The 30 Best Comedy Movies of All Time

In the mood for some yuk-yuks? Or perhaps a gaggle of giggles? Look no further, because we’ve compiled the 30 best comedy movies ever made!

Given that this genre of cinema has been around practically since the birth of moving pictures, this was a particularly challenging list to wrangle. Many IGN editors cast their votes for this one, with the idea that this would also be a balanced showcase. Is there a world where this list could have had five Mel Brooks films on it? Of course! Multiple Will Ferrells? Absolutely! But to spread the love, we aimed to select the absolute best from some of these comedy legends while also pulling from as many decades as we could.

What you’ll find here are comedies that have stood the test of time – ones we can safely call “the best comedies of all time.” Some of these movies are also so danged important that we can forgive their dated qualities, while others are relatively new but destined to go down as among the most hilarious motion pictures ever made.

But no matter what kind of sense of humor you have, you’re bound to find these films full of thigh-slappers. We’ve got spoofs, goofs, road trips, ’80s cops, ’60s spies, virgins, monsters, zombies, and a whole heck of a lot of pratfalls ahead of us, so let’s get started. This is our list of the 30 best comedies of all time!

30. Bridesmaids (2011)

Paul Feig’s comedy smash Bridesmaids stars Kristen Wiig as a working-class woman whose best friend is getting married, and who has to nearly destroy herself just to keep up with the expensive wedding festivities. Bridesmaids made the statement that women can headline blockbuster comedies too, and be just as crass as their male counterparts (there’s a heck of a lot of poop, that’s for sure). But this isn’t just a broad comedy; it’s a real motion picture about social and economic distress, with an Oscar-nominated performance from Melissa McCarthy that will always be great.

Also Recommended: The Heat, Spy, Girls Trip, Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

29. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Director: Judd Apatow | Writers: Steve Carell, Judd Apatow | Stars: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Seth Rogen, and Catherine Keener | Release Date: August 19, 2005 | Review: IGN’s 40-Year-Old Virgin review | Where to watch: HBO Max, Peacock, Prime Video

Though Judd Apatow had been a creative force in TV through the ’90s (The Larry Sanders Show, Freaks and Geeks, etc) and had produced such movies as The Cable Guy and Anchorman (from just the year before), the true Apatow Era began with his feature film directorial debut, The 40-Year-Old Virgin – a hilarious, star-making, can’t-miss tonal template for the last two decades of comedies. A pre-Office Steve Carell became a bankable star overnight as a grown man (with toy-collecting hobbies that some, back then, might have considered unseemly for his age) who becomes a group project for his work buddies – played by Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogen – determined to get him laid for the first time. It’s a raw, clever, and surprisingly sweet mix of raunchy rowdiness and cringe-inducing laughs.

Also Recommended: Knocked Up, This is 40, Trainwreck

28. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

Director: Jay Roach | Writer: Mike Myers | Stars: Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York | Release Date: May 2, 1997 | Review: IGN’s Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery review | Where to watch: Available to rent/purchase on Prime Video

Skewering a particular “Swingin’ London” English era and the ’60s spy movie genre (Bond, The Avengers, etc), that no one knew needed a good kick in the trousers, Austin Powers was a stupendously silly niche offering that blew up into a huge comedy franchise (with quotes that were absolutely inescapable for a good 20 years). SNL and Wayne’s World alum Mike Myers doubled his ’90s gold rush with both rambunctiously and inappropriately promiscuous secret agent Austin Powers and his Lorne Michaels-evoking nemesis, Dr. Evil. The first Powers entry, which was the most modestly-budgeted, is the best of the trilogy, becoming a sleeper hit as more and more people found their way to this fantastically foolish film.

Also Recommended: So I Married an Axe Murderer, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Our Man Flint

27. Superbad (2007)

American Pie ushered in a whole new era of bawdy teen sex comedies for the 21st century, and while most are subpar gross-out carbon copies of one another, the Judd Apatow-produced Superbad stands head and shoulders above, with bright spotlights on young Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, and Emma Stone, a clever-ass script from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and some instant “McLovin” love that made early internet rounds. The idea of social rejects looking to lose their virginity was already old hat by this point, but Superbad felt like a fresh coat of paint, showing authentic friendship while balancing vulgarity with poignancy. Also, it’s funny as freakin’ heck.

