are definitely some interesting subplots and the whole movie is rife with awesomeness.

2) Knocked Up -- Judd Apatow knows what he's doing. This movie is one that was made by someone who knows how to make me laugh. Knows how to make a comedy with realistic and well done characters. I liked that this movie was sappy and funny and mean and honest all at the same time. Seth Rogen really showed that he can be a leading man, and one that I'd never want to get impregnated by.

1) Superbad -- I have such a connection to this movie that it would have been hard to not give it #1. In High School, I was Seth a lot of the time, it seemed like. Aside from the drive to get laid, I was the loud mouth, vulgar kid in high school, constantly trying to find a girlfriend. And my best friend was Evan. The names in the movie should be changed for clarity, but it's the truth. He talls and skinny and awkward--not so much anymore, but, still, at the time the movie came out, the characters spoke to us because we've been in that same situation before. We've never gone on a booze hunt or anything, but the whole having to cope with a separation that is looming after spending two years sitting around and talking about nothing. I enjoyed this movie, and it helped that it was funny as hell.