Is there such a thing as a perfect comedy movie? Probably not, because comedy is wildly subjective.
What makes one person laugh until they cry might barely get a nose exhale from someone else. But Collider.com decided to give it a shot anyway, rounding up what they call the 10 nearly perfect comedies of all time and ranking them from top to bottom.
Their list spans decades, styles, and generations, from sharp political satire to absurd slapstick and endlessly quotable bro comedies. And while you will absolutely argue with at least one of these placements, that’s kind of the fun.
Taking the top spot is Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” from 1964. Yes, a Cold War nuclear satire somehow beat out fart jokes and improvised man-children. Collider praises it for being fearless, dark, and still painfully relevant decades later. Not bad for a movie about the end of the world.
Right behind it at number two is “Airplane!” from 1980, a film that basically redefined parody comedy. It is relentless, absurd, and packed with jokes so fast you probably miss half of them on the first watch. Number three goes to “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the 1975 classic that turned medieval legend into coconuts, killer rabbits, and quotes that refuse to die.
Rounding out the top five are “Some Like It Hot” from 1959 at number four and “Ghostbusters” from 1984 at number five. One is a black-and-white classic with Marilyn Monroe, the other has proton packs and a giant marshmallow man. Both somehow belong on the same list.
The rest of the rankings lean into cult favorites and modern comedy staples. “The Big Lebowski” lands at number six, followed by “Groundhog Day” at seven, a movie that somehow gets funnier and more thoughtful every time you see it. “Step Brothers” takes eighth place, proving that yelling and drum sets can age surprisingly well.
Closing out the list are two late-2000s comedy giants: “Superbad” at number nine and “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” at number ten.
So are these the 10 nearly perfect comedies of all time? Maybe. Or maybe your favorite is missing entirely. Either way, this list is a pretty solid excuse to cancel your plans and start a comedy marathon.