Also Recommended: Pineapple Express, This Is the End, Blockers, Good Boys

26. The Birdcage (1996)

Director: Mike Nichols | Writer: Elaine May | Stars: Robin Williams, Gene Hackman, Nathan Lane, and Dianne Wiest | Release Date: March 8, 1996 | Where to watch: Pluto TV, MGM+, Prime Video

Mike Nichols and Elaine May, who had been a famous improvisational comedy duo in the ’50s and ’60s long before they both made their separate stamps in cinema, teamed up for two movies in the ’90s. One was 1998’s Primary Colors; the other was the unforgettable comedic tour de force of 1996’s The Birdcage, an adaptation of the 1978 French-Italian film, La Cage aux Folles. With May penning the script and Nichols in the director’s chair, The Birdcage was a laugh-a-minute triumph, with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane delivering top tier performances as Armand and Albert, drag club-owning spouses whose son has fallen in love with the daughter of a conservative Senator (Gene Hackman). It’s a sweet, wry blend of political and cultural humor that still resonates today.

Also Recommended: The Graduate, Working Girl, Mrs. Doubtfire, Good Morning Vietnam

25. Barbie (2023)

Director: Greta Gerwig | Writers: Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach | Stars: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, and Ariana Greenblatt | Release Date: July 21, 2023 | Review: IGN’s Barbie review | Where to watch: HBO Max, Prime Video

The combined, gimmicky box office power of “Barbenheimer” can’t be denied, but it was Barbie doing the heavier lifting for this pair, and Barbie that continued to be the zany, zeitgeist-y experience that fans went back to see, in groups and sometimes cosplaying, multiple times. This wild swing from Greta Gerwig was a sassy, silly meta flip on the classic toy line, offering up the luminous Margot Robbie as a classic Barbie doll who begins to see the subversive cracks in her surreal life. It’s a giddy, outrageous outing with a scene-stealing Ryan Gosling playing a Ken doll whose insecurity helps him stumble ass-backwards into full-blown patriarchy. Barbie offers a fun twist on familiar formulas that smartly infuses mischief, mayhem, and mirth.

Also Recommended: Lady Bird, The Fall Guy, Crazy Stupid Love, Birds of Prey

24. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

Director: Tim Burton | Writers: Phil Hartman, Paul Reubens, and Michael Varhol | Stars: Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton | Release Date: August 9, 1985 | Where to watch: Available to rent/purchase on Prime Video

Though youths of today may not quite understand the Pee-wee Herman craze of the ’80s, the killer combo of Paul Reubens’ Pee-wee, fledgling director Tim Burton, comedy writer Phil Hartman, and Danny Elfman’s score in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is undeniable. It’s a dazzling, silly time for viewers of all ages, with a man-child heart and a shrewder-than-expected script. The world of Pee-wee Herman is rambunctious, unique, and full of whimsy. It’s not a spoof or a send-up, but instead an eccentric fairy tale designed to delight with absurd antics and joyful jokes.

Also Recommended: Beetlejuice, UHF, Freaked

23. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

The zombie apocalypse is upon us, and it’s unexpectedly hilarious in Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead. Simon Pegg stars as a young man trapped in arrested development who, over the course of a single day in the undead outbreak, has to overcome every single one of his hang-ups. He proves he’s a responsible adult, comes to terms with his stepfather, makes peace with his mother, and ultimately grows the hell up. In the meantime, he also has to live out moments from classic horror movies and kill the undead by throwing his least favorite vinyl records at them. It’s inspired, exciting filmmaking that goes beyond mere horror parody and tells a story that’s so real, it makes the movie seem timeless.

Also Recommended: Hot Fuzz, The World’s End, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

22. School of Rock (2003)

A movie has never served the comedic and musical stylings of Jack Black as well as Richard Linklater’s School of Rock; it’s a rousing, inspiring prep school romp that not only perfectly captures Black’s hilarious passion for music, but also inspired an entire national chain of music schools for kids eager to learn about rockin ‘n’ rollin. With optimism, confidence, and glee, along with a potent message about the power of self-expression, School of Rock is an exuberant display of wonder, wit, and taking no shit.

