Top 15 Favorite Comedies

Kubrick's dark comedy is fueled by tremendous acting, especially from the film's lead, Peter Sellers. This is not only a great film from a visual and writing standpoint, but Sellers ability to bring three very different and unique characters to life is worth the multiple viewings and the top spot on this list.

The Pythons are hilarious and this is their best work. I am a BIG fan of British humor, so I appreciate this film. This may be one of the zaniest films ever conceived. It is one of the most quotable films and several of the scenes are extremely memorable. John Cleese and Eric Idle are in top form here.

While not a pure comedy, but a romantic comedy, The Philadelphia Story is still one of my favorite films of all time. It is funny and star studded. Stewart and Hepburn shine in their scenes together, and Stewart steals the show at one point when he transforms in a drunken mess. Grant is also superb, using his dry humor at all the right moments. Cukor's best work!

This is comedy with a soul. Bill Murray transformed to a more serious actor with this film, but that didn't make this film any less funny. This film, directed by Harold Ramis, is not only original, but ingenious in the way it interweaves various forms of comedy together without seeming forced. The plot is so simple, yet the way Murray's character develops is complex. This film will make you laugh, cry, and in the end wish to relive over and over again.

The best of Billy Wilder comedies, some like it hot is one of the most iconic films of the 1950s. Monroe is wonderful, and this is probably her best job as an actress (her most iconic film is probably either Gentlemen Prefer Blonds or Seven Year Itch). Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon are a great comedic duo. This is the last great screwball comedy.

Mel Brooks' best film, this is a clever parody on old horror films. Unlike in many of Brooks' films, he does not have to try hard to get laughs. The script is smart and plays to the strengths of all of the actors involved, especially Kahn and Wilder.

Peter Sellers died an early death, so it is hard to imagine what else he could have produced had he lived a long life. In his short career, though along with Dr. Strangelove, he did the Pink Panthers series. Playing the bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau, he gained international fame. Some of the films were better than others, and A Shot in the Dark was in my opinion the best of the series by far.

People ask me why I love Clerks so much, and I simply retort with a question of my own, "Ever work with people before in a store?" Kevin Smith's independent comedy is simple and AWESOME. Don't think people that work in customer service are vulgar and rude? Think again. Don't believe that customers can be weirdos? You could never be further from the truth. The whole story is simple, yet the comedy is clever, insulting, and most of all...pretty true (minus dead guy in bathroom and the funeral).

Chaplin is maybe the king of comedy. He is a founding father of the laugh. He might just be the greatest comedic actor of all time. Modern Times is my favorite Chaplin film, not because it is his best work, but rather because it is the film Chaplin film I saw. This clever, heart warming comedy will always be special to me as a film lover.

This film will always be remembered for being the launching point to what might have been the greatest series in the history of television. However, people should not overlook the sheer power of Altman's film. It is a comedy that takes place in the middle of the war, but never takes war itself lightly. Truly incredible film making.

Breakfast Club, Ferris, and others are John Hughes' films that people love and admire. They are all wonderful. However, my favorite Hughes film is Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. John Candy is lovable and Steve Martin is still funny. Like other Hughes films, he weaves carefully an important human element into his comedy, giving the film a message with all those laughs.

Ivan Reitman may not be the greatest comedic director around, but Ghostbusters proved he did indeed know how to write some decent comedies. This film infused good special effects for 1984 with a lot of great one liners from a stellar comedic cast. This is was old school Bill Murray, funny Dan Akroyd, and Harold Ramis's funniest acting role. The only bad part was the film's terrible, yet catchy theme song.

If the producers of this film never made another film, the cinema world would probably have rejoiced in retrospect. Do we need any more terrible parodies like Meet the Spartans that rely on a load of pop culture references and horrible actors? Not really, but when the creators of Airplane! did the ultimate spoof, it was fresh and the lines original. The creators knew their limits at the time. Throw in a few pop culture references (Yes that was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), hilarious one-liners, and clever situational comedy, and it was a perfect mix.

This is a controversial film, and yet I can't help but laugh every time I see it. I think Brooks tries much harder in Blazing Saddles for laughs than he did in films such as Young Frankenstein and the Producers, but he literally makes fun of anyone, everyone, anything, and everything. It would be surprising if one didn't walk away from a viewing feeling a little insulted, but hey that the thing, Brooks (with the help of Richard Pryor who helped pen the script) doesn't hold back. A bold comedy to say the least.

It is always a toss up for me when it comes to which Vacation is my favorite...the original or this one? I always end up going with Christmas Vacation due to it being one of the few good holiday comedy films. Chevy Chase is great in one of his last truly funny roles.