Delicatessen Comedies

Whilst 1991′s Delicatessen is certainly not considered a prequel to Amélie — director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s “other” movie — it could well be described as its (very) messed-up older sister. The story revolves around a Parisian apartment building above a shady butcher’s shop in a post-apocalyptic France. The butcher lures waifs in with the promise of a vacancy, and then promptly dispatches them in order to sell their meat to the tenants above. This scheme is only foiled by the arrival of a plucky circus performer who becomes the butcher’s next target, and by a team of vegetarian troglodyte terrorists. What makes the film so creepy is its grimy, dirty aesthetic — one totally removed from the twee croissant-a-thon of Amélie. Macabre comic brilliance.

Addams Family Values Comedies

Perhaps not the most disturbing of films on this list, Barry Sonnenfeld’s Addams Family Values, which came out in 1993, is nonetheless a movie that conveys a constant and unnerving feeling of uncertainty. Perhaps it’s simply the more Gothic nature of the second Addams installment, the family’s impermeable relationship with death, or the darker and more serious use of the macabre juxtaposed with the normal American world around them. One way or another, it’s a black-as-night comedy with a true air of dis-ease. If you haven’t seen it since the fifth grade, take another look. The performances from Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd and Christina Ricci are tantamount to genius!

The War of the Roses Comedies

To some, Michael Douglas may be a washed-up star nowadays, but he’s the only actor to have starred in two films in our top ten list, and he resolutely stole the show in both. The War of The Roses is a great, if underrated, comedy of the darkest kind. The tale begins when two lovers meet (the female protagonist played by the excellent Kathleen Turner), fall in love, get married, improve their careers and become wealthy. Then it all goes horribly wrong. Brilliantly narrated by their divorce lawyer (Danny DeVito), the movie chronicles how the couple’s squabbles eventually escalate into a messy, violent climax, as they inflict despicable levels of vengeance upon each another. If you’ve ever been through a break-up, you’ll squirm throughout this movie, laughing uncontrollably at the same time. Look out for a brief cameo from Dan “Homer Simpson” Castellaneta.

Fargo Comedies

Ethan and Joel Coen are moviemakers renowned for their discreetly humorous dialogue and excellent use of atmosphere, and their 1996 offering Fargo is arguably the ultimate testament to this. The movie tells the “true” story of a kidnapping gone horribly wrong and several murders out in the sticks of Minnesota and North Dakota. Through all its exciting, gory detail, it still retains a sense of humor so delicate it remains ambiguous. Whether it’s the violent introduction of Steve Buscemi to a woodchipper, or the sing-song accent of the movie’s various regional extras — not to mention the superb Frances McDormand — the atmosphere remains truly thrilling, unbearably tense, and constantly amusing.

Grosse Pointe Blank Comedies

The 1997 George Armitage movie Grosse Pointe Blanke is something of a cult classic. This truly dark comedy portrays the existential crisis of a professional assassin returning to his hometown for a high school reunion. This movie has it all: guns, death, more death, and the non-ironic use of comedic one-liners. But it’s something much deeper that gives this film its unsettling edge. The believability of John Cusack’s hitman gives the lead character a personality that is easy to relate to. We find ourselves recoiling in discomfort at the recognizable mental traumas he faces regarding his morally ambiguous career choice. Like someone who works at McDonald’s.

American Psycho Comedies

Not exactly a movie to sit and watch with Junior, 2000’s American Psycho was a great movie inspired by a great book. In the movie, Christian Bale stars as Patrick Bateman, a late ’80s Manhattan yuppie with a penchant for luxury, and butchering hookers. The film is, at times, one of the most disturbingly humorous soirées into the mind of a high class killer ever produced; at other times, just completely twisted. A memorable scene involves Bateman being pushed over the edge upon realizing that an associate’s business card is better than his, leading to attempted murder in a restroom (an attack that is hilariously mistaken as something else by the victim…). “Oh my God, it even has a watermark.” Get the machete.

After Hours Comedies

The nightmarish plot of 1985′s After Hours — one of Martin Scorsese’s lesser lauded movies — is an allegorical masterpiece entirely devoted to the concept of rotten luck. Perhaps this is what makes us feel so uncomfortable watching it. The story begins and ends at work; but the between time documents one man (the worker) confronting an increasingly ill-fated chain of events — from having insufficient money to ride the subway, to the suicide of a young woman, to being pursued by a murderous mob. The seemingly cyclical, claustrophobic nature of the situations in which the protagonist (played by Griffin Dunne) finds himself is way less comfortable than any movie starring Cheech and Chong should ever be (they both appear as burglars), but just as funny. In these times, though, it’s hard to watch the film without musing on how the contemporary ATM card might have negated its entire premise.