Also Recommended: Orange County, Dazed and Confused, Kung Fu Panda, Hit Man

21. His Girl Friday (1940)

Director: Howard Hawks | Writer: Charles Lederer | Stars: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, and Gene Lockhart | Release Date: January 18, 1940 | Where to watch: Tubi, Prime Video

An absolutely pivotal Howard Hawks screwball comedy, His Girl Friday reinvented comedic patter, introducing rapid overlapping banter as director Hawks himself was clearly determined to break the record for fastest film dialogue. The previous record holder? 1931’s The Front Page, with both films being adaptations of the same 1928 play. The big difference with His Girl Friday, though? The gender-flipping of second lead Hildy Johnson, now played by the outstanding Rosalind Russell. This made His Girl Friday even more significant, as it was non-stop clever quips between a man and a woman, changing the landscape of rom-coms forever. It’s not just a freakin’ funny masterclass in writing and performing; it’s considered one of the best movies of all time.

Also Recommended: It Happened One Night, The Philadelphia Story, Bringing Up Baby

20. Wayne’s World (1992)

Director: Penelope Spheeris | Writers: Mike Myers, Bonnie Turner, and Terry Turner | Stars: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Tia Carrere, and Rob Lowe | Release Date: February 14, 1992 | Where to watch: Paramount+, Pluto TV

There have been plenty of movies based on recurring SNL skits over the past 50 years, with some of them even being pretty damn good. But most of them came after the glory that is Wayne’s World; before this, there was just The Blue Brothers 12 years earlier. After Wayne’s World though? It was almost as if no SNL character was safe from the big screen treatment. But nothing could top Wayne’s World, not even Wayne’s World 2. What Wayne’s World created was a perfect rock ‘n’ roll fan fable, complete with meta asides and absurdist gags. The characters and their style of humor were already familiar due to the ongoing sketches, and the movie wonderfully kept all that intact while expanding it into a full world of wackiness. Wayne and Garth get a taste of fame, square off against a smarmy TV exec, and still score Wayne’s new gal a record deal – we’re (almost) not worthy of this excellent outing. What Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure started with the idea of the “eloquent meathead,” Wayne’s World perfected.

19. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Lots of movies are silly, but the silliness in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy is superlative. Adam McKay’s film ladles absurdist humor on an already very effective comedy storyline about a sexist newsroom adapting to the newly-shattered glass ceiling, with the male staff making complete rear-ends of themselves in the process. Will Ferrell and his news team are delightful buffoons, and Christina Applegate matches them all as a serious newswoman who’s also funny as funny can be. Anchorman is the kind of dumb comedy that makes you feel smart for loving it.

18. Dumb and Dumber (1994)

Director: Peter Farrelly | Writers: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, and Bennett Yellin | Stars: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, and Lauren Holly | Release Date: December 16, 1994 | Review: IGN’s Dumb and Dumber review | Where to watch: Available to rent/purchase on Prime Video

Honestly, it’s all there in the title. Two of the stupidest dudes on Earth played by Jim Carrey and (in a surprising turn) Jeff Daniels hit the road in an attempt to return a briefcase to a beautiful woman (Lauren Holly) that one of them hopes to ask out on a date. That’s it, and that’s enough, truly. Lloyd and Harry’s riotous buffoonery carries this ’90s gem across the finish line. Dumb and Dumber was a huge hit, helped cement “in his heyday” Carrey’s legacy even more, and put the Farrelly brothers on the map as new usurpers to the throne of comedy. Poop, boogers, dead birds, more poop, the most annoying sound in the world – this movie’s got it all.

Also Recommended: There’s Something About Mary, Kingpin, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Liar Liar

17. The Big Lebowski (1998)

What if someone made a rich and complicated film noir and nobody told the protagonist? The Big Lebowski stars Jeff Bridges as Jeff Lebowski, a.k.a. the Dude. He’s a laidback bowler who accidentally gets sucked into a world of kidnapping and conspiracy, and watching him cluelessly shamble in his bathrobe through situations worthy of a Raymond Chandler novel is a joke that never, ever gets old. Throw in a scene-stealing, rage-fueled performance by John Goodman as the Dude’s best friend, Walter, and all you can do is abide.

Also Recommended: Raising Arizona, The Hudsucker Proxy, O Brother Where Art Thou?

