100 Funniest Movies (Part 2 ~ # 95-91)

Penny Marshall's directing career is a puzzling thing. One minute brilliant and the next inept. The comedies she made that will not make this list are...

1. Jumpin' Jack Flash ~ 1986
2. Renaissance Man ~ 1994
3. The Preacher's Wife ~ 1996
4. Riding in Cars with Boys ~ 2001

Tom Hanks also has some movies that will not make this list because they are either lame or not good enough and they are...

1. Splash ~ 1984
2. Bachelor Party ~ 1984
3. The Man with One Red Shoe ~ 1985
4. Nothing in Common ~ 1986
5. Dragnet ~ 1987
6. Punchline ~ 1988
7. The 'burbs ~ 1989
8. Turner & Hooch ~ 1989
9. Joe Versus the Volcano ~ 1990
10. The Ladykillers ~ 2004

#s 1,2 & 9 came close.

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN ~ 1992

Washed up alcoholic Jimmy Dugan is given a second chance at pro-ball if he's willing to manage the Rockford Peaches of the AAGBPL during WWII. The relationships built between player and manager would grow considerably throughout the season. The A-List cast of players included Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell, Lori Petty and even Téa Leoni as a Racine rival player and a powerhouse male supporting cast too, including Jon Lovitz, David Strathairn, Bill Pullman & Garry Marshall. BEST LINE: "Hey cowgirls, see the grass? Don't eat it." - Talent Scout Ernie Capadino

Albert Brooks, Rip Torn and Meryl Streep are all awesome in this classic take on the afterlife. The comedic movies by writer/director Albert Brooks that did not make the list are...

1. Real Life ~ 1979
2. Modern Romance ~ 1981
3. Lost in America ~ 1985
4. The Scout ~ 1994
5. My First Mister ~ 2001
6. The In-Laws ~ 2003
7. Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World ~ 2006

#3 is funny, #5 is cute & #7 has an almost BORAT-type quality.

DEFENDING YOUR LIFE ~ 1991

Daniel Miller has just died. Now we can begin the movie. Daniel has just arrived at Judgement City (a/k/a purgatory with an attourney) and now he and his lawyer (Torn) must try to convince the judges that he is NOT a 'little-brain' who needs to go back to Earth to do it all over again. Has he overcome his fears enough to move on to the next realm of existence as a Citizen of the Universe? The cameo by Shirley MacLaine in the 'Hall of Past Lives' is the icing on the cake!

Kevin Spacey, Frank Whaley, Benicio Del Toro & Michelle Forbes star in the sickest revenge fantasy against your boss ever. This is black comedy and it's about making movies. This was written and directed by George Huang who apparently had himself a boss that he wanted to payback for all the abuse with a mock-bio. Kevin Spacey has some comedies that will not make this list 'cause they absolutely suck and they are...

1. A Bug's Life ~ 1998
2. The Big Kahuna ~ 1999
3. K-PAX ~ 2001
4. Fred Claus ~ 2007

SWIMMING WITH SHARKS ~ 1994

A naive wannabe takes a job as Hollywood power-player Buddy Ackerman's new assistant. Despite warnings from his mentor (Del Toro) and his girlfriend (Forbes), he lets his bully boss get the best of him. Now, he has torture and revenge on the brain. What will happen in the end? Can he go through with it? Will he murder his evil boss or will he discover some method to the madness before it's too late?

Cult Classics are films with rabid fans but there usually aren't many of them. So they scream and yell about how great it is until the rest of us get bored and check it out. Then we all freakout and pass it along much in the same way as our predecessor. The most obvious example of this in a comedic genre is Office Space. Nobody saw it in the theaters except me and few thousand other disgruntled T.G.I. Friday's employees. 15 years later...we all know and love it. I would list some more Cult Classics here but I'm gonna do an entire hub on them instead.

HAROLD AND MAUDE ~ 1971

Septuagenarians who befriend suicidal teenagers don't usually lead to love stories about conformity & suicide. Like I said, it's a CULT CLASSIC. The wonderful songs by Cat Stevens can not be found on any soundtrack but don't worry, that shouldn't stop you from finding them. "If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out" and "Don't Be Shy" are especially touching.

Walter Matthau as Coach Buttermaker is one of the all-time greatest characters in Kid Movie history. There aren't going to be many kid's movies on this list but a few are worth mentioning at least. The good ones that didn't make the cut are...

1. Angus
2. Popeye
3. Osmosis Jones
4. The Muppet Movie
5. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
6. Toy Story
7. Ratatouille
8. Willow
9. Babe
10. The Sandlot
11. Cars
12. The Toy
13. Monsters, INC.
14. Lucas
15. Toy Story II

THE BAD NEWS BEARS ~ 1976

Tell if this sounds familiar. Washed-up alcoholic is given a chance to coach...only this time we're coaching Little League. Sponsored by real company "Chico's Bail Bonds", coach Buttermaker leads the likes of foul-mouthed shortstop Tanner, 'fat-ass' catcher Engelberg, 'brain' Ogilvie and even poor Rudi Stein who is constantly being asked by his coach to get hit by the pitch on purpose. Amanda the pitcher and Kelly Leak the motorcycle punk are the best players but the one we love is 'booger-eating spaz' Lupus who we pray will make the big catch.