Being John Malkovich Comedies

Written and directed by the winning team of Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze, 1999′s Being John Malkovich is a postmodern masterpiece of gallows humor. In true Kaufman style, this batty picture charts the tumultuous occurrences that follow the accidental discovery of a portal into the brain of actor John Malkovich. Whilst the comedy is subtle, the creepiness and melancholy atmosphere of the movie are not. Resplendent with unnerving puppets, Cameron Diaz at her absolute aesthetic worst, and a restaurant scene from hell, this movie represents Jonze and Kaufman at their very best; blending the incredulously comedic with the darkest of weirdnesses.

Falling Down Comedies

Falling Down isn’t one of Michael Douglas’ better known films, but it’s certainly one of his best performances. The 1993 Joel Schumacher directed shoot-a-thon focuses on Douglas’ character, William “D-Fens” Foster, an ex-defense engineer who develops homicidal tendencies following a traffic jam. The movie is non-stop action, with Douglas exhibiting an increasingly dangerous, yet understandable, level of violent rage over everyday problems. The most notable — and coincidentally, the funniest — of these moments is the scene in which he fires an machine pistol into the ceiling of a fast food restaurant for refusing to serve him a breakfast meal three minutes after the menu changed to lunch. Disturbingly comedic and startlingly easy to identify with, Falling Down is the perfect ad for therapy.

About Schmidt Comedies

What is it about a movie that addresses the inherent futility of life that makes it so depressing to watch? Oh yeah, the inherent futility of life. The darkly comic About Schmidt, released in 2002, concerns a widower, played by Jack Nicholson, whose relationship with his late wife had deteriorated before her death to the point of bitter hatred. Upon discovering evidence in the closet that his wife had been having an affair with a friend, Schmidt takes to the wheel of their oversized retirement plan — a Winnebago — and hits the road in order to try and dissuade his daughter from marrying an unsuitable fiancée. The movie is at times so dismal it’s hard to watch (but not in a bad way; it’s a good film), but great dialogue and expert performances from Nicholson and Kathy Bates make for a tongue-firmly-in-cheek satire of growing old and amounting to nothing.

Mitch Hedberg Comedian

Mitch Hedberg was the underground’s favorite, and was a brand new kind of comedian. He was the kind of guy people would go see even when they knew all the jokes (and at times, crowds would shout the punchlines out early to Hedberg during his brief reign).

Hedberg didn’t break into the game on SNL, for him a 1996 David Letterman appearance propelled him to stardom. He was soon touring with a unique style that captivated clubs across the country. His hilarity was due to a one of a kind voice, as well as great observations and reliance on non sequiturs.

Unfortunately what killed Hedberg’s funny was a premature death. An avid drug user, he once said on stage “I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too.” On March 30th, 2005 it stopped being funny when a combination of cocaine and heroin proved fatal for Hedberg, who was 37 at the time. His funny is now in a better place, but humanity lost it way too soon.

Adam Sandler Comedian

Adam Sandler was one of the most talented comedians of his generation, and then he made this list. Sandler made his name on SNL in the 1990’s as a writer and actor. He was first known for songs such as the “Chanukah song” and had a burgeoning film and television career throughout the decade, starring in films such as “The Waterboy,” “Billy Madison” and “Happy Gilmore.” He was the quirky, angry, one-dimensional character actor that America adored. His self-hating everyman person became a cash cow, and his funny disappeared.
When pucca shell wearing frat boys and crippled grandparents all find someone funny, it automatically kills their actual funny. The casualty of Adam Sandler is a tale as old as time — almost a requirement in the career trajectory of mega-successful comedians. He tried to get serious.

In 2007, Sandler thought it wise to lend his talent to “Reign Over Me,” a movie Columbia thought out no further than “he lost his family in 9/11.” In 2009, Sandler addressed his plummet into irrelevancy and humorlessness in the aptly named “Funny People,” essentially playing himself as a depressed, washed up, shtick-ridden comedian.

Dave Chappelle Comedian

It hurts to put Dave Chappelle on this list, but one of the most innovative, groundbreaking comedians of all time has clearly lost his funny.

