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Kids in The Hall Brain Candy - There are people who love The Kids in the Hall that hate this film and I just don't get it. I think the Kids successfully balanced their brand of humor, some of their unique tropes and found a plot that did well to unleash their brand of madness. However, they and the MST3K gang, as well as the film are too well known to make the cut.
Without further ado, enjoy.
5. Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Sex * But Were Afraid to Ask (1972, Dir. Woody Allen) OK, clearly if we're taking this countdown very seriously a Woody Allen film can never be number one. However, I do find this film amongst his works to be vastly overlooked. I think it is likely his funniest, though not his best. When he jokes, or when others assert in all seriousness, about longing for his "early, funny" films this is the one that comes to mind for me. Yes, it's built in anthology style, but it takes some very basic questions and outlandishly, hilariously illustrates and dramatizes them.
4. Max Keeble's Big Move (2001, Dir. Tim Hill) If you search my site you can find a few instances of this film appearing on it, but its never been written about as such. It was one of the Best Picture nominees for my BAM Awards in 2001 and as such just got a mention in a recent rundown through Disney's history at my awards, but never got written about properly. Shortly after 9/11 I took in, with my younger brother, what was likely my only ever triple-feature to get my mind off things (all tickets were legitimately acquired). The films, like many at the time, slipped under the radar. All stuck with me though (Zoolander and Hearts in Atlantis were the other two). This, however, was the surprise of the bunch. Yes, the premise is silly (that's part of why it works), but the film is full of irreverent hilarity and very committed performances. Larry Miller's principal is a character I still quote, as is Noel Fisher's comedically two-sided bully. Alex Linz didn't have a long tenure as a young actor in the spotlight, but this was definitely his peak. Many of these films also have replay value, and I've seen this film quite a bit.
3. Held Up (1999, Dir. Steve Rash)
I had originally let this one slip my mind, which is sinful. I really want to update it, but once my brother and I, who have nearly identical tastes in comedy, made a list of our combined 50 favorite comedies. This made the list. If you're to be very literal it's the definition of underrated: it's IMDb score is 4.7, it's Metacritic is 21, Rotten Tomatoes is 17 and it grossed a paltry four million and change at the box office. Even my brother and I didn't see it theatrically. We probably saw it on HBO or something and then bought it. We crack up pretty much non-stop watching it. It's got an actor in it before you knew who they were (Sarah Paulson) and it stars Jamie Foxx well before Django (link: http://themovierat.com/2013/
2. Crazy People (1990, Dirs. Tony Bill, Larry L. Young) Part of the difficulty of assembling this list was trying to follow my criteria to a tee. Many of the comedic films that I've loved for a long time are ones that I've gone a long time without seeing. When your memory is fuzzy, you wonder if your judgment has been tainted by nostalgia. It has been a while since I've seen this film, but I have seen it since I first watched it theatrically, and my seeing it theatrically is significant because it was my first R-rated film. In fact, it was part of my education about the rating system. My mother and I both saw ads for it and were both looking forward to it. We both liked Dudley Moore and thought it looked like a funny concept. When we arrived at the movies we saw it was rated R. I thought we'd be barred. We went to the box office and talked to the ticket vendor and she explained that if I was accompanied by a parent it was fine. So we went and it was my first sanctioned R-rated movie. I have a cool mom. And contrary to the movie ad the Crazy People concoct it did not "fuck me up for life."
1. The Toy (1982, Dir, Richard Donner) I discovered The Toy in film school I think. I forget how, but it wasn't when I was younger, which is surprising considering my fandom of both Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor. Part of why '80s movies could have dominated this list because there was no such thing as political correctness. Although The Toy, while clearly attempting to be humorous, was also seeking to make commentaries not only on race but on class too. This concept would be far too scary today, for anyone, much less for a major studio with star talent attached. Clearly some people, mainly Pryor, got it and made it work. The scenario is that cash-strapped Pryor is hired as "a toy" for a tycoon's spoiled son. The film isn't stupid and addresses the inherent asininity of the concept almost immediately; Pryor says his salary demand is "ridiculous" because the job is. Pryor turns the screws on Bates (Jackie Gleason) stating his philosophy on his asking price: "You asked me what I need, Mr. Bates, not what I'd be willing to settle for." While the characters warm to one another and improve throughout, as can be expected, it stays true to itself and is never really appropriate, which is what makes it so funny. I probably could've picked more but these are the ones who immediately came to mind.
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