The end of July in Austin means two things: 1) It’s 200 degrees outside and 2) I don’t ever go outside. Seriously, if our house somehow caught on fire and firefighters were in the cul-de-sac yelling, “Lady! Get out of the house!” I’d stand there with flames licking at my ankles and yell back, “But it’s way cooler in here! I have a cardigan on! See? Pretty! Let me know when the ‘feels like’ temp drops below 99!”
You’d think that being trapped inside the house with my family for weeks at a time would be a total party, but surprisingly, that’s not quite the case. In fact, here are some of the things that have been said just this past week—I’m not going to say by whom:
“Well, if you don’t like looking at my Target sweat shorts day after day, why don’t you just not look at my Target sweat shorts?”
“No, I don’t think it’s weird that I spent the night in our temperature controlled wine closet. I think you’re weird. Weirdo.”
“For the last time, I didn’t turn the thermostat down to 50! Go question the cats—those assholes are the ones covered in fur, Sherlock.”
And so on. My only excitement is seeing who cries the least while tiptoeing barefoot on the front walk to get the mail. (It’s our equivalent of a Tony Robbins hot coal experience.)
Thankfully I have my go-to list of favorite comedies to keep me sane in the summer. I’ve seen all of these tons of time and they never fail to make me laugh. (Also, most of them have something that I love in comedies and that’s one or two oddly hilarious minor or throw-away characters.) Maybe you’ve seen all of these before, maybe not. But if you’re losing your will to live like I am, add them to your list.
QUICK CHANGE – One of the funniest movies that never got the audience it deserved. Bill Murray is a bank robber clown trying to get out of town before the cops catch him. The classic NYC characters he meets on the way are played by Phil Hartman and Tony Shaloub, among others. I absolutely love this one. Best quote:
Bank Guard: What the Hell kind of clown are you?
Grimm: The crying on the inside kind, I guess.
WHAT’S UP DOC? – Written by Buck Henry, this screwball comedy set in San Francisco stars Ryan O’Neal and a very, very funny Barbra Streisand. And an even funnier Madeline Kahn. I first saw this when I was a teenager and fell in love with the eclectic characters. Best quote:
Judy: Love means never having to say you’re sorry.
Howard: That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard.
CLUB PARADISE – Robin Williams, Peter O’Toole, Rick Moranis, Mary Gross, Eugene Levy and Andrea Martin—-OMG ANDREA MARTIN. I don’t even have to tell you what the plot is now, do I? I’ve seen this probably 50 times and it still cracks me up. Best quote:
Barry Steinberg: [Watching a pro diver take a spectacular cliff dive off a waterfall with small crowd] I could have done that dive if I didn’t have the diarrhea.
BOTTLE ROCKET – This is the movie that put Wes Anderson, Luke Wilson and Owen Wilson on the map. I remember seeing a screening of it at Warner Bros. before it came out and I was immediately charmed. Quirky, weird and really funny. And not quite as precious as Wes’ films are now. Best quote:
Dignan: Ka-kaw! Ka-kaw!
VOLUNTEERS – Tom Hanks met his wife Rita Wilson making this movie where they play Peace Corps. volunteers in Southeast Asia. Their co-stars are Gedde Watanabe and the sweetly hilarious John Candy as Tom Tuttle from Tacoma, Washington. And John Candy is never not funny. Best quote:
Pretty much anything about “Mike.”
ROMY AND MICHELLE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION – This is one of those movies that just gets more funny with time. I absolutely love Janeane Garofolo in this. And the scene where Romy and Michelle do an interpretive dance to “True Colors” is totally something I wish I’d done at my reunion. Best quote:
Michele: Did you lose weight?
Romy: Actually, I have been trying this new fat free diet I invented. All I’ve had to eat for the past six days are gummy bears, jelly beans, and candy corns.
Michele: God, I wish I had your discipline.
NIGHT SHIFT – The first big movie Ron Howard directed (after “Grand Theft Auto”), this stars Shelley Long as a hooker with a heart of gold and Henry Winkler and a hyper, hilarious Michael Keaton as two guys who run a prostitution business out of the city morgue. It’s much less polished and cynical than current comedies and I think that’s what makes it so odd and funny. (And of course Clint Howard makes an appearance.) Best quote:
Leonard: (watching The Flintstones) Oh, that Barney Rubble. What an actor.
Others on my list:
HONEYMOON IN VEGAS – See this just for Pat Morita. LOST IN AMERICA – My favorite Albert Brooks movie. “Say ‘I lost the nest egg.’ Just say it!” ROXANNE – Steve Martin is wonderful, but the firehouse scenes are what make this movie. REAL GENIUS – Val Kilmer when he was funny. Love the scene with the popcorn mountain and “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” SPLASH – Screw the romance, just watch the John Candy and Eugene Levy scenes. “We’re not twins.” SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES – Screwball Neil Simon comedy starring Chevy, Goldie and a slow-burning Charles Grodin that’s almost as funny as FOUL PLAY – Chevy, Goldie and a creepily hilarious Dudley Moore. Plus the opening song is by Barry Manilow and what’s funnier than that?