For a while in Chappelle’s career, fame was elusive, although hilarity always abounded. He appeared in numerous television guest spots, and starred in the stoner cult classic “Half Baked,” which will be quoted until there is not a leaf of marijuana left on earth. Like most comedians, however, his stand up is what brought him to the top.

In 2000, Chappelle dropped “Killin’ Them Softly,” a HBO standup special performed in his native Washington DC. People sure loved jokes about babies selling weed! In 2003, Chappelle got his own show on Comedy Central, which is when the world and his funny began to change forever.

Chappelle’s show quickly became Comedy Central’s most popular show on the strength of outstanding writing and powerful catchphrases. Skits such as Prince and Rick James “true stories” captivated a nation. But unfortunately, the crazed public couldn’t get enough. Chappelle zombies were incapable of repeating his jokes until they not only drained them of their funny, but drove the man to insanity. Chappelle escaped America, and the evil penny-pinching Comedy Central (who denied him proper DVD royalties even though they broke sales records) to recover. He has not yet made a comeback at this time, and his funny still lingers with massive potential, although it is dormant for now.

Robin Williams Comedian

It’s still debatable whether Williams ever had funny, but assume that at one point his hyperkinetic, wild facial expression and vocal range silliness was absolutely hilarious. Perhaps best known for voicing the genie in “Aladdin,” Williams is known for his incredible versatility as an actor — versatility that eventually destroyed his funny.

Williams gained fame on the show “Mork and Mindy” in the late 70’s and early 80’s. In the show, he played Mork, a nasal-voiced alien that was involved in various hijinks, sometimes including the cast of “Happy Days” (Mork and Mindy was a spin-off). Williams used this TV fame to kick-start his standup career, appearing in three TV specials during the 70’s and 80’s.

Williams’ acting career took off during the 90’s, when he starred in classics such as “Jumanji,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” and “Hook.” All were not only hilarious, but also charming and even action-packed. Williams seemed invincible. And then 1997 hit, and Williams’ career changed forever. He won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in the vastly overrated “Good Will Hunting.”

It almost seems as if Williams took the praise to his head, and decided to commit funny suicide. The following years would see Williams star in several movies that absolutely destroy funny — his own and even the viewers. “Patch Adams,” “What Dreams May Come,” and “One Hour Photo” are all examples of these. Robin Williams became a scary, nasty man, and his funny plummeted. Recently Williams has tried to make a comeback on the standup circuit, but his routine remains shadowed by his melodramatic, scary movie personas.

Chris Rock Comedian

This man was a riot. For any follower of comedy, Chris Rock’s early standup contained the rawest, roughest, wildest bits since Eddy Murphy and Richard Pryor. He discussed race at length, and his comedy pushed for recognition of how race relations affected our society. It was heavy stuff, but his full on contact on serious issues pushed him to become the most famous comedian in America during the late 90’s.

Rock made his bones on SNL in the early 90’s, but left after a few seasons had him frustrated with the show. His funny exploded in the seminal yet under appreciated “CB4,” a mockumentary about a gangster rap group. Overall, he outdid himself in specials “Bigger and Blacker” and “Never Scared.”

What can a comedian do when he’s released all the funny he has within? Start making formula family films. In the 21st century both Rock’s acting and standup career began to fade. 2008’s clunky “Kill the Messenger” standup contained his act spliced from several different cities on the same tour. Instead of working for him, all it evidenced was the robotic nature of his routine, and the annoyingly exuberant caricature of himself that he had become. Recent films “Grown Ups” and “Death at a Funeral” only cemented the middle-aged shell of funny that Rock has become.

Jim Carrey Comedian

Jim Carrey comes from the same school of comedy as Robin Williams, as wild and manic as possible. Carrey got his big break due to his friendship with Damon Wayans, being featured in the underappreciated sketch-comedy show “In Living Color.”

Carrey parlayed his buzz into a monster acting career in the 90’s, starring in movies such as “The Mask,” “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective,” and “Dumb and Dumber.” He followed these films with more serious roles in the later 90’s in movies such as “The Truman Show,” and “Man on the Moon.” He is one of the few comedians to branch into serious work successfully, and this trend is not at all what killed his funny.

In the 21st century Carrey decided to call it quits as far as humor goes. He starred in trash like “Bruce Almighty,” “Yes Man,” and “Fun with Dick and Jane.” All featured Carrey playing a caricature of himself, oozing with desperation and forced attempts at funny. Even his “serious” work, such as “The Number 23” began to deteriorate in quality. If you want to see funny Jim Carrey, you need a time machine, or at least a VHS.