16. Friday (1995)

Director: F. Gary Gray | Writers: Ice Cube, DJ Pooh | Stars: Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, and Nia Long | Release Date: April 26, 1995 | Where to watch: Pluto TV, Prime Video

In an effort to counterbalance the gritty, dramatic South Central films that came out in the early ’90s like Boyz n the Hood and Menace II Society, rapper Ice Cube and his writing partner, producer DJ Pooh, made a hood-centric comedy that drew on their own personal experiences. Friday is a charming, vibrant tale about two slacker friends (Cube and Chris Tucker) getting into a day’s worth of hilarious misadventures. It’s a crazy, crass, and comical romp, spawning two sequels and a “Bye, Felicia!” meme decades later.

Also Recommended: House Party, One of Them Days, Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood

15. Some Like It Hot (1959)

Director: Billy Wilder | Writers: Billy Wilder, I. A. L. Diamond | Stars: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon | Release Date: March 19, 1959 | Where to watch: YouTube, The Roku Channel, Prime Video

Writer/director Billy Wilder has a stacked filmography full of classics and overflowing with class. Some Like It Hot may be his most enduring gift to us – an apex farce that’s easily in the top selections of every Best Comedies list. The premise of two Prohibition-era musicians who disguise themselves as women to escape the mob seems almost too broad and hacky to be clever, but Some Like It Hot excels in every aspect, utilizing elements of Preston Sturges, the Marx Brothers, and Marilyn Monroe’s sex appeal to craft a marvelous madcap yarn.

Also Recommended: The Seven Year Itch, The Front Page, The Apartment, The Odd Couple

14. Clueless (1995)

Director: Amy Heckerling | Writer: Amy Heckerling | Stars: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash, and Brittany Murphy | Release Date: July 19, 1995 | Where to watch: Paramount+, Prime Video

Who knew that a modern spin on Jane Austen’s Emma would create the perfect ’90s teen movie? While there were certainly other high school comedies in the 1990s, Clueless remains its own superior brand to this day, much like the chic designer clothes in Cher Horowitz’s mechanized revolving closet. Alicia Silverstone may ultimately wind up being best remembered for this film, but what a legacy! She so completely and stunningly embodies Cher, with the goofy, sometimes satirical (but never surreal) world around her painting a full and complete picture of preposterous privilege and hilarious heart. Part of Clueless can definitely act as a time capsule, but it rises above retro-adoration with a timeless quality that most films never cultivate.

Also Recommended: Mean Girls, Easy A, Bottoms, Emma

13. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

Director: Charles Crichton | Writer: John Cleese | Stars: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, and Michael Palin | Release Date: July 15, 1988 | Where to watch: Pluto TV, MGM+, Prime Video

A stuffy, married defense attorney gets seduced by a jewel thief out to make sure her lover gets convicted of their recent heist in the magnificent proto-cringe comedy, A Fish Called Wanda. Monty Python’s John Cleese wrote and starred in this cunning caper, making himself the butt of some masterful secondhand embarrassment. It was a huge smash at the time, even garnering Kevin Kline an Oscar for his performance as lethal cocky idiot Otto. At its core, A Fish Called Wanda is about a repressed, depressed British man who comes under the spell of a free-spirited American gal, all nicely dressed up in brilliant performances and a hyper-clever script.

Also Recommended: Ruthless People, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Soapdish, Get Shorty

12. Borat! Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

Director: Larry Charles | Writers: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Peter Baynham, and more | Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, and Pamela Anderson | Release Date: November 3, 2006 | Review: IGN’s Borat review | Where to watch: Available to rent/purchase on Prime Video

An argument can be made that with the addition of Maria Bakalova, and the fact that comedian Sacha Baron Cohen was able to pull off this character 14 years after the original movie, Borat 2 is the superior film. But without the original, groundbreaking Borat, we’ve got nothing. It was a twisted, gut-busting revelation, making viewers howl with both laughter and second-hand embarrassment. It proudly watches over us from the Mount Rushmore of Cringe Comedy as fictional Kazakhstan journalist, the backwards-thinking Borat Sagdiyev, bizarrely found his way into our hearts via real-life interactions with Americans that weren’t in on the joke.

More Like This: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

11. Groundhog Day (1993)

Bill Murray is a mean-spirited and almost completely unlikable weatherman who’s forced to live out the same day of his life – Groundhog Day – over and over again with no end in sight. The genius of Harold Ramis’ film is how ingeniously well-developed that concept is. What could have been a repetitious gag becomes an endless series of brilliant jokes, from heists to therapy sessions to felonious groundhog-napping. Nobody gets annoyed like Bill Murray, but nobody sees the error of his ways quite like him either. Groundhog Day is one of the cleverest movies ever produced, and one of the funniest.