What’s your favorite comedy? Please share it with me! And do it soon because today it’s my turn to get the mail.
How could i have forgotten about Club Paradise. I love that movie. We just showed Real Genius to the kids. Campbell thinks it’s the funniest thing ever, and Ella wants to go to an engineering school just so she can freeze the hallway.
My summer movies tend to the classics – Philadelphia Story, To Catch a Thief, Bringing Up Baby.
Bottle Rocket is one of my all time favorites, along with Swingers. I saw it on cable and watched it bc I thought Luke Wilson was a hottie (before I knew who Luke Wilson was). True story. Ka-kaw!
Auntie Mame made in 1958 — the version with Rosalind Russell, not the musical with Lucille Ball. Funny, touching, and a bit ahead of its time when showing the short-sightedness of bigotry.
To quote Auntie Mame: Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death.
Madeline khan. A freakin genius!
I laughed embarrassing loudly at romie and Michele’s reunion. My husband ( then boyfriend) nearly left me as did my best friend who saw it and didn’t think it was funny.
I nearly left her.
So many funny movies. Dead Men Don’t wear Plaid with Steve Martin. Classic. Love the scene where he pours coffee or ‘Java’ as he calls it….and says CLEANING WOMAN!
Gotta go check Netflix for the movies you mentioned.
Something’s got save me from a summer of heat and children. The wine sure as hell isn’t doing it
You’re the only other person I know who remembers “Volunteers”! I love John Candy in that movie. Don’t forget Tootsie – it holds up well from the 80’s and is worth watching just to see/hear Bill Murray’s great lines: “This is getting a little weird” and “You slut.”
Thanks for the list. I need a laugh.
Swingers!!! The Sure Thing.
Also Night Shift is hilarious
The recent Bob Goldthwait movie “God Bless America” is side-splitting, as is “Orgazmo” done by Trey Parker and Matt Stone.
I want to add Tommy Boy to the list. That movie cracks me up.
Love At First Bite – Before all that schmaltzy Twilight crap there was this. George Hamilton as Dracula, (yes, a tan Dracula), Susan Saint James as his love interest & Richard Benjamin fighting to save her and rid the world of him. Best quote:
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg: [triumphantly] Well, Count, what do you say to that?
[Pulls out a Star of David]
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg: [Dracula hides his face, then realizes what it is and removes his hands]
Count Dracula: I would say, leave Cindy alone and find yourself a nice Jewish girl, Doctor!
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg: Huh?
[looks at star]
Dr. Jeffrey Rosenberg: Ah shit! It’s the other one, isn’t it?
Sweet Home Alabama. Obviously.
Grosse Pointe Blank
“I guess you could say I went west. You know, the way of Horatio Alger, Davy Crockett, the Donner Party…”
Stripes
I’ve always been kind of a pacifist. When I was a kid, my father told me, “Never hit anyone in anger, unless you’re absolutely sure you can get away with it.”
The Addams Family.
I just love it. Never gets old.
–>Tommy Boy. Uncle Buck. Stripes. Dazed & Confused.
–>Tommy Boy. Uncle Buck. Stripes. Dazed & Confused.
Raising Arizona and Young Frankenstein.
Groundhog Day. When Bill Murray is trying to kill himself. Says a lot about me, doesn’t it?
I can’t believe that, with this lineup, you left out Overboard. It’s one of the ones I can’t flip by if it’s on. She’s so brilliant on both sides AND you get the triumph of her diagnosing the poison oak and taking the teacher to task.
Absolutely co-sign on Young Frankenstein and Grosse Pointe Blank.
I also, though, love Clue. The cast is so insane and whenever I see it I back up and watch them singing For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow like 6 times. It’s ridiculous but fabulous.
Love Quick Change. Tony Shalhoub as the bus driver. Gotta add The Burbs and Murder by Death. Just discovered your blog and am enjoying it!
Galaxy Quest: That movie makes me laugh out loud any and every time I see it! Definitely give that one a watch.
Totally agree with What’s Up, Doc and Auntie Mame (in the comments). Two more of my favorites.
I love Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion! Also funny – Swingers. Not totally funny, but sucks me in every. single time. – Pulp Fiction.
LOVE What’s Up, Doc? And The Main Event. And Yentl.
My always-makes-me-laugh comedy is It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Got to get watch some of those thanks. Happy Texas – you must see that. Pure Luck (Martin Short is hilarious) and A New Leaf (Walter Matthau and Elaine May) – my parents are turning the kids on to the old comedies. (Just bought the Foul Play DVD – one of my all time favorites)
I’m a bit late to this party, but here are my favorites:
Blazing Saddles- Racism and gov’t/corporate corruption have never been funnier.
Blues Brothers- Carrie Fisher and John Candy are great supporting actors. Also has the best cameos of any movie I’ve ever seen…Frank Oz, Steven Spielberg, Paul Reubens, etc.
Money Pit- The only Shelley Long performance I’ve ever liked and she is great with Tom Hanks. I lose it every time that tub falls through the floor.
Bringing Up Baby- Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant (and a leopard) are perfect in this one. “I was born on the side of a hill….” That line cracks me up.