Will Ferrell Comedian

Will Ferrell reached the highest peak of success a comedian can aim for. Like Chappelle or Rock before him, he became the most quoted man in America… And just as quickly became the lingering jokester that everyone was finished with.

Ferrell graduated from USC in 1990 with a degree in Sports Information. However, being a sports broadcaster was clearly not his destiny. Ferrell spent years after graduation working on his improvisational skills in a comedy troupe called “The Groundlings.”

In 1995 Ferrell got his big break, becoming a cast member on SNL. He had one of the most beloved stints on the show from 1995-2002, during which he was hilarious as George W. Bush, Shaft, Alex Trebek, Ted Kennedy and many more.

Ferrell quickly was becoming an extremely well known comedian, and his films began to reflect this. At first he would always play supporting roles, such as in “Zoolander,” or “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” But these roles started to get replaced with starring roles in films such as “Old School,” “Elf,” “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.”

When you make a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy, the quality becomes nonexistent. So too did Ferrell’s funny, when he attempted to make watered down versions of his beloved films. Trash like “Semi-Pro,” “Blades of Glory,” and “Land of the Lost” proliferated theaters everywhere. Across America, people kept over hearing others say “why do they put him in everything? He’s not even that funny.”

Jerry Seinfeld Comedian

Seinfeld is a genius, both in standup comedy and the sitcom model. He revolutionized them both and still managed to be unable to hold on to his funny after his youth, but these days he’s a bit long in the tooth.

Seinfeld’s break came in 1981 when he got a chance to be on “The Tonight Show,” impressing Johnny Carson mightily. Soon after, Seinfeld ruled the standup club and television circuit.

It was in 1989 that he would change sitcom history forever with his and Larry David’s “Seinfeld”. The intricate plotting, real life situations and malicious protagonists made the show the most popular sitcom on TV. The show ended in 1998, but you’d never know it from how often it’s still aired on TV. Today, Seinfeld continues to blow the minds of children who discover it.

After the series ended Seinfeld went back to work on the standup circuit. He published a couple of books, rehashing Seinfeld bits. He starred in an animated movie, and even guest-starred in his former co-creator Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” But mostly, he bought himself fancy cars and houses with all the money he made, and with great dignity and class he retired his funny. Seinfeld laid it in the ground gingerly, and decided to move on to a life of treasures. Most people’s funny leave them in the middle of the night, when they are completely unaware and thus don’t even know what happened to it. Seinfeld, however, was in control of his funny the entire time.

Eddie Murphy Comedian

Eddie Murphy was one of the most hysterically funny comedians the world has ever known. His ability to imitate is unparalleled, and seeing his standup meant really getting to see the comedic styling of a host of different people. He was known for the deliberate insensitivity of his jokes towards many different groups (overweight people, gays, etc).

Murphy, like a lot of comedians, got his name out working on SNL in the early 1980’s. He played a grown-up version of Little Rascals’ Buckwheat, as well as Gumby (“I’m Gumby damnit!”). But his standup specials “Raw” and “Delirious” were like golden tablets sent from the heavens. In the specials, Murphy takes it everywhere, keeping it as dirty and hilarious as is physically possible. Most people cry and defecate on themselves the first time they see either one of these videos.

Unfortunately for Murphy, this buzz led to a successful acting career. In the beginning this was just fine — life-changing films such as “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Coming to America” and “Boomerang” actually encouraged and increased his funny — but time was almost up for Murphy’s funny.

Star power began to get to Murphy’s head in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. When the goal becomes to make family comedies in which you play every role, you have probably lost your funny. Sorry Mr. Klump, but the honeymoon is over.

Dan Aykroyd Comedian

In Dan Aykroyd we find the story of the occasionally funny role-player who loses it all to his own mental implosion.

Aykroyd got his start on SNL, but, for a change of pace, worked as a writer and actor on the show for its first four seasons from 1975-79. He was known for his unusual subjects and punch lines, as well as his political imitations of Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon. Perhaps he was most famous on SNL for playing Beldar, father of the Coneheads’ family.

Aykroyd’s career on SNL led him to star in the classic 1980 film “The Blues Brothers.” It would be his last brush with funny. An avowed spiritualist, Aykroyd went off the deep end into mysticism and radical beliefs. He was most recently seen claiming to have firsthand knowledge of the existence of aliens on Larry King, in intense seriousness. This display of lunacy is actually quite humorous, just not in the way we’re talking about here. The fun is done.