Sometimes, wary of your daily life, you wish for some innocent escape to another reality—a sort of a relief for your overworked brain. Of course, one way to achieve total annihilation of what’s happening around you would be to read a book, but if you just cannot concentrate on the written word, then a truly good comedy movie might be your best pick. After all, a laugh a day keeps the doctor away, as they say! So here’s where we come in with our newest list, a list comprising only the funniest movies of all time!
So, what are the key ingredients of a good comedy movie? Well, the basis is, of course, humor. But, to make a movie stand out from the crowd and be truly hilarious, the humor used should probably be both relatable, understandable, and yet completely original compared to what you’ve seen before. So, from our list, the best comedies in the aspect of kooky humor would probably be Napoleon Dynamite, Best In Show, and Little Miss Sunshine. Another vital thing to a funny movie is its cast, of course. After all, the actors carry the movie on their shoulders, and it is their interpretation of the humor that we get to see. So, in the comedy movies listed here, you’ll find the names of such greats as Steve Carell, Ben Stiller, and Melissa McCarthy, just to name a few. Finally, talking about such things as an original plot and stellar directing isn’t worth mentioning, as we understand that without them, you can’t produce the best movie ever, but instead just something along the lines of a dish soap TV commercial.
So, let’s go straight into the world of the best funny movies of all time – they are, as per usual, just a little bit further down. We’ve supplied our top 20 picks with short descriptions, so you won’t have to decide your entertainment of the evening solely on its poster. After you are done checking out our list, vote for the funny movies that you’ve liked the best and share this article with your friends!
#1 Shaun Of The Dead
2004 | 1 hour 39 minutes | Directed by Edgar Wright
Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield
Shaun Of The Dead is a zombie comedy film that follows one miserable electronics salesman called Shaun. He’s aimless with his life, disrespected by his colleagues, and just got dumped by his girlfriend, Liz. Since everything in Shaun’s life is in ruins, he decides to at least win Liz back. Right in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. However, this is a chance for Shaun to prove his worth. Shaun Of The Dead is a gloriously gory, undeniably witty movie that deserves to be watched at least once.
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#2 Shrek
2001 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
Voiced by Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
Shrek is a computer-animated comedy film loosely based on a fairy tale picture book of the same name by William Steig. Now, we are pretty sure that you’ve already watched Shrek at least ten times, but here’s a recap nevertheless. Shrek is a disgruntled ogre living his life in a swamp. Now, this one mean lord, Farquaad by name, throws some fairy tale animals into Shrek’s swamp, which annoys him greatly. To get his land back, Shrek must now go on a quest to save a princess in the name of Farquaad. In short – it’s somewhat a reverse fairy tale, and it is so much fun to watch the hilarious characters and the original story unfold in this movie. Shrek was so immensely successful that it birthed five sequels and spin-offs in later years. Although they also gained a respectable amount of popularity, none was as praised by the critics as the original Shrek movie.
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#3 Best In Show
2000 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Directed by Christopher Guest
Starring Fred Willard, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, and six dogs of various breeds whose Registered Names Are So Long It Would Take An Hour To Read
Best In Show is an ingenious mockumentary comedy film that gives us a look into the cut-throat world of American dog shows. Best In Show follows five ruthless dog owners entering and traveling to compete in a prestigious dog show. The undeniably talented cast has elevated this mockumentary with their improvised dialogues to entirely new heights of comedy, and the unusual premise comes to life with stellar directing. Best In Show appears on many lists as one of the best comedies of all time, and boy, do we agree!
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#4 My Big Fat Greek Wedding
2001 | 1 hour 35 minutes | Directed by Joel Zwick
Starring Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael Constantine
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a romantic comedy, proved to be one of the greatest sleeper hits of the decade. It became one of the highest-grossing romantic movies ever, despite never reaching the number one position in the box office. The story is simple yet heartwarming, proving that love knows no boundaries and that family, however erratic and loud, is always there to support you. Fotoula and Ian’s story will not disappoint you and will leave you with that warm feeling after it has ended. Oh, and also laughing your head off along the way!
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#5 Little Miss Sunshine
2006 | 1 hour 41 minutes | Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Starring Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear
Little Miss Sunshine is a tragicomedy road film following a family determined to get their young daughter to a beauty pageant. The family comprises an overworked mom Sheryl, her suicidal gay brother Frank, and Sheryl’s husband Richard, whose goal is to become a life coach. There’s also Dwayne, Sheryl’s teenage son from a previous marriage who’s taken the vows of silence, and Richard’s father evicted from a retirement home for snorting heroin. Then there’s Olive – Sheryl and Richard’s daughter that they have all set out to get to a beauty pageant. Little Miss Sunshine is an irresistible dark comedy with a positively hilarious script and an amazingly talented ensemble cast.