Also Recommended: Ghostbusters, Palm Springs, Happy Death Day

10. City Lights (1931)

Director: Charlie Chaplin | Writer: Charlie Chaplin | Stars: Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, and Florence Lee | Release Date: March 7, 1931 | Where to watch: HBO Max, Tubi, Prime Video

Cinema pioneer Charlie Chaplin, megastar of the silent film era, doubly proved his muster with City Lights, a classic crafted during a time when sound was already a part of movies. Chaplin is at his vaudevillian best here as his Little Tramp falls head over heels for a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill). Chaplin gives one of the greatest early performances in film history; with expert pantomime, slapstick, and ingenuity, he cracked the code, and comedy was never the same.

Also Recommended: The Gold Rush, Modern Times

9. Coming to America (1988)

Director: John Landis | Writers: David Sheffield, Barry W. Blaustein, and Eddie Murphy | Stars: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, and Shari Headley | Release Date: June 29, 1988 | Where to watch: Pluto TV, Philo, Prime Video

The comedy stylings of SNL vet Eddie Murphy confidently dominated a big chunk of the ’80s, with many offerings to choose from. It’s Coming to America though, from director John Landis, that encapsulates the best of Murphy. It’s sweet, silly, and raunchy all at once as wealthy African crown prince Akeem travels to Queens, NY, to find… well, his queen. Refusing an arranged marriage, Akeem believes he can find true love in the US with his best friend Semmi (Arsenio Hall) by his side. Coming to America was also a prosthetic precursor to the ’90s Klump family as Murphy and Hall both play several roles in the movie, sometimes camouflaged beneath miles of makeup.

Also Recommended: 48 Hrs., Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop

8. Young Frankenstein (1974)

Director: Mel Brooks | Writers: Gene Wilder, Mel Brooks | Stars: Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, and Marty Feldman | Release Date: December 15, 1974 | Review: IGN’s Young Frankenstein review | Where to watch: Only available on DVD

Mel Brooks mercilessly sends up the Frankenstein franchise with his Oscar-nominated comedy classic. The film stars Gene Wilder as the son of the mad scientist Doctor Frankenstein (it’s pronounced “FRAHNK-ensteen”), who follows in his father’s footsteps and creates a monster of his own. Brooks expertly recreates the eerie atmosphere of the Universal horror classics, which makes even the silliest gags seem extra funny by contrast. Every performance is a comedy all-timer, and the “Puttin’ on the Ritz” musical number is one for the ages. Young Frankenstein never stops making you laugh, no matter how many times you watch it.

More Like This: Blazing Saddles, The Producers, Spaceballs

7. Duck Soup (1933)

Director: Leo McCarey | Writers: Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby | Stars: Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, and Margaret Dumont | Release Date: November 17, 1933 | Where to watch: Available to rent/purchase on Prime Video

Vaudeville sensations-turned-movie stars The Marx Brothers gifted us with several comedy gems but we’re picking all-rounder masterpiece Duck Soup as their pinnacle. It’s a tight 68 minutes of laughs. It dials up the irreverence, satire, slapstick, and rapid-fire comic timing, delivering the leanest, grandest Marx Brothers outing. Verbal jousting, fourth-wall breaking, and anti-war irony, Duck Soup was a crucial chapter, offering the siblings a chance to be next-level outrageous before the Hays Code started being fully enforced a year later.

Also Recommended: Animal Crackers, A Night at the Opera, It Happened One Night

6. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Director: David Wain | Writer: David Wain, Michael Showalter | Stars: Janeane Garofalo, Paul Rudd, and David Hyde Pierce | Release Date: July 27, 2001 | Where to watch: AMC+, Philo, Prime Video

The summer camp genre gets a welcome and gut-busting shot in the arm with Wet Hot American Summer, David Wain’s inspired, star-studded parody of the oft-derided genre. A group of teenagers, all played by actors who are way too old for this, find themselves in a series of wild misadventures… and then there’s also somehow a talking can of vegetables. The wacky stuff is unrepentantly absurd, the serious moments cannot possibly be taken seriously, and the complete deconstruction of what would have been any other film’s centerpiece – a baseball game against “anonymously evil” rival campers – is a masterfully constructed joke if ever there was one.

