Comedy Movies that will Tinkle You Pink

Who does not love to laugh? In these economic times, a good chuckle or guffaw may be hard to come by. Though it may not seem the time or place to be engaging in frivolities, perhaps a side-splitting laugh may be exactly what the doctor ordered. Where can you find one? Well, one easy, available, and quick to find source may be comedy movies. Before you moan and sigh about what the world has come to in terms of entertainment, take a moment to look back on some of the best comedy movies of our time. You might be surprised with the gems (even recent) that appear.

Wedding Crashers- Starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, this is one of the best raunchy comedy movies you can find. The plot follows a pair of friends who have made a career by crashing weddings for entertainment and sex. With Rachel McAdams and Christopher Walken, this hilarious, though sometimes crude, film is sure to please.

The Princess Bride- “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” Perhaps one of the most famous lines from this off color fairy tale, it is one of many that will stick out in your mind afterwards. As far as comedy movies go, this is good, clean family fun that borders on silly. With Robin Wright Penn, Billy Crystal, Fred Savage and Andre the Giant, this is certainly worth checking out.

Father of the Bride- Take your pick. This is one of the few comedy movies where the original (starring Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor) as well as the remake (with Steve Martin) are both sure to bring out a giggle or two. The story follows one exasperated father as he prepares to see his little girl walk down the aisle. Sentimental, to be sure, but also hilarious.

The Hangover- A new addition to a long line of comedy movies that appeal to the teenage boy in everyone, this movie follows the crazy events of a group of friends attending a bachelor party in Vegas. Between the tigers, strippers, Mike Tyson and Asian gangsters, it is a no holds barred raunch fest that will have you close to peeing your pants.

Duck Soup- I can hear you now. “Ugh, black and white? You've got to be kidding me.” Before you dismiss the film based on age alone, you should know that the Groucho brothers functionally invented comedy movies. This is one flick where color won't get in the way of tears rolling down your cheeks. It's worth a look. I promise.

Annie Hall- You can't have a list of excellent comedy movies without giving at least mention to a romantic comedy, and Annie Hall is more than deserving of that honor. Woody Allen's neurotic portrayal is contrasted by Diane Keaton's comforting, down-to-earth quirkiness in what is easily of the best, and most amusing, love stories of all time.

Romantic Comedy Movies Are Back in a Big Way

Back in the 40s and 50s, romantic comedy movies were huge hits. Stars like Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day, Jimmy Stewart, Rock Hudson, and many others began their careers in romantic comedy movies. Many spent their entire careers doing these kinds of fun films that combined love stories with situational comedy and witty banter. Movies like “Bringing Up Baby” and “The Philadelphia Story” became shining examples of the genre and helped to bring in lots of new audiences around the world to theatres.

Today’s top romantic comedy movies are crowd pleasers with hilarious storylines and wacky performances by some of the industry’s top actors and actresses. In 2009 we were given the gift of “The Proposal” starring Sandra Bullock as a “Type A” workaholic, tough as nails executive and Ryan Reynolds as her beleaguered and overworked assistant. When Bullock’s character is about to get deported to Canada she comes up with the hare- brained scheme to get married with Reynolds. The results are very funny and even touching near the end.

One of the best romantic comedy movies of the last ten years is “The 40 Year Old Virgin” starring sad sack comic actor Steve Carrell and the mature but still sexy Catherine Keener. Directed by then first-timer Judd Apatow, it has made a tremendous killing at the box office and in rentals and DVD sales all over the world and propelled Apatow and Carrell to further superstardom.

2007 brought us a deep dish goodie of a movie called “Waitress” starring the lovely Keri Russell as an abused wife who works in a pie restaurant somewhere in the Deep South. Russell is endearing and you fall in love with her as she battles her drunken, abusive husband and ends up having a torrid affair with the new, dashing town doctor. This movie is great fun overall with a good message.

In 2003 audiences were treated to one of the funniest romantic comedy movies of all time with “Something’s Gotta Give” starring a feisty Jack Nicholson and the colder, but sincere Diane Keaton in a pairing made in movie heaven. Nicholson plays an old playboy who is dating Keaton’s twenty-something daughter. When Jack gets a heart attack while having an amorous interlude and ends up recuperating for a few days at Keaton’s house, the sparks fly and comedy magic ensues. This is one that is not to be missed.

One of my personal favorite romantic comedy movies is the hilarious “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” which came out in 2008 and now ranks as one of the top money makers of the past ten years. Directed by Nick Stoller and written and starring Jason Segel, this is a very funny movie about a guy who can’t get over his break-up with a girl. Segel plays a nerdy TV show theme music composer who heads to Hawaii to somehow get over the loss of his gorgeous actress girlfriend, only to find her and her new rock star boyfriend vacationing in the condo next door.

Romantic comedy movies will continue to tickle our fancies as long as men and women continue to date, love, and get married.