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#6 Groundhog Day
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#7 Meet The Parents
2000 | 1 hour 48 minutes | Directed by Jay Roach
Starring Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro, Teri Polo
Meet The Parents is a comedy movie that tells the story of, well, a fiance-to-be meeting his girlfriend’s parents. Greg is Jewish, a male nurse, and very good-hearted, although hapless at times. He wants to ask his girlfriend Pam to marry him but has no clue that her father expects to be asked for her hand. A father who’s a retired CIA agent and a Vietnam War veteran. And that is where everything that could go wrong goes wrong for Greg. The comic situations in Meet The Parents are unbelievably funny yet totally relatable simultaneously. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, and the humor is so subtle and in good taste that this movie might just become one of your favorite comedies ever.
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#8 Napoleon Dynamite
2004 | 1 hour 36 minutes | Directed by Jared Hess
Starring Jon Heder, Efren Ramirez, Jon Gries
Napoleon Dynamite is one of the kookiest cult comedy films that you just have to see. It centers around the life of one Napoleon Dynamite – a listless high-school weirdo with a young-at-heart granny, nerd brother, jock uncle, and an alpaca pet. Once Napoleon befriends Pedro, a transfer at his school from Juarez, he decides to help him become the school’s president. It’s bizarre, it’s unexpected, it’s absolutely original, and the humor will have you snort-laughing from the first minute of Napoleon Dynamite. And also might want to make you invest in owning a full collection of Napoleon’s T-shirts that he wears in the movie.
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#9 Zoolander
2001 | 1 hour 30 minutes | Directed by Ben Stiller
Starring Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Christine Taylor
Zoolander, a comedy film, has a premise like no other, and this is how it goes. Derek Zoolander is the three-time winner of the male model of the year title. This is his world. But, when his opponent Hansel gets the title, Zoolander’s whole world crumbles apart – his friends abandon him, his father feels disappointed, and Zoolander loses all his self-esteem. However, he’s then hired by an evil fashion designer called Mugatu, which sparks Zoolander’s hope. But, in a very short time, our male model learns that Mugatu is actually brainwashing him to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia, and only time will tell us if Zoolander and his friends will be able to prevent this tragedy. Zoolander is one of those rare, deliberately dumb movies that will deliver genuine laughs.
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#10 My Cousin Vinny
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#11 Bridesmaids
2011 | 2 hours 5 minutes | Directed by Paul Feig
Starring Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne
Bridesmaids is a comedy film following the unfortunate Annie as she’s asked to serve as a maid of honor by her best friend, Lillian. Annie is broke and broken, but when this kind of duty is bestowed upon her, she participates in the various expensive and bizarre rituals arranged by other bridesmaids. Now, it is a competition to prove who is, after all, Lillian’s best friend. Bridesmaids is quite an original take on the romantic comedy genre, and in this case, it is even relatable at times (which isn’t often the case with any romance). The cast of Bridesmaids shares an undeniable talent, the humor varies from unbelievably silly to subtle, and the romance here is a truly heartfelt one.
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#12 Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
2004 | 1 hour 34 minutes | Directed by Adam McKay
Starring Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell
Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy is a satirical comedy film directed by Adam McKay in his directorial debut. Anchorman is a tongue-in-cheek take on the 1970s culture, especially on news broadcasts. Here we have Ron Burgundy, who’s at the top of this male-dominated game and enjoys it all so very much. However, his position is at hazard when the TV channel he works for hires a very success-driven anchorwoman. Anchorman is full of silly humor executed amazingly well by its talented cast – it’s one of those movies that will have you laughing even at the silliest jokes.
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#13 Mrs. Doubtfire
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#14 The Hangover
2009 | 1 hour 40 minutes | Directed by Todd Phillips
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper
The Hangover, upon its release, quickly broke the record of being the highest-grossing R-rated movie at the time, only surpassed by the success of its sequel. Why is it so good, you ask? Well, first of all, imagine seeing the trio consisting of Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and Bradley Cooper on screen. See, it’s already funny. Now, add in the factor of a total blackout hangover in which these guys find themselves and have to deal with the hilarious consequences of their drunken spree the night before. Even more hilarious and somewhat even relatable. So, if you haven’t already, give The Hangover a try!
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#15 What We Do In The Shadows
2014 | 1 hour 26 minutes | Directed by Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi
Starring Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer
What We Do In The Shadows is a mockumentary horror-comedy film following the lives of three vampires – Viago, Deacon, and Vladislav. The trio, each of them at least a couple hundred years old, are shown here amidst the mundanities of stuff that is usual for us but causes great struggles for vampires. That includes but is not limited to paying rent, washing dishes, going to parties, and keeping the peace between flatmates. Loads of things happen here, and each of them is funnier than the last – What We Do In The Shadows will definitely leave you in tears of laughter whether you are a vampire lore fan or not.