Also Recommended: They Came Together, The Baxter, Wanderlust

5. National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

In National Lampoon’s Vacation, Chevy Chase stars as a suburban dad trying to chase down an old-fashioned American Dream: the wholesome cross-country road trip. Unfortunately, modern America has other plans, and each stop along the way sends Chase and his family further into hilarious madness. Some of the gags have aged poorly – including a nasty incident with a dog and some unfortunate racial stereotyping – but the film’s overall impression of a dream gradually dying is one of the darkest, funniest gags in movie history. (The third film in the series, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, recaptures that sensation wonderfully too.)

Also Recommended: Fletch, National Lampoon’s Animal House, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Vacation (2015)

4. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Director: Rob Reiner | Writer: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner | Stars: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer | Release Date: March 2, 1984 | Review: IGN’s This is Spinal Tap review | Where to watch: HBO Max, Prime Video

Rob Reiner pretty much invented the mockumentary comedy genre with This Is Spinal Tap, a fake doc about aging British heavy metal musicians who aren’t nearly as hardcore as they think they are. How loud is their music? Their volume knobs go to 11! Never mind how little sense that makes, and never mind that each of their drummers has died under mysterious circumstances, or forget that time they got lost backstage, or the unthinkable “Stonehenge” incident. There aren’t many losers more lovable than Spinal Tap… and their music is surprisingly good too!

3. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Director: Stanley Kubrick | Writer: Stanley Kubrick, Terry Southern, and Peter George | Stars: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, and Sterling Hayden | Release Date: January 29, 1964 | Review: IGN’s Dr. Strangelove review | Where to watch: Available to rent/purchase on Prime Video

Comedy can be a pleasant diversion from reality, but the best comedy can change the way we look at reality; Stanley Kubrick’s absolutely astounding indictment of Cold War politics, Dr. Strangelove, is the latter. It’s the saga of how one man’s impotence dooms the world to potential nuclear annihilation while all the other macho schmucks can barely get over their egos and libidos and warmongering long enough to do the (kinda) right thing. Jokes like “You can’t fight in here, this is a War Room!” fly right in the face of the very concept of international relations, and beautifully illustrate just how childish the people who run the world really are… and how dangerous that is to anyone with half a functioning brain. It’s unbelievably funny, impossibly smart, and downright important filmmaking.

Also Recommended: Wag the Dog, The Death of Stalin

2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones | Writers: Monty Python troupe | Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin | Release Date: April 3, 1975 | Review: IGN’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail review | Where to watch: YouTube, Peacock, BritBox, Prime Video

The British comedy troupe Monty Python travels to Arthurian times, using off-the-wall humor to send up a whole era’s worth of ignorance, injustice, and inequity. Graham Chapman stars as King Arthur, and all the rest of the Python boys play multiple roles as the cowards, villains, and maniacs he runs into along the way. Monty Python and the Holy Grail takes ideas that are objectively not funny – like the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow – and spins them into timeless comedy gold. And also into… a SHRUBBERY!

Also Recommended: Monty Python’s Life of Brian, Time Bandits

1. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)

Director: David Zucker | Writers: Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Pat Proft | Stars: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, and Ricardo Montalbán | Release Date: December 2, 1988 | Where to watch: Tubi, Paramount+, Prime Video

Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers created an all-timer with The Naked Gun. There’s definitely room for an “Airplane! is better” argument, but honestly… why all the arguing? Everything on this list is great, as are the recommendations in each selection. We’re celebrating comedy, and while Airplane! was an era-appropriate “disaster film” spoof, The Naked Gun feels more timeless as just a smart-dumb cop movie. The sequels got sloppier and more reliant on slapstick, and Leslie Nielsen’s iconic Frank Drebin ditched the deadpan for more of a buffoonish shtick, but this first one – man oh man – is pitch perfect. After a lengthy career in film and TV, The Naked Gun made Nielsen, at age 62, a comedic headliner in a second (or third) act career revival. It’s a ‘put on and leave on at any time’-type movie that’s a joy to behold with every viewing.

Also Recommended: Airplane!, Top Secret!, Hot Shots!, Dragnet, The Naked Gun (2025)

That’s it for our picks of the best comedy movies of all time. Is your favorite on the list? If not, let us know your suggestion in the comments.

This list originally ran on July 3, 2018. It was updated onApril 4, 2026, with our latest picks.