Funny Movies: Top 10 List of All Time

There are comedy movies and there are funny movies. These are the films that truly make you laugh. They might even offer a therapeutic remedy for a stressful day at work or elsewhere. This list of funny movies includes 10 films that were amazingly humorous.

So what makes movies funny? The answer varies, of course, from one movie fan to the next. In order to be included in this list of funny movies, the film had to be funny because of the acting, clever movie lines, jokes, physical comedy, funny themes, slapstick or dry humor, or otherwise laugh out loud entertaining. Also, in order to make this list more directed and useful for readers, it intentionally includes films made more recently (1980s and beyond) and with different styles.

There are certainly other great funny films that could easily be included, but here is a collection of humorous movies that you can enjoy when you need to laugh till you cry!

Top 10 Best Funny Movies of All Time

11. Happy Gilmore (1996) – This is a top 10 list, right? It is simply not right to create a list of funny films without including at least one Adam Sandler effort, so let’s call this the “plus-1″. Billy Madison might have come first and be a bit more established, but this golf-themed flick is actually a bit more humorous.

10. Wedding Crashers (2005) – Let’s kick of the list with a more recent film. Perhaps it is a high opinion of Vince Vaughn as one of the funniest actors of the current era, but this romantic comedy that stars Vaughn and Owen Wilson as wedding crasher buddies who find odd, but real romance is successful largely because of the great interplay of these distinctly different actors.

9. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) – Okay, forget the fact that this movie starred a young Denise Richards and Kirsten Dunst, it is simply funny. The documentary style presentation of this race to beauty pageant victory is original, cleverly written and directed, and brilliantly acted.

8. Groundhog Day (1993) – There is something endearing about this movie that received very mixed reviews from critics. Bill Murray is uniquely gifted to make movies funny by his own merit. Perhaps it is the desire to be able to relive the same day to the point that you can make it exactly what you want that makes this movie appealing. Regardless, there are plenty of subtly humorous moments.

7. The Naked Gun (1988) – While this particular style of slapstick comedy may not be for everyone, it is hard to get a good overview in a list of funny movies without including this Leslie Neilson classic that includes an encounter with Queen Elizabeth, a moderately important role played by OJ Simpson, an interesting umpire job at a Major League Baseball game, and plenty of off color and against the grain laughter.

6. Raising Arizona (1987) – Not sure if polarizing is an accurate way to describe this early Nicholas Cage performance, but most people either loved this funny movie or they have never heard of it before. It is very quirky and offbeat and the humor requires a bit more intelligence on the part of the viewer.

5. Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) – Unlike the last funny movie, this Cary Elwes film does not require a lot of intelligence to earn laughs. It is a true slapstick parody of the classic Robin Hood tale delivered as only Elwes can. One of the most under appreciate and under utilized actors of the last thirty years, Elwes has a canny style of funny that makes this one of two entries for him in the list of funny movies.

4. Tropic Thunder (2008) - The most recent funny movie in the top 10, this 2008 movie featured an all-star cast of funny men and is definitely Ben Stiller’s best effort as a movie maker. Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black also star and a very unique role makes this one of the best Tom Cruise movies of recent times.

3. Office Space (1999) – If you have never worked in a cubicle before, you may not get the true genius behind what makes this movie funny. There are several classic movie moments, but it is the way in which this film thumbs his nose at traditional office politics that makes it a great film.

2. The Princess Bride (1987) – Certainly some would argue vehemently that this Cary Elwes movie has no business in a top 10 list of funny movies, but it’s our list. The story is adventurous, unique, and extremely well delivered. It has clever lines, romance, interesting forest animals, people that are “almost dead”, and Andre the Giant!

1. There’s Something About Mary (1998) – Wait! Wasn’t Tropic Thunder supposedly Ben Stiller’s best movie? Yes. But in terms of being simply funny, there is none better than There’s Something About Mary. This film helped put the Coen Brothers on the map as one of the great comedy writing teams of today. Stiller is his normal vulnerable character. Matt Dillon is his arch-nemesis. But ultimately, it is Brett Favre who might get in the way of finding romance with Mary (Cameron Diaz).

Want to share your own ideas to add to the list of funny movies for other to enjoy? Simply add a comment and include the name of the film and a couple thoughts as to why it is humorous.

This feature on 10 great movies that are funny was written by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

• Check out the list of funny movie quotes
• Best Teen Movies