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#16 Juno
2007 | 1 hour 36 minutes | Directed by Jason Reitman
Starring Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner
Juno is a coming-of-age comedy-drama following the unplanned pregnancy journey of a sixteen-year-old high schooler Juno MacGuff. Juno, an independent-minded girl, decides to give her baby to an adoptive couple instead of getting an abortion. Her pregnancy and the subsequent events put adult life pressures on the young Juno, and now she isn’t so sure about her future, her baby’s daddy Bleeker with whom she has a romantic relationship, and her adoption plan as a whole. It’s a very original and offbeat movie that earned then-20-year-old Elliot Page an Oscar nomination. And if that isn’t proof of Juno’s quality, then we don’t know what is!
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#17 Mean Girls
2004 | 1 hour 37 minutes | Directed by Mark Waters
Starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Lacey Chabert, and Amanda Seyfried
A staple movie of the naughties, Mean Girls gave us the Plastics, the Burn Book, and trying to make fetch happen. Not to mention wearing pink on Wednesdays and making us understand that the limit does not exist. And though you’ve probably already watched it, here are some facts about Mean Girls. This legendary teen movie was based on a book called Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman. It depicts the lives of high school teenagers so well that it is basically like watching a reality show (just so much better). The funnies in this movie are also not accidental, as the dynamic duo – Tina Fey and Amy Poehler – are playing vital parts both on- and behind the screen. And what these two touch always turns into comedy gold!
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#18 Knives Out
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#19 Monty Python And The Holy Grail
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#20 City Slickers
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#21 21 Jump Street
2012 | 1 hour 49 minutes | Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube
21 Jump Street is a buddy cop film based on the ’80s TV series of the same name. Just like in the series, the film follows two policemen played here by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as they are assigned to go undercover. And if you tend to associate “going undercover” with the seedy underbelly of our society, this dynamic duo is set to infiltrate a high school to stop the spreading of a new synthetic drug. Some premise! In 21 Jump Street, you’ll find loads of nutty humor, nice use of teen movie tropes, and a great wave of nostalgia for the ’80s.
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#22 Borat: Cultural Learnings Of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation Of Kazakhstan
2006 | 1 hour 24 minutes | Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, and Charlie the bear as a bear
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan is a black comedy mockumentary that has gone down in film history for being, well, notoriously hilarious. Here Borat Sagdiyev, a fictitious Kazakhstani journalist, travels to the United States to gather knowledge of how people live there while making a documentary. Much of the movie consists of short vignettes of Borat interacting with actual American citizens, who are unsuspecting that Borat is an actor and consider him a real foreigner with no knowledge of American culture. Sasha Baron Cohen’s work at making Borat real is just stellar, and the interactions between him and the American people will make you cringe, feel awkward, and laugh your head off at the same time.
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#23 A League Of Their Own
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#24 Deadpool
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#25 Despicable Me
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#26 Spy
2015 | 2 hours | Directed by Paul Feig
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jude Law
Spy is an action-comedy spy film that follows an unorthodox secret agent Susan Cooper. She’s a desk-bound CIA analyst without any prior field experience. But, bored of her job, she volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of arms dealers to prevent a worldwide disaster. Melissa McCarthy’s performance in Spy was heavily praised by critics and not without reason – she elevates the movie’s humor at least ten notches up with her performance. Overall, Spy is a truly great comedy that will keep you laughing even after the end titles start rolling.
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#27 Men In Black
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#28 The Big Sick
2017 | 2 hours | Directed by Michael Showalter
Starring Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter
The Big Sick is a romantic comedy that is loosely based on the real-life romance of Nanjiani and one of the writers of the movie, Emily V. Gordon. The story centers around an interethnic couple who must deal with cultural differences, especially after Emily (Zoe Kazan) falls gravely ill. The Big Sick is an original and fresh take on the whole romantic comedy genre – an intelligent and witty movie full of heartfelt humor.
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#29 Spaceballs
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#30 Beetlejuice
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#31 Girls Trip
2017 | 2 hours 2 minutes | Directed by Malcolm D. Lee
Starring Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith
Girls Trip is a comedy film based entirely on its writers’ experiences with their female friends. Now, this indicates that Girls Trip might just be not only funny but also relatable. Here, we get to meet a group of female friends as they travel to New Orleans to attend the Essence Music Festival. Along the way, sisterhoods are rekindled, and there’s enough drunken shenanigans to make you feel your abs giving up. Girls Trip pushes the boundaries of comedy to new limits and does it all in superior taste. Now, how could you miss a movie like that?
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#32 Young Frankenstein
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#33 Booksmart
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#34 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
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#35 Galaxy Quest
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#36 The Birdcage
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#37 Sorry To Bother You
2018 | 1 hour 52 minutes | Directed by Boots Riley
Starring LaKeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler
Sorry To Bother You is a surrealist black comedy following a young black telemarketer who adopts a white accent to succeed at his job. Swept into the world of corporate conspiracy and greed, he must choose between profit and his activist friends. Sorry To Bother You is an ambitious movie that proves its worth through great directing, talented acting and a thoroughly original sense of humor.
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#38 Four Weddings And A Funeral
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#39 Miss Congeniality
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#40 Soap Dish
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#41 The Princess Bride
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#42 Hot Fuzz
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#43 The Lovebirds
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#44 Life Of Brian
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#45 O Brother, Where Art Thou?
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#46 Robin Hood: Men In Tights
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#47 Back To The Future
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#48 Guardians Of The Galaxy
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#49 Monsters, Inc.
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#50 Cool Runnings
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#51 Blazing Saddles
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#52 Office Space
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#53 Beverly Hills Cop
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#54 The Blues Brothers
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#55 Good Morning, Vietnam
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#56 Ghostbusters
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#57 A Fish Called Wanda
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#58 9 To 5
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#59 Planes, Trains And Automobiles
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#60 Big
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#61 School Of Rock
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#62 Home Alone
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#63 Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
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#64 The Big Lebowski
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#65 Wayne’s World
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#66 The Goonies
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#67 Night At The Museum
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#68 Raising Arizona
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#69 The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad!
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#70 Legally Blonde
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#71 Police Academy
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#72 Zombieland
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#73 Tropic Thunder
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#74 Who Framed Roger Rabbit
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#75 Finding Nemo
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#76 Kindergarten Cop
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#77 The Odd Couple
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#78 The Gods Must Be Crazy
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#79 Coming To America
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#80 Elf
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#81 Arsenic And Old Lace
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#82 Uncle Buck
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#83 Rush Hour
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#84 Airplane!
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#85 Trading Places
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#86 The Wedding Singer
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#87 This Is Spinal Tap
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#88 Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life
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#89 Smokey And The Bandit
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#90 Tootsie
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#91 A Christmas Story
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#92 Forrest Gump
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#93 Crocodile Dundee
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#94 What About Bob?
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#95 Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery
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#96 Scrooged
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#97 The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell Of Fear
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#98 Back To The Future Part II
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#99 Honey, I Shrunk The Kids
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#100 National Lampoon’s Animal House
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#101 Stripes
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#102 Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
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#103 The Jerk
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#104 Grumpy Old Men
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#105 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
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#106 ¡Three Amigos!
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#107 Weekend At Bernie’s
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#108 History Of The World, Part I
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#109 Happy Gilmore
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#110 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
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#111 Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby
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#112 Some Like It Hot
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#113 Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
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#114 Weird Science
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#115 Meet The Fockers
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#116 Caddyshack
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#117 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
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#118 Tommy Boy
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#119 There’s Something About Mary
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#120 Liar Liar
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#121 Toy Story
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#122 Clueless
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#123 When Harry Met Sally…
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#124 The Money Pit
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#125 Romancing The Stone
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#126 Good Morning, Vietnam
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#127 The 40-Year-Old Virgin
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#128 Cheech & Chong’s Up In Smoke
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#129 Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
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#130 48 Hrs.
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#131 Stir Crazy
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#132 Sixteen Candles
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#133 Superbad
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#134 Clerks
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#135 Heathers
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#136 Vacation
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#137 Wedding Crashers
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#138 Major League
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#139 The Pink Panther
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#140 Back To School
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#141 Bruce Almighty
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#142 9 To 5
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#143 You’ve Got Mail
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#144 Overboard
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#145 It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
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#146 The Mask
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#147 Duck Soup
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#148 Private Benjamin
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#149 Step Brothers
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#150 Revenge Of The Nerds
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#151 The Breakfast Club
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#152 Fletch
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#153 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
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#154 50 First Dates
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#155 The Bad News Bears
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#156 Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
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#157 Dumb And Dumber
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#158 Fast Times At Ridgemont High
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#159 Mash
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#160 Forgetting Sarah Marshall
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#161 National Lampoon’s Vacation
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#162 The In-Laws
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#163 Friday
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#164 Kingpin
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#165 The Nutty Professor
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#166 Singin’ In The Rain
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#167 American Pie
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#168 South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
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#169 Old School
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#170 The Waterboy
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#171 Super Troopers
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#172 Lost In America
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#173 Ted
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#174 Bad Santa
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#175 Billy Madison
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